UF IFAS Ext - Lee County

08/25/2026

Cottage Foodies, Know Your Zone!
Reach out to Stephanie & Jenn @ Extension Lee County to learn more about cottage food and the importance of knowing the local regulations that apply to your cottage food operation.

Cottage food laws are what create the rules under which people can make certain kinds of food products in their home kitchens and then sell them without a commercial kitchen license or a state inspection or traditional food permits. Primary examples are baked goods like bread, or jams or honey. A 20...

08/19/2026

Join the 3rd Annual Great Florida Pollinator Census in Lee County, August 21–22. Observe pollinators, record what you see, and contribute to important citizen science.

Find a group near you or participate on your own.

Learn more: GSEPC.org

08/17/2026

Ganoderma butt rot in queen palm: Once infected, all palms will eventually die. The leaves will turn brown and droop against the trunk.

Affected palms should be removed. Before removal, all visible conks should be collected and destroyed to reduce the spread of the spores.

Replace the palm with a broad-leaved tree or shrub rather than another palm species, as no palm species is known to be resistant to the disease.

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08/17/2026

https://GFPCLeeCo.eventbrite.com
You can get a datasheet and an insect ID guide from the UF/IFAS Extension Office at Terry Park (3410 Palm Beach Avenue, Fort Myers), download them from a Google file accessible through UF/IFAS Extension Lee County Linktree, https://linktr.ee/uf_ifas_leee, or join a group event and them pick up there.

Join a Group

Friday, August 21, 8:00am - 10:00am
1. SCCF Native Landscapes and Garden Center, 1300 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.
2. Rotary Park Environmental Center, 5505 Rose Garden Rd, Cape Coral.
3. Manatee Park, 10901 State Road 80, Ft. Myers.

Friday, August 21, 2:00pm – 3:30pm
4. Berne Davis Botanical Garden, 2166 Virginia Ave, Ft. Myers.

Saturday, August 22, 8:00am – 10:00am
5. Triangle Park, Dean Park Historic District, 2685 Rhode Island Ave, Ft. Myers.
6. Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Ft. Myers.
Participate on your own or with friends

08/03/2026

Help educate the public on how to attend Lee County UF IFAS gardening classes. Share the Eventbrite link for Lee County classes. Sign up on Eventbrite. Classes right now are below. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/4394003213?fbclid=IwY2xjawSRb91leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFMcDlqd2tkNEo3QXgyV0k2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHiyFwEuyCfiIe2IT8-9PBtGg4eHl_OmJeb6jA4ey8IuOBqxJANEFNWm9fhca_aem_nrt8qB__q-953F8JRxNlHA

07/31/2026

Oleander Caterpillar Favorite Food: The oleander caterpillar is the larval stage of the oleander moth (polka-dot wasp moth). It can be a destructive pest of oleanders in Florida.

A heavy infestation of oleanders caterpillars can strip an oleander shrub of nearly all its foliage within a few days. Fortunately, healthy oleanders usually produce a new flush of leaves after defoliation. By the time new growth emerges, the caterpillars have typically completed their development and disappeared, allowing the plant to recover quickly.

07/28/2026

https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/calotropis-gigantea/
Check out the invasion risk status of any non-native plant in Florida. It's worth knowing what pruning or weeding nightmare you'll be getting yourself into.

07/24/2026

Don't miss it. MGs sign up to work the MG Table and share info.