nl september 14
DESCRIPTION
Weed of the month, district conference information, Mexican petunia, beekeeping, Pagoda flowers, how to avoid transporting invasive pests, good bugs and so much more!TRANSCRIPT
11
...for discerning weeders
September, 2014 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication
WEED OF THE MONTH by L. Morris
Sonchus
arvenis,
perennial
sowthistle..
Also
known as:
creeping
sow thistle,
milk thistle, corn sow-thistle, sevine-thistle, tree
sow-thistle and dindle.
This perennial weed shows up in my septic
drain field. This makes sense since it will not
thrive in coarse sandy soils and prefers slightly
alkaline to neutral, fine-textured, rich soils. The
leaf shape resembles a dandelion or chicory but
it has spines along the leaf margins.
Perennial sowthistle spreads by rhizomes and
the flowers are very similar to that of the dande-
lion. The flowers are not single blooms and the
flower stalk has sparse leaves.
Often confused with prickly lettuce and other
sowthistles, perennial sowthistle propagates
readily by seed. Control measures begin with
frequent monitoring. Seedlings may be removed
by hand. However, once the plant is established,
it is almost impossible to remove the entire root.
Herbicides such as 2,4-D, clophyraid, dicamba,
glyphosate, and picloram must be applied at the
pre-bud or bud stage. Mowing will prevent flow-
er production but seeds from previous blooms
may easily be transported via mowing equip-
ment. Reapplication of chemical controls will
probably be necessary. For more information on
this tenacious weed www.unce.unr.edu/
publications/files/nr/2003/FS0354.pdf
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
Conference
Info
2
Events 3-4
Plentiful bugs 5
From Your
Gardens
6
Accidental
pests
7-8
Wildlife Hap-
penings
8
Updates and
info
9
Pretty but
Invasive
10
All A-Buzz 10-11
Pagoda
Flower
12
Book Review 13
Recipe
Round-up
13
Last Word 14
HAVE YOU
LOGGED ON TO
VMS LATELY?
DON’T FORGET TO KEEP
YOUR HOURS UP TO DATE!
Normally, Larry would be writing this column.
However, since he’s been super busy—there will
be a stand-in columnist this month. (We’re bet-
ting he writes a column way in advance now!)
There is a lot going on. The Home Show is the
13th and 14th. If you haven’t signed up yet, do
so. There’s plenty to do. You could assist the
presenters, man the booth...plenty of work.
Speaking of work, the Nursery still needs volun-
teers. We all know the weather has been a tad
warm. This means the more folks who show up
early on Friday’s...the sooner the work is done.
Office coverage is improving a bit. We still have
plenty of openings.
Fall is coming and so is the fall vegetable gar-
dening program. This is always a well attended
event.
Don’t forget that the district conference will be
in October.
More infor-
mation may
be found on
page 2!
September
29th is a
landscape
work day at
the
Crestview Extension Office. We will be starting
the process of re-doing the front beds and the
beds in the parking lot. Stay tuned for the an-
nouncement!
We have a few new folks who have contributed
to this edition of The Compost Pile! It’s our pub-
lication so the more folks who participate the
better and more informative it will be.
Stand-in columnist signing off.
COORDINATOR’S CORNER by L. Williams
22
We are happy to announce the opening of registration for the 2014 Northwest Extension Dis-trict Master Gardener Conference in Milton, FL. The preconference tour on Thursday, October 9 will highlight the cooperative efforts of the University of Florida and community organi-zations to promote butterfly awareness and conservation. The advanced training sessions on Friday, October 10 will offer opportunities for veteran Master Gardeners to build knowledge that will benefit local communities through Extension education. There will be a total of six continuing education credits available for volunteer recertification.
Please find attached the conference details and registration information. We encourage Master Gar-
deners to register online at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/2014-northwest-district-master-gardener
-conference-tickets-12808631963. If you are not able to register online, please call Beth Bolles
(Escambia County MG Coordinator) at 850-475-5230 or Mary Derrick (Santa Rosa County MG Co-
ordinator) at 850-623-3868 for registration assistance.
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
33
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
You can find even more events by going to the member web
site: www.ocmgamembers.org and click on the calendar
page. Events throughout the Panhandle are listed. Simply
click on the event and you’ll see all the pertinent infor-
mation!
Emerald Coast Home Show
September 13th and 14th
Emerald Coast Convention Center
http://www.emeraldcoasthomeshow.com/
http://www.flawildflowers.org/events/2014
-wildflower-symposium.html
FLORIDA’S CERTIFIED PILE BURNER PROGRAM
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 12, 2014
OKALOOSA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE
3098 AIRPORT ROAD
CRESTVIEW, FL
8AM TO 4:30PM
REGISTRATION REQUIRED!
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
JENIFER BEARDEN AT [email protected] or
850-689-5850
http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu/ag/2014/08/15/certified-pile-burner-class/
44
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
Click on the images to open up a link to the
specific event page.
http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/art_garden/index.shtml
FALL INTO VEGETABLE GARDENING
September 9th, 16th and 23rd
6pm to 7:30pm
Okaloosa County Extension Office
3098 Airport Road
Registration is required!
Call 850-689-5850
$30 per person or $45 per couple
Tri-County Horticulture Studies Group
Meetings and Activities for 2014
Meetings 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, lunch optional
September 18 Coordinator: Joyce Waters-Smith
Location: Grace Lutheran Church, 4325 Commons
Drive, Destin (fellowship hall)
Speaker: Karen Kirk Williams, Master Gardener, Rose
Grower, “Planting Roses in Fall”
Activity: Visit Laura Hall’s Garden (address announced
at meeting)
Lunch: 790 on the Gulf (2996 Scenic HWY 98, Destin-
850-650-4853) Located in the Inn at Crystal Beach
October 16 Coordinator: Lynda Penry
Location: McMahon Environmental Center on Butler
Circle, Crestview
Speaker: Maria Wilson, Okaloosa County Forester,
“Trees” – those on site
Activity: Travel to Holt to visit Oliver’s Nursery (4550
Kelly Mill Rd, Holt)
Lunch: Picnic. Bring a sack lunch and drink. Tables available at
nursery.
November 20 Coordinators: Brenda Jordon and Marie Har-
rison
Location: Emerald Coast Nursery
Speaker: Designer for Leslie Odom, Owner of Nursery,
“Designs for Christmas”
Activity: On site. Emerald Coast Nursery is a great place
to shop.
Lunch: Ruby Tuesdays, Niceville
“Mondays in the Garden”
September 15th
Room 4902
PSC Milton Campus
10am
Gingers
General Membership Meeting
September 24th
9am
Shalimar Baptist Church
55
Well documented is the fact that the number of pollinators is
diminishing worldwide. We know of the plight of the honeybee
and the greatly diminished populations of butterflies and other
pollinators. Also stated again and again and beginning to be un-
derstood by concerned people is the fact that our food supply is
directly related to pollinator activity, and that pollinator activity
depends greatly on the availability of diverse plants that support
them.
We as intelligent humans, know that we must eat in order to sur-
vive. Have we extended this obvious fact to include all the other
creatures that share our planet? They, too, must have suste-
nance. Plants are the lifeblood of all living creatures, as they pro-
vide not only the air we breathe, but also either directly or indi-
rectly, the food we eat. Plants alone have the ability to use the
sun’s energy, and through the process of photosynthesis, turn
that energy into food.
Herbivorous insects play a very important role in the food chain.
They eat plants and convert the plant tissues to insect tissues
which provide food for even more species. Terrestrial birds, for
example, depend on insects to feed their young. Bird populations
of any given area have a direct relationship to the insect popula-
tion. If we want to share our space with birds, we must provide
food and habitat for the insects they eat. If we want to see butter-
flies, we must grow plants that feed their caterpillars as well as
supply nectar for the adults.
The overriding message is that by providing a diverse ecosystem,
we support the insects which in turn support us. We realize more
and more that not just any plant will work. Some plants will not
feed insects, while others do the job quite well. The plants that
are not working in our ecosystems are by and large not native to
our region. Native insects have not learned to eat most alien
plants. Even though some alien plants may provide some food,
scientists report that insects almost always choose a native plant
over an alien species when given a choice (Tellamy, 2007). We all
have heard the horror stories about alien species that proliferate
at alarming rates and form dense monocultures. In such cases,
insect populations decline because the alien has out-competed
the native plants that fed the insects for millennia.
Man as a species has done much to diminish biodiversity. We
have cut down forests, drained wetlands, and plowed under prai-
ries. In their places we have built cities, highways, buildings,
shopping malls, and factories. In short, man has decimated
much of the habitat that once supported a diverse array of in-
sects, and consequently, a vast number of other species that once
populated these areas. Our country will never have any more
land than it presently has, and portions of it that can support
insects and other life forms are disappearing at an alarming rate.
In spite of these potentially dire circumstances, all is not lost.
Man has within his capability the power to reverse the trend and
to restore at least some of the diversity that once existed on our
planet. Our power derives from choices we make. Very specifical-
ly, we can create a garden to attract pollinators, such as butter-
flies, bees, hummingbirds, and others. It is known that a garden
that attracts pollinators also attracts other creatures. The pres-
ence of a variety of insects is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
Listed below are several things we can do to aid the pollinators
and increase biodiversity.
Help control the spread of invasive species by refusing to
plant them in our gardens and by removing any that already
exist.
Join community work groups to remove invasive plants
from natural areas.
Provide insects and pollinators with nutrition and resources
for raising their young.
Integrate native plants into our gardens, no matter the gar-
den’s size.
Talk to neighbors and show by example just how beautiful a
garden filled with native plants can be and how much the
wildlife that is attracted to it can enrich our lives.
Some knowledge is required to put these plans into action. Many
people do not know a native plant from an exotic invasive plant.
Some of their most treasured plants provide nothing to the eco-
system at large. As a matter of fact, gardeners often seek out
plants for their gardens that are pest free. They want no bug, no
butterfly – nothing to chew on the leaves of the plants in their
gardens. If they see a bug or caterpillar, they run for the insecti-
cide.
Some of our eyes have been opened, and we are becoming more
and more aware of the intricate processes that connect all life
forms. The future of our biodiversity is dim unless we learn to
share our earth with the plants and creatures that evolved here.
There is much to learn, but it is never too late to start. Your
choices can make a difference.
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
A WORLD WITH PLENTIFUL BUGS IS A GOOD THING!
by M. Harrison
66
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
FROM YOUR GARDENS
It’s so nice when we get photos from our members of their gar-
dens and of the sometimes unique finds they come across!
Mother dove with her young. Photo courtesy of D.
Hickenbotham
Native h
ibiscu
s. Ph
oto
courtesy o
f L. P
enry
Ho
stas. Ph
oto
cou
rtesy of L
. Pen
ry
Pine lily. Photo courtesy of D. Hickenbotham
The Jokester
Change is inevitable.....except from a vending machine.
77
As we fight the never-ending battle against undesirable insects
and plant diseases, did you ever wonder where they all come
from? I posed this question to the internet and here's one re-
sponse: "If you build it (or plant it) they will come... I think it
happened when Eve ate the Apple?? " Well, maybe. Other likely
explanations are that they come in under their own steam
(flying, creeping, crawling, hitching a ride on birds or other crit-
ters, and other modes of movement), or the wind and weather
bring them in. What you may not have considered is the possibil-
ity that you might inadvertently be bringing insects and plant
diseases into your own garden! We can do little about insect mi-
grations or the weather but you may be surprised that some of
your normal activities could be responsible for spreading insects
and diseases and some of them are quite serious. Here are just a
few things to consider:
Firewood: If you have a wood-burning fireplace and you are
not careful about where your firewood comes from, you may well
be accidentally helping to spread some devastating tree diseases,
such as laurel wilt, sudden oak death, beech bark disease, sud-
den oak death, and oak wilt. Firewood can also transport many
invasive insects such as the emerald ash borer, sirex wood wasp,
Asian longhorned beetle, and the gypsy moth. The regulation
governing the movement of commercial shipments of firewood is
this: Florida regulates the entry of out-of-state firewood and oth-
er wood products into the state under its plant protection laws
and rules. All types of out-of-state firewood are prohibited via
this regulation- hardwood, softwood, seasoned and green- unless
the firewood is accompanied by a permit issued by the state
plant protection organization at origin. There are also limited
exemptions for sources of firewood within 50 miles of the Flori-
da state border and for commercial businesses with a valid per-
mit. Florida also regulates the movement of firewood and other
wood products within the State. Most of the Florida State Parks
prohibit gathering firewood on site and encourage the purchase
of local firewood for camping. Within the state of Florida, multi-
ple state authorities highly encourage both residents and visitors
to use local sources of firewood (within 50 miles of where it will
be transported and used) to prevent the movement of pests.
(http://tinyurl.com/nanz6m4) Know where your firewood
comes from! If it's not local (within 50 miles) then be sure the
distributor has complied with the law as stated. You can read the
regulation in detail here: http://tinyurl.com/oo5gsbu
If you are a camper and use firewood while camping, you are
asked to follow these guidelines to help curb the spread of in-
sects and disease:
1. Leave firewood at home and purchase aged firewood near
your campsite location. Many parks offer firewood for sale at a
reasonable price or private sellers will have it available just out-
side the park.
2. Firewood purchased at or near your destination should be
used during your camping vacation. Don’t leave any unused
wood behind and don’t take it with you to another destination.
3. If you can't burn your wood, donate it to a fellow camper.
4. When buying firewood, make sure you receive pieces that are
dry and have either little bark or bark that is loose (a sign that
the wood is very dry). Not only will this reduce the threat of
spreading diseases, your fire will be easier to start.
5. Reduce your need for an open fire by cooking over gas or
charcoal when possible.
More details are available here: http://tinyurl.com/oqwq55k
and here is a video on this subject: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Wt5sKDRd6XI
Christmas Trees and Greenery: You've probably guessed by
now that the same authorities who are trying to prevent the
spread of disease and insects via firewood would also by necessi-
ty have to be Grinches when it comes to fresh-cut Christmas
trees. Yes, those lovely trees from other states can be sources of
the gypsy moth, the sirex woodwasp and the pine shoot beetle.
You are encouraged to buy your Christmas trees locally. Because
we have used an artificial tree for many years, I had no idea
there were cut-your-own Christmas tree farms in Florida but
there are indeed and some of them would be considered local:.
Here is a list for Florida: http://
www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/FLxmastrees.php And
here is another Christmas tree farm close by in Milton: http://
www.floridachristmastree.com/ In addition to cutting your own
Christmas tree, you are urged to buy wreaths and other greenery
locally from established businesses and not from roadside ven-
dors. If you
order wreaths
online be sure
you order from
a recognized
vendor–not
from an un-
known person
on sites like
eBay or
Craigslist that
may not be in
compliance
with important
quarantines or
regulations.
(continued on
page 8
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
ACCIDENTAL PESTS by K. Harper
88
ACCIDENTAL Cont’d.
Plant material, seeds, soils: Always inspect plants before
bringing them into your garden. Here's a photo that should give
you pause. It was taken by a North Carolina extension agent at
her local plant nursery: http://twitpic.com/1wsuu0 Most of us
would recognize that as a sick plant that should be destroyed but
it would also make me wonder about the other stock in a nursery
that didn't care enough to remove such an obviously diseased
plant from its display shelves. I'd also encourage you to resist
the marked-down reject plants that you see at some of our local
plant nurseries. I've fallen for those once in awhile and have
been afflicted with nothing more disastrous than a dead plant
within a couple of weeks. But it's worth remembering that plants
that haven't been properly cared for at the nursery are very likely
to be stressed and therefore susceptible to disease and insect
infestations and you don't want to introduce either into your
own landscape. Make a donation to charity if you feel the need
to rescue something. :) And while most of us know better than to
attempt to smuggle such things as citrus trees into Florida,
sometimes the temptation is great while traveling to bring home
a plant that catches your eye. Don't. But if you must, follow the
guidelines at this website. Page 2 includes instructions for ob-
taining a plant import permit from the USDA: http://
tinyurl.com/q7b3ewd I've purchased plants and seeds on eBay
several times and while most of them arrived with USDA plant
inspection stickers on the packaging, I can't honestly say if they
all have, so I've discontinued that practice.
Sod and soils can be a source of noxious (and obnoxious!) weeds
such as nutsedge that, once introduced into your yard can be
very difficult to eradicate. This article from the Clemson Cooper-
ative Extension describes some ways that nutsedge sneaks in to
our yards and how to combat it if it does: http://tinyurl.com/
kj6lmlt
And speaking of sod, I installed four pallets of St. Augustine sod
in my yard during July and one of the pallets contained a brown
recluse spider. Fortunately I recognized it immediately, de-
stroyed it, and then took care to wear gloves during the rest of
that project. As far as I could determine, it was one of a kind and
almost certainly hitched a ride in from the sod farm which is
located in the western panhandle. That incident sure kept me on
my toes for a day or two, inspecting every spider I saw verrrry
carefully.
The point is, we must be vigilant at all times to avoid accidentally
spreading harmful insects and plant diseases both inter- and
intrastate. Yes, there are comprehensive regulations in place to
help protect Florida but manpower to enforce the regulations in
many cases is limited. That means it's up to us to voluntarily
comply with the laws and, as master gardeners, to help educate
the public about them. Do what is within your ability to be part
of the solution, not the problem.
Finally, in an article about accidentally importing pests into your
home and garden, I would be remiss if I didn't mention some of
the more infamous incidents that have occurred. These all in-
volve snakes and, this is not to pick on Wal-Mart exclusively, but
there have been some fairly well-publicized incidents there of
snakes in the garden centers and/or in the bottled water dis-
plays: http://tinyurl.com/m6kjdbf http://tinyurl.com/m7p5fo8
And in the potato bin: http://tinyurl.com/o6lhlsb You really
have to love the store clerk who offered to refund her money for
the potatoes if she 'had a valid receipt.' To me, the snake would
have been sufficient proof that she really should get her money
back. :)
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
A cartoonist was found dead in is home. Details are sketchy.
WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS courtesy of www.wec.ufl.edu/extension
September is the month that brings the beginning of Fall. Here
are some interesting things to be on the look out for.
Birds:
*Get feeders ready for returning birds.
*Bald eagles return to nest sites and begin courtship.
Mammals:
*Gray bats migrate to Alabama caves for winter hibernation.
*Manatees start to concentrate in rivers, bays, and near power
plants.
Amphibians:
*Start listening for Spadefoot toads after heavy rains.
Fish:
*Atlantic sturgeon begin fall migration from the Suwannee and
Apalachicola Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico.
Invertebrates
*Blue crabs migrate from the shallow coast to deeper water for
the winter. Blue
crab “jubilee” also
begins along pan-
handle beaches.
99
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
UPDATES AND INFO by Editorial Staff
A reminder to check out the Master Gardener program on
Crestview Television! More programs should be getting done
very soon! http://www.cvctv.info/channel.cfm?category=The%
20Master%20Gardener&id=4430
UPDATED PUBLICATIONS
5-page fact sheet on the Convergent Lady Beetle, Hippodamia
convergens. It is one of the few natural enemies that are current-
ly wild-collected from mass aggregations for distribution to the
pest control industry. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1037
4-page fact sheet on the management of powdery mildew in
beans. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp311
7-page fact sheet on Bagrada Bug, Painted Bug, Bagrada Hi-
laris. These have been detected on plant material in trucks trav-
eling across state borders. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1041
Purslane seeds can persist in the soil for up to 15 years. Vegeta-
tive shoot fragments can survive on the soil surface for extended
periods. This 4-page fact sheet covers the biology and manage-
ment of common purslane in fruiting vegetables, cucurbits, and
strawberries.. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1238
There’s a new pest in town. The Bermudagrass stem maggot.
Bermudagrass is a dominant hay crop in Florida. 2-page fact
sheet. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag384
*A new master gardener update—Predictive and Diagnostic
Nutrient testing. http://mediasite.video.ufl.edu/Mediasite/
Play/914f38ca8c3b42d2b70cda471f447ae61d?
catalog=3b6fbad9-5764-4ada-b51f-ee04b1a0bfa1
INTERESTING ‘STUFF’
Did you know there is a honey bee research and extension lab?
http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/honeybee/
Do you save seeds? Tired of using zip lock bags? This handy link
has a downloadable .pdf that you can print out as many times as
you want. Cut out, fold and tape! Great seed packets that you’ll
love using! http://thepapermama.com/2013/09/seed-saver-
packet-printable
There are new recommendations for how you process your can-
ning lids. http://livinghomegrown.com/2014/08/changes-in-
canning-lid-procedures.html
September is preparedness month! Check out the Extension Dis-
aster Education Network http://eden.lsu.edu/Pages/default.aspx
If you want to attract more birds to your yard/landscape, you
might consider different kinds of bird feeders. Find out more at
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw192
We all know the importance of dental hygiene. Tell the truth,
when was the last time you gave any thought to cleaning your
toothbrush? http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hot_topics/
families_and_consumers/clean_toothbrushes.html
Other than most of us have no idea how to pronounce Quinoa,
this nutritious seed may be used many ways. http://
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY140800.pdf (by the way, it is
pronounced KEEN-wah)
Lots of folks are preferring to remove as many chemicals from
their lives as possible. Check out natural products for pest man-
agement here http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in197
In honor of National Preparedness month, download the Home-
owners handbook to prepare for natural hazards here http://
solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/pdf/
FL_homeowners_handbook.pdf
Do you know how to properly dispose of pesticide waste? Do the
homeowners you are in contact with know? Print out this handy
9-page guide to proper pesticide waste disposal http://
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PI/PI01000.pdf
If you haven’t checked out the new and improved UF/IFAS Gar-
dening Solutions site, you really should. Packed with informa-
tional videos, plants, lawns, design and so much more! http://
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/
Perennial peanut....as far back as 2002 there were news stories
about utilizing this plant as a substitute for lawns. Perhaps now
is the time to check out more ways to utilize this versatile plant
http://youtu.be/3_IvNDpzaMw
A vulture carrying two dead raccoons boards an airplane.
The flight attendant looks at him and says, “I'm sorry sir, only
one carrion allowed per passenger.”
Fall begins this month!
September 23rd is the
‘official’ start of fall.
Honest, cooler weather
will get here....eventually.
1010
PRETTY BUT INVASIVE by D. Stever
Mexican-petunia (also known as Mexican bluebell or Britton's
petunia) is described as a "hardy perennial edging plant for flow-
er beds and as colorful groundcovers." Scientific names include
Ruellia brittoniana, R. coerulea and R. tweediana. It quickly
became one of my favorite, as well as lots of other folk’s, land-
scape plant. As almost always seems to be the case with Florida
plants the Devil is in the details. It was introduced to Florida in
the 1940s. Since then it has naturalized in most counties in Flori-
da, plus in six other southern states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands.
Mexican petunias are able to tolerate a wide range of growing
conditions, but prefer wet or marshy soils, such as moist wood-
lands or the edges of ponds and lakes. They can withstand
drought and even full sun in drier soils.
The plant’s showy flowers are short-lived, but they open over a
long period of time, beginning in early spring and continuing
until frost. The shrubs grow one to four feet high and about the
same in width. The wonderful “Blue” color is what is most ap-
pealing to us for our flower gardens.
There are tall cultivars of Mexican-petunia ("Purple Showers,"
pink-flowered "Chi Chi," and white-flowered "Snow White") as
well as dwarf cultivars ("Katies") in the three flower colors. All
these cultivars, with the exception of "Purple Showers" are fertile
and potentially invasive. In 2012 and 2013 three new sterile cul-
tivars developed at UF were released: "Mayan Purple," "Mayan
White," and "Mayan Pink."
Native alternatives to Mexican-petunia for use in home land-
scaping include wild petu-
nia (Ruellia caroliniensis),
blue curls (Trichostema
dichotomum), butterfly-
weed (Asclepias tuberosa),
or swamp milkweed
(Asclepias perennis).
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/
node/380
As mentioned ‘Katie’ is
another possible option. It
is a less aggressive, dwarf Ruellia that’s been named a Texas Su-
perstar by Texas A&M University, thanks to its beautiful blooms
and ease of care. ‘Katie’ grows about 6 inches high and is availa-
ble with purple, pink or white blooms. But it is fertile and propa-
gates by seed, so researchers from the University of Florida and
the Institute of Food and Agricultural Services at the University
of Florida do not recommend its use. http://
www.hgtvgardens.com/flowers-and-plants/growing-mexican-
petunias#sthash.Z3iIMgYq.dpuf
Mexican petunia is listed as a Category I invasive species by the
Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. This means that it is "altering
native plant communities by displacing native species, changing
community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing
with natives". This warning applies to all parts of the state of
Florida. Where hardy, the Mexican petunia excels at invading
wetlands. http://www.floridata.com/ref/R/ruellia.cfm
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
ALL A-BUZZ by P. Garrett
Hello friends! Most of you know
of my passion for pollinators,
with honeybees at the top of my
list! In articles for The Compost
Pile, I hope to increase your
knowledge of honeybees and
beekeeping practices, and also
to relay humorous stories of
beekeeping experiences and
growth since embarking on this road five years ago. To begin, I
will go back a little further into the past and relay my first intro-
duction to our beloved insect, Apis Mellifera…..
During the summer of my 13th year, I was visiting with my great
grandparents in Mountain City, Tennessee. I had always been
intrigued by those little white boxes on the hill behind the house
and how my great grandparents were able to “rob” those little
boxes of the sweetest honey and honeycomb I had ever tasted.
One day my great grandfather needed an “assistant” to work the
hives. I was eager to volunteer and was told not to worry in that
all I had to do was “smoke” the hives as he worked them. Little
did I know what I was getting into! My great grandfather told
me to go put some baggy clothes on and that he would have my
veil to protect my eyes and face when I arrived in the bee yard.
The only pants I had with me were skintight jeans and it wasn’t
long before I discovered this was NOT the best attire. When I
emerged from the house, my great grandfather said “I wouldn’t
wear those pants if I were you”, but I pretty much decided it was
better to look good when working the hives, than to feel good,
plus what choice did I have? My grandfather said ok, but you’ll
be sorry. He handed me a homemade “veil” that was an old
man’s felt hat fashioned with toile and drawstring to keep the
bees away from my eyes/face. One does not want to get stung in
the eye he told me as bee venom could blind a person. Ok, eye-
brows raised a bit….but I couldn’t back out now. He handed me
the “smoker” which was a bellows type apparatus that blew
smoke on the bees to “calm” them. What about me? Would the
smoke calm me too? I was getting more nervous by the minute.
He said something about the smoke making the bees think their
house is on fire and they would be less aggressive. I thought if
my house were on fire, I’d be MORE aggressive! Now I know the
smoke helps to “block” the “alarm pheromone” and prevents the
bees from communicating as well, so less threat is perceived. All
cont’d on page 11
1111
BUZZ cont’d.
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
of a sudden I felt a pain on one leg, then on the other, and more
and more sharp sensations when I looked down and saw bees
clinging to my tight jeans. I think I hobbled away that day with
more than a dozen stings in my legs and as we left the bee yard,
saw the smile on my great grandfather’s face.
Five years ago my husband, right out of the blue, said “let’s keep
bees”. I had PTSD flashbacks on the fateful summer day when I
was 13 and my grandfather saying “you’ll be sorry”….I looked at
my husband, mouth gaping wide and paused….despite the
“challenging” experience with my great grandfather, I said “yes,
let’s do it, why not”? I then asked him why he wanted to do it,
and he said “it will be fun, and besides, the bees need us back-
yard beekeepers”. He had just read an article on CCD (Colony
Collapse Disorder), and the plight of the honeybee. I read the
article and was full on board afterwards.
We began our journey by seeing an ad for UF’s Bee College held
in Marineland, Florida and in March 2010, after the weekend
course, we became official “graduates” from Bee College. At Bee
College, we were given the phone # to call to have an inspector
visit our home after our bee yard was up and running. Inspector
D. Corbin came with clipboard and forms in hand, and spent
about 3 hours here that day. He took a sample of about 50 bees
from one hive and drowned them in alcohol (that was very hard
for me to watch), so they could be sent to the lab at UF in
Gainesville to rule out Africanized honey bees (the only way to
tell for sure is by genetic testing and measurements of the leg – it
is impossible for the average person to differentiate and it must
be done in the lab).
It is the law that beekeepers register their hives. Additionally, no
colonies may be sold or purchased without a health certificate
issued by the Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services. They monitor the entire
apiary inspection program: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/
plantinsp/apiary/apiary.html (If you have a bee yard, then you
have an apiary). There are approximately 80 registered bee-
keepers in Okaloosa County, yet we know many more hives exist.
Hive inspection is critical to detect for diseases and Africanized
bees). (Incidentally, there have been NO Africanized bees found
in Florida North of Gainesville). The price of inspection is very
reasonable and must be renewed annually. One can own 1-5
hives and only pay $10 a year. 6-10 hives cost $20 a year etc.
One can obtain all necessary information from the web site:
www.freshfromflorida.com
Also, there are bee clubs in most every county in Florida. Our
organization here is called “Tri-County Beekeeper’s Association”
for Okaloosa, Walton & Santa Rosa Counties. We have over 30
members and we meet the last Tues. of every month at our
County Extension office on Airport Road from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
The club is full of knowledgeable members that love to mentor!
As most of you know, beekeepers in our MG organization are
myself, S. Taylor, V. Grund & L. Buhrow. L. Krebs (she trans-
ferred to the Walton County Master Gardeners), is also a new
beekeeper and just had her first honey harvest!
Our state organization, The Florida State Beekeepers Associa-
tion, (http://floridabeekeepers.org) sponsors events around the
state, including a formal fall convention, and an electronic news-
letter.
With the advent of honeybee decline, there has been a growing
concern and resulting increase in beekeepers in the state of Flor-
ida. Currently, Florida has approximately 2,500 small-scale bee-
keepers, managing five or less colonies, and 300 full-time/side
liner commercial beekeepers.
I don’t want to forget local teleconferences/courses offered by
our Extension Office here. They too, have been amazingly in-
formative and helpful. Watch out for future events!
Bee trivia: During a honeybee’s lifetime, she makes 1/12 of a
teaspoon of honey…she (all worker bees and foragers are fe-
male), literally flies her wings off…. (two million flowers must be
tapped to make one pound of honey!!) Bless the bees……!!
Next article, we will begin with bee biology basics and more!
Sources: The Florida State Beekeepers Association and
www.freshfromflorida.com
DON’T FORGET!
We now have a full calendar on our member web-site! Click on the event and any additional infor-
mation will be posted for that event. This calendar is updated constantly so check back often.
www.ocmgamembers.org/Calendar.html
1212
PAGODA FLOWER by L. Vanderpool
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
During recent classes at the Extension Agency office building in
Santa Rosa County, I noticed a very attractive and large flower-
ing plant in the landscape. It was in full flower and was a striking
plant with huge leaves and a very large apical panicle of orange-
red flowers. The below information about the plant has been
copied from Floridata for you. Find the information at: http://
www.floridata.com/ref/c/cler_pan.cfm If you have a chance to
acquire one of these plants, it could add a very attractive accent
point to your garden.
Family: Verbenaceae (verbena or vervain Family)
Description: Pagoda flower is an erect, open semi-woody shrub
with large evergreen leaves and huge showy clusters of orange-
red or scarlet flowers held above the foliage. The bush sometimes
has multiple stems and gets three to five feet tall, spreading two
to three feet across. The leaves have heart shaped bases; lower
leaves are lobed and upper leaves entire. The handsome, tropical
looking leaves can be as large as 12 inches across. They are ar-
ranged in opposite pairs along the fast growing stems which of-
ten branch from the roots rather than from a single trunk. The
flowers are funnel shaped with long tubes. Although the individ-
ual flowers are only about one half inch long, they are arranged
in massive terminal panicles up to one foot or more in height.
The flowers within the pyramid shaped cluster are tiered, like a
Japanese pagoda. The showy display lasts from summer through
autumn with additional sporadic flowering throughout the year
in frost free climates.
Location: Pagoda flower is native to India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia
and much of southeastern Asia. It is widely cultivated in tropical
gardens throughout the world.
Culture: Pagoda flower is a fast growing, but short lived shrub.
It does best in a rich, slightly moisture retentive soil. Fertilize
regularly with a balanced fertilizer during the growing season.
Light: Full sun is best, but pagoda flower will tolerate partial
shade.
Moisture: Water freely during the growing season, but sparing-
ly during winter.
Hardiness:
USDA Zones 8 -
11. Pagoda flower
is a returning per-
ennial in zones 8B
and 9. It can be
expected to sprout
back in spring
after dying to the
ground in winter. Very severe winters may reduce the amount of
flowering. Plant it near a south facing wall for added protection
from cold winters. In frost free areas pagoda flower is a short
lived, evergreen shrub.
Propagation: Pagoda flower in cultivation often fails to pro-
duce fruit and seeds. The suckers that arise around the base of
the plant can be removed and replanted during fall or spring.
Root cuttings can be taken in winter. Semi-ripe stem cuttings
taken in summer can be rooted with bottom heat.
Usage: Pagoda flower is often grown in a mixed border or as a
specimen along a wall, even under an overhanging roof. This
long blooming perennial is a classic old favorite, grown in city
parks and cottage gardens throughout the Deep South. In frost
free areas it may produce flowers for most of the year. With its
lush tropical foliage, however, it is as beautiful in leaf as it is in
flower. Pagoda flower may produce numerous suckers and
spread itself around the garden, but it is not really invasive, and
rarely becomes a nuisance (it is a big plant that requires a large
space!)
Features: Glory bower (Clerodendrum splendens), bleeding
heart (C. thomsoniae), and the roadside weed, tubeflower (C.
indicum), are also members of this tropical genus which has
more than 400 species represented in Africa, the Pacific islands
and southern Asia. Sometimes you see the genus misspelled as
Clerodendron.
Many happy returns to:
C. Baker, J. Gillis, and G.
Speir
DON’T FORGET!
We are always on the lookout for neat links, updated infor-
mation, and ideas for future articles.
We also look forward to your pictures!
Recipes and anything else welcome!
Please submit your items before the 24th of each month.
Pictures should be in a jpeg format.
If you copy something, be sure to provide the source!
1313
BOOK REVIEW by M. Stewart
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014
This month, I am reviewing
two magazines instead of a
book. I saw an advertise-
ment for Heirloom Garden-
er and figured it was worth
a shot. $15 for the year (4
issues) seemed a bit steep
but since I am growing
more and more heirloom
varieties of vegetables and flowers...figured the more infor-
mation I could get the better. The magazine itself is well put
together. There are not a lot of ads to deal with (my pet peeve)
and the illustrations/photographs are really well done.
The articles, overall were well written. I noticed that some were
a bit light on the meaty information...but overall, they got the
point across. I especially enjoyed the article on David Landreth
(seeds) and on Jardin Ouvriers. These two articles were detailed
and very enjoyable to read.
Now, on the con side. This publication is definitely anti-GMO.
Be prepared to deal with a section called Frankenfood News—
Headlines from the World of Scary Food. Regardless of how you
feel about the topic, I have noticed quite a few magazines out
there who are jumping on the non-GMO bandwagon. It’s only
two pages and easy to skip should you desire. All in all, it appears
to be a fairly good publication. This was my first issue so I’m
reserving judgment until I see at least two more. For more infor-
mation go to www.heirloomgardener.com
The other magazine is From
Scratch. This is a free publi-
cation, simply sign up and
have it delivered to your in-
box. I can honestly say that
I’m hooked and hope sin-
cerely that they don’t
change. The photography is
fantastic and even though
there are articles I can’t
use...#1 it’s free and #2 who
doesn’t like seeing pictures
of cute goats and chickens?
There is a lot of gardening
information as well as DIY
projects that actual folks like
me and you could do! One issue had an article on growing plants
for their dying properties. Soap making, fermenting....loads of
interesting topics. You have to admit that the price is definitely
right....FREE. To sign up for your free issues go to
www.fromscratchmag.com
Are there magazines that you get and just couldn’t do without?
Let us know!
RECIPE ROUND-UP
This recipe is courtesy of The Maples in Bar Harbor, Maine. This
B&B is known for its fantastic breakfasts. Their stuffed French
toast recipe was also featured in Gourmet magazine!
Ingredients:
12 slices of thick bread, sliced and cubed (I used Challah)
2—8 ounce packages of cream cheese, cubed
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries (okay, it’s not quite the same
without Maine blueberries but it was darned tasty using Florida
ones!)
10 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk
Spray or grease the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish. Place half of
the cubed bread in the pan. Spread the cream cheese cubes over
top and then distribute the blueberries. Finish by covering with
remaining bread.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, maple syrup and milk. Pour the
egg mixture over the bread. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and
refrigerate overnight (12 hours).
The following day, pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plas-
tic wrap and cover with the baking dish with foil. Bake on the
middle rack for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an ad-
ditional 20 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove
from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
For a totally decadent finish make a blueberry sauce. While the
French toast is baking, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 2 table-
spoons corn starch and 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries. Cook
over medium heat
until sauce thickens
and blueberries have
softened. Remove
from heat and add 1
tablespoon butter
and an additional cup
of fresh or frozen
(thawed) blueberries.
Pour the sauce over
individual pieces and
serve warm.
1414
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.
I, for
one, am
open to
wisdom
and in-
sight re-
gardless of
the source.
In this
case, a pirate movie. Think about it,
“The problem is not the problem. The
problem is your attitude about the
problem.” Whoa.......
I came across this immediately after
trying a new recipe for a cinnamon
bun/cake. It was a tedious recipe with
lots of ingredients. I was determined
that we would have this luscious con-
fection available for dessert. All ap-
peared well until the time of the unveil-
ing. Let’s just say that the result was
the culinary equivalent of the Hinden-
burg. The only saving grace was that for
a disaster, it smelled awfully good.
Trust me, I was not a happy camper.
What did I do wrong?
Enter in the inspiration (even pirates
have some redeeming qualities). Per-
haps, I hadn’t done anything wrong,
per se. It could have been the recipe or
any number of things that contributed.
The fact was, why get upset over it?
Okay, so it didn’t work—there are many
other recipes in the world and my oven
isn’t going on strike any time soon.
If you really think about it, how many
times do we create more of a problem
BECAUSE of our attitude about it?
Sure, problems are going to pop up all
the time...but I think it’s HOW we actu-
ally feel about the problem that makes
the difference.
Your garden could be invaded by
chamber bitter (whose isn’t???). You
could bemoan the fates, gnash your
teeth and rend your garments...OR you
could just get out there and deal with
the little green demons. Adding in ma-
niacal laughter as you yank and/or
spray helps immensely.
The lack of rain in my neck of the
woods is putting my new-found philos-
ophy to the test. Especially since I just
got my water bill. Yuck! Now, my lawn
is pitiful but at least it’s green...ish.
However, I dislike heartily a hefty wa-
ter bill. So, I can either run around in
sack-cloth and be the water police in
my house (neither of which has ap-
peal....no one looks good in sack cloth—
it itches) OR I can take a good hard
look at the landscape while it’s stressed.
What is working? What isn’t? Can cer-
tain plants be replaced with something
else that will tolerate these conditions?
Are there areas that can be converted?
Can I kill more lawn and not incur the
wrath of the HOA?
The funny thing was, I didn’t feel as
frustrated when I started looking at
alternatives and had a positive reaction
to the problem of the water usage. It
seemed that my brain functioned better
and I wasn’t clouded over by THE
PROBLEM.
Take that self-help books! The secret
isn’t in dealing with the problem...it’s in
HOW you deal with it! Keeping the so-
lutions (or at least the possibilities) in
the forefront actually makes the prob-
lem take a back seat. Sure, it’s still
there and you have to deal with it, but
keeping the solutions first means that
your focus and energy are on positive
things and not the negative ones.
So the next time you’re faced with a
problem, stop for a minute and think
about your attitude. Are you allowing
the problem to overwhelm you? Is the
problem taking up so much of your
time and energy that you can’t think of
solutions? Turn the tables on it! You’ll
be glad you did.
Until next time, see you under the
sprinklers!
M. Stewart —Editor
S. Farrell , K. Harper and S.
Berry—co-editors
LAST WORD By M. Stewart
An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication September, 2014