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Laura Vasquez

County agent

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Laura Vasquez

County agent

urban horticulture Extension agent, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County

Publications

thumbnail for publication: Nutrient Management Recommendations Based on Mehlich-3 Extractant for Calcareous Soils in Miami-Dade County

Nutrient Management Recommendations Based on Mehlich-3 Extractant for Calcareous Soils in Miami-Dade County

Yuncong Li, Qiang Zhu, Rao Mylavarapu, Kelly T. Morgan, Guodong Liu, Jonathan H. Crane, Qingren Wang, Henrique Mayer, Jeff Wasielewski, Laura Vasquez, Qingchun Liu, Teresa Olczyk, andTeresa Olczyk

This factsheet provides information about the history of soil testing calibrations and justification for recommending extraction of soil nutrients using Mehlich-3 for calcareous soils in Miami-Dade County. The dominant soils from this County have an extraordinarily high concentration of calcium resulting in high pH. This document also includes UF/IFAS approved Mehlich-3 extractant-based testing interpretations and recommendations for these soils. The purpose of this publication is to elucidate an appropriate approach for analyzing the unique calcareous soils from Miami-Dade County for plant available nutrients. The target audiences are Extension agents, agronomists at soil testing laboratories, crop advisors, growers, representatives of the state and local agencies, and others concerned about soil testing and plant analysis in Miami-Dade County.

thumbnail for publication: Low-Maintenance Landscape Plants for South Florida

Low-Maintenance Landscape Plants for South Florida

Cliff G. Martin, Jody Haynes, John McLaughlin, Laura Vasquez, Adrian Hunsberger, and Zachary Brym

This publication was originally developed to help answer requests from participants of the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program in Miami-Dade County, now Florida Friendly Landscaping TM (FFL), for a list of landscape plants suitable in south Florida and has become a critical reference for the county. The resulting list includes over 330 species of low-maintenance plants. For each species, we provided the common and scientific names, family, size, light preference, salt tolerance, establishment status, invasive status and potential, and other useful characteristics. Written by Cliff G. Martin, Jody Haynes, John McLaughlin, Laura Vasquez, Adrian Hunsberger, and Zachary Brym, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agronomy, revised February 2025.

thumbnail for publication: Agricultural and Environmental Implications of Information-Driven Irrigation Scheduling: Insights from a Field-Scale Study with a Gravelly Loam Soil in South Florida

Agricultural and Environmental Implications of Information-Driven Irrigation Scheduling: Insights from a Field-Scale Study with a Gravelly Loam Soil in South Florida

Young Gu Her, Sandra M. Guzmán, Ashley Smyth, Laura Vasquez, Qingren Wang, andYuncong Li

This article presents findings from a study (Song et al. 2022) that investigated how irrigation scheduling methods using soil moisture sensors and estimates of water loss from soil and plants (i.e., evapotranspiration) can conserve water and reduce nutrient loss while maintaining or even improving crop productivity in south Florida. The insights gained are intended to help farmers, homeowners, and Extension agents better understand the benefits of information-driven irrigation scheduling and adopt an evidence-based practice for improved agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. Written by Young Gu Her, Sandra Guzmán, Ashley Smyth, Laura Vasquez, Qingren Wang, and Yuncong Li, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2026.