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11
Inside this
issue:
Nature Trail 2
Turkey Time! 3
Walk on the
Wild Side
4
Member Sub-
missions
4
Food for
Thought
5
Birthdays! 5
Challenge! 5
News & Notes 6
Book Review 6
Events 7
Last Word 8
...for discerning weeders November, 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
Carolina Geranium Geranium carolinianum
I have to admit: the name of this weed makes
me feel just a little bit tender-hearted about it. I
mean, come on! It’s a geranium, right? Um, not
quite.
This little plant is a rather aggressive cool-
season weed. It’s also very widespread and can
be found throughout the United States, and
parts of Canada and Mexico. You can find it in
gardens, fields, pastures, disturbed places and
anywhere else the soil has been disturbed. It’s
easy to recognize, having a pinkish stem and
finely divided leaves. It’s also rather easy to re-
move. Although it has a taproot, it’s a shallow
one. Wait until the soil is moist and just pull the
entire clump out of the ground. If you are dili-
gent about pulling Carolina Geranium out be-
fore it flowers in spring, you shouldn’t have too
much trouble removing this weed without herb-
icides. Moreover, this geranium is rather mild-
mannered and can’t usually compete with a vig-
orous, well-maintained lawn. Proper watering,
fertilizing and mowing will usually crowd out
Carolina Geraniums.
If your lawn or flowerbed is completely overrun
with Carolina Geranium and you simply cannot
remove it by hand, you can use a selective herbi-
cide for broad-leaf weeds in the lawn. In the
flowerbed, the safest thing is to hand-weed.
There is no selective herbicide for this weed that
won’t also damage most ornamental bedding
plants. Because Carolina Geranium reproduces
mainly by seed, apply a pre-emergent herbicide
in the late summer or early fall. The seeds
emerge in fall and winter here and the plants
are only really noticeable when our warm-
season grasses are dormant.” http://
thepapershell.com/winter-weeds-carolina-
geranium/
Carolina Gerani-
um is sometimes
called Wild Gera-
nium, Carolina
Cranesbill,
Cranesbill or
Crane’s Bill. It is
normally a bien-
nial but can also
be a winter or summer annual broadleaf weed.
It prefers dry, open areas, but Carolina Gerani-
um can be found growing in woodlands, prai-
ries, limestone glades, abandoned fields, pas-
tures, lawns, and roadsides. Actually, it grows
just about anywhere!
Carolina Geranium seedlings are first seen as
basal rosettes. As the plant matures, multiple
stems arise from the base in an overall circular
growth pattern from the center. The elongating,
ascending stems are usually pink to red in color.
They are densely hairy and can grow 6 to 28
inches from a large tap root.
The leaves, which are ¾ to 2 ½ inches wide, are
rounded and deeply divided into 5-9 lobes and
each lobe is lobed again and is bluntly toothed.
Its flower is often white or pink to lavender and
grows two to several together on reddish stems
from the upper nodes. Each flower has 5 petals.
Flowers are less than ¼ inch wide and form in
clusters. Flowering typically occurs most often
in April and May and each flower usually pro-
duces 5 seeds enclosed in a 5-lobed capsule with
a long central beak, similar to a stork’s beak or
crane’s bill. Hence the name!
When mature, the capsule springs open from
the base and the five divisions curve upward
dispersing seeds a considerable distance.
(continued page 2)
22
Weed continued
The seeds are about 2 mm
long, prominently veined in a
rectangular pattern and ob-
long in shape. http://
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fw017
Carolina geranium is a com-
mon open-field plant and is
preferred winter forage of
White-tailed Deer, cattle, and
Wild turkeys in the Southeast.
The seeds are consumed by
Mourning Doves, Northern
Bobwhite, songbirds, small mammals and rodents. http://
mastergardener.tamu.edu/galveston/Weeds/pdfs/108-Carolina
-Geranium.pdf
Carolina geranium’s distinctive identifying features are its deep-
ly divided leaves, the “cranesbill” fruit, and its pink to lavender
flower color. http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/gerca.htm
As Carolina geranium plants grow they become excellent repro-
ductive hosts for the two spotted spider mite and the tumid spi-
der mite (the purple-red colored mite), complicating the man-
agement of these mites. http://strawberry.ifas.ufl.edu/
BerryTimes/2002/BVTFeb02.pdf
It is best to control this biennial broadleaf weed in spring or fall,
if actively growing at these times. Two, three, and four way
broadleaf herbicides control Carolina geranium in the fall or
spring. Metsulfuron (Manor, Blade, etc.) and trifloxysulfuron
(Monument) also provide control.
Many post emergent herbicides such as Roundup, etc. will kill
this weed. http://
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/Weeds/
Geranium_Carolina.aspx#
NATURE TRAIL By Bob B.
The nature trail meanders through the woods behind the Exten-
sion building, for just short of one quarter mile. Blue markers
line the trail spaced every ten yards and are numbered from one
on the east end directly behind the garden storage shed to forty
one on the west. Orange marking tape on some of the trees were
the original trail markers.
Approximately 150 Salvia lyrata, lyre leaf sage or meadow sage
line either side of the trail. These plants were propagated at the
annex nursery in Ft Walton Beach . Lead by Carol Strom, the
Girl Scouts have planted a large number of various native plants
through the woodlands.
There are many trees that need to be identified and marked. This
task is planned for the fall and winter of 2013. We have been
able to identify weeping hawthorne, laurel oak, titi and many
tulip trees, all of which require markers.
Three areas are currently being developed, a redbud meadow, a
woodland shade garden, and a bog garden. There are seven Cer-
cis canadensis, American redbuds, planted in the meadow and
additional companion plants will be installed soon.
The bog garden is the latest challenge; thick undergrowth and
standing water from recent rains has made progress slow. We
will soon be planting 'Gulf Shores' pitcher plants, iris and other
available water-tolerant plants.
The woodland shade garden has seen the greatest progress with
much of the surrounding undergrowth being cleared and plant-
ing proceeding swiftly. The following plants have already been
installed:
Walking Iris, Neomarica spp.
Boston Fern., Nephrolepis spp.
Cast Iron Plant, Aspidistra elatior
Hosta-Plantain Lily, various cultivars
Violet, Viola spp.
Gold Moss Sedum, Sedum sarmentosum
Holly Fern, Cyrtomium falcatum
Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla 'Shooting Star'
We will update the status of the nature trail on a bi-monthly ba-
sis.
Ed. Note: Now that the weather is cooling down, take a stroll
along this great addition to our teaching landscapes! In addi-
tion to the trail, you also have the planted beds, retention area
and the wooded area directly opposite of the Master Gardener
office! Folks interested in assisting with the general landscape
should contact Marg S. and those wanting to work on the na-
ture trail, contact Bob. B.
33
IT’S TURKEY TIME! By Linda M.
It’s turkey
time, and
most of us
remember as a
child learning
to identify
them by trac-
ing outlines of
our hands to
make Thanks-
giving cards.
The wild tur-
key has long
been a symbol of America’s early history. When North America
was first discovered, there were large numbers of turkey, but
they almost disappeared form the landscape in the early 20th
Century, as a result of decades of overhunting and loss of habitat.
Some estimate the nation’s entire turkey population was down to
30,000 by the 1930s. But the turkey began to make a comeback
in mid-century. Today turkey populations are higher than in pre-
vious Florida history because of restocking and land manage-
ment efforts of state wildlife agencies such as our FWC, private
land owners and the strong support of members of the National
Wild Turkey Federation. According to the NWTF, there are an
estimated 6.4 million turkeys in the country today. State officials
believe there are around 100,000 wild turkeys now living in Flor-
ida.
The eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) and the
Florida wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo Osceola) are found
throughout our state. While domestic turkeys are considered the
dunces of the feathered world, their wild cousins are notoriously
wily. These cautious large birds are also both excellent swimmers
and fliers. They prefer a mix of mature hardwood or pine forest
with open areas like grasslands, pastures, or fields. Wild turkeys
will also nest in pine flatwoods with dense saw palmetto under-
story. Winter flocks of 20 or more birds may stay in a 50 acre
home range, but break up into smaller flocks during breeding
season and cover a range of several miles. The smaller breeding
groups break in march and the range of a wild turkey gobbler
may then span an area of about 350 acres. Good quality habitat
will support one bird per 30 acres or one flock for about 640 to
800 acres. If you consistently see them in an area, it is good wild
turkey habitat.
Habitat needs vary with the seasons as wild turkeys have differ-
ent requirements during their life cycle. During the nesting sea-
son, March through May, marginal areas along woodlands, old
fields and unmowed pastures and brush are important. Tall, ma-
ture trees are beneficial for they provide an escape from preda-
tors that can attack the turkeys on the ground. Turkeys also need
water daily and must have easy access to a pond or wetland.
Nesting time is difficult for turkeys. It takes 12 to 13 days to lay a
nest full of eggs, 10 for the average clutch. Hens are on the nest
25 to 28 days while they incubate the eggs. The young turkeys
that hatch, called poults, roost on the ground for about two
weeks. At this time they are vulnerable to predators such as rac-
coons, skunks, foxes opossums and dogs.
The reintroduction of wild turkeys is an amazing success story of
an incredible comeback. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conserva-
tion Commission hopes that ongoing studies will continue to
help state wildlife officials judge the effectiveness of their policies
for managing turkey habitat and help them continue to set ap-
propriate limits on turkey hunting.
Sources:
“Not As Dumb As You Think: Wild Turkeys A Tough Catch For
UF Researchers,” Tim Lockette
UF School of Forest Resources & Conservation
Eleanor Foerste, Natural Resources Agent, Osceola County Ex-
tension
JUST FOR FUN
44
WA
LK
ON
TH
E W
ILD
SID
E
Courte
sy L
inda M
.
Fall has arrived, a favorite time of year in the Panhandle.
Not only is it one of the best times of year to garden, there
are a lot of wildlife activities we can also enjoy.
Birds
Itʼs time to set up winter seed and suet feeders.
Cedar waxwings come south for the winter. Their flocks
can be seen on cedars, hollies, cherry laurels, privet, and
other fruit plants.
Look for downy, hairy, red-bellied, and redheaded wood-
peckers on suet feeders.
Bald eagles begin their nesting season. Look for spectacu-
lar aerial courtship displays.
Sandhill cranes return in full force from their breeding
grounds up north. (Only a small number live here all year
round).
Many yellow-rumped warblers and palm warblers will be
in neighborhoods, natural areas, and yards, and gray cat-
birds have already arrived, and will be skulking (and cat-
calling!) in thickets.
Kinglets, phoebes, robins, and other northern songbirds
have arrived for the winter.
Mammals
Peak of deer rutting in central and north Florida.
Bears are on the move and crossing roads.
Look for migrating Hoary and Red Bats in North Florida.
Hoary is a large bat with frosted fur.
Amphibians
Ornate chorus frogs begin calling.
Fish
Spotted sea trout should enter tidal creeks around
Thanksgiving.
Bass congregate around jetties in south end of Lake
George.
Source of information:
Florida Wildlife Extension
October cereus by waterfall. Courtesy of Dick H. Toad lilies courtesy of Jane M.
Viva 50
0 C
elebratio
n S
halim
ar
Stace
y T., L
es C., D
mytro
S., M
arie H., B
ill B.,
and
Marilyn
K.
55
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By Lee V.
Japanese Persimmon
Preserves
3 cups fruit, cut into small
pieces (5-6 Japanese persim-
mons)
1 cup water
1 package powdered pectin
(1 3/4 oz.)
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh or bottled
4 cups sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground dry ginger
Dash ground cloves
Measure fruit and water into a large pan. Add pectin, lemon
juice and spices. Bring to a full boil for 30 seconds, add sugar
and bring to a rolling boil for exactly four minutes, stirring con-
stantly. If the fruit pieces are larger than you like, pulse four
times in a food processor.
Makes about 4 1/2 pints.
PEANUT BUTTER CHALLENGE!
Join Okaloosa County Extension along with University of Florida
Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the
Florida Peanut Producers Association to help take a bite out of
hunger by participating in a local peanut butter drive.
We are competing against other peanut producing counties in
the Panhandle for the most jars of peanut butter donated. Partic-
ipate and help make Okaloosa a winner.
Bring unopened jars of peanut butter to one of the below drop-
off locations now through November 15. All peanut butter col-
lected will be donated to local food pantries during Farm-City
Week.
Drop-off locations include:
Okaloosa County Extension Office
3098 Airport Road in Crestview
Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: This location will be closed November 11 for Veteran’s Day
Okaloosa County Farm Bureau Office
921 West James Lee Blvd. (Hwy. 90) in Crestview
Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Okaloosa County Extension Annex
127 NW Hollywood Blvd. in Fort Walton Beach
Note: This location is only available for drop-off of peanut butter
each Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon through November 15.
Niceville Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce
1055 E John Sims Pkwy. in Niceville
Open Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. & Friday 8 a.m. to 12
noon
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO!
Pat C.
Harriet G.
Marie H.
Colby K.
Lee L.
Jim M.
Carol M.
Mike N.
66
UPDATED PUBLICATIONS
We had a very good response to providing the updated publications available through EDIS.
This month:
Key to Common Bay Trees of Florida—a 7 page fact sheet that includes a
dichotomous key to help in identification as well as a basic description
and photos of each species.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr379
Conserving Urban Wildlife in the Face of Climate Change—4 page fact sheet http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw381
Smart irrigation Apps: Urban Turf—easy-to-use mobile tool
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae499
The Green Value of Your Woods: A summary of Ecosystem Services Provided by Forest
Stewardship Lands in Florida
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr381
Pesticide Applicator Certification and Training—3 page fact sheet http://
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi247
Integrated Pest Management in Protected Structures I: Basic Principles and Scouting
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in994
Spotted cucumber beetle—6 page fact sheet
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1008
New Caladium Cultivars—9 page fact sheet
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep481
New Gerbera Daisy Varieties for Large Containers and Flower Gardens
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep482
Eriophyid mite vector of Rose Rosette Disease (RRD)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in999
Southern Black Widow
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1000
BOOK REVIEW by Marg S. Native Trees of the Southeast: An Identifica-
tion Guide by Katherine Kirkman, Claud L.
Brown, and Donald J. Leopold is a must have
for your library. This is a comprehensive field
guide to 229 native tree species in the south-
eastern United States. There are over 590 pho-
tographs along with detailed descriptions,
range maps, and the part I like most, keys to
trees in summer and winter conditions. That
part alone makes it a handy guide to keep on
hand when you are out and about.
The book itself is durable in its construction so
it won’t fall apart after you cart it around for a
while.
You’ll definitely want to add this 372 page
book to your must have list.
You may purchase this volume through the
UF/IFAS Bookstore. SP 463
Don’t forget, you UF/IFAS Bookstore has
many items, not just books. The holidays are
coming and this would be the perfect shopping
place for those gardeners on your list....not to
mention a stocking stuffer or two for yourself!
http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/
77
General Membership Meeting
November 6th @ 10 am
Crestview Extension Office
3098 Airport Road
Crestview, FL 32539
Combined Meeting
and
Christmas Party
December 4th
Shalimar Baptist Church
17th 4th Ave.
Shalimar, FL
Fort Walton Beach Camellia Society’s
50th Annual Camellia Show
November 9th
12 noon to 4 pm
Westwood Retirement Resort
1001 Mar Walt Drive
Ft. Walton Beach, FL
88
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.
First off, I want to take this oppor-
tunity to thank everyone for their
thoughts, prayers and support during
my father’s recent health crisis. He is
home, doing much better and is cur-
rently hoping that the doctors allow
him to start driving again next week.
You may have noticed that this issue
is a ‘light’ one. Since we had folks on
vacation and others at the recent State
Conference, it just made sense to keep
things simple. Next month we will be
back to normal.
Speaking of the Conference, this was
the last 3-day conference until 2015.
They are going to an alternate schedule
so on odd years, we have the 3-day
conference and on even years there will
be a one-day District educational
event.
All in all, the conference was another
way to pack in 3 days of education time
at a very nice location. Here’s to hoping
that they keep that hotel on the agenda.
One thing that stuck with me was Dr.
Jaret Daniels’ presentation on the last
day regarding butterfly gardens. I
know that is a ‘hot’ topic right now, but
he provided a list of basics: provide a
mix of flower colors, flower shape, in-
clude host plants and adult nectar
sources, provide flowers throughout
the growing season, create horizontal
and vertical diversity, plant in group-
ings, include native plants, right plant
for each location, and learn to ID the
butterflies in your yard.
The two that struck me most were the
idea of horizontal and vertical diversity
as well as providing flowers throughout
the growing season.
Direction and timing. With the direc-
tion aspect, we were asked to consider
that some butterflies feed at different
levels. Lower levels are also necessary
for protection during weather events
and from predators.
Timing included when NOT to have
things blooming. You don’t want Mon-
arch sources blooming too late in the
season. If those sources are there,
Monarchs will reproduce and may not
survive when the cold weather hits.
Direction and timing. Two very im-
portant aspects of dealing with a gar-
den, a client and even life.
If you are heading in one direction
and it’s not working—don’t be afraid to
head in another one! If you’re at a low-
er level, try higher or off to the side.
You never know what may happen
when you just shift your perspective
and actions just a little bit.
Timing is another one. We always tell
folks, ‘right plant, right place’ (this ap-
plies to people as well) but we have to
remember the timing as well. There is a
right time to plant certain things and
there are right/wrong times to do
things in our own lives. Wait to long
and we might not complete what we
started out to do.
And always remember that not every-
one ‘feeds’ on the same level. Some are
on the lower branches while others are
way up high. That’s the area that suits
them best and provides the most
‘nutrition’ for growth and accomplish-
ments. Not everyone is on the same
schedule either. We should have our
lives like a butterfly garden—all levels
and proper timing. Soon you’ll see
‘blooms’ like never before and success
will be just around the corner.
On an ending note, after the trip to
the conference—the two fur balls in the
homestead FINALLY decided to forgive
us for leaving them alone. We had
someone checking in daily and taking
care of their needs...I was informed
that they rarely woke up.
On the morning after our arrival
home I was greeted by not one, but two
hairballs right where we walk....now
how is that for timing. Wishing every-
one a Happy Thanksgiving!
Marg S.—Editor
Shari F., Karen H. and
Linda M.—Co-Editors
LAST WORD By Marg S.