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, …

Vilsack Named Secretary of Agriculture, Scott to Chair House Committee

(NABB) — President-elect Joe Biden has appointed Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, served as agriculture secretary for eight years in the Obama administration and was a rural and agriculture policy adviser during Biden’s presidential campaign. He was also a contender to be Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016.  Additionally, Congressman David Scott …

Blueberries and Bees, UF Scientists Play Matchmaker

(UF/IFAS) — Chew on this the next time you eat a blueberry: Every single blueberry is the result of a flower that was pollinated by a bee. In other words: no buzz, no berry. With that in mind, it’s no wonder blueberry growers bring in hives of honey bees or bumble bees when their blueberry bushes are in flower. “We …

Blueberry App Developed to Help Growers Battle Diseases and Pests

(UF/IFAS) — A new University of Florida app will help the state’s blueberry growers identify and manage disease and insect injuries commonly encountered in Florida before their crop is ruined. Collectively, blueberries are a $60 million-per-year crop in Florida. Patricio Munoz, the UF/IFAS blueberry breeder and an assistant professor of horticultural sciences, came up with the vision for, and supervised …

UF/IFAS Study Shows Less Need for Pesticides to Control Pests

It’s harvest season for Florida’s $300 million-per-year strawberry season, so those who grow this fruit need help to control pests such as the tiny (up to 2-millimeters long), destructive chilli thrips. Farmers often use pesticides to control thrips, but they would like to use minimal chemicals. University of Florida scientists may have found a good reason to use pesticides at …

Fruits and Veggies You Should Never Store Together

Some fruits and veggies you should never store together.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Storing your food properly is one of the keys to extending its life. However, some produce shouldn’t be stored together because of the Ethylene gas that is emitted as the foods ripen. Most plants produce ethylene, but the amount varies based on the …

Best Methods to Seed Pomegranate Fruit

Some of the best methods to seed Pomegranate. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Seeding Pomegranates can be a bit of a challenge. And, there are a few ways of doing it. One method is to make a small nick in the stem of the fruit and pull the fruit apart.Then, pick out the seeds individually. The second …