...for discerning weeders

APR

IL, 2

015

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....

An equal opportunity institution.

Inside This Issue!

Lots of updated and new

publications!

Natural dyes for Easter Eggs!

Do you know what plastic can

be recycled?

And much, much more!

Warmer weather has arrived (to a point). Don’t forget that we had a freak cold snap in April a few years ago! Don’t let your guard down just yet when it comes to those tender plantings.

There is a great field trip coming up this month. It is outside so dress appropriately. For more details, contact Dick H. Don’t forget that if you have ideas for field trips send them to S. Tay-lor, D. Gordon, and/or Dick H.

Keep in mind that we may not have been as physically active throughout the cooler months. Take the time to stretch and lim-ber up a bit before tackling those big garden projects that you have in mind. Being in traction won’t help your garden (or you)!

As I look around it is always amazing at what a few warm days and nights will produce in our landscapes. Color is everywhere as vines, trees and shrubs put on their Easter finery! And the scents! And the sounds! Birds chirping, weedeaters humming and people sneezing. Yes, allergy season. If you suffer from aller-gies, try local honey every day. It is pur-ported to help with allergies. Don’t for-get that it has to be local honey!

As you know, we’re also doing the monthly free seminars. The first one was a rousing success! We have several more scheduled as well as Plant Clinics! Make sure you come help with some of these.

The nursery is getting into high gear and needs your help. Even if you just pick one Friday each month, many hands will make light work. Attend just one work day and I know that you’ll be hooked.

This month’s edition of The Compost Pile has plenty of timely information to help with our gardening. You might even learn something new! A reminder that articles and pictures are due by the 24th of each month.

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter and a blessed Passover!

Plentiful Plantings Your Editor

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 1 April, 2015

HOPPING INTO GARDENING!

INSIDE THIS

ISSUE

Events Calendar 2

All-Abuzz 3

Proliferating Plastics 4

Wildlife Happenings 5

Stickywilly 5

Available Invasive 6

John McMahon 6

Updates and Info 7-8

At Large 9

Infographics 10

Natural Dyes 10

Last Word 11

Sign in to VMS and log in your hours!

You may access the VMS site by clicking on the link

below:

https://florida.volunteersystem.org/

E Fabian

J. Fitzhugh

R. Hastings

J. McCreary

34th Continued Training Conference

October 18-21, 2015

Kissimmee, FL

http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/

gardener/index.html

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

April, 2015 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 2

Yo

u m

ay

acc

ess

ou

r in

tera

ctiv

e E

ven

ts c

ale

nd

ar

by

vis

itin

g

htt

p:/

/ww

w.o

cmg

am

emb

ers.

org

/Ca

len

da

r.h

tml

I know I promised to talk about sting physiology this month, but alas, I forget how very busy we are in the bee yard this time of year. Also, family matters took me to Atlanta, GA for the past week. Therefore, I beg your forgiveness and will most definitely delve into stings with next month’s issue. Instead, I’m going to talk about what is fresh on my mind today as I have just come in from the apiary for the afternoon.

During the spring, the instinct for proliferation of the species and a honeybee’s desire to “swarm” is very strong. I believe I have mentioned before that if a colony swarms, the existing queen will leave and take 50-60% of the bees with her. One can imagine what this does to our honey harvest! This year, M has tried various management practices in order to prevent our hives from swarm-ing. I just do the work and he tells me in brief terms why he’s decided to do things a certain way. For example, we “checker boarded” the frames so the brood will have more room and spread out, giving the queen more room to lay eggs. In the deep hive body, where the queen and brood usually are, M had me put one frame full of brood, and the next frame empty (or nearly empty), and so on until all 10 frames were back in place. He also had me leave a me-dium super (a box full of medium sized frames), on top of the “deep” in hopes the queen would move on up and lay eggs there as well. We actually saw that this was working very well in a few hives today. Also, if we have lots of bees in a particular hive, we may remove an entire frame of brood and bees and introduce them to a smaller, weaker hive. Today, we did this twice, but before we did, I sprayed a sugar water solution on the frame full of brood and bees so the receiving hive wouldn’t kill some of the bees, as the pheromones are different. So far, all of our interven-tions have worked very well and we haven’t had a swarm yet this spring. When we are ready for the “girlz” to start putting honey in a honey super for US to harvest, we will place a “queen ex-cluder” on top of the “deep” box so the queen isn’t able to move up and lay eggs. The queen excluder is a metal cover with slits in it that is the perfect size for workers to crawl through, but drones and queens can’t fit through. We wouldn’t want to harvest honey that is all mixed up with little developing bee parts…

I find it interesting that before a colony swarms, the girlz will reduce the queen’s nutritional intake so she loses weight. That way, she can make the flight to a new home more easily. Many beekeepers clip one forewing (the lower half) on the queen. Then if she tries to fly, she won’t get very far or very high so the bee-keeper can reclaim the swarm. I have clipped wings in the past, but there is risk with this as well. Sometimes when marking the queen with a dot of paint on her thorax or when clipping her wing, there is the danger that the “girlz” will see her as damaged and roll her over and kill her. I have clipped queens in the past, but decided I didn’t want to maim them anymore, but I do paint their thorax in order to locate them more easily when inspecting the hive. I do make sure the paint is dry before reintroducing her back into the hive so the “girlz” do not clean it off. Also, you have to make sure the queen has mated before marking or clipping. I made this mistake once and marked a young, virgin queen. We surmise her queen pheromone wasn’t strong enough and the “girlz” probably saw her as very damaged, thus killing her.

You know, many people think the queen controls the colony, but it is the “girlz” that decide when and if to swarm. As mentioned

earlier, it is their instinct to do so, but also they tend to want to swarm if the hive is very crowded. If you remember from the castes and the various “jobs” the bees graduate into, the scout finds an idea location that is to be the new home upon swarming. If you find a swarm hanging in a tree, and it isn’t too high up, some lucky beekeeper may be able to help! The extension office maintains a “Swarm List” of local beekeepers that are willing to come and try to “capture” the swarm. This is a win/win for eve-ryone. We provide a service to help the homeowner, the bees get a new home, AND best of all, the beekeeper gets a free colony! M and I will cover Niceville, Val-P, Destin and Bluewater Bay. We have others on the list that cover Ft. Walton, Crestview, DeFu-niak Springs, etc. Linda B. from the extension office keeps this

list and it was recently updated at the monthly meeting of the Tri-County Beekeeper’s Associa-tion. Most people we receive calls from do not want to hurt the bees. This is so promising to hear! We must continue to do all we can to not only help our European honey bees, Apis mel-lifera, but ALL pollinators as well!! Remember, it was our native bees that did the yeoman’s chore of pollination long before Apis mellifera came to this continent.

When capturing a swarm, it is most helpful IF one is able to capture the queen as well. If not, then a frame with eggs must be placed in a hive

body with the swarm so they can make a new queen OR you can introduce a queen obtained from a breeder into the colony. The last queen we purchased went for about $22. It is very nice when the girlz make a new queen of their own, but that takes time, and then when she mates, who really knows the genetics? Best Man-agement Practices dictate re-queening every year with a honey-bee of known genetic background.

Now back to the bee garden and my new coneflowers to plant! (Remember if you want to bring bees and butterflies to your yard, they prefer a mass of flowers)….

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 3 April, 2015

ALL-ABUZZ! by P. Garrett

Swarm in a tree. Photo courtesy of P. Garrett

M retriev

ing

a sw

arm

. Ph

oto

cou

rtesy o

f P. G

arrett

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 4 April, 2015

PROLIFERATING PLASTICS by K. Harper

“Plastics, Ben.” Who could ever forget that sage bit of ca-reer advice given to a young Dustin Hoffman in the film “The Graduate” in about 1968? As funny as that line was at the time, I doubt if any of us could have foreseen the significant role that plastics would play in our lives in the coming decades.

Plastics are everywhere, for better or worse. Many of us are be-coming legitimately concerned about the effects they have on our health and well-being. And the impact they have on landfills is significant. Consider that it takes anywhere from five years to “millennia” for plastics to break down, depending upon the type of plastic (http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/107380.aspx). Now consider that, according to the EPA, in the United States alone 32 million tons of plastic waste are generated each year (http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/plastics.htm) and we can see that the landfill problem compounds dramatically over time. So what can we do about all of that? We can recycle, of course! My purpose today is to provide some guidelines for recycling plastics. Specifically, what the heck do those numbers on the bottom of plastic con-tainers really mean? I will also briefly mention some the health issues involved in the different types of plastics because that is certainly of concern to all of us. But in-depth discussion of the health hazards of plastics is a subject for another day. First, from within the plastics industry itself we have a descrip-tion of each of the seven numbers you might see on the bottom of plastic containers along with a cheery little video describing each: http://www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=638 But this does not tell us much about what the numbers mean in terms of recyclability and safety. For that I have compiled information from several sources and summa-rized it as follows: Plastic #1: This is polyethylene terephtalate, also known as PETE or PET. This is usually clear and is found mostly in soda bottles, water bottles, beer bottles, salad dressing containers, mouthwash bottles, and peanut butter containers. This plastic is picked up by most curbside recycling programs. It is ‘generally’ considered safe but is known to have a porous surface that al-lows bacteria and flavor to accumulate, so it is best not to keep reusing these bottles as makeshift containers. In other words, if your idea of recycling is to re-use your plastic water bottles, a much healthier choice for you would be to let the recycling guys pick them up. Plastic #1 is recycled into tote bags, furniture, car-pet, paneling, fiber, and polar fleece. Plastic #2: This is high density polyethylene, or HDPE. It is usually opaque and is found mostly in milk jugs, household cleaner containers, juice bottles, shampoo bottles, cereal box liners, detergent bottles, motor oil bottles, yogurt tubs, and but-ter tubs. This plastic is considered safe and is picked up by most recycling programs. Plastic #2 is recycled into pens, recycling containers, picnic tables, lumber, benches, fencing, and deter-gent bottles, to name a few. Plastic #3: This is polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. It is used to make food wrap, bottles for cooking oil, plumbing pipes, medical equipment and windows. PVC is a tough plastic but it is not con-sidered safe to cook food near it. It used to (and still may), con-tain phthalates, which are linked to numerous health issues ranging from developmental problems to miscarriages. They also contain DEHA, which can be carcinogenic with long-term expo-sure. DEHA has also been linked to loss of bone mass and liver problems. You should minimize use of #3 plastic around food as

much as possible. Never cook using food wrap, especially in a microwave oven. Plastic #3 is rarely accepted by curbside recy-cling programs. It is recycled into paneling, flooring, speed bumps, decks, and roadway gutters. Plastic # 4: this is Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE). Yogurt cups and similar wide-necked containers are often made from it, as well as water bottles with a cloudy finish. You’ll also find it in straws, squeezable bottles, shopping bags, clothing, carpet, fro-zen food containers, bread bags, and some food wraps. This plastic is considered safe. In the past it was not often accepted by curbside recycling programs but that has changed and it is more commonly accepted now. Plastic #4 is recycled into compost bins, paneling, trash can liners and cans, floor tiles, and shipping envelopes. Plastic #5 is PP (Polypropylene). It is increasingly accepted by curbside recycle programs and is typically found in such things as ketchup bottles, syrup bottles and medicine bottles. It is considered one of the safer plastics. Polypropylene is recycled into brooms, auto battery cases, bins, pallets, signal lights, ice scrapers, and bicycle racks. Plastic #6: this is polystyrene, or Styrofoam, from which dis-posable containers and packaging are made. You’ll find it in dis-posable plates and cups as well as compact disc cases, egg car-tons and meat trays, Evidence is increasingly suggesting that this type of plastic leaches potentially toxic chemicals, especially when heated. It is difficult to recycle and most curbside recycling programs won’t accept it. It is recycled by the industry into egg cartons, vents, foam packing, and insulation. If you have ever popped your take-home leftovers in their Styrofoam box into the microwave to reheat (guilty here), stop it right now! Plastic #7: This number basically means “everything else.” It’s a mixed bag, composed of plastics which were invented after 1987. Plastic #7 is found in sunglasses, iPod cases, computer cases, nylon, 3- and 5-gallon water bottles, and bullet-proof ma-terials. Polycarbonate falls into this category. It contains the notorious toxic bisphenol-A (BPA). These plastics should be avoided due to possibly containing hormone disruptors (like BPA), which have been linked to infertility, hyperactivity, repro-ductive problems, and other health issues. Plastic #7 is difficult to recycle and most curbside recycling programs won’t accept it. It is recycled by the industry into plastic lumber and other cus-tom-made products. To summarize: try to avoid plastics with the recycling symbols 3, 6, and 7. Look for symbols 1, 2, 4, and 5, as these plastics are considered to be safest in terms of human and animal consump-tion and are generally recyclable. And avoid using plastics at all whenever possible!

April means spring is in full force for our area. Here are some of

the animal behaviors to look for this month.

Birds

Bobwhite quail nest now through September.

Migrant warblers concentrate on coasts after cold fronts.

Get those hummingbird feeders up! Hummingbirds are back

and feeding.

Grosbeaks, warblers, tanagers, orioles, and thrashers begin

returning.

Mammals

Black bears begin moving.

Long-tailed weasels, minks, and river otters will be born April

through May.

Endangered Gray Bats return to caves to raise young.

Amphibians/Reptiles

Pine barrens treefrogs begin calling.

Most Florida snakes begin mating rituals.

Beginning of Sea Turtle nesting season on Florida beaches.

Alligators begin moving about, seeking new territories and

mates.

Fish

The cobia migration is in full swing in the Panhandle.

Insects

Plant extra parsley for black swallowtail butterfly larvae.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 5 April, 2015

WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS courtesy of www.wec.ufl.edu/extension

CATCHWEED BEDSTRAW by L. Morris

Catchweed Bedstraw, also known as Stickywilly is from the Rubiaceae family. Gallium aparine L., is a broadleaf weed and is found through-out North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. It may be classi-fied as a winter OR a summer annual weed. Its flowers provide a food source for some beneficial insects. Cotyledons (seed leaves) are oblong to egg shaped, have slightly notched tips and are either hairless or have tiny hairs. Cotyledon and stalk combined are 2/5-1-1/5 inches (9-30 mm.) long. The stem above the cotyledons is square in cross-section and the first leaf set has two somewhat unequal pairs of leaves. You definitely do not want to walk through this unprotected. Otherwise you will soon discover why it is called Stickywilly. References: Weeds of Southern Turf Grasses http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/weedboard/other%20weeds/HTM%20pages/catchweed%20bedstraw.htm http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/catchweed_bedstraw.html

The Jokester

Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stu-

pid people that stops bright ideas from pene-

trating. The bozone layer, unfortunately,

shows little sign of breaking down in the

near future.

Cajun series

hibiscus.

Photos cour-

tesy of Dick

H.

AVAILABLE INVASIVE! by D. Stever

The Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 40–50ft tall. The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of camphor when crushed. In spring, it produces bright green foliage with masses of small white flowers. It produces clusters of black berry-like fruit around approximately 1/3 in diameter. Its pale bark is very rough and fissured vertically. The Camphor tree is native to China and other parts of South-east Asia, and has been introduced to many other countries. Camphor is widely planted as a shade tree, screen, or wind-break. In China and Japan, it is grown commercially for its medicinal oil. Camphor oil has a strong penetrating fra-grance, a pungent bitter fla-vor, and feels cool on the skin like menthol, though it also has irritating qualities as well as a numbing effect. Cam-phor has been used to treat ailments ranging from para-sitic infections to toothaches. Scientific evidence has con-firmed that chemicals in the plant have value in antisep-tics and medications. In Florida the Camphor tree is able to rapidly displace native trees and infest forests and other natural areas. This invasive species displaces native plants due to its fast growth habit and the ability to produce large amounts of seed. The seed is readily eaten and spread by

birds. This species is also spread by wildlife and other animals that eat the fruit, spreading the seed to different areas. Nurseries and garden centers sell Camphor tree as a popular ornamental plant which aids in its dispersal in landscaped ar-eas. Because camphor tree is available in garden centers and nurseries, home-owners are able to purchase plants, ensuring its survival and spread. Camphor tree is not on the Federal or State Noxious Weed List; however it is listed as a Category I species on the Florida

Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) list of invasive species. FLEPPC considers Cate-gory I plants invasive ex-otic species that displace or disrupt native plant com-munities, alter the ecology of the environment, or hy-bridize with native species. More Information: www.floridata.com/ref/C/cinn_cam.cfm http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/101

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 6 April, 2015

JOHN H. MCMAHON

John H. McMahon, age

90, longtime resident of

Crestview, Fla., passed

away Monday morning,

March 9, 2015. He was

born in Fort Myers, Fla.,

and grew up in Arkan-

sas. John was drafted at

the age of 18 and sent to

Europe where he fought

in the Battle of the

Bulge. In 1951, he

moved to Florida to

work as a state forester.

Upon retiring from the

State after 30 years of

service, John worked as a consulting forester. John

loved God and this beautiful earth, and was passionate

about educating people about nature and the environ-

ment. He developed and managed the John McMahon

Environmental Center in Crestview. He was an ac-

complished writer and poet, and was the poet laureate

for the Florida Forestry Service. John was a faithful

member of First United Methodist Church in Crest-

view, and taught the same

Sunday school class for

over 60 years.

Susan (Little Girl Series)

Photo courtesy of Dick H.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 7 April, 2015

UPDATES AND INFO by Staff

The following helpful hint is courtesy of Ed S. We all have lots of photos on our phones, computers. Ever think about that? If there are photos you really care about, print them out. Find out why by checking out this article. http://tinyurl.com/qgeqnjq

PESTS AND INSECTS: New Thrips-Transmitted Plant Viruses in Florida Crops http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2015/02/27/new-thrips-transmitted-plant-viruses-in-florida-crops/

Urban Pests and Pest Management - The warm southern states provide an ideal environment for a wide variety of pests — and because almost everyone has problems with pests, most urban areas are sprayed with pesticides. 30 to 40 percent of pesticide use is in urban areas, but most pesticide applications are unnec-essary and can result in environmental contamination and hu-man exposure to pesticideshttp://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1073

Robbing Behavior in Honey Bees - Western honey bee workers can invade and steal honey/nectar from other colonies or sugar/corn syrup from feeders used to deliver syrup to other colonies. This is called “robbing” behavior. Robbing behavior typically involves the collection of nectar and honey, but not pollen or brood. Some beekeepers report that robbing bees may steal wax or propolis from other hives, but there is not much data available on this occurrence. Robbing behavior can escalate quickly from just a few bees robbing other colonies to a massive frenzy of bees robbing many colonies in an apiary. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1064 Tawny Crazy Ant (previously known as Caribbean crazy ant) - Nylanderia fulva is part of a group of ants referred to as “crazy ants” due to their quick and erratic movements. It has been re-ported from 27 counties of Florida and 27 counties of Texas, as well as from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Huge number of workers in infested areas can make human activities uncomfortable and difficult. They can infest sidewalks, buildings and gardens, and damage phone lines, air conditioning units and computers. They have killed honey bee larvae and used the hives as their nests, and are even displacing red imported fire ants where the two populations overlap in Texas. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1071 Fiddlewood leafroller - These caterpillars roll up leaves of the host plants and use the rolled leaves as larval retreats and loca-tions for pupal cocoons. Although these leaf-eating pests do no permanent damage, they can completely defoliate fiddlewood, a Florida native that can form a large shrub or small tree. The shrub simply puts out a new flush of leaves. The larvae them-selves are valuable food source for baby birds during the spring dry season in Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1079 Squash Vine Borer - Squash vine borer is a moth species that is active during the day (diurnal). The larvae complete their growth and development on wild and domesticated species of the genus Cucurbita. Once only considered a nuisance to commercial growers, with the expansion of cucurbit production in the United States over the last decade, the squash vine borer has become a pest of economic importance. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1068 Rice Bug - Broad-headed bugs belong to a well-known but rela-tively small family of plant-feeding true bugs, usually seen feed-ing on the foliage and flowers of leguminous and graminaceous crops. Leptocorisa acuta (Thunberg) can be found on many crop

plants in the family Poaceae (grasses), especially rice, and is a reported pest of economic significance in rice-producing coun-tries like India, Australia, and China. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1067 Wellsina Mite - This predatory mite was recently discovered in an unsprayed greenhouse at the University of Florida, Gaines-ville, living on Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium orchids, and as-sumed to be feeding on orchid pests such as spider mites, tenui-palpid mites, and mealybugs that were present on the orchids. Because there was no published information on this species as a natural enemy of orchid pests, colonies were initiated here to study its biology, maintained on two-spotted spider mite prey. Hemicheyletia wellsina does not appear likely to be an effective natural enemy in agricultural crops as an introduced predator, but could be beneficial in natural biological control in natural ecosystems, where pest densities are lower. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1066 Io Moth - The beautiful Io moth is one of our most recognizable moths, because of its prominent hind wing eyespots. The attrac-tive Io moth caterpillar is also well-known because of its painful sting. But like many of the other saturniid moths, is less common now in parts of its range. With the exception of Cape Cod and some of the Massachusetts islands, it is now rare in New England where it was once common, and its populations have declined in most of the Gulf States since the 1970s. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1065

Yellowmargined Leaf Beetle: A Pest of Cole Crops - The yellow-margined leaf beetle is a pest of cole or cruciferous crops that is native to South America. Since first reported in Mobile, Ala-bama, in 1947, the beetle has spread throughout the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida and up into Georgia and North Carolina. It has also been reported from Illinois and California. Not consid-ered a major pest in conventionally grown cruciferous crops be-cause it is susceptible to a wide range of insecticides, it poses a significant threat to the growing organic industry in the south-eastern United States. It is a particular problem on Asian greens such as mizuna, mibuna, and napa cabbage, as well as on other high-value cruciferous crops like turnip, mustard, and water-cress. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1049

ANIMALS:

Habitat Requirements of the Florida Panther - The Florida pan-ther (Puma concolor coryi) was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1967. Habitat loss and fragmentation are primary threats, driven by urban development and the con-version of rangelands to row crops, citrus production, and min-ing. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw390

The Jokester:

A bus station is where a bus stops.

A train station is where a train stops.

On my desk, I have a work station….

UPDATES AND INFO cont’d.

ANIMALS: The Florida Panther: Past, Present, and Future - Florida panther was presumed extinct by the early 1950s, but were rediscovered in 1973 by a survey team organized by the National Geographic Society. They were one of the first species to be added to the US endangered species list and are now the only population of North American puma that occurs east of Mississippi River. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw402

PLANTS:

Bismarckia nobilis: Bismarck Palm The Bismarck palm is a na-tive of Madagascar that grows to a height of 30 to 60 feet with a spread of 12 to 16 feet. The massive 4-foot-wide costapalmate leaves are typically silver-green in color, but a light olive-green-leaved variety also exists. The persistent leaf bases are split, cre-ating an attractive pattern on the 15–18-inch-diameter trunks. The dark brown male and female inflorescences are produced on separate trees, with females developing olive-brown fruit about 1.5 inches in diameter. The bold texture and color and eventual great height of this species make a strong statement in any set-ting, but can be overpowering in small residential landscapes. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st101

Howea forsteriana: Kentia Palm The kentia palm is considered one of the best interior palms for its durability and elegant ap-pearance. The dark green graceful crown of up to three dozen leaves gives it a tropical appearance. Containerized palms can be used on a deck or patio in a shady location or the palm can be planted into the landscape. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st297

Hairy Indigo Control in Peanut - Hairy indigo is an annual leg-ume that was introduced to Florida as a forage crop. It has since escaped cultivation and can be a troublesome weed in some crop settings, particularly in peanut production, since we are attempt-ing to control a legume weed in a legume crop. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag391

Selecting Cultivars of Lettuce For Production Using Hydroponics and Protected Culture in Florida - With correct variety selection and protected culture strategies, lettuce is a crop that can pre-sent even the novice grower with a fast-growing commodity for market sale. Includes brief descriptions of hydroponic lettuce production systems, cultivars, and a table summarizing the let-tuce types successfully grown in Florida using protected agricul-ture and hydroponic techniques. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1258

BOOKSTORE:

BOOKSTORE: SP 496 Trees: North & Central Florida ($24.95)

This sturdy, pocket-sized field guide–the only one of its kind for north and central Florida–is designed for landscape profession-als, arborists, naturalists, gardeners, and anyone seeking to know the trees around them. Full color photographs of leaves, bark, flowers and full trees, together with clear descriptions and other information make identifying trees easier than ever. The book also features a handy diagnostic key, an introduction to plant parts, a glossary and a ruler to guide you, whether you’re a trained botanist or a total beginner. This field guide to 140 com-mon tree species is written by Andrew Koeser, Gitta Hasing,

Melissa Friedman, and Robert Irving and published by UF/IFAS. Available only at the UF/IFAS Extension Bookstore. Nutrient Management of Vegetable and Agronomic Row Crops Handbook - Through the implementation of a series of targeted cultural practices discussed in this production guide, growers should be able to reconcile economic profitability and responsi-ble use of water and fertilizer. Topics include: proper sampling practices and test interpretations; irrigation management meth-ods and automation; use of alternate fertilizer materials to retain nutrients in the soil but allow adequate supply for crop uptake. Use of these BMPs ensures that adequate fertilizer rates may be achieved by combinations of UF/IFAS recommended base rates and supplemental fertilizer applications. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss639

OTHER:

Ten Strategies for Working with Your Home Owner Association to Convert to a Florida-Friendly Yard - Many homeowners are beginning to rethink their landscapes for several reasons, includ-ing mandated water and fertilizer restrictions, increasing main-tenance costs, and concern for the environment. But over sixty million people now live in neighborhoods governed by Home-owner Associations, whose regulations can make it difficult to implement some changes by mandating types of plants, percent-ages of turf and plant material, location of plant materials, and restricting specialty gardens to back yards. More environmen-tally sound landscapes are possible with careful planning and design and by using an educated and knowledgeable approach to working with the HOA board to gain approval for a new land-scape. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep513 Economic Impacts of Highway Beautification in Florida - The Florida Department of Transportation is allocated money every year for highway landscaping projects. They make driving more pleasant and are better for the environment, but do they attract private investment and contribute to the economy? This study, commissioned by the FDOT, finds that the average annual eco-nomic impacts of highway beautification expenditures in Florida during 2008–2013 amounted to $46 million in output impacts and $28 million in value-added impacts. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe963

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 8 April, 2015

The Jokester

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is

like an unopened gift...Thrown away...Life is not a

race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the

song is over.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 9 April, 2015

On occasion, we get asked what is it that Master Gardeners do.

The normal response is that we volunteer for the University of

Florida/IFAS Extension to assist agents in providing research-

based horticultural education to Florida residents. In reality, we

are a lot more than that.

For starters, we have the offices at the Extension building in

Crestview and the Annex in Ft. Walton Beach. At those locations,

we perform soil pH testing (free to the public) as well as handle

telephone calls and walk-ins. You never know what those visits

might bring. Anything from how to take care of weeds in a lawn

to identifying insects and helping folks determine what is the

best variety of a plant for their particular situation.

We teach folks how to read that pesky fertilizer label and how to

calibrate their sprinkler system. Not only are we providing a

valuable educational service, we are also helping owners save

money and protect the environment!

We have the nursery located at the Annex. It may be small but

my, oh my, the things they are able to do in there! Those who

work there learn about propagating and caring for the plants.

The plants grown go towards beautifying the Extension land-

scape as well as being sold to the public.

We attend local events with our information booth as well as

provide speakers for groups. At the BIA home show we were in

direct contact with over 300 people! That’s a whole lot of folks

who have a better understanding on how to take care of their

gardens and landscapes.

There is the Extension landscape that recently underwent a

major upheaval. Irrigation has been installed and thanks to one

of our members who has really cool toys (i.e.: heavy equipment)

the soil amending wasn’t as back-breaking nor time consuming.

There will be more work days to get the landscape up to its full

potential as the teaching/education landscape it is meant to be.

We provide judges for the Science Fair and judges for 4-H. We

assist the Extension office for telephone coverage as well as spe-

cial projects that the agents may need assistance with.

Plant Clinics will be starting up this month. They will be held at

the Annex on the 2nd Friday of each month until October 9th

from 10am to 1pm. Our free monthly seminars have started off

really well and will be continuing on the 3rd Wednesday of each

month until October 21.

There are activities

where we celebrate

our group like our

upcoming 20th Birth-

day Bash and our

Christmas party.

In other words, there

are loads of activities

that everyone can and

should participate in.

You don’t have to sign

up for every single

thing, BUT there’s at

least one event or ac-

tivity that you can help with each month. There is plenty to do

and it doesn’t matter what your ability level is. The help is always

needed and appreciated.

Did we also mention the Phenology recording that is on-going

at the Extension office? Nature Trail? Articles for the Newslet-

ter? So many things.

Since this year marks our 20th Anniversary as an organization,

why not give the gift of your time. Make the commitment to par-

ticipate in just one thing each month. You’ll be so glad you did

and our overall outreach will just get better and better!

This is also the year of our 34th Continued Training Confer-

ence. If you have never attended one of these conferences, you

should plan on being there.

Don’t forget to log in your hours on VMS. We know that we

keep harping on this but the importance can’t be stressed

enough. These records actually benefit our organization and the

Florida Master Gardeners as a whole. These hours equate to

money when it comes time to apply for grants and awards. We

do so much and we should get credit for all that we do.

So, celebrate our 20th Anniversary year by getting involved and

joining in at least one of our many activities.

MASTER GARDENERS AT LARGE! By Staff

Photos of latest land-

scape workday. Courtesy

of Marg S.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 10 April, 2015

Infographics courtesy of www.gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu

DYE-ING FOR COLORED EGGS! by M. Stewart

Easter is just a few days from now and what says Easter more

than colored eggs? Why not give natural dyes a try this year? It’s

easy and fun. Not to mention totally cool for the nerd in all of us.

To get started you’ll need a few things:

Mordant—Alum, cream of tartar, or white vinegar will help the

colors penetrate the eggshell. These aren’t a necessity but you

will get better results if you use one of these. You’ll need one ta-

blespoon for each cup of water.

Pots—Enamel or glass pots.

Water– Use distilled water or water that has had the chlorine

filtered out.

Eggs– White eggs work best.

Dyestuff—There are a lot of things in your pantry that can make

wonderful dyes. Here are just a few:

Hibiscus flowers—reddish blue/lavender

Turmeric powder—deep gold

Safflower petals—pale yellow

Curry powder—pale orange

Chili powder—reddish brown

Paprika—orange

Dill seed—soft brown

You can also use beet juice, berries, coffee, grape juice, cran-

berry juice, lemon peels, orange peels, red cabbage leaves, tea,

onion skins…..

You’ll need: 4 cups water; of your choice of dyestuff you will

need 2-4 tablespoons of any ground herbs or spices, 1 cup if

you’re using onion skins etc; 4 tablespoons of mordant; 4 to 6

eggs. Use raw eggs if you choose the hot bath method and hard

-boiled for the cold bath method.

Hot bath—Bring all the ingredients to a boil. Add the raw eggs

and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, re-

move from heat, cover and let sit another 15 minutes. The longer

you leave the eggs in the dye, the deeper the color. Remove eggs

and gently rinse in lukewarm water. Allow to air dry.

Cold bath—Make the dye bath by brining the ingredients to a

boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the water is deeply colored.

This could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours.

Keep the lid on the pot to prevent evaporation. Strain the liquid

and cool. Add hard-boiled eggs to the dye and let soak until de-

sired color is reach.

Directions courtesy of www.frontiercoop.com

Have pictures or an idea for

an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are

always welcome.

The daily war continues within our household. Ms Pussycat thinks that Happy Hubby’s chair is the perfect spot for a nap and H.H. thinks it is HIS chair. So, there is now a special kitty towel on the couch and several times a day, Ms Puss gets carried to the couch. I’ve watched this whole scenario sev-eral times and I swear I see that cat grin each time she is carted to her new location. This is the same Queen Puss who is on the special diet due to her digestive issues. That means she gets fed on a schedule and of course there are only a few ‘flavors’ that she will condescend to subject her discern-ing pallet to. That being said, the schedule doesn’t always suit Her Highness. I have discovered that for a little cat, she is capa-ble of meowing at pitches and decibels that could shatter windows. I’m sure it’s against the Geneva Convention or something. The past week has been interesting. Be-tween having a planting bed land on me, the freezer dying, septic system acting up, getting stung on the ear, and my fan dy-ing...I was ready to run away from home and not leave a forwarding address. Oh I know, there are bigger disasters out there but did I have to enjoy all of these in the space of two days??? Seriously? Not to mention that the doctor said I need to exercise more. I’m a gardener for Pete's sake! Between weeding, moving hose con-nections (the whole pipe—not just the hose), pruning and everything else that goes with gardening...if I exercised any-more I would need to buy stock in Ben-Gay! But all of this got me to thinking. All these irritations—just how bad were they? Sure, life in general was a tad inconven-ienced...okay a whole lot inconven-ienced...you try not flushing for 24 hours. Sure, it was painful (my leg can attest to that) but we survived. We were able to nurse the freezer along and in doing so scored a really good deal on a much bigger freezer. Although H.H. has indicated that it is plenty big enough for me to be stuffed into. Hmmmmm. The septic didn’t back up into the house and the pumper was able to arrive on Mon-day. The joy of hearing a ‘whoosh’...it’s the little things in life.

I was able to find a fan that fits on my nightstand and doesn’t freeze out H.H. The man sleeps like the mummy even in the middle of the summer...he’s an alien. I got stung but we were able to remove the bee tu-cus from my anatomy AND I didn’t have a reaction. Yay!

The new planting beds look really good and I know that they’ll hold up. I don’t recommend my particular drop test but still, nothing fell off and my leg finally is a normal color again. The Battle of the Chair shall continue, I’m sure. Puss knows that she has H.H. wrapped around her paw and I think H enjoys the kitty transfer routine as much as she does. So perhaps the minor disasters in our lives are nothing more than looking at things from the wrong perspective. Instead of a problem—consider it as an opportunity just waiting for us to jump on. Fine, I’ll park a few more spaces away from the door and use a broom to sweep the patio instead of the blower. That is about the limit to increasing my exercise quo-tient. I will continue the feeding schedule that I want with Madam Puss and I know there will be some days that she will win and others that I will. Take the victories when you can right? I will employ more assistance when it comes to moving things that are bigger than I am. I will also not be the one walk-ing backwards the next time something is moved. I will keep the septic guy’s number in the book instead of having to go back through 5 years of check registers to try and find the name of the company. (Pitiful I know) But in the mean time, I wonder if it would be too much to ask of the Universe if I could do without a few ‘opportunities’ for a while? I don’t think my wallet nor my body can handle anymore for the time being. Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter!

Plentiful Plantings

M. Stewart —Editor

S. Farrell , K. Harper and S.

Berry—co-editors

LAST WORD By M. Stewart

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication April, 2015

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.