A new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) report showed 215 people in Florida died from heat-related causes in the last 10 years. The fact that heat-related deaths happen throughout the year surprised the researchers who wrote the report. Serap Gorucu, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, helped write the report. She and …
Small Space Gardening Doesn’t Have to Be a Struggle
Tips for edible gardens in small spaces. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Gardening in small spaces doesn’t have to be a struggle. Maximize your minimal gardening space by strategically pairing fruits, vegetables and flowers. Plant flowers that will attract beneficial bugs that will pollinate the vegetables. They can also deter harmful insects resulting in better growing conditions and …
Deadline Nearing to Apply for ADAI Relief Program
Back in April, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) announced they were administering the Alabama Agriculture Relief Program (AARP) to provide USDA relief funds to farmers who suffered losses due to Hurricane Michael in 2018. While the original deadline to apply was June 25th, they want to remind those who experienced necessary expenses related to losses of beef …
Suggestions for Squeezing a Garden onto a Small Deck or Patio
Some ways to squeeze a garden on to your small deck or patio. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Starting a garden can be a challenge if your deck or patio is the size of a postage stamp. The good news is that there are many clever, space-saving garden ideas where large backyards are not required. You may even …
Crabapples Might be Worth Growing at Home
Why crabapples might be worth growing at home. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The term crabapple tree refers to pretty much any wild apple tree, and the term crabapple, refers to the significantly smaller apples. Like domesticated apples, they produce five-petaled flowers that can range between white and red. These flowers are pollinated by insects, likely bees, …
Best Method to Change the Color of Your Hydrangeas
How to change the color of your Hydrangeas. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If purchasing a hydrangea for the first time and you want to change its natural hue, it is possible. But only if you buy the Bigleaf variety. Bigleaf hydrangeas’ changing colors are attributed to the pH of the soil they are grown in. If you …
Sweet Grown Alabama Program Continues to Grow
While Covid-19 affected many businesses in a negative way, the Sweet Grown Alabama program saw just the opposite. During the recent annual meeting of the Alabama Agribusiness Council, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman they are looking at how to move the program to the next level. Sponsored ContentFlorida Senator Shares Origins of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardNovember …
Keeping the Vegetable Plants Cool in the Summer Heat
How to keep plants cool in the summer heat. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When it comes to our vegetable garden, we tend to worry most about protecting our plants from freezing temps and suffering frost damage. However, in some places, the summer heat can be a bear and pose a threat all its own. Even though most …
Next COVID Casualty Could be Coffee
COVID-19 shockwaves could create a round of trouble for the coffee industry, according to Purdue University. Starting in the 2011-12 growing season, a powdery orange fungus called coffee leaf rust spread throughout Latin America and Central America, damaging crops on 70 percent of farms and causing more than $3.2 billion in damage. Coffee crop management programs helped growers mitigate the …
Onion Diseases You May Encounter, and Dealing with Them
Onion diseases you may encounter, and how to deal with them. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you plan to grow onions, you’ll likely deal with some of these onion diseases. Such as Yellow Onion Dwarf, Purple Blotch, or Pink Rot. Damping-Off Disease is another issue you may encounter when starting your seedlings. It’s common when onions are …