UF IFAS Extension Polk County

09/04/2026

🌱🍅 September is blooming with opportunities to learn, grow, and garden! Our workshops are filling up FAST, and one class is already SOLD OUT! Don't miss your chance to join us for these fun and informative events led by UF/IFAS Extension experts and Master Gardener Volunteers.

⬇️ September 2026 Events
👉 Register today at http://PolkCountyExtension.Eventbrite.com/

👉 Start Your Own Herb Garden (SOLD OUT)
📍 Lakeland Electric - Lakeland, FL
📅 September 11 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

👉 Growing and Caring for Succulents
📍 Winter Haven Public Library - Winter Haven, FL
📅 September 14 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

👉 Fall 2026 LCLM / LLO / O&T Pesticide Prep Training
📍 UF/IFAS Extension Polk County - Bartow, FL
📅 September 24 | 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

👉 Your Ornamental Landscape
📍 Polk Training Center, Inc. - Eagle Lake, FL
📅 September 26 | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

👉 Growing Great Tomatoes in Central Florida
📍 Lakeland Public Library - Lakeland, FL
📅 September 29 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Spots are limited and selling quickly. Secure your spot today! 🌻🌱

TopFans

09/04/2026

Heavy rain and overwatering carry trash, fertilizer, oils, pesticides, grass clippings, pet waste, and other pollutants into our lakes and water supply. This creates untreated stormwater runoff that carries pollutants that eventually drain into water bodies and drinking water supplies, potentially damaging aquatic life, impairing recreational use, and threatening human health. Following Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles will reduce pollution coming from the landscape.

For more information, visit https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS720 or call UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Plant Clinic at 863-519-1041.

Sourced from: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Handbook for Home Landscapes

09/03/2026

August in Florida is brutal! If you are gardening or working in your yard, let us remind you of the 5 S's of Sun Safety!

https://youtube.com/shorts/PbKPZsFViPk?si=O1vuLY3bkNCbTmkE

Thank you to our County 4-H summer camp for the video!

UF IFAS Extension Polk County Polk County Government Florida UF IFAS Extension Polk County Family and Consumer Sciences

08/24/2026

🥗 Better health starts one bite at a time!

If you're looking for simple ways to manage diabetes without sacrificing great food, Dining with Diabetes is for you.

Over four engaging online sessions, you'll learn how to:
👉 Make smart food choices
👉 Plan balanced meals
👉 Support healthy blood sugar management
👉 Build habits that fit your lifestyle

📍 Thursdays, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
📅 August 27, 2026 - September 17, 2026
💻 Online (Zoom) Class

Open to people with Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, and caregivers.

REGISTER TODAY:
https://DWDPolk.eventbrite.com

08/21/2026

08/19/2026

🍓🫐 Blend Better, Shop Smarter! 🛒💪

Learn how to decode the Nutrition Facts Label and use it to compare foods, identify important nutrients, and make choices that fit your health goals...then stick around and enjoy a smoothie demo!

✅ Light brunch served
✅ Optional facility tour
✅ Take the tour and receive a FREE gift (home essentials or groceries!)

👉 August 21, 2026 (1 PM - 3 PM)
👉 Dedicated Senior Medical Center - Lakeland South
4715 Florida Ave S, Suite 200, Lakeland, FL 33813

📞 Call or text 863-308-4171 to reserve your spot today!

Dedicated Senior Lakeland

08/19/2026

🍊 You Belong at a University that’s Leading the Way! 🍊

We are hiring a UF/IFAS Commercial Citrus Extension Agent to serve Polk and Hillsborough Counties! This position will work very closely with our growers, industry partners, and the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, making it an important role for the continued success of citrus in our region.

🚨This position is open until filled.
‼️Click the following link to apply today!

https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/540814

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Polk County Government Florida

08/18/2026

Trivia Tuesday! 🤔🍽️

You're stopping for a quick lunch. Which choice is usually better for blood sugar management?

A. Double cheeseburger, fries, and soda
B. Grilled chicken wrap with water
C. Large order of fries
D. A milkshake that can't decide if it's a drink or a dessert

Drop your guess in the comments below! ⬇️

Want to learn practical, real-life strategies for managing diabetes and feeling your best? Join Dining with Diabetes, a 4-week online program designed to help you build healthy meal patterns, make confident nutrition choices, and enjoy delicious everyday foods.

📅 Register here: https://DWDPolk.eventbrite.com

.ifas University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences