As a general rule, pruning is best done on small growth, except for the purpose of plant restoration. Mutilating a tree, such as Crepe Myrtle, by destructive removal of large limbs will produce a lot of new growth. Crepe Myrtles flower on new wood, so yes you will get a lot of flowering, but it…Read more
One of the most visible signs of our local “Southern Ecology” is Spanish Moss. It has been eulogized in poetry, novels and song for centuries. It is closely associated with our mental images of the traditional “Southern Culture” from the days of the great plantations to the present. One of the most common questions asked…Read more
As the summer heat settles in and roads to the beach become congested, one of the last things on anyone’s mind is deer season. Even so, many hunt clubs and land managers are actively assessing the effectiveness of their efforts for attracting, nourishing and retaining whitetail deer. A wide variety of annual crops have been…Read more
Too many serious injuries and deaths annually are caused by inexperienced persons trying to do their own tree pruning. In most cases, the individual was trying to work off the ground on a ladder or was climbing into a large mature tree. The other injuries were usually due to the improper use of tools and…Read more
Homeowners are generally unaware of many of the various circumstances that can make their trees hazardous. If time is taken to look, most people can see obvious structural problems as major decay in the main trunk of a tree. Still, the vast majority of problems leading to structural failure are not easily recognizable to the…Read more
Officially, summer begins on June 20, 2025. The thermometer and humidity have already reflected this reality and the plants are responding with unrestrained growth and production. Ample moisture encourages lush growth from both ornamental horticulture specimens and fruit and vegetable production. As such, there is plenty to do in the gardens and landscapes in panhandle…Read more
News sometimes feels like it is rarely good news. Politics, the economy, the national debt and the list goes on. To add potential injury to all the cheerless information, the storm prognosticators are forecasting an above average number and intensity of hurricanes for 2025… the bad news never ends! Anyone who has lived in panhandle…Read more
The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season will begin in two weeks. If you own a home with large mature trees, it would be wise to give some thought to the health of your trees and whether they present any threat to persons or property. That risk may result in liability to you. This not only includes…Read more
Getting children interested in home gardening is, to say the least, a challenge. Instead of relaxing on soft cushions in climate-controlled comfort where the WIFI signal is strong, the youngster must put down the electronic device and go outside. When in the great outdoors, there are hand tools to be used which require physical exertion….Read more
Two popular vegetables will soon be producing in panhandle Florida vegetable gardens. One will come to the end of its season in a few weeks, and the other one is just beginning. Tomatoes and peppers have a long history in the region’s home gardens and a much longer history of being cultivated in the New…Read more
