Enviromental Horticulture
The Environmental Horticulture Program consists of a multitude
of training and information efforts designed to meet the
needs of Palm Beach County’s diverse residential and
commercial horticulture audiences.
Southeast Florida has a moderate, semi-tropical climate
with 50-60 inches of rainfall annually. The heaviest rainfall
is in the spring through fall months with the dry season
usually in the winter. This climate is influenced by our
location between the Atlantic Ocean's Florida Current, which
is often mistakenly called the Gulf Stream, and massive Lake
Okeechobee. The current does not technically become the Gulf
Stream until it joins the Antilles Current further north.
The expansive water bodies on each side create a moderating
warm winter growing environment unique in the continental
United States. However, it is not unusual for Arctic cold
fronts to periodically bring freezing winter temperatures
this far south for just a few hours or up to 2 or 3 days
per occurrence. This unique climate also reverses the vegetable
growing season found in much of the rest of the United States,
with most temperate climate vegetables (tomatoes, peppers,
broccoli, green beans, lettuce, etc.) grown during the fall,
winter and spring months.
 A large local population of almost 1.3 million people,
along with many seasonal visitors, has helped create the
need for substantial landscape and golf course industries.
These industries generated $450 million (landscape) and $664
million (golf courses) in annual sales in 2000. Palm Beach
County residents are also active horticultural participants
as demonstrated by the $279 million in plant products they
purchased locally in 2000. The county's nursery industry
is the third largest in the state, and in the top ten in
the country, with $164 million in 2000 sales.
The abundant horticultural possibilities in Palm Beach
County also gives rise to many challenges that include environmental
risks, landscape maintenance, plant and structural pests,
plant diseases and invasive plants. Palm Beach County Extension
Environmental Horticulture Program work with the University
of Florida , and a variety of community partners, to help
residents and businesses meet horticultural related education
and informational needs.
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