FALL FLING!
for discerning weeders
The Foundation for the Gator Nation..... An equal opportunity institution.
DO I DETECT A HINT OF FALL?
The Jokester Law of the Bath When the body is fully immersed in water… the telephone will ring.
Everyone is back from vacations . The holidays aren’t ‘quite’ in full swing yet so this issue is chock full of interesting tidbits and news you can use. You never know what topics you’ll find in The Compost Pile. It’s safe to say that it’s never boring and there’s usually something to interest everyone. To check out upcoming events be sure to log into the VMS system! There you will find a calendar and so much more! Don’t forget to log in those hours!
Don’t forget to log your hours in the VMS system! VMS is your one-stop location for information, dates, events and more!
We are also announcing two contests for our loyal members. Check out the Contest! page for details. You will want to get those pencils sharpened (or at least turn on the computer) and get busy. Prizes await! INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Remember to take a breather during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It isn’t about the destination--it’s all about the journey. Over the river and through the woods, you don’t want to miss the scenes along the way because you’re worried if the green bean casserole has enough fried onions on top. Enjoy the reason for the season.
Plentiful Plantings Editor-in-Chief
Wishing Our Fall Folk Happy Birthday! C. Baker L. Buhrow L. Chambers P. Collins A. Donatelli D. Edmiston H. Gifford M. Harrison G. Hess
D. Hickenbotham J. Jones J. Martin M. Noble D. Stever J. Sweda L. Thomason L. Timothy L. Williams
Contest!
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Wildlife Happenings
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Shady Business
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News You Can Use
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Gardener Holidays
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Beekeeper’s Best Friend
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In Our Yards
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Ye Olde Farm
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Gardening Chores
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Edibles to Plant Now
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Herbs to Plant in Fall
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What’s Blooming Now
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How Sweet It Is
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Home Visit Hints
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Florida Cranberry
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Last Word
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On the Cover and above - Heron hunting. Photos courtesy of E. Fabian
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CONTESTS! ‘Tis the season...for getting goodies right? Well, The Compost Pile is giving you the chance to win goodies. Not just one time, but TWICE! Two contests. The first contest is Find the Candy canes. Located throughout this issue you will find candy canes hidden. Find all six of them and list the page and article/picture where they were found. Email your entry with all the information to The Compost Pile editor, M. Stewart at mgstewart2008@yahoo.com. Entries must be received no later than midnight on December 1st. The winner will be chosen at our Christmas Party on the 13th. Put on those reading glasses and get to hunting! Our second contest is the big one. You’ll be vying for a prize worth over $50. No, we aren’t going to tell you what it is. To qualify all you have to do is submit something to The Compost
by Staff Pile to be included in the December, 2017 edition. This includes photos and articles. Each submission will get you one entry. Recipes, hints, poems--let’s make our December issue as fat as the Sears Wish Book used to be! NOTE: If you send in five (5) pictures in one email--then it’s only one entry. Email your submissions no later than midnight on December 2nd to mgstewart2008@yahoo.com. A winner will be chosen at random from all the entries at our Christmas Party. Get those pencils sharpened and those thinking caps warmed up! The more you submit, the more entries you get! Legal-smeagle, mumbo-jumbo: Both contests are open to Okaloosa Master Gardeners ONLY! Everyone EXCEPT the editor is eligible to enter. If you send in photos, you MUST include the subject of the photo (tell us what it is) and tell us who took the picture. Give credit on articles, recipes etc., if you found them from another location.
WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS Things to look for in November:
by Staff Amphibians •Ornate chorus frogs begin calling.
Birds •Cedar waxwings come south for the winter. Fish •Look for downy, hairy, red-bellied, and redheaded woodpeckers •Spotted sea trout should enter tidal creeks around on suet feeders. Thanksgiving. •Bald eagles begin their nesting season. •Sandhill cranes return in full force from their breeding grounds Florida Manatee up north. •Many yellow-rumped warblers, palm warblers and gray catbirds will be in neighborhoods. Photo by •Kinglets, phoebes, robins, and other northern songbirds have Paul Nicklen, arrived for the winter. National Geographic Mammals •Peak of deer rutting. Magazine •Bears are on the move and crossing roads. •As water temperatures lower, manatees begin to move to relatively warm waters. Boaters be aware of idle speed zones. •Hoary and Red Bats begin to migrate in North Florida.
Cranberry Hibiscus was purchased at Crestview Nursery in July. It was root bound and needed some attention. The root ball was separated and placed in the pollinator garden. After receiving mulch and fertilizer it has rewarded us with many beautiful blooms. Hopefully, it will survive the winter and return next spring. It has one of the largest blooms I have encountered. Ed. Note: If you haven’t checked out the landscape at the Annex, you are missing out. Kudos, applause and fist bumps to the landscape elves who have worked so hard all year to make it pretty.
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A SHADY BUSINESS Don’t you love plant tags? “Grow in partial shade to partial sun,” “needs filtered sun,” “grow in partial to full sun”. Say what? And how about “needs full sun?” Could any plant survive full sun all day in Florida in July?? (Hint: no) But how does the gardener go about determining just how much sun and shade there is in the proposed planting area? The first thing we need to do is define shade. This is no simple thing. I consulted multiple sources and they all differed in their definitions, so what you’re about to get is my interpretation (and opinions). Obviously patterns of sun and shade change with the seasons so note that the following refers to our peak growing season, (April through July, by my reckoning) and “day” refers the hours between 10am to 6pm. Light shade is where plants receive 3 to 5 hours of direct sun and are only in full shade for 2 to 4 hours between 10am and 6pm. Light shade provides the optimal growing conditions for the majority of plants. Shade-loving plants will do better receiving their sun in the morning hours as is less intense than afternoon sun. Partial shade occurs when plants receive 2 to 5 hours of sun and are shaded for at least half a day. Typically this occurs in a yard with trees and/or where a house shades the garden for part of the day. This is certainly my category and probably that of just about anyone who has a lot of trees in their gardening area. Fortunately, within the ‘partial shade’ category, there are many sub-categories that help explain why those of us with lots of trees are able to grow anything at all. In addition to receiving at least 2 hours of sun, an area with any of the following conditions would be included in ‘partial shade’: There is edge shade which is found around individual trees. This can be a good growing area because the light that reaches the plants is sufficient for growth and flowering, but there is enough shade to protect plants during the extreme heat of the day. Dappled or high shade is provided by trees with a high canopy, which allows some light to reach the ground below. This is why I frequently limb-up the three (count ‘em, three!) large magnolias that loom over my vegetable garden because, left to their own devices, they would form a very low canopy and much more dense shade. Now if only I could prevent them from dumping those masses of huge, indestructible leaves on my garden every June… Filtered shade describes an area that may seem to be completely shaded all day, but shafts of sunlight do find their way through the tree branches to the ground and actually can provide adequate light for a wide range of plants. Trees with lacy, thin leaves allow for more sunlight to penetrate than do those with heavy, thick leaves (magnolias, for example…). Bright shade is found in areas near surfaces that reflect light, such as lakes, ponds, windows, and white or light-colored walls. The amount of available light will vary according to the time of day and the season. Bright shade can accommodate a wide range of plants.
by K. Harper shade can be problematical for plants if there is competition with tree roots for water. Deep or dense shade is the darkest all-day shade. It occurs where sunlight doesn’t reach the ground and there is no reflected light. Examples would be under low-canopied evergreen trees or under the overhang of a building or in the narrow side-yards between houses. The ground is usually also dry in addition to dark and presents the most difficult and challenging growing conditions. Translated, that means don’t try to grow stuff there. Mulch or gravel it instead. Full sun would be the opposite end of the spectrum and refers to an area that receives more than five hours of direct sun per day. That would be more than most plants can take during a Florida summer. How to succeed in gardening with shade? Stack the deck in your favor. Understanding what those plant tags mean. If the tag indicates a range of possible conditions, the first phrase describing the light requirement that is the plant’s optimal (or preferred) location. So if the tag says "sun to part shade" it means the plant will grow best with more hours of sun but will tolerate some shade. If the tag indicates "part shade to sun" the plant would prefer less sun or maybe morning sun over hot afternoon sun. In both cases, refer to the definitions above and you can see that light shade can work for either plant. Location, location, location. Planting areas that are to the west of an object casting shade are in morning shade. These areas stay cool in the mornings but heat up in the hot rays of afternoon sun. Many of my planting areas lie to the west of immovable structures which is a fact of life I have to work with. A planting bed situated to the east of a shade producer is much more ideal, as it will receive morning sun and afternoon shade, thus giving plants beneficial sun as well as shade during scorching afternoons. Consider the plant’s characteristics. Leaf size is one of their main adaptations. Broad and flattened leaves on plants such as the shade-loving hosta, function as solar collectors. A large leaf divided into many small segments such as that of a fern is less apt to be tattered or flattened in a summer storm. Shade-loving leaves are thinner, making them subject to burning in the hot sun and they are also more subject to desiccation and scorching in hot, dry weather for the same reason. Leaves adapted to full sun are often smaller than shade-adapted leaves. Leaves that are efficient in the sun generally don’t function well in the shade, and vice versa.
Measuring sunlight. Now we come to the fun part--figuring out just how much shade you are dealing with so you can use the above handy definitions. You can go high-tech and invest in a light meter like photographers use, or a light meter such as hydroponic growers use: Full shade. You might think that full shade actually means 'full https://www.hydrofarm.com/p/LG17000. Alternatively, you can shade' but you’d be wrong. It refers to areas that receive less buy one of the gadgets made for gardeners such as the Sunlight than an hour of direct sunlight each day but may receive Calculator: https://eartheasy.com/sunlight-calculator. Or you additional light via filtering down through a canopy of trees or by can simply use my low-tech method and just go outside and reflection off of nearby surfaces. Full shade lasts all day. Full observe your planting areas at various times and you’ll get a very An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
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SHADY cont’d. good idea of their sun and shade patterns. This is what I did five years ago when I started my Victory Garden in the only part of the yard that was still available. And I use the term ‘available’ very loosely since in order to use it I would have to spend weeks hacking out a lot of overgrown vines and trash trees and limbing up those large magnolias all of which that had been allowed to grow unchecked for 20 years. But before I put all that effort into it, I first spent several days logging what the sunlight patterns were and when they occurred. The results showed me where I could likely succeed in growing vegetables and fruit and where I needed to resign myself to raising nothing more than squirrels and garden gnomes. I had nothing but a pen and notepad to do this with but, of course, there are a lot of creative gardeners out there and I compiled a list of their clever methods and props for observing their own gardens. Charting sunlight: http://getbusygardening.com/how-todetermine-sun-exposure/
by K. Harper Another version of charting: Put sheets of paper down in the spots you want to measure and look at them hourly. Anything in the sun when you look at it gets a check mark, then you add them all up later. Takes a day of course, but not really much effort if you are around the house and can set a timer. Make your own light meter. I love this idea and I hope someone will try it and let me know if it actually works: Take a solar yard light (the one-battery type), and a one-battery analog clock. Remove the battery from both and connect the battery terminals from the solar light to the clock battery terminals. Set the clock to 12:00. Place it in the sun. When there is pretty much full sun the clock will run. At the end of the day you can see how many hours of full sun you get. Sounds ingenious, no? Or, go extremely low-tech. As one guy noted: “I can just set in a lawn chair and read a hot rod magazine for 20 minutes. In the morning if the tops of my legs are pink from too much sun, stuff will grow there just fine.”
NEWS YOU CAN USE
by Staff
Updated Publications:
Redbanded Stink Bug http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1176
Biscogniauxia canker or dieback in trees http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr407
A Shoemaker Butterfly http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/1178
‘Florida Beauty’ strawberry http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1307 Citrus Tree Care for the Home Gardener in the HLB Era http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp336 Bloomify Red and Bloomify Rose, Two Infertile Lantana Cultivars http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep544 Micro-irrigation for Home Landscapes http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae524 A Guide to Planting Wildflower Enhancements in Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1180 Raising Soil Organic Matter Content to Improve Water Holding Capacity http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/SS661 Ant Control in the Apiary http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1181 Sugarcane Cultivars http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sc103 Regenerated Sabal/Cabbage Palms: Why and How http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep543
Spiral Nematode http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in973 If you haven’t visited solutionsforyourlife.com in a while...there have been significant change. Tell them what you think of the new look. Write to: sfyl@ifas.ufl.edu Florida Gardening 30 Shades of Grey Alchemy in the Aromatic Jar Between a Rock and a Hardscape Wet Feet Stuff Changes coming to bee college Dog Sniffing Out Invasive Species Watch how maple sugar was made in 1925 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF5j8DJuLpw
Featured Creatures: The Jokester
Water Hyacinth Planthopper http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1182
He who laughs last--
Robust Crazy Ant http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1183
thinks slowest
Entomopathogenic Nematodes of Thrips http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1175 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
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GARDENER HOLIDAYS November is the eleventh and penultimate (next to last) month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It is the fourth and last month to have the length of 30 days. November was the ninth month of the ancient Roman calendar and retained its name (from the Latin novem meaning “nine”) when January and February were added. Monthly Observances Adopt a Turkey Month Banana Pudding Lovers Month Manatee Awareness Month National Georgia Pecan Month National Peanut Butter Lovers Month Sweet Potato Month
by Staff Daily Holidays Sandwich Day 3rd Use Your Common Sense Day 4th National Nachos Day 6th Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day 8th National Pickle Day 14th National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day 15th National Apple Cider Day 18th National Mason Jar Day 30th
November’s birth trees are: Walnut, Chestnut, and Ash. Birth flower is chrysanthemum. Birth stone is Citrine or Yellow Topaz. Colors are dark blue, red, and yellow.
Weekly Observances National Fig Week 1st - 7th National Farm Toy Show Days 3rd - 5th National Split Pea Soup Week 12th - 18th National Farm-City Week 19th - 23rd
The Jokester I just did a week’s worth of cardio after walking into a spider’s web….
Yes, it’s a dog. Yes, it’s a dog in a beekeeper’s suit. Meet Bazz, the black Labrador who has been specially trained by Beekeeper Josh Kennet to detect American foulbrood. The disease has been wiping out hives in south Australia. Okay, it’s not Florida and it’s not even this country but you have to admit--it’s not something you see every day. http:// www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/23/ beekeeper-bazz-blacklabrador_n_5198380.html
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IN OUR YARDS
by Staff
Giant Tithonia. Photo courtesy of L. Vanderpool
Immature Long Leaf Pines at Veteran’s Park. Photo courtesy of M. Stewart
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IN OUR YARDS
by Staff
Monarchs resting up. Veteran’s Park. Photo courtesy of M. Stewart
A new pollinator garden! Members of the Choctawhatchee Bay Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution planted a pollinator garden outside of Veteran’s Park , located next to the Emerald Coast Convention Center. All the plants were purchased from the Master Gardener Nursery and already had two chrysalis on plants and were being visited by butterflies before we left! Photo courtesy of M. Stewart
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YE OLDE FARM - Hide and Seek
by D. Gordon
Various organisms have a way of surviving to live another day. During a walk through the pollinator garden, I see different animals that have used the coloration of vegetation to survive. The gray rat snake has appeared several times intertwined in the pipe vine. The snake certainly blends in with the vine itself. It must be waiting for a meal to come by. No, the snake is harmless and I did not kill it.
Photos courtesy of D. Gordon
I’m sure you can locate the green tree frogs hidden among the leaves of Elliott’s Aster. As the day wears on they move to another location because of the sun. These frogs must enjoy the habitat because I see them in other locations in the garden. All of the plants in the garden could use some rain and some cooler temperatures. The various asters will begin to bloom next month and into the fall season.
NOVEMBER GARDEN CHORES
by Staff
Annuals - Get great fall color by planting pansy, viola, and chrysanthemum.
General: Apply dormant oil sprays to control scale insects on trees and shrubs. Turn off systems and water only if needed. Adjust irrigation based on rainfall and plant activity. Make a Bulbs - Plant spider lily in partial shade. Others to plant small brush pile from plant debris in the back of your include: amaryllis, crinum, and daylily. yard for birds. Consider Herbs - Many herbs prefer cooler weather. Cilantro, dill, fennel, planting a Taiwan cherry to parsley, sage, and thyme may all be planted now. get pink blooms in late winter. Incorporate new Vegetables - There’s a looooonnngggg list of cool-season crops cultivars of camellia to your that may be planted now including lettuce, spinach, kale, landscape. Disbudding now cabbage, and broccoli. ensures larger blooms later. Take the time to clean and Seasonal - Have the cold weather protection ready for plants sharpen your garden tools. that need it. Protect small citrus trees by watering well at least a Make a list for Santa of what day ahead of the freeze and use covers that extend all the way to new tools you want. the ground. An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
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HOW SWEET IT IS Sugar is bad for you. Let’s just get that fact out of the way right off the bat. How bad is it? Well, if you are an average adult American, you are consuming about 22 tsp per day or over 70 lbs. of sugar per year and probably more than that, depending on whose research you accept as most accurate. One of the problems with studies that are intended to show the degree of harm inflicted on us by sugar is that they vary widely in their results. A big part of the reason for this is that it’s very difficult to find a population that does not have some type of sugar in their diet to act as a control group. I’m thinking that deep in the Amazon jungle or maybe on a frozen tundra somewhere there must be such a population but apparently it’s pretty tough to set up good, consistent scientific studies. In any case, over-consumption of sugar is linked to diseases ranging from obesity to diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay and even dementia. So it is in your own best interest to reduce your average sugar intake to something between 6 and 12 tsp per day. Which is no easy thing! When I started writing this article and reminding my husband of all of these facts, two things happened. One is he started drinking his coffee and tea black with no sugar. This is a man who in the 37 years I’ve known him has always had a bit of coffee and tea with his cream and sugar, thank you. So miracles can happen. He still snags a box of donuts nearly every time we go grocery shopping but, hey, baby steps and all that. The other thing that happened is he insisted I buy some of the Rapunzel (brand) organic unrefined sugar he heard about on talk radio, with instructions that I should start using this in my baking. The sugar is still sitting in the pantry but I intend to look into it. Soon.
by K. Harper from different sources. And here is where it gets somewhat complicated and chemical and as one who got a C in chemistry, I’ll try to keep it brief. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (AKA dextrose), fructose, and galactose. The white granulated sugar we are most familiar with is called sucrose and is a disaccharide of glucose and fructose. In the body, sucrose is broken down into the simple sugars fructose and glucose. Other disaccharides include maltose (from some grains) and lactose (from milk). Longer chains of sugars are called polysaccharides. Starch is the most well-known polysaccharide and is found in plants. Corn, potatoes and wheat are examples of these starches. There are other chemical substances such as glycerol that may also have a sweet taste but are not classified as sugars. Glycerol is used as sweetening agent and it is also used as a solvent, emollient, and as a pharmaceutical agent which should be enough to discourage you from eating it in any form. So you say you want to avoid sugar altogether, or as much as possible, but that darned sweet tooth won’t let you give up completely on sweetness? Artificial sweeteners to the rescue, right? Well, no, not if you are generally opposed to putting lots of chemical compounds into your body. I’m not going to get into detail here about artificial sweeteners or which is best for you health-wise (hint: it’s stevia) but if you wish to read an article I wrote on this subject you can find it in the April 2013 Compost Pile: https://issuu.com/ocmga/docs/nl_apr_13
Where does sugar come from? Sucrose is derived primarily from sugarcane and sugar beets because it is present in sufficient concentrations in those plants to allow for commercial production. Is there a difference in cane vs beet sugar? Well, from the standpoint of chemical composition, no. Sucrose is sucrose, If it’s so bad, why do we love it? The jury is still out as to whether derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. Our government whether the studies that show sugar addiction in rats can be does not require that sugar be labeled as anything other than applied to humans. But it does seem safe to say that sugar makes ‘sugar’ in food products, so you probably will not know if the sugar us happy. Whether that’s a physical reaction or more of an you’re consuming is from cane or beets. When it comes to baking emotional association with the joyful times in our lives such as and cooking, though, cane sugar seems to gets the nod of approval birthday parties and weddings…well, does it really matter? from discerning chefs. This article is from 1999 but it sums up Goodies make us happy and sugar is in goodies! More on studies most of the current vociferous arguments against using beet sugar and such from Psychology Today: http://tinyurl.com/y7gey6le in baking: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/SUGAR-SUGARAnd now that we have some of the negatives about sugar out of Cane-and-beet-share-the-same-2939081.php . I do a lot of baking the way, I thought we’d take a look at some of the interesting and I mainly use Domino, Dixie Crystal or C & H sugar. All of aspects about this thing that has become such a significant part of these are proudly labeled “pure cane sugar.” I can’t think of a time our diet. But before that… Yes, yes, there is honey. I don’t like in my life that I bought a bag of sugar that was labeled “beet honey. There. I said it and I know that’s risky among this crowd of sugar.” Can you? And yet with 32 million tons of sugar cane beekeepers and honey lovers. I do love and value bees. Bees are produced in 2016 and 33.88 million tons of beet sugar produced essential for pollination and I have lots of them in my garden and the same year, it’s a safe bet we’re getting both in our food. But I’m very grateful to whoever it is that maintains their hive beet sugar is not popular among bakers, with some people somewhere in the area. And I do know that while sugar and honey insisting that it smells like dirty socks. (Here is an exact quote both contain the same basic units of glucose and fructose, honey from Baking Forums.com: “Do you have a preference when it has more benefits when it comes to nutrition and other properties comes to sugar? It's something I never thought of until at a than sugar does. Here’s a typical article about that: https:// Tupperware party we played a game where we were blindfolded, www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-vs-sugar.html. So, yes, honey and smelled different items, trying to guess what they were. is better for you than sugar in many ways. I just don’t like it. So Everyone agreed that one of the containers had dirty socks in it. It this article is about sugar, not honey. was beet sugar!!! I have not bought anything but pure cane sugar since then.”) I can’t vouch for the dirty-socks thing, but for sure What exactly is sugar? Sugar is the common name for sweet, there’s no beet sugar in MY cookie jar! More stats on U.S. sugar soluble carbohydrates. There are various types of sugar derived production here, if you like that sort of thing:
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SWEET cont’d. https://www.statista.com/statistics/249661/us-sugarproduction/
2. Brown Sugar is less refined than white sugar, generally speaking, and retains its brown color either from having less of the molasses removed during processing or by having it added And now on to the really fun stuff. Did you know within the broad back in during the process. Turbinado sugar is raw sugar that categories of white and brown sugar, there are more than 25 types has only had the surface molasses washed off. It has a light tan of sugar? Here’s a summary of several of the more familiar ones: color and a nice brown sugar flavor, and is often used to sweeten tea and coffee (Or so I hear. I drink mine black). Evaporated 1.White Sugar is granulated and comes in different in crystal Cane Juice is derived straight from the sugar cane as it is milled. size, each of which makes it suited to a particular use. This is the The juice is filtered and then evaporated leaving a syrup which is regular sugar we are most familiar with. Its crystals are then crystallized and cured, making a granulated sweetener which categorized as ‘fine’ or ‘extra-fine’ because that makes it less likely is described as having a light golden color with just a taste of to cake which makes it easier to package and to use. Fruit Sugar molasses. Brown sugar (light and dark). We all know this is even finer than regular sugar and this is the stuff you’ll find in one. Brown sugar results when some of the surface molasses is such things as gelatin and powdered drink mixes. The uniformity retained during refining. The dark brown version has a deeper and fineness of the crystal size prevents it from separating out color and a stronger molasses flavor and is a good choice for from other ingredients in the mix and settling to the bottom, so it gingerbread, spice cake, baked beans and other strong-flavored mixes easily and well. Bakers Special Sugar is finer yet and was foods. The lighter brown sugar is good for all-purpose baking and developed for commercial bakers to use for the sugaring on cooking. Brown sugar contains more moisture than white sugar doughnuts and cookies. Superfine, ultrafine, or bar sugar which is why it has a tendency to clump and lump. Muscovado has the finest crystal size of all the granulated sugars and is used or Barbados sugar is a British invention and it is very dark for fancy cakes and meringues and also for sweetening fruits and brown with coarser crystals and a stronger molasses flavor as iced-drinks because it dissolves so readily. Confectioners or compared to ‘regular’ brown sugar. Demerara sugar is another powdered sugar is granulated sugar ground to a powder. It British specialty. It is a light brown sugar with large crystals and is contains a small amount of cornstarch to prevent it from caking. somewhat sticky because of the molasses content. It’s used for tea, There are three degrees of fineness for powdered sugar. The one coffee and on cereals. we use in our kitchens is the finest and is labeled 10X. The other two types of powdered sugar are used by commercial bakers. 3. And some others…There is liquid sugar which is sucrose Coarse sugar has larger crystals than ‘regular’ sugar and is (white granulated sugar) that has been dissolved in water. There is obtained during the refining process when the sugar syrup which also amber liquid sugar which is darker in color and can be used is still high in molasses is permitted to crystallize. It is very stable in foods where deep color is desired. There is invert sugar, which and retains its color at high cooking and baking temperatures, results from sucrose being split into its two component sugars making it useful for fondant (you know, that lovely smooth stuff (glucose and fructose). This is known as inversion. Commercial that professional bakers are able to apply to those 10 story invert sugar is a liquid product that contains equal amounts of wedding cakes…). Coarse sugar is also used making liquors. glucose and fructose. Fructose is sweeter than either glucose or Sanding sugar has large crystals that reflect light, so sucrose, making invert sugar sweeter than white sugar. Invert commercial bakers can make their baked goods sparkle and, I sugar is used mainly by food manufacturers to slow the suppose, make you forget all about calories. And, by the way, if crystallization of sugar and to help retain moisture in the you are a baking nut (as I am) King Arthur is one of my go-to packaged food. sources for all of these various ingredients, as well as some super recipes and lots of helpful support. This link is directly to their Everyone likes pictures so here’s an article that illustrates some of sugar page but they have many other products as well: https:// the sugars described above: http://www.thekitchn.com/awww.kingarthurflour.com/shop/ingredients/sugars-andcomplete-visual-guide-to-sugar-ingredient-intelligence-213715 decorations Sweet dreams!
HOME VISIT HINTS K. Kirk-Williams Landscape issues-take a color photo and B&W photo of same area to compare. If the homeowner has a problem area that is bothering them this may be a help to sort out problem. Hard to explain-you have to see it. Sometimes the plants within the area are attractive but the placement, heights and texture are what is throwing it out of sync. D. Edmiston Measuring areas: Web site findlotsize.com You enter the address of the property and will receive a Google map satellite image with an anchor marker. You then click on markers for line or lines you want to measure and it will calculate distance and area for you. Example-I put in my address, I live on a small pond, moved the anchor marker to the head of the pond which is in our back yard, clicked on a marker at the opposite end of the pond and found how long the pond is-613 feet. Why did I want to know this? A new neighbor wants to change covenants to
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
allow jet skis (no boats allowed). This will be a help if needed at the HOA meeting. The site is great for laying out new beds, etc. A. Ogle I think this is a repeat, if so sorry. Look at homeowner's property on Google earth prior to visit, it will help you understand the lay out and surrounding properties. Also the property appraisers site will give you the date of construction of home you are visiting and the adjacent properties.
The Jokester What was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread? 13
Fall, 2017
CRANBERRY CRAVINGS
by Staff April/May 2000. Roselle Jelly 4 cups water 6 cups roselle calyxes 5 1/2 cups sugar 1 pkg. fruit pectin Boil water and calyxes for 15 minutes; cool and strain through jelly bag. Measure 3 1/2 cups of roselle juice, add pectin, and follow the directions on the pectin package. Pour into jars and seal according to directions. Florida Cranberry Sauce 3 cups roselle calyxes 2 cups water 1 1/2 cups sugar
If you haven’t caught on to the Roselle revolution, you are definitely missing out. Thanks to A. Ogle and L. Vanderpool we’ve had the opportunity to taste test Roselle jelly and those who have visited the Annex have seen this gorgeous plant growing. Not sure about the leaves . Although, according to the email chatter, they weren’t too bad.
Boil water and calyxes for 15 minutes, add sugar and bring again to a fast boil for one minute. Pass through blender or rub through a course sieve. Chill. Roselle-Orange Relish 3 cups roselle calyxes 1 orange or tangelo, sectioned 1/2 cup sugar 2 Tbs. Florida honey
Roselle or Florida cranberry is an annual, erect, bushy, herbaceous shrub, 6-8 feet tall. It is frost/freeze sensitive but started early, you should not have any problem getting plenty of ‘fruit’ for your use.
Put roselle and orange sections through a food chopper. Add sugar and honey and mix well. Refrigerate. This plant is definitely picking back up in popularity. I even saw it for sale at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
Caution with fertilizing. These plants can be very vigorous and higher rates of nitrogen will adversely impact fruit production.
Photos courtesy of L. Vanderpool and A. Ogle
To prepare fruit, cut base of each calyx with a sharp knife, separate from seed pod, and wash well. Recipes from Florida Gardening, An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
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Fall, 2017
M. Stewart —Editor S. Farrell , K. Harper, 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 Walter is being helpful as always. Checking the inventory to make sure mom has all the equipment necessary for holiday baking. Sigh-whatever happened to the little, bitty kitty? And no, that’s not cat litter in my kitchen. 1001 uses for the empty pails. In this case, compost bucket. Happy Hubby just hollered from the kitchen, “Two greens, one red, and two whites!” Anyone walking in would think he’s lost his mind. In reality, he is simply giving me an update on the recovery of missing milk-jug rings. Why do we care about milk-jug rings? WW (Wacky Walter) has decided they are simply the best toys ever invented. He will dance around when he realizes you’ve emptied out the milk-jug and a ring is forth-coming. Now they are a cheap cat toy but we’ve started to be concerned. Of the myriad of rings passed out, we only know where a few are. HH (happy Hubby) keeps a stash in his desk drawer. Think the hidden pacifier you kept around when the kids were babies--just for emergencies. As the day progresses, rings disappear. Sometimes to return, carried proudly by WW with tail held high. Sometimes they are discovered under rugs, in tennis shoes, and yes, buried in the litter box. Those few that reappear are but a drop in the total milk-jug ring inventory. Somewhere in this house I envision milk-jug rings. Dozens of them, jumbled together in some dark milk-jug prison camp. HH says that we’ll find them when we move stuff around for Christmas. I’m not as optimistic. I think we’ll only find them upon the demise of major appliances. I’ve also been on a quest. The challenge of corralling cat litter. Not only do we own a furry archeologist, we own a furry archeologist with extremely fuzzy paws. I think he splays his toes on purpose to suck up as many particles of litter as possible and then deposit them in little, boulder filled, foot killer piles along his pre-determined pathway. Seriously, I can follow the paw prints from the box. Thankfully it’s all dry stuff. I holler to HH, “Honey, the floor is cleaned! You have 5 minutes to enjoy it!” WW shows his appreciation of a clean floor by immediately entering into the litter box. Have tried those pads they advertise. Take it from me--they don’t work. Fuzzy rug hasn’t worked. Figured sticky traps or duct tape set around with the adhesive facing up would cause issues, so I resorted to….Astroturf. It’s helped more than I thought it would. Now I
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
by M. Stewart have a little patch of ‘lawn’ in the laundry room. WW likes his lawn for lounging every so often. I get to vacuum a lawn. A lawn I don’t have to water, fertilize or check for bugs/fungus/diseases. (and here you thought I couldn’t work a gardening angle in this article.) For a change HH and I have stayed semi-disaster free. There was the office chair massacre. HH leaned over to retrieve a fallen item and the wheel assembly snapped off. I hear weird noises and inquire if he’s okay. I get the response of “No.” Go flying into his office and am greeted by WW walking out with a look that said, “I had nothing to do with this.” HH is reclining on the floor, hands clasped over his chest. Good news is that other than his pride, he’s fine. Better news is we had a serious discussion over reclining in such a position. For future reference he is to ensure that no matter what has occurred, he will not clasp his hands over his chest again. Can I weld it? Nope, wrong kind of metal. Okay, can we buy a replacement part? Sure-for more than a whole new chair would cost. So now to find a suitable chair. HH is happy with the new chair. I have to crawl into the darned thing which amuses him to no end. Best part was that Fate smiled upon me and decided I had served my time when it came to instruction manuals. Not only did this one make sense, everything was in the correct order AND I had no parts left over! I’ve reached that stage of life where the medical professionals insist that you have certain tests done. You know the one I mean. You spend a whole day prior doing the preparation work. On the same day they’ll also be doing an endoscope procedure. I realize that these people have years of schooling and a lot of experience. I know this is a common procedure. But at the same time I can’t help but thinking of the historical similarity between having both of these procedures done on the same visit and some military battles that didn’t end well. A frontal attack you can handle and then there’s an attack from the rear and it’s game over. And just because my brain works in weird ways, I wonder if they have all the equipment set up in the room at the same time. It would make sense I suppose to have everything at the ready. Still, we are talking about two very different avenues here. I think I will put a sticky note on my forehead that says, “This End Up!”
Plentiful Plantings
Fall, 2017