Beneath the Earth, the ‘Black Box’ of Soil Holds a Key to Crop Growth

IMMOKALEE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — Like much of what lies just beneath the earth’s surface, soil microbes present a mystery. University of Florida scientist Sarah Strauss seeks to help untangle the web of intrigue surrounding soil microbes to improve agricultural production in Florida and globally. “There are microbial activities going on that we don’t exactly understand. It’s known as the ‘black …

Growing Onions from Seed Has Benefits

Just about every garden has onions. In today’s program, Cathy Isom explains the benefits of growing onions from seed. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Onions are staples in most vegetable gardens, and are usually grown from sets. Growing onions from seed, however, is just as easy. It’s also far more affordable, as a packet of 100 seeds …

Grow Drought Tolerant Edible Plants

Most areas of the country have issues with water. A lot of us also like to grow our own fruit and vegetables. Cathy Isom lets us know about some drought tolerant edible plants. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There are several drought-tolerant productive plant choices that’ll put out fruits and veggies without much in the way of …

How Often Should You Be Watering Your Plants

One thing everything living thing on the planet needs is water. This includes your garden. Cathy Isom lets you know how often you should be watering your plants. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. You should be watering your garden once a week, or one to two inches per week. When you have larger plants, it’s a good …

July 4th Cookouts Costing About the Same

(AFBF) — A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for July 4th, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and watermelon, will cost just a few cents more this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation. Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout …

‘Sweet Grown Alabama’ Coming Soon

A new program is coming to Alabama. Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries is working on implementing “Sweet Grown Alabama.” Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle …

Scouting and Managing Spider Mites in Vegetables

AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. (ACES) – Summertime can be a productive season for growing vegetables. However, it is also a time that can be hot and dry. These are the perfect conditions for spider mites, a pest that can cause widespread damage quickly. When present in high numbers, they can be pests for many aspects of farming There are many species …

Novel Watermelon Rootstock Knocks Out Disease and Pests

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (USDA/ARS) — A new watermelon line, developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Clemson University scientists, gets to the root of the problem of a major disease and pest of watermelon crops in the southern United States. Carolina Strongback is a rootstock watermelon that is resistant to Fusarium wilt and the southern root-knot nematode, according to William “Pat” …