In addition to the Horticulture Publications included within the ProHort website, many other resources are available for Florida retail garden professionals. Unlike many resources listed on the Internet, all the resources and information listed below are specific to the plants, soils, conditions and climate of Florida.
Many of the resources below were created by Florida specialists and Extension agents. There is an amazing array of highly useful resources available including books, CDs, newsletters, trade magazines and a wonderful selection of websites. Also included below are a listing of the professional and trade associations.
Plant Locators
Professional Associations
Trade Magazines
Establishing and Operating a Garden Center: Requirements and Costs. Establishing and Operating a Garden Center: Requirements and Costs. 1993. Barton, Susan S., John J. Haydu, Roger A. Hinson, Robert E. McNeil, Travis D. Phillips, Russell Powell and Forrest Stegglin. Washington, DC: Garden Centers of America. 50 pp. The objective of this publication is to estimate establishment and operating costs for garden centers at two levels of sales, and to specify the general set of financial, marketing and business principles that should be available to the owner/manager of a garden center. A large garden center with annual sales of $1 million is described as well as a smaller garden center with annual sales of $350,000. See the ANLA publications website
Your Florida Landscape: A Complete Guide to Planting and Maintenance - With more than 30 faculty contributors, this complete resource covers trees, palms, shrubs, ground covers, and vines. Includes the latest research-based information on topics such as planting site evaluation, mulching, watering, fertilizing, pruning, common pests and beneficial insects. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Landscape & Lawns" then click on "Books"
Your Florida Guide to Shrubs - Written for everyone - from the homeowner with limited gardening skills to the landscape professional and property manager - Your Florida Guide to Shrubs guides the reader through selecting and maintaining healthy shrubs for all landscape uses. Discusses exotic and native plants and includes a hardiness-zone map and a color, illustrated shrub selection guide. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Landscape & Lawns" then click on "Books"
Your Florida Guide to Bedding Plants: Selection, Establishment and Maintenance" Learn how to select, plant and maintain over 60 flowering and ornamental plants in your home landscape. The book covers gardening in all growing regions of the state and features step-by-step instructions and photographs to help you plant simple containers or design and plant intricate flower beds and keep them attractive and disease-free. Includes sample landscape plans and a 24-page plant selector guide to help you tailor plants to specific growing areas, seasons and planting sites. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Landscape & Lawns" then click on "Books"
The Florida Lawn Handbook This popular guide for homeowners and yard-care professionals features sections on selecting and maintaining lawn grasses; identifying and controlling weeds, diseases, and insects and other pests; and pesticide application and uses. Includes quick-reference tables. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Landscape & Lawns" then click on "Books"
Pests In and Around the Florida Home This handy guide gives the general reader a comprehensive look at insects and other pests that Floridians encounter in and around their homes. Complete habitat and life cycle information for insects that live around food, in fabric and wood, or which bite and sting. A section covering occasional pest invaders, such as rats, mice, bats, birds, and spiders, is also included. Color identification sheets make it easy to identify the pests. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Pesticides" then click on either "CD-Roms" or "Books."
Vegetable Gardening in Florida This resource has everything you need to grow vegetables under Florida’s unique climate and pest conditions. Filled with color photographs, this book takes you from site selection through the harvest and storage of your produce. Includes planting guides, gardening measurement conversions, and organic gardening information. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Fruits & Vegetables" then click on "Books."
Your Florida Dooryard Citrus Guide The most detailed guide about Florida citrus ever published has been updated for 2001. Author Jim Ferguson, Department of Horticultural Sciences, applies expertise he learned working with commercial citrus growers to the specific needs of the home gardener. Dooryard fruit growers can profit from the wealth of detailed information, charts, appendices, and color photographs. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Fruits & Vegetables" then click on "Books."
Florida Plant Selector - The Florida Plant Selector is designed to help find the right plant for the right spot. By choosing conditions that match your specific requirements, you will be presented with a list of appropriate plants from which to choose. More than 600 Florida annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers are represented, with color photographs and detailed information about each plant. Indexed by common and scientific names. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Lawns & Landscapes" then click on "CD-Roms."
Horticopia CD-Rom Series - 2001. Enormous database of 10,000 plants with 25,000 color photos combined with management, culture and botanical data and test. Available at www.horticopia.com/ There are many different versions and many different prices.
Tropical Fruits Designed for commercial growers, homeowners and county extension agents, Tropical Fruits is an interactive, multimedia, diagnostic expert system. Contains the TFRUIT*Xpert diagnostic system and more than 60 extension fruit crop disorder publications, as well as pest and disease management guides. Helps identify disorders of avocado, carambola, lychee, papaya, mango and ""Tahiti"" lime. Full-screen color images are available for many symptoms and may help in confirming the unknown problem. The user can browse the tropical fruit crop disorder database by common or scientific name for quick access to information about specific disorders. All summary and extension documents can be printed. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Fruits & Vegetables" then click on "CD-Roms."
Woodybug Comprehensive guide to pests commonly found on shrubs. Identification, life cycle, damage, hosts and control techniques are included along with more than 150 color photos. Call 1-800-226-1764 or see the website at http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/ click on "Lawns & Landscapes" then click on "CD-Roms."
The Retail Gardener - A free quarterly newsletter written specifically for retail garden employees in Florida. Latest news and events in the industry, along with seasonal horticulture information. Contact Dave palmer at 813-744-5519x103 or go to the ProHort website at http://prohort.ifas.ufl.edu/index.htm or www.prohort.net to subscribe.
Pest Alert - A listserv provided by the University of Florida Dept of Entomology. Frequent e-mail updates on new and reoccurring pest problems around the state. Subscribe by going to http://extlab7.entnem.ufl.edu/pestalert/ and following the directions.
FNGA Locator
Fla Nurserymen & Growers Assn
1533 Park Center Dr
Orlando, Fl., 32825-5705
407-295-7944
www.fnga.org
Native Plant & Service Directory
Assn of Fla Native Nurseries
PO Box 434
Melrose, Fl., 32666-0434
1-877-352-2366
www.afnn.org
Nursery Report
Dade Chapter FNGA
18710 SW 288th St Room 38
Homestead, Fl., 33030
305-247-9596
www.nursery-report.com
Plant Availability Locator
Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers
5339 State Road 579
Seffner, FL 33584
813-655-1914
www.tbwg.org
Professional Associations
Florida Nurserymen & Growers Association (FNGA) -
FNGA has a Retail Garden Division
www.fnga.org
Garden Centers of America - A division of the
American Nursery and Landscape Association -
www.anla.org/
Trade Magazines & Websites
G C M & M (Garden Center Merchandising & Management)
Branch-Smith Publishing
120 St. Louis Avenue P.O. Box 1868
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817-882-4120
800-433-5612
free to the industry
http://www.greenbeam.com/
G C P & S (Garden Center Products & Supplies)
Branch-Smith Publishing
120 St. Louis Avenue P.O. Box 1868
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817-882-4120
800-433-5612
free to the industry
http://www.greenbeam.com/
Green Profit
(specifically for the Retail
Garden industry)
PO Box 9
335 N. River St
Batavia, Il., 60510-0009
630-208-9080
free to the industry
www.greenprofit.com
Nursery Retailer
Brantwood Publications, Inc.
3023 Eastland Boulevard Suite 103
Clearwater, Florida 34621-4106
813-796-3877 fax-813-791-4126
http://www.nurseryretailer.com/
free to the industry
Ornamental Outlook
(primarily for growers but often has
interesting and usable information for
the retail industry)
1555 Howell Branch Rd, Suite C204
Winter Park, Fl., 32789
407-539-6552
free to the industry
www.meisternet.com/
Garden Design magazine
Recently launched an online directory of thousands of green goods, retailers and
service providers that consumers can search for on a local level. Garden Design
readers can go to the online version of the publication to search for local
retailers that offer the products and services mentioned in the print version of
the magazine.
http://www.gardendesignmag.com/index.jsp
EDIS (Extension Digital Information Source) http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ A database of around 5000 University of Florida publications on all topics including horticulture.
ProHort Website http://prohort.ifas.ufl.edu/index.htm or www.prohort.net Information and resources specifically for the professional horticulture service industry including sections specifically devoted to retail garden employees.
Featured Creatures http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/ A database of over 1000 insects and other pests. Information includes photos, distribution, description, hosts, management, and other references.
Florida Turf http://floridaturf.com/ Information and publications on the various varieties of turf in Florida along with pests, weeds and other information.
Wildlife Publications http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Wildlife Many University of Florida publications on wildlife, both native and non-native including birds, mammals and reptiles and the problems they may or may not cause and the laws governing them.
Master Gardener Notebook
North & Central Fla:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_BOOK_MG_North_Central
South Florida:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_BOOK_MG_South
An invaluable resource for retail garden employees covering a
wide variety of topics such as botany, communications, entomology, fruit crops,
houseplants and flowers, landscape, nematology plant pathology, shrubs and
trees, soils and fertilizers, turfgrass Information, vegetables, and wildlife.
Online Guide to Snakes of Florida
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/onlineguide.htm This
site includes a complete list of the snakes in Florida, a key to identification,
and complete details about each
Guide to Florida’s Venomous Snakes http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/Venomsnk.htm Only 6 snakes in Florida are venomous - this site details all of them.
Citrus Handbook http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Citrus_Home_Citrus_Culture
Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/ A large database containing publications on many aquatic and invasive plant species, complete with pictures and complete information.
516 Landscape Plant Fact Sheets - http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/index.htm
680 Tree Fact Sheets - http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/index.htm
Palm Fact Sheets http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/palmfact.htm
Palm and Cycad Resources www.plantapalm.com Everything you every wanted to know about palms and cycad. A very good site.
Turf Disease Fact Sheets http://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/takextpub/FactSheets/pppfactsheet.htm
Plant Nutrient Deficiency Database and Decision Tree http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/nutdef/index.htm Great key to diagnosing plant problems (you'll need to brush up on your plant terminology)
Dr Bob Black's Gardening Tips (68 publications) - http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/gt/index.htm Very useful for the retail garden employee.
WoodyPest http://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/ This site offers identification assistance and management information on insects, mites, nematodes and disease pathogens affecting woody ornamentals in Florida. Also available on CD - sold as WoodyBug.
Insect and Nematode Information http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_IN Topics include beneficial organisms and beekeeping, biting and stinging pests, fruit pests, household and structural pests, identification and services, nematodes, ornamental, turf, and landscape pests, pesticides, pet and livestock pests, and vegetable pests.
Weed Management Publications http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_GUIDE_Weed_Management_Guide
Florida Weeds http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Weeds
Nematode Management Publications http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Nematodes
Plant Disease Management Publications http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Plant_Diseases
Florida Lawn Handbook http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_BOOK_Florida_Lawn_Handbook Also available in book form.
Featured Creatures - http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/
- An EXTENSIVE list of insect and related pests of Florida. Includes biology,
habits and control recommendations.
Planting Trees in Landscapes by Dr Ed Gilman - An
excellent resource. tons of information, lots of pictures and links. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/planting/
Pruning Shade Trees in Landscapes by Dr Ed Gilman - An excellent resource. Much good information, lots of links and photos. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning/
Tree Selection - numerous publications useful for
the selection of trees
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/treeselection.htm
Tree Care - numerous publications useful for the maintenance of trees
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/treecare.htm
Shrub Selection - numerous publications useful for
the selection of shrubs
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/shrubselect.htm
Shrub Care - numerous publications useful for the maintenance of shrubs
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/shrubcare.htm
Groundcover Selection - numerous publications useful for
the selection of trees
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/gcselection.htm
Groundcover Care - numerous publications useful for the maintenance
of trees
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/careforgc.htm
Palm Selection - numerous publications useful for
the selection of trees
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/palmsel.htm
Palm Care - numerous publications useful for the maintenance of trees
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/palmcare.htm
This page last updated on 05/27/08