Nlfebruary16

ESSENTIAL GARDEN TOOL REVIEW!

for discerning weeders

Are you getting hosed? pg. 2 Get up-to-date on EDIS publications! pg. 11 Gluten free can taste good! pg. 12

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....

An equal opportunity institution.

February, 2016

A TEACHING YEAR This will be a year of teaching. We have sixteen extraordinary interns that are eager to learn. STEM is a wonderful opportunity for our schools and a need for us to fill. L. Penry. will coordinate all youth opportunities for Outreach. Please email L. Timothy about any programs that might benefit the interns and volunteer opportunities.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Remember to email B. Buckellew every time you speak or participate in any Outreach related activity. Our goal is to accurately track all of our contributions to the community. Don't forget to log in your hours! Everyone does so much and keeping track of your hours will help us reach our goal of 100% reporting!

J. Bauer B. Bayer V. Burke M. Drake K. Halford K. Harper R. Herington J. Langham B. Thomas

Don’t forget that our meeting this month (on the 24th) will be at the Crestview Extension Office. It will be a shortened meeting format, followed immediately by our Award Ceremony.

Thank you for all you do.

A. Ogle, President Okaloosa County Master Gardener Association

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Getting Hosed!

BIA Home Show February 27 & 28 Contact B. Buckellew to sign up Help needed for set-up, tear down, and manning the Master Gardener booth!

Meeting and Award Ceremony February 24th Contact C. Rose to help Needed: Folks to bring food, set-up help, clean up help.

Gardener Holidays

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Calendar of Events

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Gardening Chores

5

On the Trail

6

The Olde Farm

7

Nursery Notes

7-8

Product Review

8

Bugzilla!

9

Terrific Trees

9

Nasty Bean

10

Wildlife Happenings

10

Updated Publications The Compost Pile We are looking for a couple of individuals to tackle an article each month. Specifically looking for articles on trees, herbs and other topics.

2-3

11-12

Recipe Round-Up

12

Last Word

13

Contact M. Stewart for more information

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February, 2016

HAVE YOU BEEN HOSED?

by K. Harper

The everyday garden-variety hose. It’s one of rating and will wear better than a non-reinforced those utilitarian objects that we use pretty hose. Rubber Hoses are the strongest and much on a daily basis but don’t give it much most durable type of garden hoses. They are attention until it kinks, springs a leak, freezes, much less likely to burst, crack or weather than gets run over or otherwise fails. We expect it to other hoses. Rubber hoses can even carry hot always perform flawlessly and most likely don’t water, which vinyl hoses are not designed to do. give much thought to it, until one of the Rubber hoses tend to be more expensive and aforementioned occurs. Then we get really heavier than vinyl hoses. Industrial strength peeved and start swearing about ‘kinking hoses rubber hoses can tolerate forceful water flows being the bane of our existence.“ OK, maybe with the tightly wound that’s just me. I do have a longstanding anithreading that is throughout the length of the mosity towards hoses that kink and spring hose. Blended hoses are made of a leaks and all of mine combination of rubber and vinyl construction. eventually seem to do both, no matter how They are fairly lightweight, and are more flexible much money I spend on them. So before and kink-resistant than vinyl. They are durable spring comes around, let’s look into this enough for most gardeners, but are cheaper and further and see if it truly is better to light a lighter weight than all-rubber hoses. More on candle than curse the darkness. Or to buy a better hose and then the hose material debate, below. take better care of it…

Types of hoses. Aside from the everyday hose that we use around the garden, there are other useful hoses. Soaker hoses But first, the history of hoses. You knew there had to be one, didn’t you? Well, as with many such inventions, the humble work with light water pressure that expands the hose slightly and hose dates back to some clever Greeks. In about 400 B.C. one of releases water from hundreds of tiny holes along the length of the hose, allowing water to slowly drip into the soil. They’re them had an ox that made the ultimate sacrifice and the flexible and can be can be wound through the garden around the observant Greek put a plan into action that he had obviously plants. They can be left in place during the growing season, been thinking about for a while. The ox’s intestines were buried under mulch. However, they will deteriorate and rot over removed, still attached to the large stomach bladder. The bladder was then filled with water and when compressed (by the time and the holes will become plugged with debris. And I know this because…because taking up your hoses and storing them Greek either sitting or stomping on the bag), a stream of water emerged from the other end of the intestine and, presto, the first properly for the winter comes under the heading of proper hose maintenance, which I’m somewhat lax about. OK, totally lax hose was created. And even though an individual intestine would not have lasted very long before decomposing and falling about. And I bet I’m not alone on that! apart (one can only imagine the aggravation associated with that), this was the method used for several centuries. It was not Coil hose looks like the old-fashioned loopy telephone cord we used to be tethered to before we had cordless phones (remember until the 17th century that someone figured out that leather was those days?) The loops in a coil hose are expanded with very more durable. It was a Dutch fire-fighter named Jan van der little water pressure and when the water flow stops, the coil hose Heiden living in America in 1693 and working with his son shrinks back to its previous size, making it very easy to store.

Nicholas, who stitched together the first leather hose. Prior to The coil hose could be useful for smaller gardens and patios. I that, fire-fighting was accomplished via the labor-intensive and have a large yard and patio but I did try one many years ago and very inefficient bucket brigade. Many advances in hose construction were made over the next 300 years, from leather, to I remember that it seemed to have a life of its own when maneuvering among containers and the various garden ‘art’ we canvas, sailcloth, cotton and linen. All were heavy and prone to all tend to accumulate. I don’t need any help with accidentally leaks. Then along came Charles Goodyear who, in 1839, discovered the vulcanization process for rubber, and then in 1871 knocking stuff down. I can do that on my own. And if your coil hose is not coated with UV protectant, it may well explode. But I B.F. Goodrich developed a rubber hose reinforced with cotton will leave it to our Editor to describe that because, yes, it happly. (And if, like me, you’ve always confused Goodyear with Goodrich there you have in a nutshell who came first. This could pened to her. be useful for trivia games and/or Jeopardy). Rubber hoses thus Flat Hoses. Traditionally, garden hoses are round; however became the norm for fire-fighting. Still later, synthetic fibers there are alternative shapes to consider. Flat hoses are an were created and combinations of rubber and/or synthetics intriguing possibility and might have some advantages over evolved into the standard garden hose. If you’re interested in round hoses. These advantages include: they take much less more of the history of fire hoses and other firefighting space to store; also they compress flat and drain most of the equipment, check out this article: http://crownshoptalk.com/ water out when the water flow is turned off, making them less History%20of%20Fire%20Hose.pdf from this site: likely to freeze. http://www.crownfiretruck.com/index The English major in me is itching to correct the grammar and spelling errors in the I have not seen flat hoses for sale anywhere in our area so further article, but the information is interesting. research would be needed to locate a source. More information on flat hoses is here: http://www.gardenguides.com/122107Materials used for garden hoses: Vinyl hoses are different-types-flat-garden-hoses.html? generally the least expensive. They are lightweight and flexible utm_source=popup&utm_medium=1 and no doubt they work well for those who take care of their stuff Choosing the best garden hose. General considerations and store their hoses properly coiled and out of direct sunlight include: (1) Diameter: 5/8, and 3/4 inch diameter are common, after use. Vinyl hoses tend to wear faster and can easily bend although larger may be available. As diameter increases, the when exposed to excessive heat or cold. If the vinyl hose is hose moves a greater volume of water per unit of time. (2) reinforced, so much the better. It will have a better pressure An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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February, 2016

HOSED cont’d.

Length: knowing the length of hose needed is important. If the hose just needs to reach short distances, then don't buy the 75 or 100 foot unruly monsters (like I have). (3) Construction: this will determine its flexibility and durability. Shop for quality. Avoid the very cheapest vinyl hoses, unless you enjoy unkinking hoses and/or buying new hoses frequently. Great advice, isn’t it? But how do you KNOW what a quality hose is? Is it necessarily the most expensive one? Maybe, maybe not. However, I discovered an article that should be required reading for anybody about to purchase a new garden horse. This is the best advice I’ve read on this subject and I have to say that never in my long history of buying crummy, kinking hoses have I ever thought of doing these simple tests on a hose in the store before I plunk down my hard-earned cash for it.

I’ll summarize the two simple steps to tell which gardens hoses are the best , but to view the excellent photos that accompany this article, please see: http://www.familyhandyman.com/ landscaping/finding-the-best-garden-hose/view-all

that, since I’m not getting any younger, what I really need (in addition to better hoses) is a couple of more faucets out in the landscaping so I can buy better, shorter hoses. And around here who gets the job of installing new faucets? The dear husband, of 1. Try to kink the hose! Who’d a thunk it?? Remove a few of the twist ties from the hose packaging and unroll a couple of course; he’s the chief architect and maintainer of the irrigation system. Problem(s) solved. :) feet of it. Then coil it back against itself to see if it kinks. A hose that kinks in the climate-controlled store will certainly On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with the lesskink when it’s left out in the elements at your house. It’s so expensive vinyl or vinyl/rubber blend hoses as long as you are very logical, isn’t it? Next (and crucial), compare the wall one to store and properly care for your hoses when they’re not in thicknesses of different hoses by bending them at a 90-degree angle. The hoses with thicker walls will be harder use. Lastly, whether you go with rubber, vinyl, or a blend of the two, try to ensure that the hose you buy is reinforced with tire to bend because they're made with more material. And thicker walls will mean a stronger, more durable hose that’s cord fiber. This reinforcement will help prevent the hose from bursting or cracking and will extend the life of the hose. less likely to kink. Be sure to re-wrap the hoses you’ve performed these tests on in the store, so the store Special Considerations. While many people grew up management doesn’t get flustered with your experiments. drinking water straight from the garden hose, worries about 2. If the hose passes the “kink test,” check out the brass bacteria mean this is no longer considered a good idea. Also, fittings. You want solid “crush-proof” brass fittings as opposed to flimsy stamped-brass fittings. Have a look at the because garden hoses are not strictly regulated, many contain lead and other chemicals that far exceed U.S. federal drinking photo of a quality brass fitting in the article, above, and if you already own a hose with cheesy brass fittings, you’ll see water standards, by as much as 10 to 100 times the level of lead recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. immediately what this means.

When buying a rubber garden hose, look for the words “leadfree” or “drinking water safe” on the label, if you intend to drink Rubber vs. Vinyl- the debate. One hundred percent rubber hoses are considered to be the best quality available. The obvious from it or to water your edible plants with it. Rubber hoses with nickel or plastic fittings are generally safe, but you can also buy downside is that they are also more expensive than vinyl hoses. hoses made from medical-grade vinyl which are just as safe.

But it’s also the case that they are heavier than vinyl or blended Food-grade polyurethane is also safe and free from lead. Bottom hoses, so if you have to drag your hose over long distances to line is unless your garden hose is labeled "safe for drinking," it’s reach the corners of your yard, this is a consideration. With a half-acre lot to deal with, I’ve been one of those hose draggers for best not to drink from it, water your pets with it, or water your the past 24 years. But this is one of the happy benefits of writing vegetable garden with it. Also, a general convention among hose manufacturers is to use white to denote a hose that delivers these articles. I experience so many epiphanies. I’ve realized potable water and is safe to drink from.

GARDENER HOLIDAYS If you were born this month your colors are: Light blue, yellow and purple. Birthstones are amethyst, bloodstone, onyx, and moonstone. Flowers are violet and primrose. Your trees are cypress, poplar, cedar and pine.

Month Holidays Barley Month Grapefruit Month

Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month National Bird Feeding Month National Cherry Month Sweet Potato Month Weekly Observances National Green Week 9-15 World AG Expo 9-11 Great Backyard Bird Count 12-15 National FFA Week 21-27

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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National Invasive Species Awareness 2127 Daily Observances World Wetlands Day 2nd Library Lovers Day 14th Clean Out Your Computer Day 15th National Almond Day 16th National Hate Florida Day 18th National Bacon Day 26th February, 2016

For details on any of the upcoming events, go to www.ocmga.org/Calendar.html Okaloosa County Master Gardeners may obtain updated calendar information on member-only activities by going to www.ocmga.org/Administrative.html An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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February, 2016

FEBRUARY CHORES Landscape design: February is a good time of year to reshape beds or add additional beds to your landscape. While you do this make sure you also add organic material to the native soil throughout the bed for better nutrient and water holding ability.

by A. Donatelli had a problem with weeds last summer. Timing is important for good control.

Apply a preemergent around February 15 to March 5, or when day temps reach 65-70 degrees F, for four to five consecutive days.

Prune Roses: Bush-type roses should be pruned early this These application timings generally coincide with blooming of month to remove damaged canes and improve the overall form. landscape plants, such as azalea and dogwood. Select a After pruning apply a fresh layer of mulch over roots. Knockout pre-emergent that has one of these chemicals pendimethalin, Rose should be pruned down to 2-3 feet from the crown of the oryzalin, or dithiopyr on the label before purchasing. Follow the plant. Blooming will begin eight to nine weeks after pruning. application instructions on the label. Some ones to look for include: benefin (Sta-green Crabgrass Preventer, Hi-Yield Citrus Trees/Shrubs: Do not prune until spring. Cold Crabgrass Preventer), pendimethalin (Pre-M, Pendulum, Turf damage could still occur. Fertilize if it has not been done in Weedgrass Control, Halts Crabgrass Preventer), and bensulide January. Rule of thumb to go by—fertilization should start when (Green Light Betasan Crabgrass Preventer). swelling buds appear. Fertilize according to the age of your citrus. Irrigation before and after application is necessary to activate The first year your tree is in the ground you should fertilize 6 most preemergence herbicides. Preemergence herbicides are times a year, decreasing to 5 times a year in its second year and 4 generally effective in controlling weeds from 6–12 weeks following times a year in its third year. Older trees are fertilized 3 times a application. year using an 8-8-8 analysis with other macro and micronutrients.

Broadcast fertilizer under and around the drip line of the trees.

Most herbicides begin to degrade soon after application when Stay away from stake fertilizers in our area of Florida. For more exposed to the environment. Therefore, to obtain season-long information on Citrus http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs132 control, an additional application should follow 6–9 weeks after the initial one.

Hold off pruning cold damaged shrubs/perennials until new growth has started and the last chance of freeze has passed.

Although it is not necessary to mow the lawn when it is dormant, (March 15 is the general last freeze date) you can mulch the leaves on the lawn by using the mower, as needed. The leaves should be kept to a minimum on the lawn to Vegetable gardening: Preparing your vegetable beds should avoid blockage of sunlight. Keep the mowers on a high setting as have already started in January but it’s not too late to start now. though you were cutting the turf at the normal 2.5 inches. It is Most Florida soils are low in organic matter and would benefit NEVER a good idea to scalp the lawn! from adding animal manure, rotted leaves, compost, and commercial soil mixes. Composted organics can be applied at Monitor Weeds: Pull weeds found in beds. Spray Round-Up planting time but un-composted organics such as fresh grass (glyphosate herbicide) on weeds such as dollar weed and torpedo clippings should be mixed into the soil at least a month before grass in beds, if necessary. Do not allow spray to touch leaves or seeding. Animal manure if used should be spread at a rate of 25– green stems of desirable plants! DO NOT use glyphosate with 100 pounds per 100 square feet and should be worked into the soil dicamba or 2, 4-D around Crape Myrtles!

90–120 days before harvesting any vegetables. See EDIS Publication HS1215 Organic Vegetable Gardening in Pest Control: Monitor landscape turf/plants weekly for Florida (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1215). Next year in the off problem areas. ID pest before treating turf/plants. Contact our season plant cover crops such as winter pea and black-eyed bean Master Gardener Help Desk for assistance when necessary, which are a considered a couple of the nitrogen correcting plants. 850-689-5850 (Crestview) or 850-651-7476 (Fort Walton Beach).

Adjusting Soil pH in the vegetable garden should be done only This is a good time to treat for scale in your landscape if you have after a soil test has been done. The best pH range for vegetable not done it already in January. If you had it last year and did not gardens is between 5.8 and 6.3. To get a good sample for testing get it under control you will have it again this year. Use an all your soil pH season oil and following directions on the label. Also, correcting tight over packed beds where the scale is located will also help Take a sample from 10 to 15 different areas. Use a spade or soil control scale. Give those plants room to move with the wind. auger. Clear litter from the surface (do not remove decomposed Crape Myrtle: While black material). When using a spade: Dig a V-shaped hole and crape myrtles do not take a 1 inch slice from the smooth side of the hole. Take a 1 x 1 require pruning—Crape inch core from the center of the shovel slice. When using a soil Murder! Remove seed auger: Make the core 3 to 4 inches deep for permanent sod. pods and Repeat above steps in 10 to 15 different places. Put in a clean plastic bucket or other nonmetallic container, thoroughly mix and thinning crossing branches. Eliminating remove a pint (or more if additional tests are desired) as a small twiggy growth can composite sample representing the whole area. Samples must be improve air dried before bring the sample to our office. Do not use appearance and reduce heat to dry samples. Completely fill a pint Ziploc bag or other suitable pint container. Do not use old vegetable cans, tobacco problems. cans, match boxes, glass containers, etc. to submit samples— containers are thrown away once testing is completed. If more than one sample bag is used, label bags as 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc. Label your container with your full name, address, telephone number, and what crop you are growing in the soil sample.

Turf Management: Apply a preemergent weed killer to lawns this month to prevent emergence of warm season weeds, if you

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February, 2016

ON THE TRAIL

by B. Bayer

It doesn't seem possible that 3 1/4 years have passed since I began the trail behind the Okaloosa County UF/IFAS Extension Office. We had discussed how great it would be to have a Nature Trail in that area. Back then, once you were a few yards into the woods it became difficult to tell in what direction you were going. One day in October 2012 prior to the Grand Opening of the office, I ventured into the woods with a roll of orange tape and began marking my progress through the woodlands. This served two purposes, one to mark the proposed trail and the other to find my way back to civilization.

One of the objectives while blazing the trail was to avoid cutting as many trees as possible. In an effort to do this, I attempted to move from one open area to the next.

This was deemed necessary anyway since I only carried hand tools. At this point I probably should admit that I have a terrible sense of direction. In some places the woods got very thick so I had to be sure the last orange ribbon placed could still be seen. On the opposite side of the woods from the office is an airport and somewhere between the two, so I was told, was a stream.

Occasionally I would hear an airplane engine so I moved in that direction. After several hours I finally found the stream. The problem now was how to get back to the office.

I could follow the orange marker back the way I came or continue on. I knew that I came downhill to get to the stream so it only made sense that uphill should take me back, so uphill I went. Much to my surprise, a short time later I spotted a building through the trees. Hopefully, this was the office and not someone's backyard. It turned out this was the office but I was on the opposite side of the building. My wandering through the woodlands had taken me in a complete half circle.

back at anytime and no permanent fixtures could be added. The thought then and now is; let's use the land as long as we can. So, back to work.

Two questions kept coming up: How long is the trail and how can we permanently mark the trail with it being in conformity with our restrictions?

We had a supply of unused 4x4 wooden blocks that had been painted blue. They were drilled, fitted with PVC stakes and numbered. A 30 foot measure (10 yards) was used to place the blocks along the trail going from East to West and numbered 1-41.

The path to the stream was left un-numbered. If this is included, the trail totals is a 1/4 mile. 440 yards equals a 1/4 mile. The markers were also intended to be used to indicate the location of native plants and trees along the Trail. An example; a large Laurel Oak is found behind marker #13. The saga continues next month.

The following week I decided to see if I could retrace my way by following the orange tapes. It worked. The next step was to widen the trail to more than a narrow foot path. Equipped with nothing more than clippers, leaf rake and a pruning saw I slowly moved along opening the trail to a minimum of 3 feet wide and moved the debris to either side. After several weeks of doing this the first setback was encountered. The land where the trail was going belonged to the County but was under the control of the Bob Sikes Airport. All work had to cease until permission was granted by the airport administration . Several weeks later permission was granted with the understanding we could use the land but it was still controlled by the airport and could be taken An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

The Jokester Law of Biomechanics The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

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February, 2016

THE OLDE FARM—A CREEK RUNS THROUGH IT

by D. Gordon

Many of you ask about what is happening at the property in Darlington. Hopefully, I can share a little regarding what is taking place on a monthly basis.

Finally, we are having lots of Goldfinches at the bird feeders.

Also, quite a few Chipping Sparrows are found under the feeders eating scratch feed that has been scattered. A number of Sparrow Hawks (kestrels) have been spotted in the area. A large flock of Killdeer are in the field across the road. A beautiful Northern Harrier Hawk is often seen flying three to four feet about the ground looking for rodents. Numerous other bird activity is in the area.

The first green tips of Leucojum (snowflakes) are beginning to push to the surface of the ground. They will provide a show of pendulous white bells in another month or two. This is a sure sign of spring.

Work has been intensive on the walking trail next to Chestnut Creek. Due to storms there are always tree limbs or debris that covers the trail. The creek has been full of water from all the rain this past month.

Ed note: We had a field trip to The Olde Farm and after a slight ‘detour’ everyone arrived and had an amazing journey through a gorgeous setting.

We look forward to additional updates.

This picture was taken during that field trip.

All the scuppernong vines will need to be pruned in the coming weeks. It takes a lot of work but the jelly is delicious.

Even though it is winter, the woods are full of animal life. The cool days offer an opportunity to enjoy walks in the environment.

NURSERY NOTES

by L. Vanderpool

The nursery was closed for the two holidays then we had a cold, rainy Friday so not much has been accomplished in the past month. Better things are to come, however!

On the days we were kept inside by the weather, the nursery staff had a planning meeting to figure out what plants to grow this year; herbs, vegetables and flowers. We are going to try to have more home garden friendly plants such as herbs and favorite vegetable plants throughout the spring and summer. We have procured seeds for UFrecommended varieties of tomatoes which we hope will enhance your vegetable production this spring. As the year progresses, we will concentrate more on flowering plants for the pollinator garden, zeroing in on Florida natives. If you have suggestions for things you would like to see in the nursery, let one of the staff know. We will try to get it for you.

We have been busy locating seeds and plants of the selected varieties, poring over seed and plant catalogues, choosing those which we think will perform well then ordering them and waiting in anticipation for their arrival. A visit to Dara Dobson's 7 Pines Native Plant Nursery north of DeFuniak Springs proved to be beneficial. We purchased several natives which will be used as "mother plants", our source of cuttings to An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

propagate new plantlets for your summertime enjoyment!

It has been decided to repair and retain the greenhouse. The holes in the plastic covering have been patched and it will be covered with UV resistant plastic in the fall.

Intern nursery training is just getting started but all new trainees have been scheduled to do their two days working in the nursery. It would be nice if all mentors would attend on the days their trainees are scheduled to work thus providing incentive to the trainees and give the mentors a more intimate association with the training plan. We are trying to acquaint the new interns with more facets of nursery operations including identifying plants, researching the botanical names, making plant tags, proper method of planting seeds and a myriad of other tasks.

Other things planned for this spring are trimming and shaping the hollies along the front of the compound in Ft. Walton Beach and a propagation program. The trimming and shaping of hollies will be on a Friday and will require several people to prune branches, clean up and dispose of the cutting debris and apply sulphur afterwards to finish off the day. The propagation 7

February, 2016

NOTES cont’d. program will follow the March membership meeting in Crestview and will be conducted by staff members centered around a slide show briefing. Although both of these activities are planned for the benefit of the new interns, veteran Master Gardeners are also invited to attend either or both.

like to encourage more members to volunteer to work in the nursery this spring and summer so some of the "regulars" can have a break. Also, we will have our usual summer exodus of those who go to the north to avoid the brutal Florida summer heat and humidity, so will need assistance to keep things humming until they return in the fall. Any amount of time you can I would like to give a warm "thank you" to the regulars who show volunteer will help, even if only an hour. up at the nursery each Friday, rain or shine, and work diligently to keep the wheels turning smoothly, doing thankless tasks such Visit your nursery. I think you will be surprised! Happy gardenas clearing debris, performing minor maintenance on equipment ing. and facilities and doing it all without any complaints. I would

PRODUCT REVIEW

by K. Kirk-Williams

Last year, I met the garden tool version of the love of my life: Alligator Loppers by Black & Decker. To be honest, Black & Decker doesn’t normally rate high on my list of preferred manufacturers but, thus far, I have been very pleased with this handy mini-chainsaw for effectiveness, ease of use, and safety.

last year on Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). They are very prolific and we have literally thousands of them on our property. Like tallow trees, they must be treated with an herbicide within seconds of cutting in order to reduce – not eliminate – their incidence of regrowing. In fact, cutting them back without treating immediately just They are a cross between a lopper and a encourages them to sprout new growth small chainsaw, making them ideal for easily all along the shallow root system. The cutting branches and small trees up to 4” in Alabama Cooperative Extension diameter. There is a cordless version and an electric option. The Service estimates that Chinese privet is found on over one million electric version weighs 6.5 pounds. The cordless version comes acres of Alabama forest land and is especially invasive in with a Lithium-Ion battery and weighs 7.9 pounds. Both have a 6” disturbed areas around clearings, roadsides and pastureland that cutting bar. I have used my Alligator Loppers quite a bit and have can become covered in dense thickets of this highly invasive found them to be indispensable for my needs which include a 1multi-trunked large shrub or small tree that can grow to 20 feet acre yard here in Florida plus a 2-acre yard and 180 acres in Alatall. ACES advises that privet control is a “multi-step program that bama. requires persistence” in order to be successful. No kidding.

I enjoy it for use in my yard here in Niceville because, like so many women of a certain age, I developed De Quervain’s syndrome, a painful condition caused by an inflammation of the tendons that control the thumb. My doctor’s prescription: Stop doing whatever repetitive motion that is causing the inflammation which, in my case, is using my hand to grasp and squeeze gardening tools, especially when pruning woody plants. Over the years, I’ve looked for tools that will prevent the reoccurrence of De Quervain’s and found my Alligator Loppers to be very helpful.

They are truly a godsend for taking care of the large yard and acreage I inherited in Alabama. My parents were avid gardeners and maintained a beautiful 2-acre yard and my mother ran her own small plant nursery there. Both of my parents are gone now so, as part-time residents, keeping up the property can be a bit overwhelming. Most of our land there is forested but my husband, C., uses our tractor and bush hog, 5 chainsaws, and a pole saw to keep the cleared areas and fire lanes clear.

I don’t like chainsaws. They are too dangerous and heavy for me so the Alligator Loppers are perfect for my use because they are lightweight and have good built-in safety features. In order to operate them, both hands must be used to press the switch on each handle and there are blade guards completely covering the saw chain when closed.

Last spring, my son and I spent several days working to eradicate as many of these Chinese privet as possible. We took turns, one of us using the Alligator Loppers while the other immediately painted the cut stumps with herbicide. We moved the cut privet into two piles with each pile measuring approximately 15-20’ wide x 20’ deep x 10’ tall. All were cut using our Alligator Loppers with one battery and one chain over the course of 4 days. They easily cut through wood up to - and even a little over - 4” thick but they do not work well when trying to trim brushy growth with flexible stems.

Our battery would last for about 4 hours of heavy use each day. A spare battery costs about $38 so that is an option for our future work days. I bought a spare saw chain for about $12 but have not needed it. The instructions advise oiling the chain after every 10 minutes or so of use which helps to keep the blades sharp. The only time I’ve had problems with the chain coming loose is when the battery begins to run down so I found it was best to stop use as soon as I noticed the chain getting loose. We were able to have the Alligator Lopper chain sharpened here locally when we had the other chainsaw blades sharpened. I paid $97.00 for the cordless Alligator Loppers last year; the electric version cost about $10.00 less. For our needs, they have been worth every penny and I recommend them highly for anyone that needs to regularly cut branches or small trees.

My job is to keep the area around my parents’ home somewhat I know the Alligator Loppers worked well to cut back the privet tidy and to remove the invasive Chinese privet that has overtaken but, sometime soon, we’ll be going back to Alabama to see how the yard. D. Stever wrote an excellent article for The Compost Pile well the herbicide worked. Wish us luck!

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February, 2016

THE GOOD, BAD, AND JUST PLAIN UGLY! I was happily working away one morning planting my “little babies” as I like to call them when a text from my husband came across my phone with a photo attachment. It read, “Kissing Bug? Am I going to die?” First off, I had to laugh out loud at my husband’s outlandish idea of his demise. He had apparently been watching the news about all the Kissing Bug reports across the country but happened to miss the article with a picture of what they look like, not to mention how rare they are in our area. So I took a good look at the photo, and at first glance it appeared to be a common stink bug, but what on Earth was that contraption on its back? It was by far the most interesting thing I had seen in a while, so I told him to carefully package it up in all its glory and bring it home with him.

by V. Graham

bodied insects and suck out all the goodness from within. However, it will also use its mouth as a defense mechanism if necessary.

It can pack a punch stronger than that of a bee sting if it feels threatened. An interesting fact about the nymph Wheel Bug is that all but the last instar stage closely resembles that of the Stink Bug. This fact makes it tough to identify these beneficial bugs from the destructive in your garden.

The best part about this insect is that it is entirely useful to the home gardener. The nymph stage of this insect feeds mainly on aphids and sawflies. Both the nymph and Actual photo I received! adult stage, unfortunately, are not opposed to feeding on lady beetles and honey bees if other options are in short supply. It is in the Assassin Bug famMy research ily, meaning it feeds solely on other insects. began. After Once I found out this little piece of information I took my new searching found friend directly to my garden and let her go free in the peas. through many I was experiencing a publications, I caterpillar problem, finally came and she was just the across something I needed to thing that rectify the situation. seemed like a I was lucky to have logical answer, but I could not be sure until I could get eyes on such a great tool to the insect. When the mystery insect arrived at my house, I was able to confirm that it was, in fact, a Wheel Bug. Apparently they use at that particuare relatively common in our area and can range all the way from lar time of year. It was late November Rhode Island to Texas and even Mexico. They can grow to be and this variety of quite large; up to one and a quarter inches in length. Its definiinsect only has but tive feature is most impressive. A wheel, or part of one, proone life cycle a year. trudes out of its back. It resembles a gear of some sort with beI could only attribtween eight and twelve teeth depending on the gender and size. ute my good fortune to a late hatch and unusually warm weather.

She was most likely looking for a mate to fulfill her ultimate purThe female Wheel Bug is much larger than the male and can be aggressive if provoked. This aggressiveness leads me to the next pose and live out her final days, but it was worth a shot. All in all, most prominent feature of this critter, its beak-like mouth. It has it was a great research project, and I can tell you that neither my husband nor I will ever forget this encounter. a piercing-sucking mouthpart that is used to puncture soft-

TERRIFIC TREES An Ideal Tree for Northwest Florida (Bottleus budlightus)

by B. Buckellew few trips to the neighbors’ recycle bins, and a couple of stops by the road.

This tree can be mulched right up to the base, is immune to the This is a tree anyone can grow. It is not affected by any diseases or weather conditions and is extremely salt-tolerant. It keeps its string trimmer, and little kids love it. Consider Bottleus budlightus in your landscaping plans. colors year-round and requires no maintenance, pesticides, water, or any other care. It is quite common in the Deep South, is non-invasive, and has been cultivated here for over 200 I first posted this years. Best of all, evil spirits article five years will enter it and never come ago. You can see back out. how well Bottleus budlightus has My particular specimen thrived. It has started life as a round eighteven produced foot fence post. After a little new red fruits for pruning and grafting, I our enjoyment. awaited the results. Flowers appeared after several adult 2011 beverages were consumed, a An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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February, 2016

NASTY BEAN The Castor bean (Ricinus communi) was originally native to northeastern Africa and the Middle East. It has escaped cultivation and become naturalized as a weed almost everywhere in the world that has a tropical or subtropical climate. Castor beans grow wild on rocky hillsides, and in waste places, fallow fields, along road shoulders and at the edges of cultivated lands.

In frost-free areas, castor beans are an evergreen herbaceous or semi-woody large shrub or small tree that gets up to 40 feet tall and 15 feet wide. In the tropics, it can have a trunk that is woody near the base and up to a foot in diameter. Elsewhere, castor bean plants grow as an annual that can get 8-15 feet tall in a single growing season. This is a fast growing, colony forming plant with tropical looking foliage.

All parts of the Castor bean plant are poisonous and the seeds are highly toxic. You should not grow castor beans where children will be playing.

Castor oil is a non-toxic vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of this plant. It is used as an agent in fabric coatings, paints, varnishes, inks, waxes, crayons, dyes, and ointments. Ricin oleic acid, a derivative of the poisonous protein "ricin" that is found in the seeds, has been used in cosmetics and anti-fungal compounds. Crushed seeds can be used as a high-nitrogen fertilizer and they are safe to use as a livestock feed when put through a detoxifying process. In addition, the stems of this small tree are used to make wallboard and paper products.

by D. Stever Castor Bean is listed as a Category II Species (has the potential to disrupt native plant communities) by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Castor bean is one of 34 species that the Florida Nursery Grower's Association's Board of Directors voted unanimously in March 2001 to no longer propagate, sell or use in Florida.

More Information: http://www.floridata.com/Plants/Euphorbiaceae/Ricinus% 20communis/763 https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr306

WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS

staff

Here are some interesting wildlife happenings in February: Birds: *Early purple martin scouts will start to appear this month. Now is the time to raise bird houses or gourds. *Ospreys will begin nesting near the end of the month. *North Florida woodcocks begin courtship behavior. Listen at dusk for their "peenting" in open fields. *Pileated Woodpeckers begin their mating season and will start announcing territories by drumming on various objects including houses and telephone poles.

Others who are beginning their nesting season include: Little Blue and Tri-colored Herons, Wood and Mottled Ducks, and Snail Kites.

Purple Finches and Pine Siskins will leave our feeders and begin their migration back to northern nesting areas. *Swallow-tailed kites begin returning to Florida from South America.

Mammals: *Eastern Moles are breeding this month in tunnels under our lawns. *Striped Skunks begin their breeding season. *Pocket Gophers begin their spring breeding season.

The Jokester If a parsley farmer is behind in his payments‌.

Reptiles: *Alligator snapping turtles will start mating this month, with nesting activity throughout the spring. *Gopher tortoises are seldom seen outside burrows.

Can they garnish his wages?

Fish: *Crappie and Striped bass are spawning.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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February, 2016

UPDATED PUBLICATIONS Custom Search Engine for Cooperative Extension Service Publications—http://tinyurl.com/jyffyu4 The PIE Center responds to the many economic, environmental and social The PIE Center challenges we face by measuring the knowledge, behaviors and attitudes of consumers and constituents. PIE Center research and outreach ultimately focus on enabling the public and policymakers to make informed decisions to preserve Florida's agricultural and natural resources assets. http://www.piecenter.com/

staff management for smaller growers is the control of water and nutrient delivery in a soilless media system. This six-page fact sheet focuses on relatively inexpensive strategies to help small growers know both when to start irrigation events and how long to run a single event when growing in soilless media. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1274

Tomato Cultivar Selection Considerations for Open-Field and Protected Culture in North Florida - This seven-page fact sheet will focus on the key factors affecting the cultivar selection decisions for growing and selling tomatoes in north FlorSchool Garden: Plastic Wading Pool Hydroponics - 4 page ida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1273 fact sheet lists the materials, tools, and construction steps needed. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep525 Implementing the Four Rs in Nutrient Stewardship for Tomato Production - This 6-page fact sheet discusses the 4Rs Florida Biosolids: Management and Land Application as well as conventional dry source fertilizers, controlled-release or Rules - 6 page fact sheet from the Florida Biosolids series covers slow-release source fertilizers, and liquid source fertilizers. applicability of the rule, the intent of Chapter 62-640, F.A.C., land http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1269 application requirements, biosolids storage, cumulative application limits, setback distances, pH, soil depth, runoff Bitter Melon: An Asian Vegetable Emerging in Florida prevention, additional application site restrictions for Class B This 7-page fact sheet provides an overview of this plant as well as biosolids, NMPs, and special geographic areas. recommendations for individuals in Florida who are interested in http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss634 growing it. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1271 Contaminants in the Urban Environment: Microplastics This six-page fact sheet discusses the sources of microplastics, their effects on the environment, and ways to minimize microplastics pollution and exposure. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ ss649 Practices to Minimize Flooding Damage to Commercial Vegetable Production - This four-page fact sheet discusses several different management practices for overcoming flood damage, including the use of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers, oxygen fertilizers, growth regulators, and fungicides. http:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss425 Environmental Stresses and Your Florida Lawn - Florida lawns are subject to many environmental stresses. These can nclude nutrient deficiency, salinity, temperature extremes, overor under-watering, soil problems, and prolonged exposure to shade or traffic. The use of proper cultural practices will help keep your lawn healthy and more stress-tolerant. This two-page fact sheet explains how to choose the most appropriate grass, fertilize properly, mow to the correct height, and irrigate for your lawn’s needs. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep070 Spotted Wing Drosophila - Identification, Ecology, and Management - This trifold brochure describes how to identify and monitor these tiny pests and explains a few strategies to control them and limit the damage they cause to fruit crops. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1098 TAP Sampling for Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) Field Sheet This new field sheet provides information on Tap sampling for Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). Monitoring ACP populations is an important tool in the integrated management of citrus greening. The most efficient way to estimate field populations of this insect is by monitoring adults. Tap sampling has proven to provide data needed to make informed decisions for managing this insect pest. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1116 Water and Nutrient Management Guidelines for Greenhouse Hydroponic Vegetable Production in Florida - Many small farms are implementing greenhouse hydroponic systems. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of crop

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

Long Squash: An Asian Vegetable Emerging in Florida This 4-page fact sheet provides an overview of this plant as well as recommendations for individuals in Florida who are interested in growing it. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1272 Arrow Arum: Peltandra virginica - This new 3-page fact sheet provides an overview of this plant and discusses its distribution, habitat, propagation, and other uses. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag400 Sizzle and Passionista: Two New Lance-Leaved Caladium Cultivars - This 7-page fact sheet discusses the cultivars' tuber yield potential, container trials, landscape performance, growing recommendations, and availability. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep527 First Aid for Pesticide Exposure - This five-page fact sheet describes how to recognize the early symptoms of pesticide exposure and provide basic first aid for the treatment of victims.

This fact sheet explains how to provide initial treatment in the case of pesticide exposure on the skin, in the eye, through inhalation, and in the mouth or swallowed. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi256 Pesticide Labeling: Precautionary Statements - This fivepage fact sheet describes the different types of statements found on pesticide labels, as well as the instructions for personal protective equipment, and first-aid treatments. This publication also contains several reference tables for pesticide labels and their meanings. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi259 Pesticides: Routes of Exposure - This two-page fact sheet explains each route of pesticide exposure, providing information on how to reduce the risk of pesticide exposure and hazard. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi260 Shopping for Health: Breakfast Cereals - this three-page fact sheet to learn more about cereal and how to find your new go-to breakfast choices. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs274 Chronic Kidney Disease: Phosphorus and Your Diet - This four-page fact sheet discusses the relationship between Chronic Kidney Disease and Phosphorous intake, examining foods that are

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February, 2016

PUBLICATIONS cont’d. high in phosphorous and ways to manage phosphorous levels. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs273 Preventing Foodborne Illness: Campylobacteriosis - A part of a series on preventing foodborne illness, this five-page fact sheet describes the Campylobacter bacteria, the causes and symptoms of campylobacteriosis disease, and how to prevent the disease through good sanitation methods and practices for receiving, handling, processing, and storing food products. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs098

Healthy Living: Reliable Websites - The number of resources available online grows every day. Unfortunately, there are no regulations to ensure that the information on these websites is accurate. Older adults can readily access reliable information on the Internet by focusing on government and education sites. This 2-page fact sheet is a major revision that provides a list of trustworthy Internet sources related to nutrition, health, food safety, and general interest for older adults. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy102

RECIPE ROUND-UP Gluten Free Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips Directions: 1.

2.

by V. Graham and staff Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 egg 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Directions: In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for chocolate 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. chips. (I use my mixer with the paddle attachment.)

3.

When all the ingredients are combined and dough gets stiff, add the chocolate chips and mix well with a wooden spoon.

2.

Using a mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar. Mix until creamy and well combined.

4.

Drop by tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 9 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan.

3.

Add in egg and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy.

4.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.

5.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

6.

Drop by tablespoon full onto baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each.

7.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Jokester Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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February, 2016

M. Stewart —Editor S. Farrell , K. Harper, V. Graham and S. Berry—co-editors

Have pictures or an idea for an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are always welcome.

Mission To assist Extension Agents in providing research-based horticultural education to Florida residents.

Vision To be the most trusted resource for horticultural education in Florida.

LAST WORD Since my co-editor decided to let the cat out of the bag with my prior experience with the exploding hose—I feel that an explanation is in order.

It was a few years ago—these hoses had been all over the TV. Then I saw them. The answer to my prayers! No more lugging a heavy hose around the garden! Into my cart went my prize and homeward bound I went.

Believe me. That hose lived up to the hype. I could carry it around in one hand.

When the water was off it curled very nicely into a small pile. Light weight and efficient. Yeah, I was a happy camper.

Through a hot, sunny summer. My miracle hose worked its magic. No more kinks (in the hose and in my back).

Watering was a pleasure!

Then came that fateful summer day. The day when my joyful bubble burst—literally.

I headed out to water. Turned on the spigot and grabbed the other end of the hose. Into the garden I went perhaps 10 feet away from the spigot.

Hmmm, there didn’t seem to be much pressure. Probably a clogged nozzle. As I’m inspecting the nozzle (which is now in the closed position) I hear it. A hissing noise.

Okay folks, we live in Florida so you know what the first thought I had was….snake! I don’t mind snakes but I know we have some that get a tad offended if disturbed.

So I’m checking around my feet and in my immediate vicinity. No snake. And the hissing is getting louder.

I turn around and…..You know when you see something and your brain just won’t compute what you’re looking at? That was me. Me facing a giant, clear, vinyl bubble that had water pouring into it and was growing ever larger as I stood their stupefied.

My brain finally engaged and I realized the giant bubble was, in fact, the innards of the hose! Instead of turning on the nozzle (no—can’t be that smart) I drop it and make a dash for the spigot….too late. Three steps from the spigot and BOOM! Giant bubble meets the fate of all bubbles...it popped. Now the free end of the hose that is still attached to a fully open spigot is thrashing around like a live demon, the rest of the hose is coiling...sort of.

I make it to the spigot, fight off the hose and survey the results through dripping hair and soaked sneakers.

Seems the miracle hose is two parts.

There is the inner portion (giant bubble maker) and the outer portion which is some sort of nylon fabric. Said fabric worked fine until the sun beat down on it for a couple of months.

That’s all it took. One closed nozzle built up enough pressure to split the fabric and

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

by M. Stewart the inner portion joyously escaped its confines. Grumbling and squishing I deposited the soggy remains of my once prized possession in the nearest trash receptacle and hauled out the heavy duty hose to finish my chores.

I noticed at a later date that the miracle hoses were still being sold. Now they were a different color and had very prominently marked packages. NOW WITH UV PROTECTION! blared forth from the cardboard, next to the smiling (and dry) homeowner who was gleefully washing an Airedale.

Nope, I didn’t buy one. #1 The price had skyrocketed on the things and #2 you only get to blow up on me once. I learned my lesson. Gardening builds character and hoses (exploding ones) build cowards.

So there you have it. My experience with gardening technology. Now that I think about it—perhaps the hose and my rear car window were related. The last round of storms we had caused my rear window to explode. Yes folks, explode. When there is no glass INSIDE of the car you know that everything went OUTWARD. Same deal where the brain won’t immediately comprehend what you’re seeing.

Glass across the driveway and into the lawn. Happy Hubby has an appointment early that morning (of course) so I’ve got to clear a path. Yup, 7 am and I’m vacuuming my driveway and lawn….you wonder why I’m considered the ‘weird’ neighbor right?

Okay, call the appropriate people and the window will get replaced on Monday. In the meantime, have to get said car into the garage. Carefully, carefully, pull in. Hit the little ledge leading into garage and BOOM! Entire window (it was completely pebbled before I moved it) implodes into the back seat.

Sigh. Vacuum up a lot more glass and remember that it was storming when this happened. Yes, the interior is wet. Soggy and wet. Guess where my spare tire is?

Under the trunk. Sigh. Open that up and proceed to prep the shop-vac for water removal….all 3 gallons of it.

Someone asked me if our house was built on an ancient burial ground….I’m starting to think it might be.

Plentiful Plantings

February, 2016