11

Inside this

issue:

Seeds for the

Future

2

Mini Melons 3

Coming Soon! 3

Good Guy 4

Walk on the

Wild Side

4

Food for

Thought

5

News and 5

Book Review 6

Let’s Get

Serious

6

Events 7

8

Last Word 9

...for discerning weeders September, 2013 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

WEED OF THE MONTH By Jenny G.

DON’T FORGET TO

LOG YOUR HOURS

ONTO THE VMS

SYSTEM!

Click here to enter

August/September! This is the height of sum-

mer weed season!! Garden beds are sharing

space with a host of annual weeds. Young

Chamberbitter-looking like mini Mimosa trees—

are everywhere. Ground-hugging Spurge

sprouts up every minute or two! You’ll likely

find Florida Pusley hugging the ground as well—

sporting its 2-four petaled white flowers. Oxalis

masquerading as a Clover look-a-like, Dollar-

weed, loving this rainy, summer weather and a

host of other weeds are vying for space.

Common Lambsquarters, Chenopodium al-

bum, is present too. This rapidly-growing sum-

mer annual weed can grow from a few inches to

a grand 6 feet! This extremely variable growth

behavior depends on location and enables the

plant to adapt to many environmental condi-

tions. It is often found along roadsides or in

open fields. Yet plants found in lawns or gar-

dens may produce seeds when only a couple

inches tall!

Lambsquarters really prefer the rich soil of our

flower gardens or vegetable beds. Its leaves vary

in shape from triangular to ovate to lanceolate.

The first two true leaves are opposite and ovate

with smooth edges. Later leaves are alternate,

arrowhead-shaped with unevenly –toothed edg-

es. At the top of the plant, the leaves become

long and narrow.

Leaves are pale green and covered with a white

or gray coating that give the appearance of frost;

but the undersides can be purplish. Flowers are

small, inconspicuous, yellow-green, and occur

in clusters at the tips of branches and upper leaf

axils. Flowers occur from July to September.

Seed color varies from black to brown to brown-

ish-green. A single plant can produce thousands

of seeds which can persist in the soil for years.

These seeds have been known to survive 30-40

years!

The weedy nature of Lambsquarters comes

from its adapta-

bility rather than

from the aggres-

siveness that

characterizes

many other

weeds.

Lambsquarters is

not destructively

competitive; its survival depends primarily on

seed production. Once pollination and seed set

occur, so many seeds are produced that a carpet

of Lambsquarters can emerge even in fields fre-

quently cultivated. Seed longevity ensures the

continued presence of seedlings for years after a

population is apparently controlled. New infes-

tations of Lambsquarters are patchy, but stands

soon become so dense that they may smother

crops.

The best methods of weed control in the home

vegetable garden are mulching, hand pulling,

rototilling, hoeing and preventing the weeds

from going to seed. Because of its short,

branched taproot, Lambsquarters can be easily

hand-pulled from moist soil. the seeds are so

persistent in the soil, removal of escapes from

the garden before they set seeds is critical for

long-term control.

Prevention by use of good cultural habits

should be the first line of defense in eliminating

broadleaf weeds such as Lambsquarters from

lawns and gardens. Pre-emergent herbicides can

be used to prevent germination of this weeds

seeds. Post-emergent herbicides effective

against broadleaf weeds are 2,4-D, MCPP and

dicamba (sold under many brand names) and

combination formulas. Read labels to be sure

the herbicide is effective against the weeds you

want to eliminate and carefully follow labeled

directions. Continued on page 2

22

Weed continued

You can find more information on this tenacious weed at the following links:

Penn State Extension—weed id

Colorado State—Weed

Lehigh Valley Master Gardeners

SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE By Ed S.

Some have called this the "Noah’s Ark for Plants" and some even

call it the "Doomsday Seed Vault." These names may offer a con-

cept of this important project but the official name of "Svalbard

Global Seed Vault" is derived from the physical location and its

purpose.

The seed vault is on the tiny island of Spitsbergen which is part

of the Arctic Svalbard archipelago approximately 810 miles

south of the North Pole. This location was selected for its tecton-

ic stability, extremely cold temperatures, elevation (430 ft.) and

remoteness. While there are estimated to be about 1400 other

official seed collections around the world, only Svalbard has the

capacity to withstand world class cataclysms.

The purpose of this seed vault is to provide a secure resource

should traditional plant gene banks suffer a lost of diversity.

Even though this is the stated mission it was considered prudent

to design the facility to withstand the ravages of man and time.

The storage capacity is in excess of 4.5 million varieties of plant

seeds and they are supplied from countries around the world. All

donated seeds remain the property of the contributor. Various

varieties of wheat, corn, rice and other grain crops were some of

the first to be housed.

Seeds are stored on metal shelves in heat sealed 4 ply envelopes

at a temperature of 0º F which is the recommended standard. By

design the temperature should never rise above 27º F even with

an extended power outage. This should provide viable seeds for

hundreds of years. Under these conditions grain seeds could stay

viable for thousands of years.

Construction and operational expense have been provided by the

government of Norway. Excavation began in 2006 and the vault

became operational in 2008. Although they do not maintain a

permanent on site staff, electronic monitors maintain a constant

vigil. The vault is normally opened to accept seed contributions

once a year.

The following details provide a better understanding of the phys-

ical characteristics. The only visible portion above ground is re-

ferred to as the "fin." This rather narrow entrance shaft has high-

ly reflective stainless steel mirrors and prisms above the dual

blast proof doors. These surfaces serve the purposes of an artistic

display as well as a highly visible reflective beacon for future gen-

erations. The entrance shaft extends 390 ft. through limestone to

three storage chambers. Meter thick concrete walls help to main-

tain the structure stability and temperature.

Gary Fowler was the instigator of the project and his 17 minute

presentation at a TED conference is also very informative. I high-

ly recommend it. You can say this man has truly made a differ-

ence. Visit the site at : Gary Fowler: One seed at a time, protect-

ing the future of food

A good gardener always plants 3 seeds -

one for the bugs, one for the weather and one for himself.

- Leo Aikman

33

MINI MELONS By Karen H.

Single-serving cantaloupes? Yes, you can grow that! All you need

is a little space and the right seed variety. Miniature watermelons

are also a possibility for your garden. As the popularity of these

mini melons increases, seed companies are developing varieties

with improved characteristics.

The miniature 6-inch watermelon was developed by crossing

wild dwarf varieties of melon found outside the U.S. with com-

mercial strains with the goal of producing mini melons with thin

skins and a very flavorful flesh. The mini watermelons are made

seedless by generating two “master” hybrid lines: one with the

usual two sets of chromosomes and one with four sets. When the

two are crossed with one another, they produce seedless fruit

with three sets of chromosomes!

What is the attraction of these mini

-melons? Well, they're cute as heck.

But aside from that, those who

can't consume a huge melon may

welcome the smaller size. And the

minis leave more room in the re-

frigerator. Consumers have the

choice of many colors, flavors and

textures to consider. Mini water-

melons are striped as well as solid-

colored, with dark-green skins.

There's even a yellow mini watermelon. Mini cantaloupes and

muskmelons come in red, orange, yellow and yellow-orange flesh

colors. Most parts of a melon are edible — the flesh, rind and

seeds. Melons are high in vitamin C, fiber and potassium. The

more colorful the melon's flesh, the higher its antioxidant con-

tent. Red and orange fleshed types contain carotenoids, a known

cancer fighter.

Melons are a vining crop and they tend to sprawl, which is not a

problem if you have plenty of space. If, however, you are space-

challenged and need to grow your crops vertically, melons are

going to require support. Here is a good article about trellising

your mini-melons. http://tinyurl.com/mwgfd5y

And should you wish to grow your mini-melons in containers (as

I would be likely to do in my small intensive gardening space)

this article has advice on how to do that: http://tinyurl.com/

ll2ujya

Some of the mini-cantaloupe varieties developed in recent years

are 'Little Sweeti', 'Serenade', 'Tasty Bites', 'Hales Best' and

'Hearts of Gold'. And for those who prefer honeydew, there is

'Mini Muskateer'. Some smaller watermelon varieties are:

'Emerald Gems' and 'Pony Red Mini Watermelon'. Melothria

Scabra, or 'Mexican Miniature Watermelon', produces watermel-

on-looking fruit that are only 1-2 inches in diameter. The fruit

taste and rind are more like a cucumber, though. Other true mini

watermelon varieties include 'Bush Sugar Baby' and 'Golden

Midget'. The most difficult aspect of growing mini-melons seems

to be locating seeds! I've put together the following list of sources

and I hope it's helpful to you if you decide to add mini-melons to

your garden:

Cantaloupe and watermelons:

http://tinyurl.com/lnlukz3

http://tinyurl.com/k93ehtc

http://tinyurl.com/lezu3e4

Here's a mini muskmelon: http://tinyurl.com/lfjrquu

Baker Creek Heirlooms also has a

variety of mini-melons http://

tinyurl.com/ldu2zqq

Burpee Seeds also offers a variety

of bush cantaloupe that would be

ideal for the small garden: http://

tinyurl.com/ld8uad9

And now, it's time for true confes-

sions. I don't like melons, not one

little bit. Never have. I don't like the taste, the smell or the tex-

ture of them. They're one of the very few fruits I dislike. Yes, I

was the neighborhood weirdo when we were kids and everyone

else was digging into ice-cold watermelon on hot summer after-

noons. I suppose I had a popsicle. And I'm still the weirdo who

surreptitiously picks the melon out of her fruit salad. However, I

must say that while researching and writing this article I was

smitten by some of those very cute little melons and since I al-

ways welcome a new gardening challenge, I think I will grow

some of them next summer. And promptly give them away when

ripe. Bon appetit to the rest of you melon lovers! :)

COMING SOON!!

Do you have a gardening question? Send your questions to The Compost Pile and the Garden Guru will answer them!

Do you have an item to sell? Something that you are looking for? Interested in a trade? Send your information in to The Compost

Pile and they will be added to the Farmer’s Market page!

As always, if you have an article, picture or idea...send it in to The Compost Pile! All submissions are welcome!

Submissions for The Compost Pile are due no later than the 24th of each month for inclusion in the next month’s issue.

44

ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS By Linda M.

Florida pinesnakes mate in spring and the early summer; dur-

ing this time, males actively seek females across large areas of

their habitat. Females lay 4–8 very large, white, leathery eggs in

June or July. Eggs are typically laid in an existing underground

cavity or burrow. They hatch in approximately 2 months, requir-

ing a much longer incubation period than most snakes.

Pinesnake hatchlings are also larger than most snake hatchlings,

with an average length of 15 inches.

Habitat fragmentation and habitat destruction for extensive

commercial and residential development and the roads that

accompany development are the most significant threats to the

survival of Florida pinesnakes. In order to conserve Florida

pinesnakes, we must protect large tracts of upland habitat, ac-

tively manage this land using prescribed burning, and maintain

the connectivity between habitats. Like many large snakes, Flor-

ida pinesnakes require large tracts of habitat – the home range

of a male snake may be as large as 400 acres – and cannot thrive

in small habitat patches.

Most importantly, we can help to conserve Florida pinesnakes

(and other snakes) by learning more about them and educating

others.

Sources of information: Florida Museum of Natural History

The Florida Pinesnake: Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus by Ga-

briel J. Miller, Steve A. Johnson, and Lora L. Smith,

Publication #WEC 251

WA

LK

ON

TH

E W

ILD

SID

E

Courte

sy L

inda M

.

Here we are with Fall just around the corner along with

the most active month of hurricane season. Migrating spe-

cies will be seen and lots of other wildlife activity. Here's

what to look for:

Birds

Get feeders ready for returning birds.

Bald eagles return to nest sites and begin courtship. Bald

eagles live near rivers,

lakes, and marshes

where they can find fish,

their staple food. Bald

eagles will also feed on

waterfowl, turtles, rab-

bits, snakes, and other

small animals and carri-

on.

Mammals

Gray bats migrate to Alabama caves for winter hiberna-

tion.

Amphibians

Start listening for Spadefoot toads after heavy rains.

Spadefoot toads are so named for a single, sharp edged,

black spade that occurs on each of the hind feet. This fea-

ture enables the amphibian to burrow vertically into sandy

or loose soils.

Fish

Atlantic sturgeon begin fall migration from the Suwannee

and Apalachicola Rivers as well as other coastal rivers to

the Gulf of Mexico.

Fall Mullet migration to the gulf begins.

Invertebrates

Blue crabs migrate from the shallow panhandle coast to

deeper water for the winter. The blue crab (Callinectes

sapidus) supports one of Florida's top commercial fisher-

ies in terms of pounds harvested and dockside value.

Blue crab "jubilee" also begins along panhandle beaches.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Carol B., Jenny G., Shirley H., John P., Gail S., and Lynne T.

55

FOOD FOR THOUGHT By Lee V.

Blueberry Preserves

2 1/2 cups blueberries,

stemmed and washed

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 T. lemon juice, fresh or

from the bottle

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 box powdered pectin

Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and

nutmeg in a large nonreactive pan over high heat. Bring to a boil

stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add pectin quickly

then return to heat. Boil for two minutes, using a wooden spoon

to crush the berries. Remove from heat and pour into two 1/2

pint jars. Store in refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Two-in-One Pear Condiment

Wash, peel and core five medium ripe pears saving the peels.

Wrap the peels in muslin, tie and place in a large non-reactive

pot. Cut the pear flesh into inch pieces and add these to the pot.

Add one cup of water. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce

to medium heat and cook until the pear flesh is tender, stirring

to keep from scorching. Remove from heat. Separate the juice

from the flesh by straining through a colander, squeezing as

much juice as possible from the pear peels in muslin. Discard the

pear peels.

Recipe number one - Pear Jelly

3 cups pear juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 T. lemon juice, fresh or bottled

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

2 T. powdered pectin

Place the pear juice, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a pan.

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the pec-

tin then return to a boil for one minute. Pour hot mixture into

1/2 pint jars.

Recipe number two - Pear Butter

2 cups cooked pear flesh

1 cup sugar

2 T. honey

1 T. lemon juice, fresh or bottled

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Process the pear flesh in a food processor to a consistency you

desire. If you like chunky pear butter, chop the flesh roughly. For

smoother butter, process longer. Combine the pear flesh, sugar,

honey, cinnamon and lemon juice in a pan. Bring to a boil over

high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low and

cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Pour hot

mixture into 1/2 pint jars.

You may omit the cinna-

mon from these recipes.

Other spices you may try

are nutmeg, ground

cloves and allspice to

your taste. Remember,

pears have a delicate fla-

vor and using too much

of any spice may subdue

that flavor.

NEWS AND NOTES Links and information courtesy of our Master Gardeners

Another view of genetic engineering:

The Race to Save the Orange

Tomato chlorotic spot virus, first reported

in 2012. 5-page fact sheet.

Asiatic garden beetle Maladera castanea

in Florida. 3-page fact sheet.

Florida Peach and Nectarine Varieties. 8-

page fact sheet.

Companion to the Florida Vegetable Gar-

dening Guide—Organic Vegetable Garden-

ing in Florida.

Scarlet-bodied wasp moth (Cosmosoma

myrodora)

10 PowerPoint Tips

Wondering what sort of snake you’ve en-

countered? Not sure how to find out what

it is? Florida Museum of Natural History

has a great snake identification tool.

Thinking about trying your hand at can-

ning? Been canning for a while and won-

dering if you are doing it right? You can

download the USDA Complete Guide to

Home Canning—FREE.

THE ONLY

REASON I KEEP

THIS

IS TO

FIND

THIS!

66

LET’S BE SERIOUS ABOUT CEREUS! By Lee V.

Many of you grow night blooming cereus. Did you know that the

term "night blooming cereus" applies to at least nine different

species of cactus? The term "cereus" simply defines a family of

epiphytic or columnar cacti some of which are night blooming.

The most common, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, is grown through-

out the world as a houseplant while others, such as Hylocereus

undatus, is grown commercially as a food source, dragonfruit.

Peniocereus greggii has an underground tuber and very thin

above ground stems. It is native to the southwestern United

States while Echinopsis pachanoi grows vertically to several feet

tall and is native to South America. It is grown primarily as an

ornamental feature but, in its native environment, is also used

medicinally and in certain religious ceremonies.

Harrisia is a night bloomer native to South America, the Carib-

bean Islands and south Florida. It has been introduced into oth-

er countries and is considered an invasive. In Southeast Asia,

this plant is grown atop walls to discourage invaders, human and

animal!

Monvillea appear throughout

tropical America and their stems

have three to five ribs, typically

thin, with stout spines. Nycto-

cereus has many thorns and its

pinkish flowers are very fra-

grant, like gardenias. Selenic-

ereus is native to the Antilles

and Central America and is very

rare in cultivation.

Trichocereus is a group of co-

lumnar plants from South Amer-

ica which vary from very large

tree-like plants to low clumping

and sprawling forms and have

white to pinkish large tubular flowers.

So, as you see, although you may have a night blooming cereus, it

may one of may different varieties.

Ephiphyllum oxypetalum,

courtesy of Ed F.

BOOK REVIEW By Marg S.

What do you do when you found the ‘perfect’ plant, one that you

started from seed, and you want to grow it again. The problem is,

you don’t remember where you got the seed. Now you could

spend hours scouring the internet and seed catalogs OR you

could save the seeds from the plant you are growing.

Most of us have saved seeds at some point or another. But if you

want to take your seed saving to a whole new level, there are two

books you should seriously consider.

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving

and Growing Techniques for

Vegetable Gardeners by Su-

zanne Ashworth and fore-

word by Kent Whealy and

pictures by David Cavagnaro.

This book is over 200 pages

describes the techniques for

saving seeds of 160 different

vegetables. There is detailed

information about each vege-

table including its botanical

classification, flower struc-

ture, means of pollination,

required population size, isolation, techniques. Also included is

information on harvesting, drying, cleaning, and storing the

seeds. I should warn you, if you haven’t tried the recommended

method for saving tomato seeds, it’s gross.

The Complete Guide to Saving

Seeds: 322 Vegetables, Herbs,

Fruits, Flowers, Trees, and

Shrubs by Robert E. Gough and

Cheryl Moore-Gough is another

great book. This book includes

descriptions of seed biology,

tips on how to select plants for

the best seeds, proper storage

and care, propagating and car-

ing for new seedlings—all in

fairly easy-to-follow instruc-

tions. This book includes woody

ornamentals and a section on

trying your hand at hybridizing whereas Seed to Seed does not.

Both books run about the same price on Amazon.com between

$14 and $17 paperback editions.

Seed to Seed receives 4 1/2 tomatoes

out of 5.

The Complete Guide receives 5 tomatoes only because it has

more than vegetables included.

77

General Membership Meeting

September 4th 9:00am

Crestview Extension Office

3098 Airport Road

Crestview, FL 32539

SATURDAY

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

9AM TO 3PM

NORTHWEST FLORIDA FAIRGROUNDS

1958 LEWIS TURNER BLVD.

FT. WALTON BEACH

33RD ANNUAL

FLORIDA MASTER GARDENER

CONTINUED TRAINING CONFERENCE

OCTOBER 20-23, 2013

EMBASSY SUITES ORLANDO

LAKE BUENA VISTA SOUTH

KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA

NOTE:

THE 3 DAY CONFERENCES ARE GOING TO AN ALTER-

NATE YEAR SCHEDULE. THE NEXT CONFERENCE

WILL BE HELD IN 2015.

88

FLORIDA PECAN FIELD DAY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH

8:30AM (EDT)

JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE

2729 WEST WASHINGTON STREET

MONTICELLO, FL

LIMITED PESTICIDE TRAINING AND EXAM

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

8am to 3:30pm

3098 AIRPORT ROAD

CRESTVIEW, FL 32539

International Citrus & Beverage Conference

September 17-20

Sheraton sand Key Resort

Clearwater Beach, FL

SAFETY FIRST FOR ALL

SEPTEMBER 16TH

3:30PM TO 6:30PM

DESTINY WORSHIP CENTER PARKING LOT

122 POINCIANA BLVD.

DESTIN, FL

99

Your member site:

www.ocmgamembers.org

The Foundation for the Gator

Nation.....An equal opportunity

institution.

Have pictures or an idea for

an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are

always welcome.

It’s been a pondering sort of week

here at the homestead.

To begin with, I understand that cats

will get hairballs. I also understand

that those hairballs need to be, ahem,

ejected on occasion. Why is it that this

never occurs on the vinyl flooring and

must be accomplished over several lo-

cations.....on the carpet??? I did my

best to explain the logic of vinyl versus

carpet to the culprit of the day but I

doubt my argument worked very well.

I also attempted to convince the cul-

prit of the early morning that a dime

sized hole in the food dish, does not

mean that starvation is imminent and

therefore does not require repeated

meowing and/or paws to the face in

order to get me out of bed well before

the appointed time.

At some point during the week I de-

cided that I was bored with my normal

morning cereal, I bought one of those

variety packs to see if there was some-

thing else that would appeal to me.

Fruit Loops™, now there’s something I

haven’t had in quite a while. When the

heck did purple and blue end up in

there??? I’m sorry, but there is also

something very wrong with seeing

“WHOLE GRAIN!” and other such

stuff on a box of cereal that I used to

consider ‘fun.’ They didn’t even taste

like Fruit Loops™.

This was reminiscent of the great Jell-

O 1-2-3™ disaster of 2012? Anyone

remember that stuff? That was the one

you mixed up and it separated into 3

distinct layers. I decided that I really,

really, wanted some of that. I couldn’t

locate it in the stores, nor anywhere on

-line. It seems that it went off the mar-

ket in 1996.

Being an intrepid soul, I decided to

give the recipes out there that claim to

duplicate it a try. But you only get 2

layers. Gone is that middle layer of not

quite Jell-O™, not quite foamy.

Football season is here and now there

is some rule in place for high hits. Pret-

ty soon they’ll be running up and down

the field slapping each other instead of

tackles. In the midst of pondering some

of the rule changes of late, our HD TV

showed that there are certain camera

angles that are just plain WRONG!

Certain angles of the front line—no—

they should not be shown.....ever.!!!!

Between the rain and not being able

to work in the yard means that my gar-

den looks pitiful.

This all just means that I’ve been pon-

dering a lot more than normal. Ponder-

ing why we’re quick to get rid of things

and so quick to change others. Some-

times, yes, it’s for the good...but why do

we accept it when it’s just plain awful?

Oh sure, the hairball fiasco is not the

end of the world. All it requires is a bit

of elbow grease on my part and the

world rotates on its axis as per usual. A

bit of planning on my part in the even-

ing will eliminate the ‘empty dish’ syn-

drome.

I’ll find another cereal—considering

all the ones with chocolate somewhere

in the mix...that shouldn’t be too diffi-

cult. I’ll accept that the dessert of my

childhood just doesn’t exist anymore

and get over it.

I’m getting more able to work outside

in the yard so I know after a few days of

work the garden will look nice again.

I suppose that is the lesson learned—

even though hairballs happen, things

change or go away, cameras will not

always show our ’good’ side and gar-

dens will get weeds...nothing is perma-

nent and it all can be worked with,

around, and through.

So the next time you end up with a

‘pondering’ sort of week...just remind

yourself that tomorrow is another day

and smile.

Marg S.—Editor

Shari F., Karen H. and

Linda M.—Co-Editors

LAST WORD By Marg S.