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This new 6-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department aims to inform Florida growers and the craft brewing and distillery industry about the current knowledge of the potential yield and challenges of barley cultivation in north Florida. Written by Charles E. Barrett, Lincoln Zotarelli, Sylvia M. Willis, Jay M. Capasso, Ethan T. Carter, De Broughton, Kevin R. Athearn, Andrew MacIntosh, Alicia N. Halbritter, Matthew T. Smith, Kevin A. Korus, and Daniel J. Leonard. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1420

Chapter 3 of the Vegetable Production Handbook.

Best management practices (BMPs) are cost-efficient processes that improve daily life, from healthcare to food service. Agricultural BMPs aim to reduce water use and improve water quality and soil on farms and ranches as well as to encourage better forestry practices and lawn care. This fact sheet introduces non-farmers to agricultural BMPs.

The goal of this publication is to provide a practical guideline for irrigation of young (1–3 years old) and adult (>3 years old) peach trees cultivated in Florida. This document is based on field research of peach water uptake conducted by UF/IFAS. The first section describes peach tree growth stages and their respective crop water demand in central Florida. The second and third sections present practical information on preparing year-round irrigation scheduling for young and adult peach trees, respectively. More information about irrigation practices for peaches is provided in EDIS publication HS1316 (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1316).

This article is intended to provide information to producers and Extension agents that are interested in using drip irrigation for vegetable production. Cabbage production in Florida is dominated by the use of seepage or sub-irrigation. This system has traditionally been used because it is inexpensive to maintain and simple to use. Seepage irrigation works by damming tail water ditches, pumping water into open furrows, and effectively raising the water table to a depth accessible to the crop root system (For more information see EDIS Publication #HS1217). This type of irrigation practice is almost completely unique to Florida and is possible due to the persistence of a shallow, impermeable layer in the soil profile. This system can require vast quantities of water to be pumped from the aquifer in low-rainfall years. Plasticulture, or the use of drip irrigation and plastic mulch, has been proposed as an alternative production method for cabbage production in Florida. An on-farm demonstration was set up to provide a platform for collaboration between researchers, growers, and Extension professionals. The demonstration was located on Greene’s Farms in Bunnell, FL. The goal of the demonstration was to grow high-density cabbage populations using plasticulture side by side with seepage on a commercial farm. Fertilizer and irrigation management was closely matched between systems. The plasticulture system was designed to provide a small-scale installation of this technology for learning and commercial adaptation purposes. This small-scale system has great potential for encouraging adoption of this type of system with low risk to the grower. This article illustrates an innovative approach for converting from seepage irrigation to plasticulture and points out some options and challenges for growers considering a plasticulture system.

This section contains basic information on vegetable water use and irrigation management, along with some references on irrigation systems.

This document outlines the principles and practices of fertilizing freshwater fish ponds to enhance their productivity. Fertilization, akin to its use in land-based agriculture, can significantly boost the production of small natural food-consuming fish species such as bluegill and golden shiner by increasing the availability of algae and zooplankton. This process not only supports small fish but also benefits larger predatory fish, like largemouth bass, by improving their food supply. Phosphorus is identified as the most critical nutrient, often supplemented with nitrogen for better results. The document discusses the forms and application methods of fertilizers, emphasizing liquid fertilizers for their rapid effectiveness. Practical guidelines for determining the timing and frequency of fertilization based on water temperature and clarity are provided, alongside techniques for applying both liquid and granular fertilizers efficiently. The document also addresses common challenges such as muddy water, aquatic weeds, water exchange, and low alkalinity, and offers solutions for each. Finally, it highlights the importance of a committed, long-term fertilization program to avoid inefficiencies and aquatic weed issues. First published June 1990.

Florida has thousands of natural and man-made ponds which range in surface area from less than 1/10 acre to greater than ten acres. Man-made ponds include dug-out and impounded waters, limerock pits, and sand or gravel pits, commonly called borrow pits. Fishing pressure on public waters is increasing due to Florida's rapidly growing population and the growing interest in fishing as a source of recreation and food. Competition for public fishery resources, coupled with the high cost of transportation to go fishing, has resulted in an increased interest in fishing private waters that are closer to home. These private ponds must, therefore, be more intensively managed to maintain good quality fishing for the pond owner's personal recreation or as a source of income.

Cabbage production in Florida has been dominated by the use of seepage or sub-irrigation, because it is inexpensive to maintain and simple to use, but it can require vast quantities of water to be pumped from the aquifer in low rainfall years. Plasticulture has been proposed as an alternative production method for cabbage production in Florida. An on-farm demonstration was setup on Greene’s Farms in Bunnell, FL to provide a platform for collaboration between researchers, growers and extension professionals. This 6-page fact sheet illustrates an innovative approach converting from seepage irrigation to plasticulture and points out some options and challenges for growers considering a plasticulture system. Written by Charles E. Barrett, Lincoln Zotarelli, Brian S. Taylor, Lucas G. Paranhos, and Mark Warren, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, July 2014. HS1246/HS1246: Converting from seepage irrigation to plasticulture for vegetable production: A case study (ufl.edu)

Liming is an effective tool in fish production and pond management. However, lime is casually used to describe two different types of materials, used for very different purposes. Agricultural limestone refers to calcite (calcium carbonate) and dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate). The calcium and magnesium components raise the total hardness of water, essential to the health of many aquatic species. The carbonate component raises the total alkalinity and the pH, buffering daily fluctuations in pH, increasing microbial activity in the pond soil, and increasing the availability of phosphorous to phytoplankton. Pond water with total alkalinity less than 20 ppm can benefit from liming. Hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) is an inexpensive and effective pond sterilizer, raising the pH quickly and dramatically above tolerable levels for most aquatic organisms. It should be used carefully, avoiding contact to the applicator, and never used in ponds containing desirable fish. This document was published first time in June, 1997

The goal of most fish farmers is to maximize production and profits while holding labor and management efforts to the minimum. Risk of fish kills, disease outbreaks, poor water quality, and reduced feed conversion often result when efforts to increase production are unsupported by improved management strategies. This document is about aeration. This is a process that offers the most immediate and practical solution to water quality problems encountered at higher stocking and feeding rates. Aeration may be broadly classified into two different applications, emergency aeration and maintenance aeration. First published June, 1991.

Finding a source of fish fingerlings (young fish) is the first step towards successful fish production. Following that, transporting the fish, and proper stocking procedures are necessary. Some of the most important considerations relating to fingerling purchasing, transporting, and stocking are reviewed in this document. First published June, 1991