...for discerning weeders

FEBRU

AR

Y 2015

The Foundation for the Gator

Nation.....An equal opportunity

institution.

Featured this month! Bee Anatomy pg. 3

Aquatic Invasive pg. 6

What is Organic? pg. 7

Living Soil pg. 10 and much more!

Greetings and salutations! Your Board met on January 14th and made plans for the year 2015. My goodness, how time flies! It seems like just yesterday, anticipating the year 2000, people were concerned about computers crashing, a run on banks, and Mayan calendars predicting the end of the world. Oops! I di-gress. Back to the Board meeting. Monthly education seminars for the public are in the planning stage. More information will be com-ing out about these seminars. The Outreach committee is mak-ing plans for the Spring BIA home and garden show as well as a fall event that we can participate in. Larry is working on ad-vanced training sessions for Master Gardeners, Plant Clinics, and a new training session to welcome another group of dedi-cated folks into the Master Gardener program. So, you see, we are planning not only prospect for public educa-tion but also for our own education. We are proud of our past successes and look forward to even more accomplishments. L. Penry, OCMGA President

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 1 February, 2015

PRESIDENTIAL PONDERINGS

INSIDE THIS

ISSUE

Events Calendar 2

All A-Buzz 3-4

Cat’s Whiskers 4

Wildlife Happenings 5

Chickweed 5

Aggressive Invasive 6

What is Organic? 7-8

Updates and Info 9

The Living Soil 10

The Last Word 11

Show your heart is in the right place!

Sign in to VMS and log in your hours!

You may access the VMS site by clicking on the link

below:

https://florida.volunteersystem.org/

UniversalLogin.cfm

J. Bauer

B. Bayer

V. Burke

M. Drake

K. Harper

R. Herington

J. Langham

L. Meyers

B. Thomas

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.

According to legend, this means 6 more weeks of winter.

However, the gator saw his shadow which means 6 MORE

weeks of great Florida weather! And just a few days of

rain.)

February, 2015 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 2

You may access our interactive Events calendar by visiting

http://www.ocmgamembers.org/Calendar.html

Insects have been on this earth for approximately 300 million years. Evidence of insects from Hymenoptera, the order in which honey bees belong, has been found in fossils. Specimens of amber showed membranous wings and the skinny, ant-like waists Honey bees, however, didn’t evolve until 100 million years ago Their ancestors were predatory sphecid wasps that lived on animal protein. We know that honey bees need vegeta-ble protein (pollen), in addition to carbohydrates (nectar) in or-der to survive. Our first flowering plants (known as angio-sperms) provided plenty of both and co-evolved with honeybees. This was a symbiotic relationship to say the least. Unlike wasps, bees developed branch-like hairs on their body, which are able to trap vast amounts of pollen. They also developed expandable honey stomachs, or sacs, which then allow the bee to carry nectar back to the hive. Additionally, unlike wasps, honey bees’ commu-nication through pheromones enables them to not only defend the hive, but to find the most rewarding locations and flowers in which to forage upon.

Listed below is the honey bee’s location in the animal kingdom:

Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Hexapoda (or Insecta, six-footed) Order: Hymenoptera Suborder: Apocrita (bees, wasps & ants) Superfamily: Apoidea Family: Apidae Tribe: Apini Genus: Apis Species: Mellifera (honey bearing)

In the genus Apis, there are 8 species of honey bees. Apis mel-lifera being one of them. Interestingly, there are 25 races among this particular species. Since becoming a beekeeper, I commonly hear of the Italian honey bee, the Carniolan honey bee, and the Russian honey bee. M. and I have Italian honey bees at the pre-sent time, although we have used Russian queens on occasion. Each race has advantages and disadvantages. For example, Ital-ian bees are excellent foragers, but forage for shorter distances and may have a tendency to “rob” weaker hives, which often cre-ates quite a stir in the apiary. In the US today, the Italian honey bee is most commonly used honey bee, having been imported in 1859. In our hives, we have the “goldens” which have five bands on the abdomen in contrast to the “leathers,” which have three. M. and I are often asked about Africanized bees. This subspecies of honey bees comes from the central and southern part of Af-rica. Known as Apis mellifera scutellata, it is type you will find that was introduced into South America and is known as “killer” bees. Since the African bee is the same species of honey bees, hybridization can occur between our European races and the African races. Then, this progeny will be known as “Africanized”, or “AFB”. I could do an entire article on AFB (common acronym used now), but for the sake of this article, will mention only for clarity. In northwest Florida, AFB’s do not seem to be a problem as they have not been able to get a foothold north of Gainesville area.

Of course being an insect, the honey bee has three main body parts: the head, thorax (with six legs) and the abdomen. There are 5 eyes: 2 compound eyes and 3 simple eyes (ocelli). For now, I will say that the compound eyes distinguish light, color, and directional information from the sun’s UV rays. Honey bees do not see the color red, and their color range includes violet, blue, blue-green, orange and yellow, not to mention UV light, which humans cannot see.

The head also contains the proboscis and mandible. I always

wondered if the honey bee’s tongue was similar to a butterfly proboscis and discovered what an amazing organ it truly is. The butterfly’s proboscis is like a hollow drinking tube, or straw, which curls up when not in use. Formed during metamorphosis, it begins as two sides that are split, but then fuse together. Occa-sionally, the two sides fail to fuse and thus making the flutter baby unable to consume liquids. I have seen this happen, but not very often. It is truly a sad sight as one knows this beautiful crea-ture will only live for a short time without nourishment. The honey bee’s proboscis does function like a straw when taking in vast quantities of liquid such as water, or when they are in a hurry to fill their honey stomachs with honey in case of an alarm, but there are differences. Picture a straw split down the middle. These two “sides” are called the labium and the maxillae. When trying to gather very small, tiny droplets of nectar or honey, another innermost tube found inside the outer tube functions as a little mop with attachments at the end. This spoon-like lobe is called the labella. I remember when learning about this I pictured my Rachel Ray mopping brush in my kitchen utility drawer ;-) Nature is just so full of little wonders and surprises!

The honey bee has a mandible (lower jaw) that shapes beeswax into its known hexagonal shape and ma-nipulates the pollen. The mandible isn’t large enough to bite hu-mans, but it can bite invaders such as mites and other insects. The antennae function to detect odors and for touch.

The thorax is full of muscles that not only control the legs, but the wings as well. I often get asked how do honey bees stay warm and what do they do in the winter. They cluster into a ball over the brood (developing larva) and queen. This happens in the center of the hive where the bees take turns being in the center where the heat is. Also, they have an amazing ability to generate heat through contracting their thorax muscles and shivering. I have seen an amazing video of honey bees killing a large hornet intruder into a hive by clustering on top of the invader and liter-ally baking the hornet. The highest temperature I have heard about is 115° F. This high temperature, combined with a high CO2 level that is expended from all that activity, will kill the hor-net. During normal hive operations, they must maintain a brood temperature of 95° F. for the developing larvae. This clustering and shivering is very effective as even honey bee colonies in the north survive prolonged severe temperatures in the winter. Our friend’s honey bees in Indiana don’t come out of their hives for 3 months or more. Honey bees also have the ability to cool the hive, using their wings to cool things down and create a draft to release moisture from the ripening honey in the cells.

You may wonder if a honey bee breathes? They do not have lungs per se, but do “respire” (taking in O2 and releasing CO2) through a system of tubes (called tracheae), which are connected to the outside by spiracles. There are 3 pairs of spiracles on the thorax that makes it possible for bees to drown! They do have an ability to temporarily close off the spiracles if splashed with wa-ter but can’t for very long. I don’t know how many of my “girlz” I have rescued from the bird bath or hot tub when I’m working on it that were okay as I rescued them quickly. Normally, they love to drink water from the rim of the bird bath or from the leaky faucet outside. They are able to hang onto to rough surfaces with little hooks on their feet, but also have a smooth pad surface on their feet when they need more surface area. (cont’d next page)

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 3 February, 2015

ALL A-BUZZ by P. Garrett

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 4 February, 2015

BUZZ cont’d

As a BPM (Best Practice Management) tool, it is recommended that beekeepers “mark” their queens with a dot of paint on the thorax, a different color for every year. I would like to warn any-one reading this who marks his or her queens with a paint pen how easy it could be to paint and clog up a spiracle, which could interfere with a queen’s gas exchange. I think I probably did this one year as I had this gorgeous Russian queen. She was a little smaller than my usual Italian goldens, and the pen delivered a large dollop of paint. Normally one wouldn’t worry too much as the “attendants” would clean her. Sometimes one can mark a queen and the next time you inspect the hive, the mark is totally gone. If you let the paint dry, this doesn’t happen, but it could. Anyway, I went to retrieve her to reintroduce into the hive when there she lay all curled up and still. I was heartbroken. M. kept trying to reassure me that she could have been in “shock” and that maybe she would revive. As a nurse, I know dead when I see

it, and she was gone. After a few tears and comments about learning a hard lesson, we drove to Georgia to get a new queen.

Dear readers, I have just barely touched on honey bee anatomy and realized I am running out of space. I have decided to save the abdomen and stinger etc. for next month’s issue. I did want to end by saying I have struggled whether to type “honey bee” or “honeybee”. I have found, with M.’s help, that much has been written on this subject. Webster’s Dictionary and newspapers use one word, honeybee. Entomologists use two words, honey bee, as honey and bumble bees are true bees in the order Hy-menoptera. Issue solved! So spellcheck, are you reading this!! Leave me alone!! Lol Until next time….

References: Sammataro, D and Alphonse, A. The Beekeeper’s Handbook, 3rd Ed., 1978.

CAT’S WHISKERS—NOT JUST FOR KITTIES by A.J. Rosati

Cat’s Whiskers can be beneficial to people and pollinators, as

well as cats. Ground up wet or dry, leaves of this member of the

mint family are used as ingredients in medicines. Bees, butter-

flies and hummingbirds appreciate the nectar

from cat’s whiskers in backyard habitats.

Officially, cat’s whiskers, Orthosiphon

aristatus, prefers Zone 9 (hardiness to 20°F.)

through Zone 11 (hardiness to 40°F), but I can

attest to the fact that it can be grown in con-

tainers in Zone 8b. It is a slender, upright, ev-

ergreen perennial, but the flowers are what

make this particularly interesting. Blooms

open up in a long spike full of flowers and sta-

mens which extend outwards to twice as long as the flower itself

and look like cat’s whiskers (hence the name).

The coloration of these exotic looking blooms can range from

white to light blue or a violet lavender. Some people have com-

mented that the white flower is impressive in the moonlight.

Cat’s whiskers flower from late summer to early fall on stems

that range from 18 to 24 inches. They are classified as tropical

and tender perennials. Frost may kill the plant unless well pro-

tected so some shelter in the extremes of winter is recommended

here. Full sun may cause plants to wilt. Try growing conditions of

filtered light to partial shade and spotty sun. Cat’s whiskers can

be grown in enriched, fertile soil from harvested seeds allowed to

dry before planting, or from softwood cuttings. Prepare the soil

by adding 3 to 4 inches of organic matter and working it into the

soil. Feed these plants monthly with a complete and balanced

fertilizer for maximum growth and bloom. Orthosiphon

aristatus requires moist soil Water regularly and do not let the

soil dry out too much.

The Herb Cottage tells us, “Cat’s Whiskers has many synonyms

and alternative common names, especially in the South East

Asian region. Commonly used names around the world include

Java Tea, Kidney Tea, Kumis Kucing, Jumis Kutjing and Kitty

whiskers. Only the parts of the plant that are above ground are

used in teas and for medicinal purposes as other parts are poten-

tially toxic if ingested.

You may see the same plant referred to as Orthosiphon spiralis,

Orthosiphon stamineus, or Ocimum aristatum.

The scientific name orthosiphon refers to the

upright tube shape of the flower and aristatus

means ‘with ears.’

This plant is native to some tropical regions of

Australia and South East Asia. It can also be

found in east India, Indo-China, and Indonesia.

On the islands of Sumatra and Java it is culti-

vated for Java Tea. In nature it can commonly

be seen along roadsides and wastelands and at

the edges of forests.

If you decide to plant cat’s whiskers in the ground, consider

groupings of several clustered together with ferns, or cannas. Let

your imagination guide you. In-ground plants may die back with

cold temperatures. Some may come back the following year if

you allow them to self-seed and grow them as an annual. I put

my cat’s whiskers in containers and winter them in the green-

house.

Plants may be purchased on line with Dave’s Garden, or at Gar-

den Gate in Gulf Breeze at a reasonable cost. I recommend call-

ing to check on availability with reputable dealers who specialize

in native plants and/or herbs.

So try something new if you aren’t familiar with cat’s whiskers.

It is not plagued by any major pests, or diseases and won’t in-

vade your yard like some members of the mint family if you grow

it in a container! Happy Gardening!

References:

Brown, Sydney Park. “Gardening with Perennials in Florida.”

ENH-68, revised August 2014.

Dave’s Garden.com Plant Files: “Cat’s Whiskers, Java Tea.”

Herb Cottage. “Cat’s Whiskers-Botanical Name: Orthosiphon

artistatus.”

Orthosiphon stamineus, Cat’s Whiskers.Florida.Gardener.com

2004.

Punxsutawney Phil says there are 6 more weeks of winter. Here

in Florida, February signals that Spring isn’t far away. Here are

some happenings in the animal kingdom to watch for this

month:

BIRDS

Early purple martin scouts will start to appear this month.

Now is the time to raise bird houses or gourds.

Ospreys will begin nesting near the end of the month.

North Florida woodcocks begin courtship behavior. Listen as

dusk for their “peenting” in open fields.

Pileated Woodpeckers begin their mating season and will start

announcing territories by drumming on various objects includ-

ing houses and telephone poles.

Others who are beginning their nesting season: Little Blue and

Tri-colored Herons, wood and Mottled Ducks, and Snail Kites.

Purple Finches and Pine Siskins will leave our feeders and

begin their migration back to

northern nesting areas.

Swallow-tailed kites begin re-

turning from South America.

MAMMALS

Eastern Moles are breeding this

month in tunnels under our

lawns.

Striped Skunks begin their breeding season.

Pocket Gophers begin their spring breeding season.

REPTILES

Alligator snapping turtles will start mating this month, with

nesting activity throughout the spring.

Gopher tortoises seldom seen outside burrows.

FISH

Crappie and Striped bass are spawning.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 5 February, 2015

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

CHICKWEED by L. Morris

Stellaria media or common chickweed is an annual winter

weed which germinates in the fall and winter. It begins actively

growing as soon as the weather starts to warm up i.e.: January

through March. It has also been tagged as alsine media, starwort,

starweed, bindweed, winterweed, satin flower, tongue-grass and

A PEST! The weather we are having now brings this plant to AT-

TENTION. It has been growing slowly all winter and presents

itself when our warm season grasses are dormant.

References:

www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Winter Annual Weeds

Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses by Colvin Dickens Everest Hall

McCarty pg: 80

www.winterannualweeds

ADVICE FROM A HONEY BEE

Courtesy of P. Garrett

CREATE A BUZZ

SIP LIFE’S SWEET MOMENTS

MIND YOUR OWN BEESWAX

WORK TOGETHER

ALWAYS FIND YOUR WAY HOME

STICK CLOSE TO YOUR HONEY

BEE YOURSELF!

AGGRESSIVE INVASIVE by D. Stever

There is only one species of Hydrilla in the world. Hydrilla verticillata's dioecious type originates from southern India while Hydrilla's monoecious type is probably from Korea. (Madeira et al. 1997). Hydrilla is an herbaceous perennial forming dense stands of very long stems (25 ft.) in the water. It reproduces mainly by regrowth of stem fragments; it can also reproduce by growth of auxiliary buds and subterranean tubers. Hydrilla can grow an inch or more per day and can be found in water only a few inches deep to the deepest parts of Florida’s lakes and rivers. Hydrilla is naturalized and invasive in the United States following release in the 1950s and 1960s from aquari-ums into waterways in Florida. It is now established in Canada and the southeast from Connecticut to Texas, and also in Cali-fornia. The story of its introduction to Florida is that a west coast aquarium dealer shipped live Hydrilla from Sri Lanka under the common name "Indian star-vine. After these plants were considered unsatisfactory, they were dumped into a canal near Tampa Bay and then appeared in the Crystal river system. As an invasive species in Florida, Hydrilla has become the most serious aquatic weed problem for Florida and most of the U.S. The Hydrilla is known to be an aggressive and competitive plant, even out-competing and displacing native species, such as pondweeds and eelgrass. One of the unfortunate best examples of Hydrilla is at the Mor-rison Springs park area south of Ponce De Leon. No sign of the unwanted guest in the early spring months but during the sum-mer and early fall it will reach from the area surrounding the spring to the surface and make use of the swimming/diving area a challenge. Annually, millions of dollars are spent on herbicides and me-chanical harvesters in an effort to control Hydrilla. Besides the

impact to recreational fishing, Hydrilla slows water flow and clogs flood-control canals. Control is by chemical method, mechanical harvesters, biologi-cal control (grass carp) and insects. From time to time I want to interject this information, of the more than 4,000 known plant species growing in Florida ap-proximately 30% are not native to Florida or the Southeast. More Information: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr133

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/183

http://www.protectyourwaters.net/hitchhikers/plants_hydrilla

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/hyve.htm http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/invasiveplants/weed-alerts/hydrilla

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 6 February, 2015

The Jokester:

Beelzebug (n): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that

gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and can-

not be cast out.

Cedar of Lebanon on Eglin. 3

feet in diameter. Photo courtesy

of R. Hastings

Stink Horn fungus emerging. Photo courtesy of S. Farrell

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 7 February, 2015

ORGANIC…..WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN? by K. Harper

What IS Or-ganic? Techni-cally, it’s an adjec-tive meaning of, relating to, or de-rived from living matter and/or pro-duced without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesti-cides, or other arti-ficial agents. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Of course, we

know it’s not simple and the labels and claims of ‘organic’, ‘natural’, ‘hormone-free’, etc. are bewildering at best. And if you’ve been to the market and plunked down extra money to buy organic food, you might be wondering if you got taken for a ride or if you got your money’s worth. After all, what’s to stop any farm or middle-man or supermarket from labeling products as ‘organic’ whether they are or not? The answer to that question is “the government”, specifically the U.S. Department of Agricul-ture, which is in charge of developing and enforcing standards for organic certification for every step of a product’s journey from the farm to your shopping cart. The USDA does this under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA, Title XXI of the 1990 Farm Bill), by which the USDA established the NOP (The National Organic program). NOP is responsible for the development national standards covering the production and handling of “organic” products. The USDA organic regulations do not address food safety or nutrition. Taken from the USDA’s consumer brochure: “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable re-sources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance envi-ronmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced with-out using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ioniz-ing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Gov-ernment-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules neces-sary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.” Organic standards cover the product’s lifecycle from production to processing and handling, including: natural resource and biodiversity conservation, ani-mal health and welfare, allowed and prohibited substances, pes-ticide and other residue testing, certification and labeling re-quirements and annual on-site compliance inspections. Produc-ers and handlers must meet these standards to use the word “organic” or the USDA organic seal on food, feed, or fiber. The USDA standards recognize four categories of organic production: 1. Crops: Plants that are grown to be harvested as food, live-

stock feed, fiber, or used to add nutrients to the field.

2. Livestock: Animals that can be used for food or in the pro-duction of food, fiber, or feed.

3. Processed/multi-ingredient products: Items that have been handled and packaged (e.g., chopped carrots) or combined, processed, and packaged (e.g., bread or soup).

4. Wild crops: Plants from a growing site that is not cultivated.

Within the USDA’s ‘organic’ definition, are three categories de-fined for labeling organic products: 1. 100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients 2. Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients. Only these two categories may use the USDA’s Organic Seal which appears at the end of this page. 3. Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remain-ing 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms) Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organi-cally produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may NOT make any organic claims on the front of the package. Certification and Compliance. Converting land to organic status is a three-year process. There is a two-year conversion process consisting of building up the fertility of the land. Produce grown in the first year cannot be stated as organic. In the second year produce may be stated as “In Conversion”. It is not until the third year that produce may be stated as fully organic. Soil and natural fertility building are important parts of organic farming. Certification and Compliance is conducted worldwide. The USDA accredits State departments of agriculture and private organizations around the world to serve as certifying agents. Cer-tifying agents first review the written application to ensure that practices comply with organic regulations. An inspector then conducts an on-site inspection of the applicant’s operation. Af-terward, the certifying agent reviews the inspector’s report. If the written application and the on-site inspection show that all prac-tices comply with organic regulations, the agent grants certifica-tion to the operator for one year. Certification renewals follow the same process. The USDA organic regulations allow foreign organic products to be sold as organic in the United States. This is possible through three channels, each of which is regularly audited to ensure compliance: 1. An NOP-accredited certifying agent certifies the foreign

farm or business to the USDA organic regulations.

2. NOP authorizes a foreign government to accredit certifying agents within that country to the USDA organic regulations.

3. The United States and a foreign country recognize each other’s organic standards as equivalent. This designation allows organic products certified in one country to be sold as organic in the other.

Compliance with the USDA regulations? Well, you’d just better because if you don’t, punishments may include financial penal-ties up to $11,000 per violations and/or suspension or revoca-tion of an operation’s organic certificate. Certifying agents are also subject to compliance and enforcement actions. Cont’d on next page

ORAGNIC cont’d.

Who must be certified? Most farms and businesses that grow, handle, or process organic products must be certified, in-cluding:

1. Farms that sell more than $5,000 in organic products per year (gross sales).

2. Handlers that sell more than $5,000 of organic processed food, including handlers that place bulk products into smaller packages or that repackage/re-label products.

3. Processors that sell more than $5,000 of organic processed products, unless all products contain less than 70 percent organic ingredients or only identify the organic ingredients in the ingredient statement.

4. Vendors that handle (e.g. package) and sell products online (but not in stores) or otherwise deliver organic products. Overall, if you make a product and want to claim that it or its ingredients are organic, your final product probably also needs to be certified.

Who doesn’t need to be certified? Small organic farms and businesses with a gross agricultural income from organic sales of $5,000 or less per year, are considered exempt from certification requirements. This means you don’t need to be certified to sell, label, or represent your products as organic. You also do not need to develop a written organic system plan. However, you must follow all other requirements in the USDA organic regula-tions. Specifically, you must: Maintain records for at least three years; not use the USDA organic seal on your products or refer to them as certified organic. If you would like to use the USDA or-ganic seal, pursue organic certification; meet other USDA or-ganic labeling requirements; not sell your products as ingredi-ents for use in someone else’s certified organic product. If you are still bewildered, The AARP offers some useful practical tips for making sure you’re getting what you expect: A summary of those tips:

1. On loose fruits and vegetables, look at the Price Look-Up (PLU) sticker. If the produce is organic, the code will con-tain five-digits beginning with 9. Non-organic counterparts will have four digits. (for example: Organically grown ba-nanas will be 94011, compared to 4011 for those treated with chemicals and pesticides.) A five-digit PLU beginning with 8 means the item is genetically modified.

2. To bear the green-and-white “USDA Organic” seal, pack-aged organics must be certified by the USDA and contain at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). Those with at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients may use the words “made with or-ganic ingredients” but cannot have the green-and-white USDA seal. Some may have labels with a different color combination. Mislabeling can result in fines of up to $11,000 per violation.

3. What about your favorite farmers’ market? At farmers’ stands and markets, where organics may cost less because of low shipping costs and no middlemen, it can be trickier to vet what you’re getting – especially when items lack PLU stickers. Under the USDA’s National Organic Program, farmers who market their products as "organic" also must – or at least should – have their wares certified by a USDA-accredited agent (or face fines if caught). If it’s touted as “certified,” you can ask to see a copy of the organic certifica-tion paperwork. Vendors are supposed to have it on-hand.

4. Some farmers use legitimate organic growing practices but choose not to enter the certification process. Those earning

less than $5,000 a year selling at booths are exempt. So even if not touted as “certified,” you should feel free to ask, "How was this food grown?" and let the answer guide your choice to buy. See the AARP article here: http://www.aarp.org/food/healthy-eating/info-04-2012/real-organic-food.html

Who sells organic food? This may surprise you (or perhaps not!). As of 2011, the largest retailer of organic produce is Wal-Mart, followed by Costco, Kroger, SuperTarget, Safeway, and Whole Foods Markets. I do almost all of my shopping at military commissaries, which offer organic produce and meats but I don’t know where they rank in terms of overall organic sales. More information on retailers here: http://organic.about.com/od/marketingpromotion/tp/6-Largest-Organic-Retailers-In-North-America-2011.htm Why does organic cost more? These are the frequently-given reasons for the higher cost of organic produce: Organic farmers who elect to get certified have to bear the cost of that process as well as the annual renewal of their certification, once granted. Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like con-ventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food re-flects the true cost of growing. The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars. Organic farming is more labor and management intensive. Organic farms are usually smaller than conventional farms and so do not benefit from the economies of scale that larger growers get. Problems with the USDA’s certification program. To further complicate the issue of ‘real’ organics, there have been some very real problems with the USDA’s program (surprise!). Some of the accredited certifying agents, along with the USDA, have come under fire for certifying products as organic, when the product may not conform to USDA standards for organic certification. For example, a 2010 Inspector General report found many problems with the enforcement of the regulations. Steps have presumably been taken to correct these shortcom-ings. Read more here: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/03/the-us-department-of-agricultures/#.VMLMX5VCK70 and read the unflattering report here: http://www.cornucopia.org/USDA/OIG_AuditofNOP.pdf

Clearly, the USDA/NOP program has some work to do to reach its goals in establishing and enforcing its own standards and your best course of action is to raise your own food when possi-ble and/or know your sources very well. I’m excited that we’re getting a new Whole Foods Market in Destin Commons next year and am planning to check them out thoroughly. http://www.nwfdailynews.com/business/local-business-news/whole-foods-market-coming-to-destin-commons-in-2016-1.397507

Note: Many specific questions about certified organic produce (e.g. Can GMO’s be used?) are answered at this USDA FAQ site: http://tinyurl.com/nn3zff5

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 8 February, 2015

The Jokester:

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not

putting it in a fruit salad.

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Pest Identification Guides—identify common arthropod pests and the damage they inflict. Each field guide provides photos of the important life stages and crop damage associated. The text highlights key general morphology and biology, distribution and natural enemies. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_pest_Identification_guides Flower thrips in blackberries in Florida—3 page fact sheet pro-viding information on flower thrips identification, monitoring and management for blackberries. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1060 Wedge-shaped beetles– Ripiphoridae are a family of unusual parasitic beetles that are thought to be related to tumbling flower beetles and blister beetles. They parasitize bees and wasps, roaches, and wood-boring beetles. 4 page fact sheet. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1069

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An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 9 February, 2015

Moso bamboo at E. Smith’s

house Photo courtesy of R.

Hastings

The Jokester

“We do not quit playing because we grow old; we

grow old because we quit playing.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication 10 February, 2015

THE LIVING SOIL by B. Bayer

When most gardeners view their landscape, they consider the

condition of their grass, shrubs and trees but give little or no

consideration to the soil beneath their feet. If there is a problem

with the plants, the first though is what chemical is needed to

correct the situation. In many cases this makes the situation

worst rather than relieving it. Science tells us that 80% of all

plant problems are related to

the soil they grow in. In an

attempt to prevent a problem

before it occurs, it may be

beneficial to have a better

understanding of how we

should treat our soils and how

to improve them.

At first appearance, the soil

seems to be a replica of its

inert parent material, a rock,

in a smaller version but it is so

much more. Soil is a mixture

of minerals, organic material,

water, gases and a multitude

of organisms that can support

plant life. Without soil we

would have a limited supply of

plants, without plants we

could not exist.

The minerals in our soils are composed of the 92 naturally oc-

curring elements created billions of years ago by a supernova.

They vary in amounts and locations throughout the world, which

explains in part the variety of soils. All of these elements are not

essential for plant growth . Presently, there are 18 essential ele-

ments that plants require in order to naturally complete their life

cycle. Over the years, elements that where once considered bene-

ficial are now found to be essential. This can be attributed to the

development of better and more sensitive space age equipment.

The mineral particles that compose the soil come in three

forms, sand, silt and clay; the largest being sand and the smallest

clay. A sand particle can be seem with the naked eye or with a

magnifying glass. It takes an electron microscope to view a clay

particle. If we could stack clay particles, it would take 12,000 to

make 1 inch. In general, an undisturbed soil would contain 45%

by volume of its content as sand, silt and clay. Depending on the

percentage of each of these different particles accounts for differ-

ent soil texture classes. (example, 10% silt,10% clay, 80% sand

=Loamy sand) A soil with 90% sand, 10% silt=Sand .

Five hundred years ago, Leonardo da Vinci said; "We know

more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil

underfoot." Although we have made many advances in both of

these fields, the same is true today. Within our life time, discov-

eries have been made that shattered our previous beliefs of the

world around us. The electron microscope has shown us that

beneath our feet lies a hidden subterranean biosphere that is

more immense than life aboveground. It boggles the mind to

comprehend that a handful of healthy soil contains hundreds of

miles of fungal threads and more creatures than there are hu-

mans on the entire planet.

Soils supply plants with inorganic mineral nutrients in the form

of dissolved ions (electrically charged atoms), protects plants

from toxic concentrations,

moderates soil temperature

fluctuations, has water-holding

capacity and provides ventila-

tion through a network of soil

pores.

We usually think of the soil as

being firm and solid but typi-

cally only 50% is solid

(minerals and organic matter)

the other 50% is air and water.

Depending on the amount of

rainfall and irrigation the

equally between air and water

shifts back and forth from 25%

each to 20/30, 22/28 etc. in

either direction. If there is too

much water the soil becomes

waterlogged or the plants suf-

fer drought if there is too little.

Soils with much more than 50% solids are likely to be too com-

pacted for good plant growth.

The transformation of inorganic rock and organic debris into a

living soil is one of nature's most fascinating displays.

The relative proportions of air, minerals, water and living

things greatly influences the behavior and productivity of soil.

Only about 5% by volume of the ideal soil is composed of a wide

variety of organic matter. These are divided into four categories.

The first are living organisms and roots which account for less

than 5% of the total organic matter. Second are the remains of

dead plants, animals and soil organisms (<10%) which have not

begun to decompose. Next is the portion undergoing rapid de-

composition (20-45%) Finally, the stabilized organic matter

(humus) that remains after being decomposed by soil microor-

ganisms. (50-80%) .

The negative and positive charged particles of humus and the

negative charged particles of clay are suspended in the soil water

solution. They attract the oppositely charged ions of the essential

elements and are held by a mild static charge until freed by a

more powerful charge. The freed ions can then be taken up by

the plant roots and used for growth.

The unseen multitude of microorganisms at the bottom of the

food chain constantly transforms what was once a living organ-

ism (including humans) back into usable nutrients for all living

things. Without these mighty recyclers we could not survive and

if we could, we would be eyeball deep in yuck.

Have pictures or an idea for

an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are

always welcome.

My Wife, the Gardener

(from an old magazine)

She dug the plot on Monday, the soil was rich and fine, She forgot to thaw out dinner so we went out to dine.

She planted roses Tuesday, she says they are a must, They really were quite lovely but she forgot to dust.

On Wednesday it was daisies, they opened with the sun, All whites and pinks and yellows, but laundry wasn't done!

The poppies came on Thursday, a bright and cheery red, I guessed she really was engrossed, she never made the bed!

It was dahlias on Friday in colors she adores, It never bothered her at all, all the crumbs upon the floors.

I hired a maid on Saturday, my week is now complete, My wife can garden all she wants, the house will still be neat!

It's nearly lunchtime on Sunday and I cannot find the maid, Oh no! I don't believe it! She's out there with a spade! I actually found a copy of the above poem while cleaning up the Master Gardener office. I don’t know about you but I can relate to the sentiments this little ditty con-tains. How many times do we have a list of things to do and just one step out into our gardens….POOF! We forget that list in-stantly! Not to mention if we have bird feeders out there. Between watching the various birds coming in, we have to figure out the ulti-mate squirrel deterrent. Have butterfly gardens? Oh that’s good for at least 2 hours a day that are lost. Better yet, finding some new disease/plant/weed/insect in the garden. Well that certainly gets us back into the house but it is straight to our resources and the com-

puter because we won’t rest until we have identi-fied the intruder! And woe to the gardener who heads out on a nice day, intent on just a bit of sprucing up. We soon dis-cover that there is a hole. Yes, a hole. Whether caused by a vacated plant or lawn ornament. Like

Nature abhors a vacuum, gardeners cannot rest easy knowing that there is a hole that resides in the flower bed. Off to the nurs-ery! You know, of course, that we simply can-not go to the nursery and buy one plant. That, my friends, is simply un-American! No, we see a lovely specimen on another bench that would be perfect near the water garden. Wow, they are having a really good deal on peat moss. We arrive back home with most of the day gone and a full load of materials that now must find a home. Result? The original job of sprucing did-n’t get done and dinner is going to be a can of soup because we are too tired to cook! Our lives get even more involved when we attend a propagation seminar. Never again will we be without bags, marking pens and clippers when we travel beyond our own gardens. We must then guard our new ‘plants’ to ensure that they thrive, take root and ultimately grace our garden beds with a new color...wait, for it…...yup, another trip to the nursery because that dianthus would look lovely with some plant we saw during our last trip. Face it, my friends. We have a condition for which there are no telethons, nor bucket challenges. There are no rehabilita-tion facilities for people afflicted as we are (we’d probably redesign the atrium!). No help groups exist for us nor our long suf-fering family and friends. Garden catalogs fill our in-boxes and mailboxes, dragging us back into the dark world of horticulture. We congregate with other addicts and speak strange languages of pH and insect morphology. We hoard reference books...telling ourselves that we can stop any time we want. I’m here to tell you that we can’t stop and we won’t. There is always one more plant, one more weed, one more bean to be har-vested. We’ll get to the mundane chores eventu-ally and may even take a stab at dust bunny removal under the bed. Dinner will get made and the laundry will get done. Like the maid in the poem, we’ll seduce others into our ranks and smile when they excitedly point out a new plant they grafted. Yes, folks...we’re gardeners….ain’t it great!?

M. Stewart —Editor

S. Farrell , K. Harper and S.

Berry—co-editors

LAST WORD By M. Stewart

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication February, 2015

Mission

To assist Extension Agents in

providing research-based

horticultural education to

Florida residents.

Vision

To be the most trusted

resource for horticultural

education in Florida.