Nlmarch16

TERRIFIC TREE FOR FALL COLOR AND ALL YEAR!

for discerning weeders

Find out what events are happening in and around our area!.....pg 4 A buddy for your garden chores!....pg 3 The weather is warming up...time to tackle garden projects….pg 5 Recipes….pg 12 And much, much more!

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....

An equal opportunity institution.

March, 2016

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN Easter falls early this year and the weather is warming up. Most of us are itching to get out in those garden beds with shovels, rakes, pruners and other implements of mass-gardening.

During your marathon gardening sessions, don’t forget to take time to notice the flowers (even the ones that are ‘weeds’) and see all the wonderful things that nature provides us along this Emerald Coast.

S. Berry M. Evors V. Graham R. Sanders E. Smith L. Vanderpool

And speaking of time...don’t forget that March 13th marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time! Set those clocks ahead before you go to bed on Saturday.

We’re still looking for a few folks to submit articles for The Compost Pile. Don’t be shy!

Birth trees for March are: weeping willow, lime, oak, and hazelnut. Birth flowers are: daffodil, jonquil, and violet. Birth stones are: aquamarine, bloodstone, jade, and rock crystal. Colors are white and light blue.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Plentiful Plantings Editorial Staff

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.

Did You Know?

2

Buddy in the Garden

3

Gardener Holidays

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Event Calendar

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March Chores

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Wildlife Happenings

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On the Trail

6

A Creek Runs Through It

7

Nursery Notes

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Terrific Trees

8

Hold the Olives

9

Mosquito Control Tips

9

Erin Go Bragh

10

Infographics

10

Updates and Info

11

Recipe Round-Up

12

Last Word

13

Contact M. Stewart for more information

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

DID YOU KNOW?

Infographic created by J. Montgomery

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

PRODUCT REVIEW

by M. Stewart

If you’re like me, you love those 5 gallon buckets that you can pick up at the various stores in our area. Also, if you’re like me, you have various hand tools. Okay—if you’re like me you have lots of hand tools in various stages of wear, repair and the ever popular why-do-I-still-have-this-thing-it’s-never-worked.

So off to the garden with the tools you need. Wait, doesn’t that (insert plant name here) need pruning? That’s the one tool you don’t have on hand. Back to the shed/garage/where-did-I-putthose-things?

No more. You can actually cart your various tools around, keep them in good shape and not leave them lying under the azaleas! I discovered the Fiskars™ Garden Bucket Caddy quite by accident.

I had noticed a few fellow Master Gardeners had these nifty adornments on their tote buckets. Finally, I stumbled across one and hip-hip-hooray! I can now not lose my cell phone in the yard.

The caddy is easy-to-clean canvas with plenty of pockets along the edge. There’s room for a water bottle and other things you always want to have with you. It fits over a 5-gallon bucket and leaves the interior of the bucket for those hard to manage tools.

You know, those long handled claws that you’d really prefer NOT to sit on. There’s also a handy clip at the top for either your keys OR a notebook.

When my order arrived, it was actually fun to go through my garden tools and load up the pockets. While I was at it—those tools that either I never used or were beyond repair went to the great recycler in the sky.

You do want to watch the amount of weight you ultimately put in the pockets. It will pull down unless you thread the upper attachment over the bucket handle. That being said, I can honestly say that my extra trips back and forth for a forgotten tool, plant marker or other items has decreased dramatically. I use the proper tools for the job at hand because I have them right at hand!

I’ve seen this particular caddy at local stores (anyone besides me get giddy walking into Harbor Freight™?) Honestly, the cheapest I’ve found it is on-line. For under $20 you can organize your tools, keep them in one spot and always have them on hand while you’re out in the garden.

GARDENER HOLIDAYS March 13th—Daylight Savings Begins March 17th—St. Patrick’s Day March 20th—Palm Sunday March 24th—Maundy Thursday March 25th—Good Friday March 26th—Holy Saturday March 27th—Easter March 28th—Easter Monday Month Holidays International Ideas Month Mad for Plaid Month National Caffeine Awareness Month National Craft Month National Kite Month National Peanut Month National Umbrella Month Poison Prevention Awareness Month Quinoa Month

Festival of Owls Week 7-11 Crufts 10-13 World Rattlesnake Roundup 11-13 Termite Awareness Week 13-19 National Agriculture Week 13-19 American Chocolate Week 20-26 National Cleaning Week 27-4/1 Daily Observances Dadgum That’s Good Day 1st Dr. Seuss Day 2nd National Grammar Day 4th Sock Monkey Day 5th Check Your Batteries Day 8th National Proofreading Day 8th Johnny Appleseed Day 11th National Agriculture Day 15th Earth Hour 19th Spinach Day 26th Weed Appreciation Day 28th

Weekly Observances National Procrastination Week 6-12 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 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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March, 2016

MARCH CHORES

by A. Donatelli

Irrigation: Now is the time to check your sprinkler systems for any issues such as broken heads or inefficient spray patterns.

Take the time to calibrate your system.

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Get 5 to 10 coffee cans, tuna fish cans, or other straight sided containers. They should all be the same size.

For an in-ground irrigation system, place the container in one zone at a time. Scatter them at random.

Turn the water on to that zone for 15 minutes.

Use a ruler to measure the depth of water in each container. The more precise your measurement, the better the final calculation will be.

Look for differences in water amounts between cans. If one has 1/2 inch and another is nearly empty, this indicates that further inspection is necessary to find out why the spray pattern isn’t uniform.

Add up the depths of all the containers and then divide by the number of containers. This will give you the average.

Determine your irrigation rate in inches per hour by multiplying the average depth of water times 4.

Do this for each zone on your system.

Other notes; do you calibration when the sprinkler system normally runs so that the water pressure is similar.

Remember that your application rate should normally not exceed 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch per irrigation.

Pruning: If your azaleas need a hard pruning to shape them up or to produce a fuller plant, do it just after the plants finish blooming. Prune spring flowering trees and shrubs after the last flowers fade but before new buds set. Other shrubs and trees should be pruned when new growth begins.

Vegetable Gardening: Warm season vegetables may be started now. Be sure to provide frost protection. To find out what vegetables may be grown in our area, you can check out http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021. Planting dates and other vegetable gardening information are also available as a free mobile app called ‘Florida Fresh.’ Access an app provider for your mobile phone or download it from http://m.ifas.ufl.edu Fertilize: Ornamental shrubs, palms, azaleas, camellias may be fertilized now if needed. Choose a fertilizer that has at least 30% of its nitrogen as slow release.

Monitor Weeds: Pull weeds found in beds. Spray Round-Up (glyphosate herbicide) on weeds such as dollar weed and torpedo grass in beds, if necessary. Do not allow spray to touch leaves or green stems of desirable plants! DO NOT use glyphosate with dicamba or 2, 4-D around Grape Myrtles!

Pest Control: Monitor landscape turf/plants weekly for problem areas. ID pest before treating turf/plants. Contact our Master Gardener Help Desk for assistance when necessary, 850-689-5850 (Crestview) or 850-651-7476 (Fort Walton Beach).

Lawn: Give your lawn mower a check-up! Clean up the mower deck and get the blades sharpened. Sharp blades will do less damage to your lawn.

Ed. Note: A. Donatelli had the month off. Our editorial staff filled in. Rest assured that it’s only temporary!

Bulbs: Dahlias, cannas, and gloriosa bulbs may be planted now for spring and summer flowering. Be sure to amend the beds with organic mater and provide stakes as needed to support growth.

General Gardening: Warm season annuals such as wax begonia and zinnia may be planted at the end of the month. For more information on Gardening with Annuals in Florida see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg319

WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS Spring arrives on the 20th! Here are some activities you should look for in March: Birds: -Migrating birds visit the state -Mourning doves nest now through November -Carolina wrens are nesting now -Summer tanagers and great-crested flycatchers arrive to breed -Listen for newly-retuned chuck-will’swidows calling after sunset -Wild turkey and quail begin breeding Mammals: -Look for red foxes emerging from remote

staff

beaches -Striped skunks are fighting over mates so watch out!

Amphibians: -Male frogs and toads move to ponds, streams, and ditches to breed during rainy nights Reptiles: -Snakes become active and move to favorite feeding areas Fish: -Largemouth bass are spawning

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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If you haven’t done it already, get those hummingbird feeders cleaned and put up in your landscape/garden!

March, 2016

ON THE TRAIL

by B. Bayer

Last spring just as the leaves were sprouting, D. Stever and I, made a serendipitous discovery. Hidden among the canes of the native blueberries was a broken sapling of Common Sassafras. At its location, opposite Trail Marker #1, it was inches from the trunk of a large dead pine tree. One of the pine’s branches had fallen and seriously injured the trunk of the Sassafras. We probably would have missed seeing the tree if it hadn't been for its unique mitten shaped leaves. A fact we later discovered was this is only one of the three shapes that can occur simultaneously. The mitten shape being bilobed, the trilobe, and the entire leaf being unlobed. The break in the main trunk was splintered, so we removed it. The leafy side shoot was only pencil thick and it was iffy whether the tree would survive. Week after week the branch continued to grow and gain vigor. By fall, the little tree had grown to eight feet and put on a display of yellow, red and orange leaves.

We have searched the trail in hope of finding another Sassafras but have been unsuccessful. In the words of Green Deane of 'Eat the Weeds.com, "In Florida it's easier to find marijuana growing in the wild than a sassafras tree." It wasn't always this way.

Before the European settlers came to this country the Native American tribes used the leaves, bark and roots for several medical cures and as a spice for cooking. The abundance of sassafras trees also provided food and shelter for animals, birds and butterfly larvae. The downfall of the trees was the reported success of its medical cure-all properties from the bark. In early 1600, in England, a ton of bark was valued at $25,000 at today's prices. Each tree could only provide bark once, so quickly both the bark supply and the trees diminished.

It was found that in addition to its curative powers, all parts of the tree were distinguished by its aromatic properties. The safrole oil from the bark and roots could be used in perfumed soap, as a flavor for sassafras tea, sarsaparilla soda and root beer.

The inventor of root beer was Charles Hires, a pharmacist, who originally called the drink root tea but a friend suggested it would probably sell better called "root beer." Guess he was right, Hires root Beer is still around but now it is a chemical concoction. Keep reading to find out why. The leaves when ground became filé powder, a flavoring and thickener in the Louisiana Creole Cuisine, gumbo.

Then in 1960 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use in the USA of safrole oil in all commercial mass produced food and drugs because it was a potential carcinogen.

Some dispute this claim and point out it was based on lab rats given massive doses of the oil. They do however acknowledge that the oil from sassafras, safrole, does present other possible dangers. In high doses it is a hallucinogenic and it has been used to induce abortions. However, the biggest unpublished reason for the banning may have to do with the war on drugs. Safrole contains MDMA which is an ingredient in the illegal drug, 'Ecstasy.' Would you care for a nice relaxing cup of sassafras tea made from our very own tree or perhaps some filé for your gumbo?

The Jokester Law of Probability The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Ed. Note: If you haven’t taken a stroll down the Native Plant Trail, you really should. There is a booklet available at the front desk at the Extension Office that provides a guide to some of the plants located on the trail. The guide is still a work in progress but it will definitely pique your interest in what else is to be discovered on the trail.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

A CREEK RUNS THROUGH IT

by D. Gordon

Many signs of spring are beginning to show as we walk about our property. Snowflakes (Leucojum vernum) are almost in full bloom and will continue for a few more weeks. The red maples on the creek are beginning to bloom with bright red flowers.

Male trees have the blooms and female trees have the beautiful red seeds. They are one of the few trees to set seeds in the spring.

I have noticed the Florida maple blooms a little later in the season but also puts on seeds in the spring. The first flowers are beginning to open on the flame azaleas. Within several weeks there will be an assortment of color along the creek bank.

The chore of pruning scuppernong vines has been completed with the expectation of a fine harvest in the fall. It is time to provide fertilizer for the Mayhaw and pear trees. How much fertilizer depends on the size of the tree trunk. They will have a beautiful show of blooms in March.

All of the nesting boxes for bluebirds have been cleaned and are ready for the mating season. Birdhouses for other species have also been prepared for the nesting season. It is best to check the birdhouses every so often and make sure that wasp nests are removed. There are still lots of goldfinches at the feeders and chipping sparrows are still eating scratch feed thrown on the ground. A few chipmunks come in to eat the leftovers.

In the coming weeks I will be removing flower stalks from plants in the hummingbird/butterfly garden. Hummers begin appearing about the middle of March. A number of Purple Martins have been flying through the area.

As you can see from the pictures, Chestnut Creek is still running high from the recent rains. Once the creek overflows it leaves sand as white as our beaches.

March is going to be a busy time in our yards and gardens. Enjoy just being out in nature take in what the environment has to offer.

NURSERY NOTES Tomatoes and Swiss chard are up in the plant stand! Hopefully these and others such as peppers and herbs will be ready for your garden by the March meeting. We will have plants of the several varieties of heirloom tomatoes which L. Timothy distributed at the January meeting. These are something everyone should try. We also have IFAS recommended varieties such as ‘Amelia’ which should perform well in your garden. The Swiss chard is the multicolored variety which is one of the healthiest vegetables as well as one of the prettiest.

by L. Vanderpool If you have not been to the nursery lately, stop by and see what is available. I think you will be surprised.

The nursery staff is beginning to repot plants for spring bloom. I received liatris bulbs in the mail today so those will be ready very soon. This is a lovely native fall bloomer which adds to your fall butterfly and pollinator garden.

There are plants blooming in the greenhouse right now. Native scarlet salvia and non-native plectranthus are in full bloom with red and pink flowers, respectively. The perennial hibiscus, both native and non-native, are beginning to show new growth and is one of the favorite boggy garden plants which blooms all summer and fall with large showy flowers.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

TERRIFIC TREES

by M. Stewart

If you’re looking for a tree that will give you brilliant fall color and be tolerant of conditions that could do in a lot of trees then Pistacia chinensis or Chinese pistache is the tree for you.

ern fall season and this tree certainly fills the bill for that.

These trees will do best in full sun but can tolerate some shade. Too much shade will negatively impact the shape of the mature tree.

When young, this tree is just plain ugly.

You are going to have to prune it to encourage the branching structure.

Otherwise, you end up with a fluffy topped stick. Think the trees from the Dr. Seuss movie The Lorax and you have an idea what they look like.

However with pruning early in life, this tree will be worth the effort.

This is one of the most beautiful, pest free and easily maintained shade trees for the Gulf Coast regions. It will form an umbrellalike canopy which at maturity will range from 25 to 30 feet in height and 30 feet wide. The medium to fine textured foliage is an asset in smaller landscapes.

Verticillium wilt and oak root fungus occasionally affect Chinese pistache but not often. It really is a hardy tree with very few problems. Not to mention the wood is extremely tough and that makes the tree resistant to wind damage.

What more could you ask for in a shade tree? Beautiful green foliage during the summer, drought resistance, wind resistance, relatively disease and pest free, and fall color to die for.

You may have to hunt around for this tree and quite possibly Chinese pistache is a very tough and durable tree that is tolerant have to go outside of our area to find it. That’s a shame since this of urban and rural conditions. It has very good drought, heat and tree could be used in so many areas. Keep in mind that young trees look horrible and need some attention early in life to get a wind tolerance once the tree is established. It’s a long-lived good structure. species with a growth rate of 2 to 3 feet each year with proper management. (It’s also the first shade tree to receive the coveted A side note: This tree is used as an understock on which the “Earth-Kind” designation from the Texas commercial pistachio nut, Pistacia vera, is grafted.

Agricultural Extension Service) Take the Fruit set is only on female trees and consists of clusters of small, time and round green berries that turn red to reddish-purple in the fall. effort to They are inedible for humans but birds love them. They also locate this make excellent table and wreath decorations. tree and get it in your Pistache are adaptable to a wide range of soil types and pH landscape. ranges. However they do not like ‘wet feet.’ If you have heavy clay soil that doesn’t drain well, you need to do some soil amend- You’ll be very glad ing or build a raised planter. that you As the tree matures, the fissured bark will fake off to reveal a did. very attractive salmon red or orange inner bark. Fall foliage color will rival that of the sugar maple of the Northeast!

This is such an under utilized tree in our area. Those who recall the Extension office on Old Bethel will remember these trees out near the road. I managed to find a few seedlings that I dug up and transplanted. They are now starting their life as stellar trees in my landscape. Yes, I have had to do pruning and there will be more pruning over the next couple of year in order to get the shape that I want. But the fall color has already been present. As a Yankee, I did miss the brilliant reds and oranges of the northAn Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

HOLD THE OLIVES

by D. Stever

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate) is also known as Japanese silverberry or spreading oleaster. The species is indigenous to eastern Asia and ranges from the Himalayas eastward to Japan.

Autumn Olive grows as a deciduous shrub or small tree, typically up to 10 feet tall with a dense crown. It commonly bears sharp thorns in the form of spur branches. The leaves are covered with minute silvery scales when they emerge early in spring, but turn greener above as the scales wear off during the summer. Because of this the plant differs from the related Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) which remains silvery until it sheds its leaves in the fall.

Because it fixes atmospheric nitrogen in its roots, it often grows vigorously and competitively in infertile soils.

Used extensively for wildlife habitat, strip mine re-vegetation, and shelter belts, autumn olive thrives in disturbed areas open to full sun. It is adaptive, competitive, and vigorous, especially on open, sunny sites and it produces abundant fruit crops. When ripe, the fruit is juicy and edible, and also makes a good dried fruit. Though the fruit are small, the tree bears them abundantly.

Autumn olive was introduced into the United States in 1830 from China and Japan. It has been actively promoted by state and federal agencies for shelter belts, erosion control, strip mine reclamation, wildlife habitat, and was widely marketed as an ornamental. The shrub has now become naturalized in suitable habitats scattered throughout the eastern and Midwestern U.S. Autumn Olive is a Class II listed invasive in Florida.

More Information: http://www.se-eppc.org/manual/autolive.html

With the public concern about the Zika virus, UF/IFAS scientists have written a new Extension document to explain the virus and mosquito transmission.

The paper can be found at http://bit.ly/1QTLDqO. FMEL scientists have also crafted a question-and-answer document for their website that may be found at http://bit.ly/1O0eLbi It’s important to note that there is currently no evidence that local populations of Florida mosquitoes are infected. However we do need to be vigilant. There are other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and proper control is always recommended.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

ERIN GO BRAGH St. Patrick's Day celebrates the Roman Catholic feast day of the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick died on March 17, 461. But did you know that he wasn't even Irish? Here are some fun facts about St. Patrick and some activities you can use to teach about his day.

History: Patrick's birth name was Maewyn. He was born in Roman Britain. He was kidnapped into slavery and brought to Ireland.

by D. Stever Dyeing the river green: The practice of dyeing the river green started in Chicago in 1962, when city officials decided to dye a portion of the Chicago River green.

Corn beef and cabbage: This is an Irish American dish. Irish Americans were so poor they could not afford certain meals. On St. Patrick's Day, the best meal they could afford was beef and cabbage. It became a staple for the holiday. http://www.gpb.org/education/origins-of-st-patricks-day

He escaped to a monastery in Gaul (France) and converted to Christianity. He went back to Ireland in 432 as a missionary.

While Christianity had already taken hold in the country, tradition has it that Patrick confronted the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites, making Christianity more widespread.

Patrick became a bishop and after his death was named Ireland's patron saint. Celebrations in Ireland were understated though.

When the Irish emigrated to the U.S., they created the bigger celebrations and parades known today.

Eighteenth century Irish soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick Day parades. The celebrations became a way for the Irish to connect with their roots after they moved to America.

Fun Facts: The shamrock: According to legend St. Patrick used the three leaf clover (or shamrock) to explain the Trinity.

The Jokester Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators………

We haven’t met yet.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 2016

UPDATED PUBLICATIONS

staff

Growing Plums in Florida - This twelve-page fact sheet provides information for growing plums in Florida including information about chilling hours, pollination and fruit set, fruit harvesting, yields, as well as information about the plum cultivars adapted to grow in Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs250 Potato Vine Desiccation - This four-page fact sheet describes the importance of tuber maturation, potato vine killing timing and available methods, and how to determine when to vine kill and when to harvest after vine kill. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs181 Determination of Carbonate Concentrations in Calcareous Soils with Common Vinegar Test - This 3-page fact sheet explains the chemistry behind the vinegar test and instructions for performing the test and interpreting the results. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1262

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Plant Guide features more than 400 Florida-Friendly plants that can be selected by their type, shape, and sun tolerance. Each plant is accompanied by a color photo.

The mobile web tool allows users to simply plug in their zip code to get specific gardening-zone recommendations for temperature tolerance and watering requirements.

The plant guide works on any device with a web-enabled browser, such as an iPhone, Android, or tablet. It has an annual cost of $1.99 a year.

Get the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Plant Guide Mobile Web Tool now

The new Landscape Pests app and mobile website helps users diagnosis and learn about common insect and mite pests found in Florida and elsewhere in the MOBILE AND WEB APPLICATIONS southeastern United States. Users can search for pests using menus based on plant host or damage symptom, as well as Florida Fresh is a new mobile app that by common or scientific name. provides a list of fruits and vegetables Landscape Pests currently features nearly available fresh in stores and markets at 300 pests, and will continue development this time of year based on your zip code. to expand the numbers of pests, as well as search capability.

There's also a list of what edibles you Landscape Pests is now available for Android at Google Play and can plant in your garden right now.

Detailed information on each fruit and for iPhone and iPad in the Apple App Store. vegetable is provided, along with links to other educational resources. iPest1 $1.99 fee Available free for iPhone and iPad from the Apple App Store and for Android at Google Play. iPest2 $1.99 fee The Trees: North & Central Florida iPest3 $1.99 fee mobile application is a readily accessible field guide for professionals, Master The Jokester Gardeners, educators, and those interested in identifying the trees of Dopeler Effect: north and central Florida. Written by Andrew Koeser, Gitta Hasing, Melissa The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they Friedman, and Robert Irving.

Available at the Apple App Store for come at you rapidly. iPhone and iPad

The free Gardening Solutions app helps Florida homeowners stay on top of their lawn and garden maintenance.

Developed by the UF/IFAS Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology (CLCE), the app provides Florida residents with the ability to create and manage their own virtual landscape. It also pushes helpful landscape maintenance notifications to users based on their zip code and the plants in their virtual landscape.

Available for iPhone and iPad from the Apple App Store and for Android at Google Play.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

We can also be a lot like that phone alert. It was important information but it wasn’t the detailed information that I needed to make a good decision. Yes, I needed to know that there was severe weather but something as general as ‘TORNADO IN AREA’ didn’t give me a whole lot to go on.

That’s like telling someone they need to fertilize their lawn.

You need detail and you need detail presented in a straight manner and not at super speeds...otherwise things go off kilter and the needles will start clogging up again.

So think about the information we give. Is it detailed enough and not so convoluted as to create a clog? Let’s keep the plumbing open.

Plentiful Plantings

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March, 2016

RECIPE ROUND-UP

by V. Graham, B. Thomas and staff

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies #2

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 eggs 2 1/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 12 oz. chocolate chips Directions:

2 1/4 cups flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 sticks butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs, beaten 1 tbs. vanilla 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 1/2 cup M & M®’s 1 cup chopped walnuts

1.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Directions:

2.

Cream butter and sugars together.

1.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

3.

Add eggs and vanilla; combine well.

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Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; blend until smooth.

Stir together flour, salt, and baking soda until well combined.

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Add chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, stir together butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa until thoroughly combined.

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Bake at 375°F. for 6-8 minutes on greased cookie sheets or parchment lined sheets. Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes until firm enough to remove from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

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Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture.

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Stir in chocolate chips, candies and walnuts until distributed evenly.

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These are great if frozen!!!!

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For cookies: Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets (or parchment lined) and bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire baking rack.

For bars: Pat the dough onto a greased 9” square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Veggie Salad Ingredients: 1—17 oz. can small English peas, drained 1—17 oz. can shoe peg corn, drained 1—15 1/2 oz. can French style beans, drained 1—2 oz. jar diced pimento, drained 1 cup diced celery 1 cup chopped green pepper 1 cup chopped onion 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. salt 3/4 cup vinegar 1/2 cup vegetable oil Directions: 1.

Combine vegetables and toss lightly.

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In a medium sauce pan, combine sugar, pepper, salt, vinegar and oil. Ring to a boil over low heat, stirring occasionally.

3.

Pour mixture over vegetables and stir gently to blend well.

4.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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March, 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 I was going to clean up the yard the other day and part of that meant changing out the anti-mosquito netting for the rain barrels. During that production got a bee in my bonnet to check the downspouts.

Yup, clogged.

What followed I now refer to as the Zen of Gutters. A similar clogging event had happened to downspout A last year. Of course said clog was beyond reach so disassembly was required.

Anyone who has dealt with gutters know they have rivets. That means drilling out the rivets and getting the sections apart without ripping the entire structure off of your house. Clog was removed (thankfully nothing more than pine needles and not something alive and squirming) and downspout put back together. I was actually proud of myself because (a) I got the thing back together (b) not only did I get it back together but everything pointed in the right direction and (c) I had the presence of mind to get the self tapping screws out of the tool box to use in place of rivets.

Take that! Now that particular downspout will come apart quite easily. So this time around, not a problem. Take it apart...remove the clog (again, thankfully, just pine needles) and reassemble. But now to deal with downspout B. You have to realize that downspout B was installed BEFORE the fence was put up and also BEFORE the really big rain barrel was installed. When I say really big, I mean a rain barrel that will hold almost 300 gallons of water...and it’s full.

Do you know how many rivets there are that you can’t get to in that set-up? Of course that is also the downspout that I think the guy who originally installed must have hired the Incredible Hulk to put together.

FINALLY got enough of the thing apart to get at the clog—and it was REALLY clogged. I really didn’t care if there was anything creeping and/or crawling in it at this point. Prior to this point and tree frog had taken umbrage to being disturbed. I didn’t mind when he hopped onto my shoe but when his next leap took him just to the hem of my shorts….especially when I’m perched at an awkward angle on top of the rain barrel...one can only hope that said frog remains on the OUTSIDE. The fates were kind and kept Mr. Frog from making any further incursions into areas frogs shouldn’t be and the clog was removed from the downspout. Again, I remembered the self-tapping screws and got everything back together.

Needless to say—the rest of the yard chores didn’t get done after all that.

I was glad to have taken that time because

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

by M. Stewart we then had the ‘interesting’ storms. You know, the ones that delivered over 5” of rain in less than 2 hours and had quite a few of us hanging out in our closets and bathrooms?

I was actually driving home when the first part hit. Wasn’t too bad until I hit the section where you find yourself steering by the white line on the side of the road.

When suddenly there is a klaxon going off in my car! What is that????? The radio is off….nothing lit up on the dash...where is that coming from?????? Then I notice my phone is lit up. Now my phone was on silent since I had been in a meeting. Turns out it is a severe weather alert. Helpful tool really except when you don’t know that the cell carriers have all decided to start doing it. Would have been more helpful had the message….in bright red letters...not just said “TORNADO IN AREA!” Well now that’s (insert unrepeatable words here) helpful! What area? Do I pull over? Turn around? (insert more unrepeatable words here) Hit voice dial “Call home.” Happy Hubby answers and all I said was “Where is it?” HH actually knew what I was talking about and said “Wright.” Phew! Now I know where it is and tell him that I’m on my way home.

Arrive home, dry off and yes, hunker down like a lot of other folks did.

A few days after all this, our new weather radios arrived. Our old ones were still working but we’ve had them for quite a while. The new ones aren’t much different, a little sleeker maybe. Now to set them up.

I realize that people all over the country buy these things but when you have to choose your location first, I wish they had figured out that certain locations probably won’t need certain warnings.

I’m pretty sure that we’re safe even though I deleted avalanche warnings and since the yacht is in dry dock—iceberg warnings were a safe bet to delete. Folks, let me tell you—there were warnings on that things I didn’t even know existed! (Bet the Titanic would have loved the iceberg one—just saying.)

All of this got me thinking. We give out a lot of information as Master Gardeners.

That information is a lot like pine needles.

On their own, they are fine. Through the downspout with no problems. But if there are too many of them and too quickly— then a clog will form. Nothing will get processed and it will cause problems. Keep all of them going in the same direction at a reasonable rate and they’ll all go through just fine.

If we aren’t careful, the information we give can act the same way. Too much, too fast and a clog is sure to form. Nothing else will get through. (continued on page 11) March, 2016