Nl october 13

...for discerning weeders October, 2013

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

MASTER GARDENER’S ON PARADE Inside this issue:

The Apple

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Apple-icious

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Member photos

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Love is in the

4

Air Walk on the

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Wild Side Weed of the

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Month Updates

6

Book Review

6

Events

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Grow Your Own 8 Pasta!

Last Word

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More numerous than Santa’s elves! Master Gardeners at Baker Farm Expo, Plant Sale prepping, BIA Home show help desk and plant sale! Photos by Scott B., Marg S., and the Baker Farm Expo posting.

DON’T FORGET TO LOG YOUR HOURS ONTO THE VMS SYSTEM! Click here to enter

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THE APPLE

courtesy of Lockey B. “America popularized the apple pie as our country became the leading apple producing nation.”

A member of the rose (Rosaceae) family, the apple bloom and scent catch the attention of honeybees.

Spring produces petals of white stripes and tints of red that resemble tiny roses.

In 1801 John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed, packed a horse load of apple seed from a press in Pennsylvania and headed west.

Frontiersmen traveled many miles to buy his seedlings. As population moved west, land companies insisted that settlers plant apple trees. Planting an orchard was considered as important as building a cabin.

History reveals numerous facts about the apple. Ancient Greeks told of golden apple trees that enchanted, mystified and tasted like honey. Winners of the original Olympics received a branch of apple blossoms that symbolized immortality. Apples were an icon of immortality to the Norse. Celts called the apple the fruit of the gods. To the Chinese, apple blossoms depict a woman’s beauty. A loved one becomes the apple of your eye. In 1902 the New York Times wrote “No pie-eating people can be permanently vanquished”. During the 19th and 20th centuries, apple pie Bees are a key pollibecame a sign of our nation’s prosperity. Young men fighting for nator of the apple our country during World War II, when asked “why are you tree. Nectar and pol- fighting?” would answer, “For Mom and apple pie”. len are gathered to feed the larvae and store honey for the winter months. But there were no domestic honeybees to pollinate the Nutritional properties of the apple abound. Apples are a superiapple trees that made it across the Atlantic in the early 17th cen- or source of soluble fiber, flavonoids and antioxidants. In 1904, tury. So, little fruit was produced until 1622, when hives of bees “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” the familiar saying, was were shipped from Europe to Virginia. American Indians called created by fruit specialist, J. T. Stinson for a lecture tour. Hiphoneybees “white man’s flies.” Apples began to flourish in New pocrates prescribed apple cider vinegar for its healing properties.

England.

Today 2,000 varieties of apples are grown in the United States, Colonists also brought along apple pie recipes, some of which about 200 commercially. The apple and its many delicious varidated as back as far as medieval times. Archaeological evidence ations is a true symbol of our nation, culture and unique heritreveals that man has enjoyed apples since 6500 B.C. The walls age. of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II’s tomb reveal decorations of *Taken in part from DAR publication American Spirit Septemdough filled with nuts, honey and fruit. ber/October 2013 Traditions concerning the apple have been passed along through Check out the next page the ages. Colonist women gathered for apple-paring bees and many cabins were decorated with strings of apple slices hung to for a couple of yummy apple recipes! dry. An Irish and Scots custom was to peal an apple in one string, fling it over the left shoulder and it would form the initial of your sweetheart’s name. Bobbing for apples was a Celtic tradition to reveal the name of a potential spouse. The tradition of tossing rice at the bride and groom is thought to be derived from Ed. Note: Check out the tradition of tossing apples at newlyweds. what the nutrition The most popular drink in New England was apple cider. Powlabel on an apple ered by a horse drawn press, it took approximately 36 apples to would be! produce a gallon of cider. It was served at meals, offered to guests and often used as barter. A half barrel of hard cider could pay for a child’s education.

Apple pie was popularized by Americans as the country began leading the world in apple production. A classic American apple pie made with uncooked apples mixed with oil, sugar and spices and baked in an enclosed shell, descends from 15th century England.

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APPLE-ICIOUS! It is almost time for apples to become the most available fruit in the market. There are all kinds and colors of apples from green to bright red, sour to sweet. Each of these types of apples may be used to make jellies and apple sauce. As with any recipe, you should experiment until you find the taste which satisfies you. If you prefer a sweeter end product, add more sugar. For more flavor, add more spices. A recipe is only a guide your taste is the only limiting factor.

courtesy of Lee V. For apple sauce: Move the cooked apples to a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. You should end up with about two cups of apple flesh. Place the apples into a pan. Proceed with the recipe. For sweeter apple sauce, add more sugar.

For apple jelly: Place the strained apple juice into a pan, and proceed with the recipe. For sweeter jelly, add more sugar Apple Jelly 3 1/2 cups apple juice 1/2 box commercial pectin 3 1/2 cups sugar

Put apple juice in a pan, add pectin, stirring well until pectin is Begin with apples of the color and sweetness you prefer; if you dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil. Add sugar and return to a boil want light colored, tart jelly, pick Granny Smith. If you want for one minute. Pour into three 1/2 pint jars. amber, sweet jelly, use Red Delicious. The color of the jelly you end up making is dependent upon the color of the peels of the apples. I used McIntosh which is pink and semisweet. The apple sauce is not as dependent upon the color of the apples used but is Apple Sauce more influenced by the sweetness of the apple.

2 cups chunky cooked apples Peel the apples, about six medium, and quarter and core them, 1/2 cup sugar retaining the peels and cores. Place the peels and cores into a 2 tbsp. brown sugar muslin bag and tie tightly. Put the quartered apples and the bag Dash of powdered cloves of peels and cores into a large pan and add three cups of wa1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon ter. Cook until the apples are very tender, about 30 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract minutes. Pour through a colander set into a large bowl, extracting as much juice as possible. Discard the muslin bag of peels and cores.

Our master gardeners grow some amazing plants!

Thanks to Dick H. for sharing his ‘Cajun’ hibiscus.

Thanks to Lockey B. for sharing her photo of Night blooming cereus with moon!

Don’t forget—send us YOUR favorite gardening photos!!!!!!!

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR...AGAIN, UGHHHH!!!!!

By Linda M.

Nothing I like better than smushed bug guts all over the front of the car, NOT. As usual, when something shows up around my yard that fascinates, scares, annoys or attacks me, I like to try and learn as much as I can about the critter.

film of baby oil over the front of the hood, above the windshield, These little guys, although a nuisance, are harmless to humans. and on the They don't sting or bite, and they aren't poisonous. But they grill and sure can mess up the paint job on your vehicle. bumper, and it will make reThe love bug is a fly in the Bibionidae family, that is easily idenmoving their tified by its slender black body and red thorax. These small flies ‘remains’ a are closely related to mosquitoes and gnats. The males are about little easier.

1/4 inch in length, while females are 1/3 inch. There are two Wash the car as soon as possible, if you leave the insects on the known species of love bugs in the US. One is a native species, vehicle for several days, the finish will be permanently damaged. and the other is an invasive species that first appeared in southern Louisiana during the 1920s. The outbreak soon spread In nature, the adults live just long enough to mate, feed, dissouthward, into Mississippi and Alabama, and finally reaching perse and deposit a batch of eggs (100 to 350) — all in about Florida in 1947. three to four days. So hang in there, after several weeks, this too shall pass!

They primarily feed on nectar from various plants, particularly sweet clover, goldenrod, and Brazilian pepper. Here in Florida we notice them mostly during their April–May and August– September love fests, when they are most active between 10:00 a.m. and dusk each day. There are a few things we can do to ease the annoyance this time of year. Traveling at slower speeds will help reduce the number of bugs that will be spattered, and traveling at night motorists can avoid the insects.

Sources of Information: 1. N. Leppla, Living With Lovebugs (ENY-840), Department of Entomology and Nematology (rev. 9/2009).

2. H.A. Denmark, et al., Lovebug, Plecia nearctica Hardy (EENY -047), Department of Entomology and Nematology (rev.

4/2010).

3. Lovebugs in Florida, J. Weston, D. E. Short and M. Pfiester

If you haven't waxed your car recently, you can spread a light

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Courtesy Linda M.

Fall has finally arrived in Florida, and along with cooler days and nights, we get to enjoy new animals migrating and other fascinating wildlife activity in our area.

Birds *Warbler migration peaks early this month. *Sandhill cranes that nested in more northern latitudes begin to move down to join our resident birds. Typically sandhill cranes are seen in small family groups or pairs.

They are known to stay with the same mate for several years and young sandhills stay with their parents until they are about 10 months old. Like their endangered relatives the whooping cranes, sandhills live to be older than most birds. In fact, some sandhills live up to 20 years. *Ducks begin to arrive for the winter. *Grosbeaks, warblers, tanagers, orioles, and thrushes begin migrating south for the winter.

Mammals *Flying squirrels will be moving into pecan groves as the nuts ripen. *Black bears are feeding heavily in preparation for winter.

Amphibians 4

*Flatwoods salamanders breed with the first rains of October. Upland Forest Ecosystem - Comprised of tall loblolly and longleaf pines, oaks and hickories. This forest type resides on sand "ridges" that were once beaches, when the ocean was further inland. The uplands provide important habitat for an array of flora and fauna including several endangered and protected species such as the flatwoods salamanders.

Insects *Monarch butterfly migration nears its peak along Florida's Gulf coast. Every autumn the eastern North American population of monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Danaidae), migrates from as far north as southern Canada to overwintering sites in Central Mexico. This journey may cover 4000 km or more for some individuals and take as long as 75 days.

Fish *Redfish and trout move up creeks and rivers in north Florida. *Fall spawning of the redear sunfish. *Largemouth bass are active in cooler waters.

WEED OF THE MONTH

By Jenny G.

Acalypha Gracilens, al, this weed grows and produces abundant seeds in one season Slender Three Seed- and is therefore of moderate importance as a seed producer. The seeds are used by Northern Bobwhite, Mourning Doves, Swamp ed Mercury Sparrow, along with other songbirds, and may be included in “Wildflower Birdseed” mixes. Many insects are attracted to three Slender Three Seed- seeded mercued Mercury is a weed ry, making it a that is “a new one” component of to many of our weed brood habitat experts! It was for quail. brought in for ID by Seeds are one of our interns and it took some doing to identify it! Not noreadily used ticed in our neighborhoods before, everyone is finding this plant by quail for nearby! food. White tailed deer It is a North American native plant known as Slender Three also forage seeded Mercury, Acalypha Gracilens, a Euphorbia, related to this plant. spurge. Also sometimes called Copperleaf, Slender three seeded However, (or three seed) Mercury is widespread in eastern and southern slender copNorth America: from Maine to Florida and west to Wisconsin, perleaf may Oklahoma and Texas. It’s a forb or herb, a non-woody plant become abun(that is not a grass) in the genus Acalypha. It can be found in dant on dissun to part shade in disturbed habitats including fields, lawns, turbed ground roadsides and clearings. https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/ and is considspecies/acalypha/gracilens/ ered a highuse deer forThese plants are characterized by longitudinally folded, lobed, age plant throughout the Southeast, especially during summer. leaflike bracts that persist throughout the growing season. It Slender three seeded mercury is often spread by animalflowers dispersed seeds. http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php? from id_plant=ACGR2 late spring to A pre-emergent herbicide containing the active ingredient atramid-fall zine will provide very good control of three seeded mercury. produchttp://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/field/weeds/ ing flowthreeseeded_mercury.htm ers in greenish clusters Other means of control are the same as for the ubiquitous Spotin the ted Spurge. axils of leaves. http://www.southeasternflora.com/view_flora.asp?

The 3 plantid=1365# seeds are http://sagebud.com/slender-threeseed-mercury-acalyphasmall, gracilens/ http://www.floraofalabama.org/Genus.aspx?id=1889 eggshaped and dark brown to light gray or tan, nestled in the bracts. http://www.missouriplants.com/Greenalt/ Acalypha_gracilens_page.html http:// The leaves and leafy bracts sometimes change from green to cop- www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/SpecimenDetails.aspx? pery in the fall as the mature seeds drop. Three seeded mercury PlantID=3571 can be found from bottomland forests to upland prairies, pastures, old fields, disturbed places, and weedy gardens. An annu-

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Lockey B. Les C. Sylvia C. Mike C. Stacey D. Jeannette D. 5

Andy D. Dick H. Joe J. David S. Allen Y.

UPDATED PUBLICATIONS Alternatives to Invasive Plants Commonly Found in North Flori- Calcium (Ca) and Sulfur (S) for Citrus Trees da Landscapes Based on years of UF/IFAS research producing and trialing cultivars, this 3-page fact sheet lists native and non-invasive, nonnative ornamentals as alternatives to invasive plants commonly used in Florida landscapes. Only plants considered to be generally available in the nursery trade are listed. Alternative plants are similar to respective invasive plants as much as possible in terms of size, habit, texture, and flower color. Was written by Gary W. Knox, Sandra B. Wilson, Zhanao Deng, and Rosanna Freyre, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, August 2013.

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Calcium and sulfur are sometimes called secondary nutrients. This term does not mean that these nutrients play a secondary role in citrus plant growth and development.

Ca and S are as essential as N, P, K, Mg, and other nutrients for healthy plant growth. An inadequate supply of Ca and/or S can be a major constraint to crop production and quality. This 5page fact sheet was written by Mongi Zekri and Tom Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, July 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss584

Armillaria Root Rot (Also known as Mushroom Root Rot, Shoestring Root Rot, Honey Mushroom Rot)

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http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep467

Potassium (K) for Citrus Trees

Armillaria root rot is a disease that decays the root system of many common trees and shrubs. It is caused by several species of Armillaria, fungi that can be recognized by the clusters of yellow to honey-colored mushrooms that emerge during moist conditions. The disease is often lethal, and infected trees may have wilting branches, branch dieback, and stunted growth. Infected trees and shrubs should be removed and replaced with resistant species. This 4-page fact sheet was written

by Laura Sanagorski, Aaron Trulock, and Jason Smith, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, July 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep478 ***************

Citrus fruits remove large amounts of K compared to other nutrients. Potassium moves from leaves to fruit and seeds as they develop. Potassium is necessary for several basic physiological functions such as the formation of sugars and starch, synthesis of proteins, normal cell division and growth, and neutralization of organic acids. Potassium is important in fruit formation and enhances fruit size, flavor, and color. This nutrient also helps to reduce the influence that adverse weather conditions (such as drought, cold, and flooding) have on citrus trees. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Mongi Zekri and Tom Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, July 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss583

BOOK REVIEW

By Marg S.

There are times when you just don’t want to deal with a big garden. Whether it’s space limitations, cost or ability, a large garden isn’t possible. Never fear! You can still enjoy gardening just on a way smaller scale!

Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World, by Janit Calvo ISBN 9781604693720. 256 pages with a lot of photographs may just provide the solution for you.

This book deals with technique and scale. It’s a fun book and the pictures are terrific. The ideas are easily convertible to 1/4 scale for use in containers. It’s a wonderful ‘hobby’ to consider when it comes to adding to your gardening skills or creating that peaceful oasis that you’ve always wanted without the heavy lifting!

My only ‘complaint’ was that the captions weren’t that great and the index left a bit to be desired. Other than that, a good book to get you started on the road to ‘downsizing’ a garden!

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OCTOBER 4TH AND 5TH 10 AM TO 3 PM 8581 NAVARRE PKY (HWY 98) AT THE FOOT OF THE NAVARRE BRIDGE

33RD ANNUAL FLORIDA MASTER GARDENER CONTINUED TRAINING CONFERENCE OCTOBER 20-23, 2013 EMBASSY SUITES ORLANDO LAKE BUENA VISTA SOUTH KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA NOTE: THE 3 DAY CONFERENCES ARE GOING TO AN ALTERNATE YEAR SCHEDULE. THE NEXT CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD IN 2015.

General Membership Meeting October 2, 2013 @ 10 am Extension Annex Hollywood Blvd.

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GROW YOUR OWN PASTA! If you love pasta but it doesn't always fit into your dieting plans, you might want to try growing your own healthy 'pasta'. I'm referring of course to spaghetti squash and if you haven't tried it, you're in for a very nice treat. Simply baked and served with marinara sauce, it's an excellent low-calorie substitute for the real thing. But it can also be used in many other recipes as we will see below. Spaghetti squash includes a fair amount of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A and C, and it's a good source of dietary fiber. While one cup of cooked pasta contains about 220 calories, the same amount of spaghetti squash has only 42 calories! (And, seriously, who has ever eaten just one cup of pasta?)

First things first, though. Growing your own spaghetti squash is simple. Squash is a heat-loving vining crop and will require some space to grow. It is subject to the same pests and problems that other squash experience but don't let that deter you from trying it. Here are some good guidelines for successfully growing spaghetti squash in your own garden: http://tinyurl.com/mzjepvn

by Karen H. Here's a recipe for Spaghetti Squash Alfredo and, as I write this at 4:30 PM thinking ahead to dinner, it sounds pretty darned scrumptious! http://tinyurl.com/md5v7qg And here are two collections of recipes. Some of them are in the sweet category vs savory. I must admit to having a bit of a problem with thinking of spaghetti squash as the basis for a sweet dish but obviously I haven't been adventurous enough in exploring the many uses of this wonderful squash: http:// tinyurl.com/ lh5p857 http:// tinyurl.com/ a4ygj9o

Seed Resources: Seeds for spaghetti squash are readily available in most seed catalogs and in the seed racks of most garden centers. Burpee offers a bush variety as well as the standard vine types: http://tinyurl.com/kjwoy5j

This article has some suggestions for dealing with the aforementioned pests: http://tinyurl.com/l5crgep If you are short on space it is very possible to grow vining crops vertically by using trellises for them to climb on and support the fruit as it gets larger. There is also a new bush variety of spaghetti squash that I'm going to add to my container garden next year. (see seed resources, below).

Now, what to do with all that spaghetti squash? Well, that's the fun part and people have come up with all sorts of delicioussounding recipes that will give you plenty of ideas. If, like me, you've been limited to serving it as a pasta substitute with spaghetti sauce you'll want to try some of these recipes. The basic cooking method for obtaining the spaghetti-like strands from the squash calls for baking it first. Here are instructions for that process: http:// tinyurl.com/mzkfbk And, according to this article, it's also possible to microwave, boil or use your slow-cooker to do the initial cooking of the squash: http:// tinyurl.com/ypnsst I've not used any method except for baking it myself but I certainly intend to try the microwave method!

Ed Note: 1 cup of spaghetti squash has only 31 calories, 0.6 grams of fat, 109 mg of potassium, 1.5 grams of dietary fiber, 2.8 g of sugar, 17 mg of sodium, 0.6 g. protein, Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium, Vitamin C and Iron.

Not to mention, it’s a good source of anti-oxidants!

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Marg S.—Editor Shari F., Karen H. and Linda M.—Co-Editors

Have pictures or an idea for an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are always welcome.

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LAST WORD You’ll remember from last month that I was determined to find a new cereal. Well I found it. The only problem is that my 30 lb. cat has also determined that he likes my cereal as well. I tried to logically explain to him that it’s rude to shove your face into someone else’s bowl and trying to stick your foot in there is just wrong. At this point, I’m losing the logic battle. I do, however, manage to burn a few extra calories in the race of trying to protect a bowl and not spill milk. You would think it was the milk Mr. Puss would be after....no...it’s the cereal. Welcome to my world.

This cat also thinks that any piece of paper has only been placed there for him to lie on. It makes life interesting when one is trying to read the newspaper but I get really upset when he decides to occupy the top of my To Do list.

You see, I have discovered that there is a contest going on in my house. Happy Hubby and I are in a tight race to see who can forget more things in any given day. Now, I’ve always been a list maker but lately, it’s taken on a new sense of urgency.

There are the errand lists, shopping lists, doctor lists, activity lists, homework lists......and then there is my Master List. Yup, I even have a list of the lists.

I get up early and work on that day’s list. Things that I have to do (or places I have to go), details of daily life that keep me on track....most of the time. I don’t feel like I have it together until I get my list done and then can start marking things off.

I know a lot of other folks who make lists. But why? Why do we do this? I did a quick search with the question: Why do we make lists? The result was 207,000,000 hits! Lordy! We seem to 9

By Marg S. be a list making species. I checked out a few of the articles and found a common thread. We make lists in a effort to make order out of chaos. Makes sense, there’s nothing more chaotic than life and we do like to keep our lives neat and tidy.

But what does it do if we ignore those lists or perhaps don’t cross off every single item? That part of the reading got boring. Everything from ‘passive aggressive response’ to inertia...you get the idea....YAWN! The reality is that nothing ever happens the way we expect it. Life has a way of intruding into our list of things to do. The sun is shining and there’s a cool breeze....I really don’t want to clean the bathroom....so the ‘list’ gets chucked out the window.

But we do need order of some sort.

What we have to watch out for is being so strict with the list that we forget to take the time to have fun, learn, and be amazed at the world. Sure, we have appointments and errands that HAVE to be done but some of the other items aren’t imperative and can be put off for a bit.

So go ahead and make a list but be sure to add things like ‘stroll in the garden’ and other items that don’t ‘count’ as tasks. Remember that one of the chief characteristics of a list is that it obeys the principle of infinity and eternal renewal. Where would we be if we had nothing left to do?

As for me, I put the ‘list’ back where Mr. Puss could lounge for a while and I scratched him behind the ears. Listened to him purr and then went outside to watch the butterflies on the flowers. This is one day that I’ll gladly win the contest to see who can forget the most stuff.

“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” Bertrand Russell