...for discerning weeders June, 2012
AMERICAN CHESTNUT Inside this issue:
I Hereby
2
Resolve Coming Events 3 Resolutions
4
Walk on the
4
Wild Side In Our Yards
5
Christmas
6
Party Attract Wildlife
7
Weed of the
8
Month Book Review
9
Puzzle
9
Last Word
10
DON’T FORGET! You have to log your hours onto the VMS system!
Many of us will never have to deal with the shedding leaves, spiny nut pods, or catkins of the American chestnut. In fact, many of us will not see a mature American chestnut tree unless we travel to the very few locations that still have these trees.
By M. Stewart
with the blight and developed a strong resistance, the American chestnut had A native to our continent, Castanea dentata, is little rea large, deciduous tree of the beech family. At sistance. The airborne bark fungus spread 50 one time, this fast growing tree ranged from miles in one year and in a few decades girdled Maine and southern Ontario to Mississippi, and and killed up to three billion American chestnut from the Atlantic coast to the Appalachian trees. Mountains and the Ohio Valley. Mature height up to 100 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter—it New shoots often sprout from the roots when was an impressive tree. the main stem dies, so the species has not yet become extinct. However, the stump sprouts The nuts of this majestic tree were an important rarely reach more than 20 feet in height before economic resource. They are edible raw or blight infection returns. roasted (think on an open fire). The wood is straight-grained, strong, easy to saw and split, Thankfully there are several organizations that and it lacks the radial end grain are attempting to breed found on most other hardblight-resistant chestnut woods. The tree was particulartrees. One of which is the ly valuable commercially since American Chestnut Coit grew at a faster rate than operators Foundation, oaks. Since the wood is rich in which breeds surviving alltannins it is highly resistant to American chestnuts, which decay and therefore used for a have shown some native variety of purposes, including resistance to blight and the furniture, split-rail fences, shingles, home con- American Chestnut Foundation which is backstruction, flooring, piers, plywood, paper pulp, crossing blight-resistant Chinese chestnut into and telephone poles. It was also an important American chestnut. food source for wildlife. Backcrossed trees were first planted back into The total number of chestnut trees in eastern the forest for testing in 2009. In 2005, a hybrid North America was estimated at over three bil- tree with mostly American genes was planted lion, and 25% of the trees in the Appalachian on the lawn of the White House. A tree planted Mountains were American chestnut. in 2005 in the tree library outside the USDA building is still very healthy and contains 98% In 1904, Cryphonectria parasitica, or Asian American chestnut DNA. bark fungus, was accidentally introduced into North America on imported Asiatic chestnut Hopefully, this work will continue and we’ll trees. While Chinese chestnut evolved along once again enjoy this majestic tree. 1
I HEREBY RESOLVE TO....
By K. Harper
In 2013, I Hereby Resolve To....
coins imprinted with the likeness of the god Janus became more common New Year's 1. Lose weight gifts. In the Middle Ages, Christians changed 2. Get organized New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of 3. Spend less, save more Jesus, and gift-giving became a Christian 4. Enjoy life to the fullest tradition. Then they changed it to March 25, 5. Stay fit and healthy when it was known as The Annunciation. The 6. Learn something exciting Romans continued to observe the New Year 7. Quit smoking on March 25 until the 16th century when 8. Help others in their dreams Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calen9. Fall in love dar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to Janu10. Spend more time with family ary 1. The Julian and Gregorian calendars are 365 day solar calendars. But for those cultures that used lunar calendars, such as If your New Year's resolutions include any of the above, you are the Babylonians and the Chinese, the New Year doesn't begin on in good company. Those were the top 10 New Year's resolutions January 1. A year in a lunar calendar is less than 365 days bein America for 2012. Some of them are old favorites: lose weight, cause the months are based on the phases of the moon. The Chiget fit, quit smoking...get organized (this is on my perennial list nese New Year begins at the time of the first full moon (in China) but since it is always stymied by a less-than-organized spouse, after the sun enters Aquarius- sometime between January 19 and I'm going to remove it from my 2013 list and replace it with #4: February 21. But no matter the date, New Year's is always a time “Enjoy life to the fullest”). People who care about such things for celebration and for customs to ensure good luck in the comhave actually compiled statistics about the details of New Year's ing year and for resolving to change ourselves for the better. resolutions- who makes them, who succeeds with them, etc. You can read the stats at the link below but I'll summarize for you Personally, I usually start my resolutions after the Super Bowl quickly: 45% of Americans usually make New Year's resolutions; because Super Bowl parties involve really good food and lots of 46% of those maintain the resolution past 6 months and 8% it. I see no point in sabotaging a perfectly good health and fitness achieve ultimate success. Not the best odds, is it?: http:// resolution by starting it before the Super Bowl. From that standtinyurl.com/cho4ajd point I agree with these words by Helen Fielding: “I do think But how did we come by this custom of resolving to be better people in the New Year? Obviously, the brand new year provides a logical starting point for doing things differently but how far back can we trace the origins of this concept? Pretty far, it turns out. New Years is the oldest of all the holidays. About 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylon, the beginning of the year was celebrated on the first new moon after the vernal equinox, which was the first day of spring. The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days with each day having its own particular mode of celebration, but one thing that was supposed to always happen was that one must return farm equipment that one had borrowed during the year. That sounds like an early forerunner of the many good intentions that form the basis for our modern New Year's resolutions! January 1 became the beginning of the New Year for the Romans in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had done. The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future, and at midnight on December 31 the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts on New Year's Eve, including branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later,
New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second.” I should say I agree with the spirit of her words but not the letter since, as mentioned above, I start my New Year the day after the Super Bowl... And, finally, before you sit down to draft your resolutions, you might want to think about Mark Twain's insight: “ New Year's Day now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” Note: Here are some of the unique ways New Years is celebrated around the world: http://www.fathertimes.net/traditions.htm And here are some notable quotes about New Year's resolutions: http://quotations.about.com/od/newyeargreetings/a/ newyearresolutions.htm ...and a few more: http:// quotations.about.com/od/specialdays/a/newyear3.htm 2
January is gearing up to be a busy month!!! Make sure that you mark your calendars! Florida Arbor Day Celebration January 18 beginning at 9am Okaloosa County Extension Office 3098 Airport Road, Crestview Tree give away by County and State Forestry service from 9 am to 12 noon. Trees include may haw, red maple, cherry bark oak and yellow poplar. At 10:30 am there will be the dedication and installation of a winged elm— dedication proclamation by Joyce Humber, First Vice Regent Choctawhatchee Bay DAR. Demonstration and seminar on the proper plant of a tree. 11 am begins light refreshments with guided tours of the new Extension building.
2013 Economic Living Expo February 2 from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm at the Emerald Coast Convention Center
Extension Seminars VITA is looking for volunteers to help prepare tax returns in your community. Volunteer Orientation meeting on January 8th at 9:00 am in the Niceville City Council Chamber meeting room. Small Steps to Health & Wealth—free online class January 9 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Register at http://bit.ly/SmallSteps2013 Steps to Health and Wealth™(SSHW) challenge—free six week program from January 13 through February 23. Sign up for “Winter 2013 SSHW Challenge at http://rutgers.ancc.net
2013 Gulf States Horticultural Expo January 17 from 9 am to 5 pm and January 18 from 9 am to 3 pm Mobile Outlaw Convention Center One South Water Street, Mobile, AL
New Master Gardener Class begins January 28! Other Events Classes will be held on Mondays. Veteran Master Gardeners are welcome to attend. You will receive education credit for attending.
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS January 9 beginning at 9:00 am at the Crestview Extension Office, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview February 6 beginning at 9:00 am at the Extension Annex, Hollywood Blvd., Ft. Walton. Plan on carpooling!!!!!!
January 7 — Advanced Floral Design Class 8. 9-11:30am Valparaiso Community Library. January 12 — Floral Design Study course 1. For more info contact Linda Henderson 936-4950. January 17 — Tri-County Horticulture Study group. 10am at NWFL State College in Walton County. For more info, contact Marie Harrison 678-2842 marieharrison@valp.net or Joyce Waters-Smith at 269-2170 joycews@cox.net January 18 — Milton Garden Club annual Soup and Salad Luncheon 11am to 1pm. Call 626-2003 for more info. January 26—Floral Design Study course 2. For more info contact Linda Henderson 936-4950 Do you have an event that you’d like posted? Be sure to have the pertinent information in to our Editor before Jan. 24th!
3
RESOLUTIONS
A Walk on the Wild Side
Staff
Linda Meyers In honor of the New Year, we asked our Master Gardener compatriots what their resolutions were for 2013. We think you’ll enjoy these.
Courtesy of www.wec.ufl.edu/extension Let’s start the new year enjoying the wildlife around us and their winter behaviors. Also, if you had a live Christmas tree you can use it to start a brush pile near your bird feeder. It will provide good cover for birds and take up a lot less space in our county landfill.
To be more tolerant of others. To love and hug and help all that I can. Keep on, keeping on.
BIRDS: Male cardinals begin territorial singing later in the month. Other nesting activity can be seen by ospreys, sandhill cranes, hawks, and owls. Look for red-tailed hawks perched in trees and on billboards along highways. Huge clouds of tree swallows should be visible around sunset, roosting over large marsh areas. Cedar waxwings and robins are eating fruits such as holly berries. Don’t forget, now is a great time to watch our over-wintering populations of ducks and geese.
Treat people as though it was Christmas all year. To stop just thinking about what I need to do in life but actually start doing it. Time goes so fast!
To take one day at a time and hand over to God my health worries.
Same as every year — I will try to do more to help others than I have done this year.
To be more tolerant. My resolution for Jan 1, 2013 is to make it to Jan 1,
MAMMALS: Gray foxes, bobcats, and raccoons begin courtship and breeding this month. Deer reach the peak of the rutting season in north Florida. Black bears in North Florida are inactive or in dens.
2014.
To make it to my 85th birthday. My resolution will be to help my husband in his fight against cancer. I pray that God will give me this strength.
FISH: Striped bass and sunshine bass move into open water to feed on shad.
My New Year’s resolution is to concentrate on health and the top of that list is growing my own vegetables and herbs.
My New Year’s resolution is to clean the attic...it may take me all year to do it.
Complete my MG requirements before I leave town. I don’t make resolutions. I have found I never keep them. So, Instead, I value each day as a special day to be alive!
My New Year’s resolution is to be more involved in the activities of the OCMGA, and at the same time broaden my knowledge base about the world of horticulture.
An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. Bill Vaughan
I resolve not to make any resolutions.
4
IN OUR YARDS PHOTOS FROM OUR MASTER GARDENERS Do you have photos of plants in your yard/ landscape? Don’t forget to send them to our Editor! Christmas datura courtesy of D. Hickenbothem
J. Martin’s bougainvillea's
Lettuce close-up
J. Martin’s bougainvillea's
Pepper twins 5
Master Gardener Christmas Party To view even more pictures, check out our photo album! http://jalbum.net/a/1287982
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LET’S ATTRACT WILDLIFE TO OUR YARDS
By L. Meyers
We have such a wealth of diverse wildlife in our area, but many animals are threatened or endangered due to loss of habitat. Winter is the perfect time to help wildlife in your neighborhood as well as plan future plantings to attract animals (including squirrels and snakes), birds, larval and adult butterflies, and beneficial insects to your yard. Wildlife will be attracted by food, water and cover. There are also fun activities you can do with the whole family to help wildlife.
an excellent food source for birds and other critters. Consider reducing the mowed lawn areas in your yard. Instead add a variety of plants that provide shelter, shade and safe resting areas for wildlife, as well as food for many animal species.
Planning a habitat to benefit wildlife in your yard is an activity which can include even the youngest in the family. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share the importance of replacing lost habitat and providing the needs of wildlife. Together you can learn about beneficial native plants to add to your landscape. Using a variety of plants in different sizes and heights provide more cover and feeding opportunities. Consider layering with a large tree canopy, smaller understory trees and shrubs, then grasses and flowers.
During their winter break, my children always enjoyed decorating a tree in the yard just for wildlife. There are many fun and simple food ornaments you can make with your family. Here are a few favorites:
Food should be provided in the form of plants that bear seed, fruit, foliage or flowers to be consumed. This is also a great time to plant trees that provide native food for wildlife. Crabapple, pines, hollies, maples, birch, and oak trees are just a few that produce seeds, berries, nuts and acorns that wildlife rely on.
Popcorn balls—made with syrup and peanut butter are a
Water will attract wildlife to your yard, whether it is a natural feature such as a pond, creek or other body of fresh water, or a manufactured feature such as a birdbath, fountain or decorative pond.
Dried corn cobs—hung from trees are a welcome food source
You can also create the “gift” of a loose pile of brush with limbs, branches and your Christmas tree to provide shelter. If you have a dead tree (snag) in your yard, share with your children the important role it plays in the survival of many animals who rely on cavities to build their nests and raise their young. Wood peckers, chickadees, screech owls, nuthatches, titmice, flying squirrels and others are facing decline because of the scarcity of standing dead trees. Save that old tree and provide a gift to wildlife that will last for years. Other tips to consider when planning your “wildlife friendly” yard are to manage your pets, especially house cats. Limit your use of pesticides. They will reduce insect populations which are
Popcorn and cereal chains—kids love to string popcorn and cereal (with holes in the center works best) on string and hang all around a tree or large shrubs.
Peanut butter pine cones – spread the peanut butter in all the grooves of large pine cones and then roll in birdseed or cereal and hang from a strong cord.
Fruit slices—cut apples and oranges in thick slices and string through the core or center and hang.
great treat hung from a tree.
Raw peanuts—rolled in peanut butter, bird seed and cereal and hung.
for squirrels. Your family will also enjoy picking out a new bird feeder, nesting box or bat house to place in the yard. Also let the children help you locate the perfect spot for a new birdbath or plan and prepare an area for a butterfly garden to plant in the spring. Everyone will have fun and learn from watching the wildlife they will attract year round. Sources: “Landscaping Backyards for Wildlife: Top Ten Tips for Success” EDIS Circular #1429 “What Have You Done for Wildlife Lately?” Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission “The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Handbook” UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Department of Environmental Protection 7
WEED OF THE MONTH
By J. Gillis
What is the weed that has big leaves at the bottom; puts up a thin stalk with a cluster of little yellow flowers at the top? It’s not a dandelion and it seems to be everywhere. It’s Asiatic Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica). It’s been around for about a decade but it’s now spreading rapidly in landscapes, roadsides and woodlands.
yellow with 5 tiny teeth at the end of the outermost petals. Hawksbeard reproduces by seed. http://tinyurl.com/ bvl2us8
Common in Florida, found as far north as Pennsylvania and west to Louisiana, Hawksbeard is native to Southeast Asia. Classified as a cool season annual, it has been known to survive our winters. It reproduces by seed so pulling it up or using a weed eater before it produces flowers makes this weed easier to control. http://tinyurl.com/cdltjlg
Control this weed by mowing, weed-eating or hand pulling plants before they produce seeds. Labeled preEmergents include: Gallery, Snapshot, Barricade or Factor. Always read all the instructions before using pesticide products.
At 8 to 20 in. tall, Hawksbeard looks like a dandelion on steroids. In fact, this edible annual’s young leaves can be used just like a dandelion’s, as a green in salads. Larger and older leaves can be cooked as a pot herb – like spinach. http://tinyurl.com/ conrt88
Although Hawksbeard is a summer annual herb, it often persists year round in nurseries. Seedlings form a rosette with hairy leaves. Its flowering stalk is leafless, branched at the top and 6 to 15 inches tall. The flowers are yellow, dandelion-like but only ½ inch diameter. Seedheads are dandelion-like, too about ½ to ¾ inches in diameter, and seeds are wind dispersed. Do not let the plants go to seed! http://ppwsipm.contentsrvr.net/ asiatic_hawksbeard.php
This nonnative invasive herb is common in disturbed sites nearly throughout Florida and blooms all year. (Wunderlin, 2003). Asiatic False Hawksbeard is found from Pennsylvania to Texas and all states southeast, as well as Hawaii (Kartesz, 1999). It usually occurs in non-wetlands, but is occasionally found in wetlands. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/479
ATTENTION! YOU’LL FIND IN THIS ISSUE A NEW FEATURE THAT WE ARE TRYING OUT. IN SOME CASES YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO FOLLOW A LINK THAT WILL EITHER PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION OR A LARGER PICTURE FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE.
Hawksbeard’s leaves are mostly basal, with slightly lobed divisions. Hawksbeard’s flowering stalks are usually branches in the uppermost part of the plant. Its flowers are yellow to orange8
BOOK REVIEW
By M. Stewart American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree by Susan Freinkel is a must read. Written by a woman who admits to not knowing what the trees are in the park where she walks her dog and whose houseplants wilt on a windowsill, you will be surprised by this book. Ms. Freinkel began her ‘tree’ journey while researching the decline of the live oaks around where she lived in the San Francisco Bay area. Researchers that she spoke with often mentioned that they hoped this problem with the live oaks did not turn out to be like that of the American chestnut. Having never heard of this calamity, Susan Freinkel started on a mission to find out about it. The American chestnut was one of America's most common, valued, and beloved trees--a "perfect tree" that ruled the forests from Georgia to Maine. But in the early twentieth century, an exotic plague swept through the chestnut forests with the force of a wildfire. Within forty years, the blight had killed close to four billion trees and left the species teetering on the brink of extinction. It was one of the worst ecological blows to North America since the Ice Age--and one most experts considered beyond repair. In American Chestnut, Susan Freinkel tells the dramatic story of the stubborn optimists who refused to let this cultural icon go. In a compelling weave of history, science, and personal observation, she relates their quest to save the tree through methods that ranged from classical plant breeding to cutting-edge gene technology. But the heart of her story is the cast of unconventional characters who have fought for the tree for a century, undeterred by setbacks or skeptics, and fueled by their dreams of restored forests and their powerful affinity for a fellow species.
Ed. Note: The story of the American Chestnut is, unfortunately, not an isolated incident. How often do we hear about either a plant or animal that has been ‘introduced’ into an environment and then begins to destroy the native landscape. Everything from Lion Fish, pathogens, insects, plants....non-native invaders are something that we all have to pay attention to. I absolutely cringe when I hear someone say: “Oh! You should see the new (inset item here) that I brought back from (inset location here). The only thing we should bring back with us are pictures of the neat plants that we discovered during our travels. I for one do not wish to be known as the person who introduced the next invader to our area.
Dear, Fear, Near, Wear ANSWERS: 9
Marg Stewart—Editor Shari Farrell, Karen Harper and Linda Meyers—Co-Editors
Have pictures or an idea for an article? Send it in! Articles and pictures are always welcome.
Your member site: www.ocmgamembers.org
LAST WORD As I sit here, 2013 has not arrived yet. Since we hit below freezing, the fireplace has been going, dinner was something hot and comforting. Hubby is watching football (after the Bowl games—he’s going to go through withdrawal) and I’m finishing up the newsletter. Usually this is where I try to come up with deep thoughts. Tonight however, I’m giving my thinker thingy a break. I’ll begin by thanking everyone for the opportunity to have served as president in 2012. Thanks to all of your support, my term was an easy one. I appreciate being given the honor to serve and am now going to enjoy being in the back row. I know that the 2013 Board will be awesome and we’ll see amazing things in the year to come. That being said, I also want to offer my apology for not getting more folks involved. I do feel that was my fault for not being able to get more help down at the nursery and in other ventures. I encourage and yes, challenge all of you to participate more actively in 2013. The fact is, even going to the nursery once a month will help out tremendously. I think we all will agree that 2012 was an interesting year if nothing else. Between Mayan calendars and fiscal cliffs...it does make one wonder what 2013 will bring.
The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....An equal opportunity institution.
As for The Compost Pile and our other media outlets, look for some nifty changes. The electronic version of our newsletter often has images that some folks may want to view in a larger format. This issue is the inaugural trial for one method to achieve this. Some images will have links embedded that will enable you to CTL+CLICK on the image (or just click). You can pick out the ’active’ images because they have a green border around them. Granted, as with any new method there will be bugs. Bear with us as we try to get this all ironed out. Other new features will be educational videos. If you see Mr. Williams running, don’t worry—I’m just harassing him for 10
By M. Stewart the next month’s video. Some of the topics will include simple things, like how to take a soil sample. You’ll be able to tell our clients that they can click on the video to actually see how it’s done. Another topic will be How to Kill a Tree. This will be a tongue-in-cheek video on all the wrong ways to plant and care for our trees. New items on the web pages will include native and invasive species information. We’re also going to include other uses for plants on the member web site. We’re also planning on re-introducing the message from our president. (Note to self—must tell president that.) All in all, it will be an exciting year. On that note, the fire is starting to die down, the football game is almost over and I still have a few chores to get done. For the record, it isn’t 1 o’clock in the morning (it’s only midnight) so I am improving on that score. Wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. May you always have work for your hands to do. May your pockets hold always a coin or two. May the sun shine bright on your windowpane. May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you. And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. And just because ya’ll know that I’m weird, I propose a toast: As you slide down the banisters of life may the splinters never point the wrong way, May your pockets be heavy, May your heart be light, May good fortune pursue you each morning and night, And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.