New UF radio series gives gardeners Florida-friendly information

September 28, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Floridians with a growing passion for gardening and home horticulture will soon have a new source of help. Starting Monday, Oct. 2, University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and public radio stations WUFT/WJUF will launch a new radio series, “Gardening in a Minute,” providing information from experts with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

The one-minute program will air on WUFT-FM, Classic 89, and WJUF-FM, Nature Coast 90, once during the 2 p.m. hour and again at 6:18 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Initially, the series will reach the 19 North Central and Mid-Florida counties served by the two public radio stations and the broadcast range will be expanded to other Florida markets in the future, said Tom Wichman, a state extension agent who narrates the series.

“I’m very excited about the impact this program can have in bringing practical gardening information to the public,” said Wichman, who also coordinates the state’s Master Gardener Program. An accompanying Web site, found at www.gardeninginaminute.com, will provide extensive information on topics discussed in the series, along with listener-participation opportunities such as an “ask the expert” feature where visitors can query UF faculty members. “Gardening in a Minute” will also be available online at http://www.RadioSource.NET, which is hosted by UF.

Topics initially addressed in the series include home vegetable production, low-input landscaping and ways to provide backyard wildlife habitat. Though the series is meant for gardeners throughout the state, more localized information can be obtained from UF Cooperative Extension Service offices, which can be found through www.solutionsforyourlife.com.

Wichman said Florida residents’ interest in gardening mirrors national trends, which include high demand for trees, shrubs, plants and turfgrass. According to the National Gardening Association, 83 percent of all U.S. households participated in one or more types of do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities in 2005.

WUFT/WJUF-FM, with studios in the UF College of Journalism and Communications, is providing production facilities and will broadcast the series; UF’s Center for Landscape Ecology and Conservation funds production costs and underwrites expenses for the series.