“Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized.” – Allan Armitage- Author, speaker and horticulturalist

As temperatures rise, plant water demands increase and rainfall doesn’t keep up, so the need for supplemental irrigation will likely increase. Get in tune with your plants and water as needed. This is a good time to make some changes to your irrigation system such as drip, or micro-irrigation to cut back on water use.

Whats making the squiggly lines in my leaves?

As the weather reaches summertime temps and humidity levels, you may start seeing more pests in the yard.  One question we get a lot at the Extension Office is "What are these squiggly lines all over my leaves?"  The answer is: leafminers! The next question is usually “How do I get rid of them?” The answer may surprise you.  Read on to find out more about this pesky plant pest.

Time for Blueberries

You may already notice Florida blueberries are in our grocery stores and farmers markets. The months of April-June is blueberry season in N.E. Florida.  Do you want to learn about growing your own? Perhaps you are more interested in finding a local U-Pick blueberry farm.  Read on for more information

It's Tomato Time!

Grow the right herbs in the right place!

Pruning Fails

What to plant in May and June

The Gardening Calendar gives North Florida gardeners a guide for what to plant and do in their gardens. It includes links to useful gardening websites, all based on University of Florida research and expertise.

• What to Plant in May
• What to plant in June

Upcoming Events

(Follow us on Eventbrite for Upcoming Classes)

Saturday May 10th at 10 AM a program on Pollinator Friendly Gardening at the Common Ground located at 6912 Buffalo Avenue in Panama Park. Join us for this outdoor workshop to learn about pollinators, their importance in the vegetable garden, and how to encourage them in your own. And even though honey bees are important, native bees are good pollinators too! Take home a do-it-yourself native bee house to put in your garden or yard.  The cost is $5.00. Register via Eventbrite

Saturday May 17th at 9 AM come to our Spring 2025 Urban Demonstration Garden Open House at the Urban Demonstration Garden at 1032 Superior St. Tour our demonstration garden, ask questions, and learn about what we grow in the spring, as well as different growing methods. Check out our new garden mural. We will be demonstrating how to scout for insects. You will have the opportunity to take home a small packet of seeds for your garden.The cost is $5.00  Register via Eventbrite

Wednesday May 28th at 2 PM the May Backyard Hen Training at the UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Office located at 1010 N. McDuff Ave. This class is necessary for you to get your hen permit in Duval County. The information presented will help get you started on your backyard flock. It is just a little over an hour and very informative. You will receive a certificate of completion that you present to the city to receive your permit. The cost is $10.00  Register on Eventbrite

Saturday June 7th at 12 PM join us for Pollinator Friendly Vegetable Gardening at the Jarboe Park Organic Coimmunity Garden located at 1250 3rd Street Neptune Beach. Come join us for a fun and informative outdoor class where we will learn how and why to attract pollinators to your vegetable garden, and how to nurture and protect them once they're there.The cost is $5.00 Register on Eventbrite here

Tuesday June 10th at 5:30 PM join us for Welcome to Florida Gardening 101 at the UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Office located at 1010 N. McDuff Ave. If you've just moved to Florida or are a total newbie to caring for a Florida lawn or garden, this three part series on consecutive Tuesdays is for you!  We designed this class series to help you learn about basic care recommendations from UF/IFAS as well as important information about how to save time, water, and money in your maintenance routine. The cost is $15 Register on Eventbrite here!

Wednesday June 11th at 10 AM  for Improve Your Garden Soil Over the Summer: Solarize or Cover Crop It  at the Urban Demonstration Garden at 1032 Superior St. As your spring crops fade, you may wonder what to do in the garden over the summer. If you are planning to go on vacation, don't have time to actively garden, or just don't want to deal with the heat, try improving your garden soil. This class will present two methods of improving your garden soil: Solarization and Cover Crops. The cost is $5.00 Register on Eventbrite!

Wednesday June 18th at 10 AM join us for How to Water Your Vegetable Garden: Micro, Low-Flow, Low-Tech & More at the Urban Demonstration Garden at 1032 Superior St. This class will cover multiple methods of efficient and low-flow irrigation methods for vegetable and edible gardens. We'll discuss pros and cons of: hand watering, olla irrigation and several types of micro/low volume systems. We will show how to set up a simple low-flow irrigation system and explain the parts needed. The cost is $5.00 Register on Eventbrite

For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations that wish to attend any Extension events, please contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office (TDD, via Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771) at least ten working days prior to the class so that proper consideration may be given to the request. UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.