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 …
Indoors or Outdoors, Horticulture and Holidays Go Together
(USDA/NASS) — With the holiday season upon us, you may have missed the recent release of the 2019 Census of Horticultural Specialties Report. This 2017 Census of Agriculture special study is the only source of detailed production and sales data for floriculture, nursery, and specialty crops for the entire United States. Although the number of horticulture operations declined 11% from the last …
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, …
UF Scientists Help Thwart Disease that can Ravage the Popular Gerbera Daisies
(UF/IFAS) — Gerbera daisies are popular worldwide for their wide array of brightly colored flowers. They also make great plants for the garden, and their blooms yield long-lasting cut flowers. Many newlyweds use cut gerbera flowers to decorate their wedding ceremonies. Gerbera daisies also are increasingly used as garden, bedding, patio and indoor plants. Cut flower gerberas in the United States …
How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree
How to pick the perfect Christmas tree. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Fresh cut trees are by far the most popular because of tradition and fragrance. In addition to the lovely fragrance of a cut tree, buying a fresh Christmas tree is a great way to support Christmas tree farmers. Each region of the country has its own …
‘Tis the Season for Special Care of Your Christmas Cactus
How to care for a Christmas cactus. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Christmas cactus is a long lived plant with flat, segmented stems. Most of the year its appearance is fairly unassuming — around Christmas, however, something magical happens. With care, this plain looking plant will blossom with flowers of red, white, pink, purple or orange. …
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 …
Vanilla DNA Mystery Uncovered by Latest UF/IFAS Research in S. Florida
(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida scientists have developed a tool to unlock the genetic traits that pinpoint the vanilla variety that produces an abundance of beans, grows efficiently and sustainably, with consumer-approved taste. As part of their breeding program, scientists with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) believe their work is an essential tool that will be …
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 …