(UF/IFAS) — Now that we’re knee-deep in strawberry season, many growers owe Clyde Fraisse and Natalia Peres a debt of gratitude. About a decade ago, Peres saw a need for a fungicide decision-support tool. Farmers sprayed about every week to control strawberry diseases known as anthracnose and botrytis during the growing season, which goes from November through March in Florida. …
New Peach Rootstocks for Florida’s Sweet Peach Season
Can UF scientists help farmers perfect the Florida-grown peach for consumers? Here’s what they are up to. (UF/IFAS) — Ricardo Lesmes-Vesga aims to help farmers grow peaches in Florida’s various production regions. To that end, he aims to develop peach rootstocks specific to those areas and he believes his research findings will help growers who harvest the fruit when the …
Global Gardeners Help UF Tomato Breeding Program
(UF/IFAS) — Normally, University of Florida scientists such as Harry Klee gauge the taste and aroma of their new tomatoes by letting volunteers test them at the UF Sensory Lab in Gainesville. But now, people from across the globe who grow tomatoes in their gardens can serve as citizen scientists and send flavor and growing data to Klee. In this …
Farmers Gain Improved Access to Small Business Support as PPP Reopens
(NMPF) — The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is pleased that farmers who run their operations as sole proprietors, independent contractors, or otherwise self-employed individuals will have newly expanded access as soon as today to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under changes made in the COVID stimulus package Congress approved last month. Producers who were denied PPP loans or whose …
Unique Berry that Tastes Like a Baked Apple
A unique berry that tastes like a baked apple. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you want a special berry plant to add to your garden, consider growing cloudberries. These small, rare, delicate plants produce delicious berries and take up such little space. And, they taste like baked apples. Cloudberries are typically found in the alpine and …
Farmers to Families Food Box Program Purchases to Continue
(USDA/AMS) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will purchase an additional $1.5 billion worth of food for nationwide distribution through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. In total, USDA has distributed more than 132 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This new round of …
Growing a Tangerine Tree No Matter Where You Live
How to grow a Tangerine Tree no matter where you live. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Tangerine trees belong in the same citrus family as oranges, lemons, and limes. They’re a hybrid of mandarin oranges, and there are a ton of different varieties out there. Such as Clementine, Dancy, Honey, Kara, Pixie, and Yosemite. Whether growing tangerines …
Caring for Fruit Trees in the Wintertime
Caring for fruit trees in the winter time. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. For those of us hoping to provide our fruit, nut, and berry trees with the best care, there a few fruitful tips for how to make it through the festive frosts on past February. Before planting fruit trees, do some research and choose varieties …
Heat Brings Out Antioxidants, Increases Red in Tomatoes
(UF/IFAS) — Turn up the heat, and get more nutrition from your tomato, University of Florida researchers say. Furthermore, when you buy a tomato, it will be about as red as it can be, thanks to the UF/IFAS methods deployed for the study. The findings are crucial to an industry in which Florida ranks second to California in tomato production …
Fruit-Bearing Plants and Trees to Attract Birds to Your Yard
Some of the best plants to attract birds to your yard. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. By planting fruit-bearing trees and shrubs in your landscape, they will attract berry-eating birds such as bluebirds and robins while also creating a beautiful display with their flowers, fall & holiday colors, and fruits. American cranberry bush viburnum has white springtime flowers, …