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A common symptom of Huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus trees is leaf chlorosis, where the leaves develop yellow blotches. HLB is caused by a bacterium that resides in the plant phloem, disrupting the flow of nutrients. While chlorosis also can indicate other plant health issues, it’s thought to be triggered by the presence of the HLB […]

Bugs could have a field day this time of year in your lawn and garden if you don’t keep them under control. Here in Central Florida, there is a list of “common” pests to look out for and manage if necessary.  Check your lawns and gardens at least weekly for mole crickets, chinch bugs, azalea

A price of $54,000 is not much money for a house, car or pickup truck these days. It is five times what my first house cost me. But how about a $54,000 necktie, but not just any necktie… .      St. Jude is the chosen charity for the National Auctioneers Association. We are closing in

Florida’s rainy summer season is prime time for root rot, but it’s also the time that brown rot rears its ugly head. A UF/IFAS Tip of the Week shared that there have been high soil Phytophthora propagule counts, the organisms that cause brown rot, reported so far this year, in Southwest Florida especially. The UF/IFAS

  As we have seen throughout this look at foraging stocks, certain types of grass are better suited for certain types of pasture land. And with Florida supporting a wide variety of biomes, it is vital that the rancher can both recognize the type of land he’s pasturing in and understand which grasses that land

The Florida summer heat makes things more challenging when caring for and exercising your horse. The same things that you worry about for yourself in the heat are the same things that you need to consider for your horse.    If you have a barn, airflow and ventilation are key. The more airflow there is,

Are you sick of discussing the pandemic yet? If you’re like me, there’s an immediate answer and a secondary answer. The immediate answer is “Yes!” (And, yes, that exclamation point is part of the answer.)   The secondary answer, though, is “No.” The effects of the pandemic continue to ripple and provide both opportunity and

An article in The Ledger on June 20 concerning Lakeland real estate was interesting and quite informative. It was about the housing market conditions today.    I have been selling Lakeland and U.S. real estate for the past 60 years. We have seen five economic cycles like this.   I stood on Gary Road in

HLB, or citrus greening, can infect most citrus trees and even some citrus relatives. Because it is so easily vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid, citrus farmers can expect to combat this disease at some point. Chronically infected HLB trees become weakened due to a blockage of nutrient movement from the leaves to the root

Lebbeck mealybugs were first discovered in Florida in citrus trees in Highlands County in 2019, and they have since been found in commercial groves in 11 different counties and in residential citrus in two counties. These insects feed on fruit, leaves and stems, and the damage they do ranges from ruining fruit for the fresh