Most Spathiphyllum are seen in flower when at market. The attractive white blooms, called spathes, are long lasting. With proper plant care, Spathiphyllum may produce blooms year after year. Spathiphyllum is a very attractive house plant even when not in bloom and adapts well to home and patio environments. This 2-page fact sheet was written by R. J. Henny and J. Chen, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep477
Author: dihagan
Granulate cutworm, Feltia subterranea (Fabricius) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
The granulate cutworm, Feltia subterranea (Fabricius) is the most commonly occurring cutworm in Florida, though it is rarely numerous enough to be a major pest. It is nocturnal through most of its life, and lacks distinctive features in the larval and adult stage, so it often is overlooked, and its activities and damage are not fully appreciated. This 4-page fact sheet was written by John L. Capinera, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in997
Scarlet-bodied wasp moth, Cosmosoma myrodora (Dyar) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
The scarlet-bodied wasp moth, Cosmosoma myrodora (Dyar), is a beautiful native insect. Because of its striking adult coloration, including a bright red thorax and abdomen, and transparent wings patterned with black, this moth immediately stands out in Florida landscapes. Larval feeding is restricted to two native plants in the genus Mikania, family Asteraceae. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Diego Moscoso, Rodrigo Diaz, and William A. Overholt, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in996
Spotted Wing Drosophila: Pest Management Recommendations for Southeastern Blueberries
The spotted wing drosophila is a recently discovered invasive species native to parts of East Asia. It was first detected in the continental United States in California in 2008 and in Hillsborough County, Florida in 2009. Since then, the spotted wing drosophila has spread to over 28 counties in Florida. SWD is polyphagous, meaning it feeds on many different host plants, including most thin-skinned fruits. The major hosts of concern to the Florida agriculture industry are blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and grapes. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Oscar E. Liburd and Lindsy E. Iglesias, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in998
Living with Diabetes: Keeping Track of Your Blood Glucose
Living with diabetes involves setting goals, adjusting your lifestyle to meet your treatment goals, evaluating your progress, and changing practices as needed. One key goal of diabetes management is to attain glycemic (blood glucose) control to reduce the risk of health complications. Healthy lifestyle practices, such as eating well, engaging in physical activity, and using medications as prescribed, contribute to glycemic control and to an overall healthy life. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1144
Soil Preparation And Liming for Vegetable Gardens
Probably the most physical part of vegetable gardening is preparing the soil for planting. In large gardens, mechanical equipment, such as rototillers or tractor-drawn plows, often is necessary, and it may be practical to rent such equipment or hire someone. However, in smaller gardens, the task can be accomplished with a spade, spading fork, or shovel. Much depends on the type of roots and vegetation that must be removed.This 2-page fact sheet was written by James M. Stephens and Guodong Liu, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh024
Food Safety: Play it Safe with Eggs
Fresh eggs may contain bacteria that can cause salmonellosis. This foodborne illness causes vomiting and diarrhea. It can be severe and even fatal in older adults. Reduce your risk for this foodborne illness by following these guidelines. This 1-page fact sheet was written by Linda B. Bobroff and Jennifer Hillan, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy193
Organic Vegetable Gardening in Florida
This 16-page fact sheet is meant to be a companion to the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide. It is intended for the home gardener who prefers to use natural and organic materials as well as methods that are compatible with the philosophy of organic gardening. was written by Danielle D. Treadwell, Sydney Park Brown, James Stephens, and Susan Webb, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1215
Herbicides for Weed Control in Eucalyptus Culture
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus with over 700 species, most of which are native to Australia. Numerous Eucalyptus species and hybrid clones have been introduced in temperate climates throughout the world and grown as ornamental trees as well as for fuel and fiber. There is renewed interest in planting this fast-growing tree in the southeastern United States for mulch, pulpwood, and bio-energy. However, several silvicultural challenges exist, and competing vegetation control is a significant one. This 7-page fact sheet was written by Anna Osiecka and Patrick Minogue, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr378
Florida Peach and Nectarine Varieties
The University of Florida has developed high-quality, low-chilling, early-maturing peach and nectarine cultivars that can be grown from the panhandle of Florida to as far south as Immokalee. Low-chilling cultivars can grow and produce fruit under Florida conditions that are much warmer in winter than in northern states. Furthermore, ripening of these cultivars during April and May ensures an early spring market window for tree-ripe fresh fruit in Florida before peaches and nectarines from other southeastern states and California come to market. Both commercial and dooryard recommended varieties span the growing season. This 8-page fact sheet was written by Mercy Olmstead, Jose Chaparro, Pete Andersen, Jeff Williamson, and James Ferguson, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg374
Melons: Safe Handling Practices for Consumers
Since most of us buy melons at the store or farmers market, it is easy to forget that most melons are grown on the ground. Watermelons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon are the most popular varieties of melons in the United States. Because they are exposed to pests and microorganisms from dirt, it is very important to apply the best food safety practices before enjoying them.This 3-page fact sheet was written by Amy Simonne, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy488
Olive shootworm, Palpita persimilis Munroe (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Palpita persimilis Munroe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a defoliator of olives and privet in South America. Examination of specimens submitted to UF-IFAS and FDACS-DPI prompted the discovery that the species has been established in Florida for many years, having been confused with two similar native species. The confusion parallels historical misidentifications in Peru. To date, all vouchered specimens in Florida with host information were found feeding on leaves of Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. (Japanese privet). This 6-page fact sheet was written by James E. Hayden and Lyle J. Buss, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in995
Developing Strong Teamwork to Support Excellence in Extension Programming
Sometimes differentiating a group from a team is difficult. Is the group of people that you work with truly a team? What benefits are there to being a member of a highly functioning team? In Patrick Lencioni’s iconic book on teamwork, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team , five elements are outlined as necessary for highly functioning teams. These are trust, ability to successfully engage in conflict, commitment to each other and the team, accountability, and focusing on collective results. This 2-page fact sheet was written by Hannah Carter, Amy Harder, and Kevan Lamm, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc143
Trastornos fisiologicos de la papa: Necrosis por calor interno
La necrosis por calor interno (NCI) es un trastorno fisiológico que causa un pardeamiento inaceptable del tejido del tubrculo y puede causar pérdidas económicas para el productor. Las tres principales causas de la NCI en los tubérculos es la alta temperatura en el suelo, la humedad inadecuada del suelo y la nutrición sub-óptima de la planta, o la combinación de estos factores. This 4-page fact sheet, the Spanish language version of HS1145, Potato Physiological Disorders: Internal Heat Necrosis was written by L. Zotarelli, J. E. Reyes-Cabrera, C. M. Worthington, C. Hutchinson, S. Byrd, D. Gergela, y D. L. Rowland, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1221
Improving Savings, Health, and Happiness by Re-examining Your Practices and Surroundings series
This series of EDIS publications introduces readers to the concept of overall community performance and suggests minor modifications to neighborhoods, public schools, and public services that could help citizens improve their communities. This publication is for a general audience and provides a list of changes to public schools that, if enacted, may help improve a community’s performance.
- Improving Savings, Health, and Happiness by Making Small Modifications to Your Community
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1371 - Improving Community Performance by Re-examining the Neighborhood
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1372 - Improving Community Performance by Re-examining Public Services
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1372 - Improving Community Performance by Re-examining Public Schools
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1374
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_improving_savings_health_and_happiness
The Asiatic garden beetle Maladera castanea (Arrow 1913) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
The Asiatic garden beetle has been a pest in the northeastern United States since the 1920s. Generally not as abundant or damaging as the Japanese beetle, this pest beetle is occasionally numerous enough to cause damage to turf, gardens and field crops, as well as simply being a nuisance. It’s discovery in Florida was not unexpected. This is the first report of this pest beetle in the lower southeastern U.S. coastal plain. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Paul E. Skelley, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in992
Love and Acceptance Are Crucial to Development Worldwide
If you’ve ever traveled to another country, perhaps one far across the world, you may have been struck by the universal nature of the tender and sometimes tricky relationship between parent and child. Now a new analysis of 36 studies from 18 countries, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review, confirms some important truths about how parents can affect their children for a lifetime. This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Carol Church, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, August 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm1135
Engaging Distance Learners in Cooperative Extension
Distance education allows organizations to reach broader audiences, reduce costs per learner, and better serve communities. This 4-page fact sheet discusses how to incorporate the best practices for engaging learners in online distance education programs. Written by Austen Moore and Amy Harder, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc142
A Cooperative Agreement and the Implementation of the Endangered Species Act: How Extension Can Facilitate Stakeholder Involvement and Compliance
This 4-page fact sheet provides a brief description of the Endangered Species Act and updated action pertaining to the endangered species issue. The goal of this publication is to provide brief but clear information about the legislation and current agreements around this issue that Extension agents can use to increase educated conversations. Written by Chandra Bowden, Alexa Lamm, Tracy Irani, and Sebastian Galindo, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc141
Tomato Chlorotic Spot Virus
Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) is a tospovirus, similar to but distinct from other tospoviruses currently present in Florida. Like these viruses, TCSV is transmitted by thrips and is able to replicate in both the vector and the plant. TCSV was first reported in Florida in 2012 in tomato plants in Miami-Dade and Lee Counties, but it may have been in the state for several years. Prior to 2012, TCSV was only known to occur in Brazil and Argentina. It is not known how this virus was introduced into Florida. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Jane E. Polston, Erin Wood, Aaron J. Palmateer, and Shouan Zhang, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp306