Nldecember17

LET IT SNOW!

for discerning weeders

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....

An equal opportunity institution.

‘Tis the Season Here we are at the end of another gardening year. The weather has turned cold and reminded us that even in our little piece of paradise here along the Emerald Coast, Mother Nature still can throw us a few curve balls. We know, however, that in a short while we’ll be complaining about the heat. That’s life in Northwest Florida.

The Jokester Everyone has a photographic memory.

Some folks just don’t have any film.

Did you know that in 2016 more than 4,500 Florida Master Gardeners provided $9.3 million in volunteer time to Florida’s economy? Take a minute while the cookies are in the oven to log in your hours. Those hours are like money in the bank!

While you’re heading over the river and through the woods to visit family and friends, keep an eye out for any new resources for gardeners that have opened up in our area. The resource guide team will include that information in the 2018 edition.

And speaking of 2018, that is the year NASA’s InSight is scheduled to launch. The mission is to use a drill to conduct geological science. Remember Matt Damon in the film ‘The Martian.’ He was stranded on Mars and thankfully he was a botanist because he was going to have to figure out how to grow his own food on a planet where nothing was growing. “In the face of overwhelming odds, I’m left with the only one option,: say Watney (Matt Damon’s character.) “I’m going to have to science the s*** out of this.” Remember a lot of our clients may well feel they are on a desolate Martian landscape, desperate to have something to show for their gardening efforts. We science the s*** out of their horticultural issues.

From the Editor and Staff of The Compost Pile we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Plentiful Plantings Editor-in-Chief Wishing Our December members a Happy Birthday!

K. Blurton A. Bower P. Garrett K. Kirk-Williams L. Mackie A. Phillips R. Shelgren

On the Cover - Christmas Snowmen created by L. Buhrow.

Photo courtesy of E. Fabian

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

Don’t forget to log your hours in the VMS system!

VMS is your one-stop location for information, dates, events and more!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Sleigh Bells Ring!

1

Iguana Stew

2

What to Plant - December

3

December Garden Chores

4

Wildlife Happenings

4

Winning Team!

4

Toxic Nectar

5

Creatures

5

News You Can Use

6

Product Review

6

What’s Blooming - December

7

Gardeners’ Holidays

8

On the Trail

8

Ye Olde Farm

9

Forgotten Harvest

9

Poinsettia Pointers

10

Living Soil

11

Some Like It Hot

12

Winter Herbs

13

In Our Yards

14

At the Nursery

17

Ghost Pipe

18

Recipe Round-Up

19

Last Word

22 December, 2017

SLEIGH BELLS RING (are ya listening?)

by K. Harper

Some of you may know that I am a pony owner and, being a pony owner, I have learned how to drive a pony and carriage. And every winter I bring out my sleigh bells and add them to my pony’s harness and we go dashing through the sand because, obviously and sadly, we don’t have snow to dash through.

Nevertheless, we all get very jolly about this time of year and the sound of sleigh bells is part and parcel of the sounds of the season, no matter where we live in relation to the equator. An article on the history and use of sleigh bells seems to be in order, as well as a video of my adorable pony, doing his best to spread holiday cheer among the sand drifts. More on him below. But first, a few details about those sleigh bells:

the first time and actually this is true of any type of sleigh bells, no matter how they are attached to the horse. As a rule, horses do not like surprises. My own pony is of the “I don’t care what you do as long as there is food involved at some point” but many horses are much more concerned about unusual sounds, especially when they are up close and personal, and the horse can’t get away from the sound. A second version of strap bells are much longer and are meant to go all the way around the horse at the girth (just behind his legs.) A friend of mine has a set of this type of bells. They are a lovely antique string What is a sleigh bell? The answer is not as simple as you from the early 20th might think. A bell, by definition, has a clapper that strikes the century and they consist inside of the bell, producing the characteristic bell sound. A of 41 bells of graduated sleigh bell, on the other hand, is defined as any open bell, chime, sizes on a 93” strap. or crotal that is fastened to a horse or to any horse-drawn They have been vehicle, including a sleigh. Crotal?? Yep, I had to look that one well-maintained over up too. A crotal is a hollow, enclosed object that contains a hard the years and the sound pellet trapped inside and has one or more slits (aka ‘throats’) they make is exquisite. allowing the object to vibrate and create sound. A crotal is At 93” long, they were technically a rattle, not a bell. So, while there are indeed harness made for a sizable draft bells, they are usually small, lovely, tinkly chimes made to attach horse and would not fit to the harness saddle like these on the top half of this page: my 14 hand pony, so my http://www.terkencustomleather.com/Pages/ friend is safe from me HarnessBells.aspx. But most of us, when we think of sleigh bells, ever wheedling my way are imagining the sturdy but beautiful objects like those on the into borrowing her bottom half of that page. So we are really thinking of sleigh antique bells. She uses rattles (who knew?). But sleigh bells sounds a lot better, so let’s them in her home as a call them sleigh bells. decorative piece. Still other straps of bells are short and are made to attach to the hip History. Archaeologists have discovered individual bells in strap of the harness or sometimes to the shafts of the sleigh.

England that date back well over 1,000 years to the Roman Sleigh bells for harness use are generally round or egg-shaped; Empire. Later during the Middle Ages, expensive and valuable acorn and bud-shapes are also seen. Square bells exist but are single bells of gold and silver were used to decorate the big war said to have a lousy sound. The “throat” of the bells refers to the horses with the idea of bringing good luck and fending off number of slits or openings in each bell that allow the vibrating disaster and disease. While it is not known when it became pellet within to produce the ring tone. Prior to the 19th century, common to use bells on carriages and sleighs, it is believed that most harness bells were cast in brass and were designed with a in addition to being decorative and melodious, they also served wide single throat, which is said to have given them a very rich the very practical purpose of warning oncoming traffic or unwary tone, something I’d like to hear one day. In the 1800’s, pedestrians of a sleigh’s approach, enabling them to clear the manufacturers started adding a second and sometimes even a way and avoid nasty collisions. Sleighs don’t stop quickly and it third throat to their bells. This gave them the softer chime or doesn’t take much to imagine the carnage that probably resulted jingle we are most familiar with. In addition, the art of metal more than a few times before folks wised up and outfitted their stamping truly revolutionized the bell-making industry, since rigs with warning bells. In the nineteenth century, a strong that enabled mass production of bells. My own bells are stamped demand for sleigh bells developed and a town called East metal and have a double throat in an X shape and they are very Hampton in Connecticut became famous for its mass production jingly. And they’re not antiques. I bought them on eBay several of sleigh bells. The town was even nicknamed “Bell Town.” One years ago and they are not beautiful but they’re serviceable and of the early manufacturers of bells in East Hampton is still in as you will see in the video below, we have a really great time existence and you will love their website for the acoustics on the every year in December at the stables dressing up my pony in home page if nothing else: https://bevinbells.com/ them and pretending it’s winter. Sometimes I combine my pony and his sleigh bells with my huge annual December citrus Types of bells. As noted above, sleigh bells that are true bells harvest and turn him into the old-fashioned produce pony of with a clapper are usually attached to the harness saddle or yore, back in the day when produce and other essentials of life sometimes to the shafts (alongside the horse) or to the lower end were delivered via horse and wagon. We jingle from barn to barn of the hames at the front of the horse’s neck collar at the base of at the stables, delivering holiday cheer and gifts of lemons, limes his neck. Bells that are crotals (rattles) are generally attached to and oranges to all our friends. straps of different lengths according to where they are placed on the horse. Among the strap bells used are neck bells (such as I And what about “Jingle Bells?” Most people think of that song have). These are around 24” long and are buckled around the when the subject of sleigh bells comes up and the song has horse’s neck and make a jolly sound every time the horse moves become synonymous with the term ‘Christmas carol.’ Alas, his head, neck or forelegs. Being in close proximity to the horse’s “Jingle Bells” was not written for Christmas at all. The author, sensitive ears, it’s a very good idea to get the horse acclimated to James Lord Pierpont, wrote the song in Massachusetts in the the sound before you harness up and head out with bells on for autumn of 1857 and it was originally meant to be for the An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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BELLS cont’d.

Thanksgiving season. But in what was perhaps a foreshadowing of things to come, various Boston choirs co-opted the song, made it very popular and pushed it into the Christmas season where it soon became known as THE Christmas carol. And I’m thinking this might well have been the beginning of clever marketers creating what has become the current Uni-Season, which I call HallowThanksChristmas.

Here is a site that has nice illustrations for some of the descriptions above: http://www.horsenation.com/2015/12/16/ everything-you-never-knew-you-never-knew-about-sleighbells/.

Here, if you have the time, is a delightful 9 minute video from Rural Heritage about antique sleighs: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6m-iKwLulU

And here is s site that is just chock-full of information about sleigh bells: https://classicbells.com/index.html The site also includes a learning center so you will know how to date and authenticate your sleigh bells, in case you ever become a collector: https://classicbells.com/info/Info.html Lastly, here are (amateur) videos of my pony, taken last week as we were getting into the holiday spirit. I included the second video because if you’ve never seen a pony search out and pose for a camera, meet Major, who has never met a camera he didn’t try to hog. https://youtu.be/b2IDqYsHcwY https://youtu.be/_yXUP3Qyncs

IGUANA STEW

courtesy of D. Edmiston

You never know what you’ll find in community cook-books. Hats off to the community who saw the humor in this recipe AND honored the veteran and former POW living in their midst.

Iguana Stew While this dish is not recommended or practical for meal preparation, this story had too much flavor to omit from this collection of culinary memories. Master Sergeant Charles Ohler was captured and held in a Japanese prison camp from July 4, 1944 to September 20, 1945. Atria is proud to have this veteran in our community.

Prep Time: Not long, once you’ve caught the iguana!

Servings: 5 - 6 hungry soldiers This is a World War II survival recipe. Fighting in the Philippines, we put this concoction together to supplement our rations. Any other edibles can be added as found, but here’s what we used in the field: 1 iguana fish wild peppers water rice Since we were out in the field, we had to prepare things as best we could. I wouldn’t recommend making iguana stew at home, but back then we had to make do with what we had...start by cutting the top off of a 5-gallon gas can and wash it out thoroughly. skin and clean iguana and fish. Place all ingredients in gas can and bring to a boil over a fire. Let simmer all day, stirring as needed with rifle.

Chuck Ohler, Atria Manresa resident

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DECEMBER GARDENING CHORES

by Staff

Annuals - Plant masses of petunia, pansy, snapdragon, lobelia, alyssum, and viola to add color to the winter garden.

Bulbs - Amaryllis may be forced to bloom now or be planted outdoors for spring blooms.

Herbs - Parsley, thyme, sage, dill, fennel, garlic, comfrey, and cilantro may all be planted now.

Vegetables - Cabbages, collards, beets, and broccoli are just some of the cool season vegetables to use in our gardens this time of year.

Pruning - Wait until the weather warms up before you start cutting back cold-damaged plants.

General - Use those fallen leaves on the garden. You’ll be helping to enrich the soil and preventing weeds. Keep an eye on the plants that you’ve brought indoors and monitor for pests.

WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS

by Staff

December brings a chill to the air but there is still plenty going on in the area: Birds •Annual Christmas bird count begins mid-December •This is the best time for watching waterfowl on wetlands, lakes, and prairies.

•Great horned owls and barred owls are courting.

•Goldfinches flock to feeders.

•Yellow-rumped warblers will be at feeders if the weather is cold enough.

•Bald eagles start hatching around Christmas day.

You may find out more information about the National Audubon Society’s Annual Christmas bird count here http:// www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count

Congratulations to our Compost Pile team! Our newsletter won best newsletter in the state at the recent Master Gardener Conference.

Some of the newsletter staff were present at the last membership meeting so were immortalized digitally with their award. The plaque is displayed at the Crestview office with the numerous other awards won by our group of dedicated volunteers.

Interested in joining an award winning team?

Give it a go!

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TOXIC NECTAR AND FLORAL ROBBERY The more I research, the more strange the interaction between plants and animals becomes. Case in point is the phenomenon of "toxic nectar." We all know about insect pollinators and their place in the ecosystem so why would a plant produce a nectar to cause bees to shy away?

A little background. Nectar robbing or floral robbery is quite common among animalpollinated plants. However, the interactions between nectar robbers and plants have received relatively little attention from the pollination ecologists. Not only is the host plant affected by the nectar robbers but they deprive the legitimate pollinator from an adequate supply of nectar.

Consider these thoughts: the robbers may damage the reproductive system of the plant; they may aggressively interact with other pollinators; reduce the attractiveness of the flowers to other pollinators; and reduce the frequency of visits by other pollinators. All of these factors can lower the survival rate of the plant species.

of the nectar is removed without damaging the plant's nectar producing structures. Thereby earning the name "Nectar Robbers." Not only are they damaging the flower but they steal the nectar and do not serve as a pollinator. They are becoming an increasing problem and the increase in short tongue bees has been attributed to climate change.

Some flowering plants have altered the amount of alkaloids in the nectar and it seems there is no detrimental effect on the long tongue bee. At 20 ppm the short tongue bees begin to shy away and at 200 ppm the effect is dramatic. An increase in robbers could alter the evolution of the plants and it seems to be doing so. Defending themselves had always been a priority in animals and now we know it to be so in plants.

It seems the long tongue bees are welcome but the short tongue bees cause a lot of damage. Since their tongue is not long enough to reach the nectar in some flowers, they will take a short-cut, chewing their way through the side of the flower. In doing so, all

CREATURES FROM…..

by E. Smith

Documentation is readily available in Ecology Vol. 80 #5 as well as studies at Kews Gardens in the United Kingdom. A more in-depth study may be found at http://www.plantbehavior.org.

by L. Fabian

If you are a bug, why not look the part? common name: wheel bug scientific name: Arilus cristatus.

This lovely showed up in our garden recently. There is only one generation a year and the new wheel bugs overwinter in the egg stage.

Adults prey on pest insects and are classified as a beneficial assassin bug.

This creature should be welcome in our gardens.

But beware! The bite of the wheel bug is more severe than a bee sting.

Avoid handling. This critter is a “dark robust creature with long legs and antennae, a stout beak, large eyes on a slim head and a prominent thoracic, semicircular crest that resembles a cogwheel...” hence, a wheel bug!

University of Florida Featured Creatures has good pictures of the wheel bug and Ed Fabian took this one.

Check out other pictures of the wheel bug and the nymph at http:// entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/trees/wheel_bug.htm. Don’t make the mistake of spraying this one. They are some of the good guys.

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

by Staff

Updated Publications:

shrubs/firethorn.html

Florida’s Bats: Southeastern myotis - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw433 Tricolored bat - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw434 Evening bat - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw435

Save the Basil! http://www.alligator.org/news/article_3fcff962-c810-11e7-a8e3 -071ded80de76.html

How to Calibrate Your Fertilizer Spreader http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh024

Mentha spp. (Mint) http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/ vegetables/mint.html

Best Practices for Shoppers at the Farmers’ Market http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs302 Food Safety Tips for the Holiday Season http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs260 Communicating with Clients about Water http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc165

Juniperus virginiana (Red Cedar) http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/ trees/red-cedar.html Adonidia merrillii (Christmas Palm) http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/ palms-and-cycads/christmas-palm.html

Florida Trees Store Carbon http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr409

Odds and Ends New mosquito control! http://www.gulfpowernews.com/ mosquitos-put-notice/

Biscogniauxia (Hypoxylon) Canker http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr407

All the Christmas trivia you could possibly want https://www.whychristmas.com/

December Plants Pyracantha coccinea (Firethorn) http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/

New Book Helpful, Harmful, Helpful - http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-153-helpfulharmful-harmless.aspx

PRODUCT REVIEW For those who have unwanted deer and rabbit visitors, there is a product called Liquid Fence® Deer and Rabbit Repellent. It is listed as being completely harmless to pets and plants.

by C. Baker that it is just as effective here.

The package states that ‘unlike other deer and rabbit repellents that require the animals to browse to be effective, Liquid Fence® Deer and Rabbit repellent works on scent so dear and rabbits don’t even have to bite to be repelled. Because the animals’ natural aversion to this scent will never diminish, this product DOES NOT have to be rotated with other repellent brands.’

It is rain resistant once the product dries on foliage. Start by spraying it once a week for about three weeks, then gradually switch to once per month. When spraying, the odor is noticeable to humans until it dries. Liquid Fence is available at many big box stores and on-line.

I was first introduced to this product by home gardeners in North Carolina® where it is widely used on both food crops and ornamentals. I can vouch for its effectiveness as my gardens up there survived hungry deer and rabbits from spring until fall.

I have also been told by several individuals in northwest Florida An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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GARDENER HOLIDAYS December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It got its name from the Latin decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the Roman calendar (which began in March). Winter days following December were not included as part of any month. December contains the winter solstice--the shortest day of the year.

Monthly Observances Buckwheat Month National Tie Month

by Staff Cat Herders Day 15th Shortest Day of the Year 21st National Chocolate Day 28th Bacon Day 30th

December’s birth trees are: Ash, Hornbeam, Fig, Beech, and Apple. Birth flower is narcissus, daffodil, and holly. Birth stone is Blue Topaz, Turquoise, Zircon, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Ruby. Colors are indigo, green, greenish-blue.

The Jokester

Weekly Observances Cookie Cutter Week 1st - 7th Gluten-free Baking Week 17th - 23rd

If flying is so safe, why do they call an airport the terminal?

Daily Holidays Antarctica Day 1st World Pear Day 2nd World Soil Day 5th Gingerbread Decorating Day 9th National Cocoa Day 12th

2018 heralds in the Year of the Dog in the Chinese calendar.

ON THE TRAIL

by B. Bayer

It’s good to be back on the trail after many months of recovering from surgery. Nothing changed very much while I was gone but in her usual way, Mother Nature attempted to return the trail to its original state. As expected, there was an abundance of new growth but what was not foreseen were the vast number of young trees that had fallen.

On November 21 when walking the trail, I had an unexpected find at marker number 8. Parked in the middle of the walking area was a Craftsman® Tractor. I looked around for the owner with intent of telling him/her that no vehicles were permitted and then came to the realization that the tractor was partly dismantled and had been abandoned. When I informed the office, they contacted the County and two workers were dispatched. They confirmed the disability and suggested it may have been stolen from the nearby Sears® store. The police were called and after some diligent research by the officer, it was confirmed that it had been taken from the repair area at Sears. It was supposed to have a starter problem. I guess the thief was a After all this excitement it was pretty mundane to going back to good mechanic but not smart enough to check the gas tank. It sifting compost. After decomposing all these months, it was was empty. Our CSI officer was slightly upset that myself and the definitely ready. two county workers had touched the tractor and left our finger prints all over the vehicle. He also didn’t think it was funny when we joked about,” finders’ keepers” and seriously stated “this is evidence.”

Don’t forget to bring your non-perishable food donation to the Master Gardener Annual Christmas party!

All donations will be delivered that afternoon to the food pantry at the Methodist church.

If you can’t make it to the party, consider sending your donation with someone who is!

Thanks!

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YE OLDE FARM

by D. Gordon

Mexican Flame Vine (Senecio confuscus) has been a wonderful addition to our pollinator garden. I purchased this plant from our Master Gardener Nursery during the summer and planted it in our garden. It bloomed after a few weeks but blooms were sparse because of the summer heat.

When the “second spring” begin with the cooler weather, the plant really began to show itself with tons of beautiful orange blooms. As of this writing, November 17, 2017 the plant is still blooming and attracting butterflies.

Gulf Fritillaries, Zebra Longwings, Cloudless Sulfur, and Skippers are all over the plant. Mexican Flame Vine will need a support because of its height. I’m sure you could prune the vine and keep it to a smaller size. If you do so, you may remove a number of the beautiful blooms.

My wife’s favorite color is orange and this has become her favorite plant. Next spring, I would encourage you to add this plant to your butterfly garden. You may wish to look the plant up on-line to see the beautiful pictures.

THE (almost) FORGOTTEN HARVEST

by D. Gordon

The making of syrup is a lost art that is fast disappearing.

Approximately 5 miles from our home in Darlington, on December 3, 2017, I attended a family gathering that is carrying on the tradition of syrup making.

There are several types of cane mills but this is the first time I have seen this model. This one is driven by a large pulley connected to a tractor. Several workers are constantly feeding the stalks of cane into the mill. The mill grinds the cane and the juice is funneled into a large drum. There were 3 large drums holding the juice after grinding the cane.

A small hose ran into the cooker and the amount was controlled by a valve. As you can see from the pictures, a roaring fire is under the pan holding the juice. Several men are skimming the foam, off the top, as the cane juice is cooking.

Whenever the cane juice begins to thicken, it runs into a container which will then become syrup. According to the family, from approximately 150 gallons of cane juice, 10 gallons of syrup will be made.

This entire process took 8-9 hours to produce the 10 gallons of syrup. There are still a few families in the area that are continuing this tradition. The ground up stalks will be placed on the roots of the sugar cane and protected from cold weather.

New stalks will emerge next spring to begin the cycle over again. I’m sure as time goes by that this tradition will be lost as the younger generation will not continue to be involved in the making of syrup.

You can watch how maple sugar was made in 1925 by going here: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=YF5j8DJuLpw An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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LIVING SOIL When most gardeners view their landscape, they consider the condition of their grass, shrubs and trees but give little or no consideration to the soil beneath their feet. If there is a problem with the plants, the first thought is what chemical is needed to correct the situation. In many cases this makes the situation worse rather than relieving it. Science tells us that 80% of all plant problems are related to the soil they grow in. In an attempt to prevent a problem before it occurs, it may be beneficial to have a better understanding of how we should treat our soils and how to improve them.

At first appearance, the soil seems to be a replica of its inert parent material, a rock, in a smaller version but it is so much more. Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic material, water, gases and a multitude of organisms that can support plant life.

Without soil we would have a limited supply of plants, without plants we could not exist.

The minerals in our soils are composed of the 92 naturally occurring elements created billions of years ago by a supernova. They vary in amounts and locations throughout the world, which explains in part the variety of soils. All of these elements are not essential for plant growth. Presently, there are 18 essential elements that plants require in order to naturally complete their life cycle. Over the years, elements that were once considered beneficial are now found to be essential. This can be attributed to the development of better and more sensitive space age equipment.

The mineral particles that compose the soil comes in three forms: sand, silt, and clay with the largest being sand and the smallest clay. A sand particle can be seem with the naked eye or with a magnifying glass. It takes an electron microscope to view a clay particle. If we could stack clay particles, it would take 12,000 to make 1 inch. In general, an undisturbed soil would contain 45% by volume of its content as sand, silt and clay. The percentage of each of these different particles accounts for different soil texture classes. Example, 10% silt, 10% clay, 80% sand = Loamy sand. A soil with 90% sand, 10% silt = Sand.

by B. Bayer We usually think of the soil as being firm and solid but typically only 50% is solid (minerals and organic matter) the other 50% is air and water. Depending on the amount of rainfall and irrigation, the equilibrium between air and water shifts back and forth from 25% each to 20/30, 22/28 etc. in either direction. If there is too much water the soil becomes waterlogged or the plants suffer drought if there is too little. Soils with much more than 50% solids are likely to be too compacted for good plant growth.

The transformation of inorganic rock and organic debris into a living soil is one of nature's most fascinating displays.

The relative proportions of air, minerals, water and living things greatly influences the behavior and productivity of soil.

Only about 5% by volume of the ideal soil is composed of a wide variety of organic matter. These are divided into four categories.

The first are living organisms and roots which account for less than 5% of the total organic matter. Second are the remains of dead plants, animals and soil organisms (<10%) which have not begun to decompose.

Next is the portion undergoing rapid decomposition (20-45%). Finally, the stabilized organic matter (humus) that remains after being decomposed by soil microorganisms.

(50-80%).

The negative and positive charged particles of humus and the negative charged particles of clay are suspended in the soil water solution.

They attract the oppositely charged ions of the essential elements and are held by a mild static charge until freed by a more powerful charge.

The freed ions can then be taken up by the plant roots and used for growth.

The unseen multitude of microorganisms at the bottom of the food chain constantly transforms what was once a living organism (including humans) back into usable nutrients for all living things. Without these mighty recyclers we could not survive and if we could, we would be eyeball deep in yuck.

Five hundred years ago, Leonardo da Vinci said; "We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot." Although we have made many advances in both of these fields, the same is true today. Within our lifetime, discoveries have been made that shattered our previous beliefs of the world around us. The electron microscope has shown us that beneath our feet lies a hidden subterranean biosphere that is more immense than life above ground. It boggles the mind to comprehend that a handful of healthy soil contains hundreds of miles of fungal threads and more creatures than there are humans on the entire planet.

The Jokester Why do they call them Apartments when they are all stuck together?

Soil supplies plants with inorganic mineral nutrients in the form of dissolved ions (electrically charged atoms), protects plants from toxic concentrations, moderates soil temperature fluctuations, provides water-holding capacity, and provides ventilation through a network of soil pores.

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SOME LIKE IT HOT

by V. Boyles (courtesy of L. Fabian)

It’s black; it’s tiny and it can devastate your St. Augustine lawn in a very short time. This menace is the Southern Chinch bug and is one of the most expensive lawn pests in Florida. It thrives during 2. the hot, damp summer months, and infestations peak in early July.

grass grown on dry or sandy soil is especially vulnerable to southern chinch bug damage.

Use a fertilizer with a 50% slow release nitrogen formula and fertilize according to University of Florida recommendations. Rapid, lush growth from frequent applications of water-soluble inorganic nitrogen fertilizers Chinch Bugs prefer open, sunny, drought-stressed areas near may increase the chance of chinch bug attack. sidewalks and driveways. They live in the thatch and suck fluids 3. Make sure you water when the edges of the grass leaves start form the crowns, stems and stolons of grasses with their curling and appear to have a dull bluish-gray color. Do not needle-like mouthparts. This causes the grass to turn yellow and irrigate again until wilting begins to occur. Prolonged die. they also tend to feed in groups, so dead patches of grass drought stress can encourage southern chinch bug appear and get larger as the chinch bugs spread through the problems. grass.

4. Thick thatch can conceal many insects, Many other factors, such as disincluding chinch bugs. ease, nutritional imbalances and Thatch is a spongy mat of drought, can cause off-color areas accumulated shoots, stems, in your lawn. Therefore, it is very and roots between the live important that you examine the plant and the soil. lawn carefully for chinch bugs.

Over-water or over-fertilization can cause To do this, you have several lawn grasses to develop a options: thick thatch layer. This causes insecticides to bind 1. Part the grass near yellowed to the thatch layer instead areas and look at the soil of reaching soil-dwelling surface and base of the turf. pests.

Examine several different 5. Mow St. Augustine areas if you can’t immediately grass to a height of 3-4 find chinch bugs. Heavy Nymph, short-winged and long-winged adult forms of the southern chinch inches. Anything else will infestations are easy to unduly stress the lawn, bug. Photograph by R.H. Cherry, University of Florida identify because large making it highly numbers may walk across susceptible to chinch bugs. sidewalks and driveways.

2. You can also use a flotation technique to detect chinch bugs. Several varieties of St. Augustinegrass are available for use in Cut both ends out of a metal can and push one end 2-3 Florida, but the mot common one is Floratam. Floratam is inches into the soil on green or yellowing grass (not dead resistant to chinch bugs; however, the insect adapted and now grass). Slowly fill with water and count the number of most southern chinch bugs can damage it. chinch bugs that float to the top within 5 minutes. Keep the water level above the grass surface. If nothing emerges in Biological Control the first area, examine at least three or four other areas.

3. Another option is to use a Dust Buster or hand-held vacuum Chinch Bugs have natural enemies: big-eyed bugs, a predatory to suck up any chinch bugs near damaged areas. Remove the earwig (Labidura ripara) and a small wasp (Eumicrosoma filter, dump the contents on the sidewalk, and look for benefica.) Big-eyed bugs are similar to chinch bugs in size and nymphs and adults. Repeat in several damaged areas. shape and are often mistaken for them. Use insecticides only when necessary, otherwise you reduce these natural enemies and How do you recognize Southern Chinch Bugs? their ability to suppress pest populations.

Adults are about 1/10 of an inch long and black with white wings.

Young nymphs are reddish-orange with a white band across the back. They darken in color as they mature, and turn black before becoming adults. All life stages are present year-round in most of the state. There are 3 to 4 generations per year in north Florida.

You found chinch bugs in your lawn. Now what?

Let’s look at how to control this lawn pest. Research has shown that using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques are very successful in keeping this insect in check. IPM is a three-pronged approach to solving pest problems: cultural control, biological control, and chemical control.

Cultural Control 1.

Chemical Control If you detect 20-25 chinch bugs per square foot, you may need to apply an insecticide. Some chinch bug populations have developed resistance to insecticides like acephate, chlorophyrifos, and lambda-cyhalothrin, and most insecticides are ineffective in treating the egg stage. Therefore, outbreaks may require many insecticidal applications.

Spot treat when you first notice infestations and when damage is minimal. An infested lawn displays straw colored patches. Treat the entire area if damage is widespread. Apply insecticides to dying St. Augustine grass and a 5-foot buffer area around the damage. Inspect two to three times at biweekly intervals, and re-apply insecticides according to the manufacturer’s label.

Incorporate organic matter into your soil. St. Augustine

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December, 2017

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December, 2017

IN OUR YARDS

by Staff

Frog tracks on window. Photo courtesy of D. Edmiston

Misty morning. Photo courtesy of D. Edmiston

Armillaria on live oak in Niceville. Photo courtesy of D. Sewell

Dendrobium unicum, from S. Berryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection. A native of Thailand with an intense peach aroma. Photo courtesy of S. Berry.

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December, 2017

IN OUR YARDS

by Staff

Confederate rose from nursery, Day 2. Photo courtesy of A. Ogle Confederate rose from nursery, Day 1. Photo courtesy of A. Ogle

Hometown Christmas by M. Harrison

Seed pod on night blooming cereus. Photo courtesy of D. Edmiston Zebra Swallowtail used with permission of M. Friedman courtesy of A. Ogle An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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December, 2017

IN OUR YARDS

by Staff

Taffy asks, “What have you done to my porch?” Photo courtesy of C. Strom

Red okra bloom. Photo courtesy of D. Edmiston

Wild flowers and water above. Local wildflowers along my walk. Photos courtesy of C. Strom

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December, 2017

AT THE NURSERY

by L. Vanderpool At left, cigar plant. Below, dune sunflower. Bottom left, gerbera daisy.

Photos courtesy of L. Vanderpool

The nursery staff has worked many hours to generate plants for sale and for making the gardens around the Annex simply pop!

Many thanks to all for your hard work and dedication.

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December, 2017

AT THE NURSERY

by L. Vanderpool

Left, Senecio confuses, Mexican flame vine. At right Tagetes lemonii, Copper Canyon daisy.

Photos courtesy of L. Vanderpool

Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant or Indian pipe, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to our area. It is generally scarce in many areas. It does not contain chlorophyll. Instead it is a myco-heterotroph. Its hosts are certain fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees.

Often, the only time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see these flowers are in early summer to early autumn, most frequently a few days after rainfall.

Like most mychoheterotrophic plants, M. uniflora associates with a small range of fungal hosts, all of them members of Russulaceae.

This specimen was located just at the entrance of the Native Plant Trail.

Photo courtesy of E. & L. Fabian

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December, 2017

RECIPE ROUND-UP Greek Chicken with Red Sauce (C. Strom) Ingredients 3 chicken breasts (you can really use any cuts that you prefer) 1 lg. can Hunts® tomato sauce 1 lg. cinnamon stick 1 med. onion, diced 1 Tbsp. olive oil

greased baking pan and bake for 1 hour at 250° F. Stir every 15 minutes.

Remove and let cool.

Bacon and Date Appetizer (C. Strom)

Ingredients 1 (8 ounce) package pitted dates 4 ounces whole almonds Directions In a large pot, add diced onion to olive oil and heat until soft and 1 pound sliced bacon translucent.

Directions Turn to medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides, then add sauce. The sauce should cover the pieces of chicken. You can add a little water if you are short on sauce. Submerge the cinnamon stick in the center of the pot. bring to a boil and cover with lid. Lower the temperature and simmer for 1 to 2 hours. The flavor is better the longer it cooks. I make it in the early afternoon and let it simmer until dinner. Serve with salad, rice and bread for dipping.

Super Easy Coconut Pecan Cake (J. Fitzhugh) Ingredients 1 yellow cake mix 1 cup water 1/4 cup oil 4 eggs 1 can of coconut pecan icing Directions In a large bowl add the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. Mix well and beat for 2 minutes. Add in the coconut pecan icing and mix until thoroughly blended. Pour mixture into a Bundt pan. Bake at 350° F. for 40 minutes. Check for doneness with toothpick test. Remove from pan when cool.

Caramel Corn (D. Sewell) Ingredients 8 quarts freshly popped popcorn 2 cups brown sugar 2 sticks margarine 1/2 cup white syrup 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda Directions Melt margarine in a saucepan. Add white syrup and brown sugar. Boil mixture for 5 minutes. Add vanilla, salt and baking soda. Mix well.

Preheat your broiler.

Slit dates. Place one almond inside each date. Wrap dates with bacon, using toothpicks to hold them together.

Broil 10 minutes, or until bacon is evenly brown and crisp.

Cranberry Sauce (M. Stewart) Ingredients 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup 100% cranberry juice (not cocktail!)

12 ounces honey 1 ounce candied ginger finely chopped 1 pound fresh cranberries (you can use frozen, thaw first) 3-cup mold OR a clean tin-can that has ridges.

Directions Combine the orange juice, cranberry juice, honey and ginger in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the cranberries and increase heat to medium, cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Do not cook for more than 15 minutes!

Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Carefully spoon the sauce into a 3-cup mold or your can.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Unmold, slice and serve.

Pour mixture over the popcorn and mix well. Pour onto a large, An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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December, 2017

RECIPE ROUND-UP Chicken Curry (D. Sewell)

Fruit Salsa (D. Sewell)

Ingredients 2 cans French cut green beans 4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped 1 cup mayonnaise 1 can Cream of Chicken soup 1 can evaporated milk 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 2 Tbs. curry powder (or less if you prefer) Bread crumbs

Ingredients 3-4 apples, peeled and diced 1 lemon, zest and juice 2 kiwis, peeled and diced 1 quart strawberries, diced 1 orange, zest and juice

Directions Layer green beans and chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix mayonnaise, soup, evaporated milk, cheese, and curry powder together in a bowl. Pour over the green beans and chicken.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top.

Bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes.

Serve with cinnamon sugar pita chips.

Koolickles (B. Buckellew) Ingredients 1 46 oz. jar dill pickles 1 cup pickle juice 5 cups sugar 1 cup white vinegar 4 packs Kool-Aid™ in various colors Directions Drain pickles; save 1 cup juice. Cut pickles in half, lengthwise.

Mix juice, sugar, and vinegar until all sugar dissolves (low heat helps.)

Divide mixture into 4 wide-mouth pint Mason® jars. Stir one packet of Kool-Aid™ into each jar until dissolved. Add pickles to jars.

Directions Toss diced apples with lemon juice. Add diced kiwis and strawberries. Stir in lemon zest, orange zest, and orange juice.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake (M. Stewart) Ingredients 8 oz bow-tie pasta, cooked 1 cup diced, cooked ham 1 cup diced, cooked chicken 2 cups chopped, fresh spinach 1 15 oz. jar Alfredo pasta sauce 1/4 cup water 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese Directions Heat oven to 350° F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until well blended. Add crushed black pepper to taste (I also toss in a couple red pepper flakes). Spoon evenly into baking dish and cover with foil.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. (Note: you can freeze it at this step and bake later.) Let stand covered, 5 minutes before serving.

If you make this to bake at a later date. Wrap foil-covered Seal tightly and refrigerate for a week, inverting jars every day or baking dish in double layer of plastic wrap; label and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and bake: Thaw overnight or until so. completely thawed in refrigerator. Remove plastic. Leave foil in Notes: place and bake 50 to 60 minutes or until center is hot and 1. Use good, name-brand pickles, like Mt. Olive. Generic, store- cheese is melted. brand ones can be soft.

2. Bright colors (red, blue, orange, green) look best. Grape is The Jokester really tasty, but purple pickles don’t seem to have much appeal.

3. Kool-Aid, Mason, and Mt. Olive are registered trademarks.

What do you call Santa’s helpers?

(Gotta say that to keep Madam Editor happy) Subordinate clauses.

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December, 2017

RECIPE ROUND-UP German Egg Oven Pancakes (D. Sewell)

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole (M. Stewart)

Ingredients 2 Tbs. butter 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup milk

Ingredients 1 30 oz. package frozen extra-spicy and crispy potato wedges 2 cups chopped, cooked ham 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup chopped green onions 2 cups shredded, sharp Cheddar cheese 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions Preheat oven to 450° F. Place oven rack at the lowest position.

Directions Heat oven to 400° F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Add flour, salt and milk to beaten eggs and beat well. Place pie dish in oven with butter in it. Remove when butter is melted and coat the sides of the dish. Add batter to dish and immediately place back in hot oven. Set time for 15 minutes and do not open the oven until the timer goes off. The pancake will rise high around the edge. Cut in half and add syrup or powdered sugar and enjoy. Makes 2 servings.

Arrange frozen potato wedges in baking dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are beginning to brown.

Top with ham, pepper and half of the green onions. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Sprinkle with bacon.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through.

Macaroni Cheese Puff (D. Sewell)

Top servings with sour cream and remaining green onions.

Ingredients 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni 3 eggs, separated 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese 2 Tbs. melted butter 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sliced, pitted black olives

Snickerdoodles (D. Sewell)

Ingredients 1/2 cup soft shortening (part butter) 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg 1 1/3 cups flour Directions 1 tsp. Cream of tartar Cook the macaroni, drain and rinse with cold water.

1/2 tsp. baking soda Place egg yolks in large saucepan and add milk. Add heat and stir 1/8 tsp. salt in cheese, butter, and salt. Cook over low heat until cheese melts.

Directions Add cooked, drained macaroni and olives.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Roll dough into balls. Roll balls in a mixture of 1 Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into macaroni cheese mixture.

Tbs. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Pour into greased baking dish.

Bake on cookie sheet at 400° F. for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned but still soft.

Bake at 350° F. for 35 minutes or until browned.

The Jokester The 4 stages of life: 1. You believe in Santa Claus 2. You don’t believe in Santa Claus 3. You dress up as Santa Claus 4. You look like Santa Claus An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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December, 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 I discovered something. Never, ever schedule a procedure with a GI (and I don’t mean military) doctor on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. While it serves to make life interesting, it’s officially NOT the sort of interesting that I am interested in!

I do want to find the sadistic individual who decided it would be a good idea to add a grape scent to the stuff you have to drink in preparation for this jaunt into lavatory land.

That’s just mean to make something that vile smell like something you actually want to drink! I’ll never look at a glass of grape juice the same way again. I would also mention as an aside that you should not eat a hoagie the day before. Trust me on this one...just don’t do it.

The outcome was: acid reflex, gastritis, diverticulitis, hernia, and a polyp that was big enough to have it’s own fan club. Thankfully, nothing nasty...just irritating. Reciting the list I have to fight the urge to recite it as the 12 Days of Christmas...on a high note, my appendix and ear lobes are just fabulous! So I’m clean as a whistle and no surgery is in my immediate future (yay).

The house has been decorated for the holidays and the Master of Mischief aka Walter has only tried to eat the tree a few times and swatted a couple of my Christmas bears. Other than that, he’s being extra good.

I’m starting to worry. That isn’t normal.

I did make a concession to get a smaller tree this year. Our other tree was huge. Quite frankly it was getting to be just too much to haul in and out. Not to mention getting the thing together. It weighed a ton! The new tree is not quite as tall and definitely not as wide as the old tree. But, all of my ornaments fit on it and I told HH that I have room for more.

He just groaned and left the area. I don’t know what his problem is. He only has to deal with 46 Christmas bears; 1 Christmas hippo; 18 Santas (this year); 37 Christmas snow globes, and 14 Christmas cookie tins.

And here we are, almost done with another year and this, my last issue of The Compost Pile. I distinctly remember saying that I would do the newsletter, temporarily. Well, seven years later and it’s time to retire. Have to admit it’s a little bittersweet but everyone went above and beyond to make this final issue a blockbuster!

We’ve had a good run these past years.

We’ve tried news things. Some worked and some were rather spectacular failures. I know that I’ve learned a lot about gardening and about other Master Gardeners.

This year we were awarded Best in State for our newsletter. Trust me, it wouldn’t have been possible without some very key people.

K. Harper, willing participant in my insanity.

There wasn’t a topic she wasn’t willing to write about and put her unique spin on it. She and S. Farrell who doggedly put up with my

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

by M. Stewart typos and got this publication readable (and grammatically correct.) S. Berry for channeling The Jokester. D. Gordon for his monthly jaunts at Ye Olde Farm. B. Bayer for leading us faithfully On the Trail. D. Stever for his weeds and invasives. E. Smith for his thoughtful articles and book reviews (the result of which is I now have less room on my bookshelves.) L. Vanderpool, S. Gerber, D. Edmiston, E. Fabian, L. Fabian, A. Ogle and so many more for their wonderful pictures.

You start to get the idea that the newsletter is definitely a community effort. My job was to ‘herd cats.’ (Take note that December has an official Cat Herding Day.) It’s easy to create an award winning publication when you have the support and input of so many really talented people.

There are lots of other folks who contributed to The Compost Pile but it would take more pages than I have left to list everyone. All I can say is, THANK YOU! You made my job so much easier by providing the articles, pictures, and ideas. Everyone give yourselves a round of applause.

I do admit that I’ll relish the additional free time. I’m in the process of ripping out the entire backyard and starting over. Sometimes you just get to the point that you know it’s the only way to recognize your vision. Once the demolition dust settles, I’ll have more raised beds, smoother transitions, and more production capacity. Now if the city would just approve chickens I would have it made.

Sigh. One can dream.

So that project will keep me out of trouble for a while. (Okay, ya’ll can stop laughing now any time.) Then, who knows.

As of now, no one has jumped up and said that they’d take over The Compost Pile. I know that whoever does make the leap will create a publication that is totally different and will make it even more awesome. That’s the beauty of the changing of the guard--new ideas and new methods (and the old guard gets a few extra minutes of snooze time.)

The thing to remember is that it’s not about following in someone else’s footsteps--it’s making your own pathways.

So, on behalf of Walter and the rest of the Stewart household, we bid a fond farewell to The Compost Pile and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Plentiful Plantings.

December, 2017