Wisteria Garden Circle

Don’t forget to get your orders in for caladiums. You can visit the TGC website for all the details and an order form.

We went to this last year. It was super fun and very informative.

From New Leaf Market Website

Location: Ladybird Organic Farm
1211 Waukeenah Hwy., Monticello, FL

Saturday, February 20
2:00-4:00 pm
$10 owners, $12 non-owners

Join Cynthia Connolly, PhD., owner of Ladybird Organics™, as she explains and demonstrates everything you need to know to turn your kitchen scraps into valuable soil amendment, or worm compost. Worms, worm castings, plants, organic muscadine wine and grapes will be for sale. In the event of inclement weather, the seminar will be held the following day, Sunday, February 21.

Ms. Connolly received her doctorate from Iowa State University in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Engineering. She is also a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and a Florida Certified Nursery Professional (FCNP). Let’s start today to help our earth and ourselves.

First Friday Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series: “The Flowering of Australia”
Goodwood Museum and Gardens
Jubilee Cottage
Friday, January 8, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
By: Dr. John Tobe
Free of Charge, No Reservations Required
Attendees may bring their lunch if desired

Botanist and natural historian Dr. John David Tobe will be giving a lecture on the rich floral diversity of the southwest Australia ecoregion. There are approximately 6,759 species and almost half of these are endemics to this area of the world. The unique combination of ancient landscape, nutrient deficient soils, and primarily Mediterranean type climate and ecology has resulted in over 250 million years of plant evolution and created a landscape dominated by eucalyptus, tea trees, bottlebrush, banksias, grevilleas, wattles and other uniquely Australia genera. This lecture will highlight some of the most characteristic species as well as floral gems of the area.

We will have a HOPE Workday Saturday, Dec. 19th at 9-12 noon.  Plans are for planting a few things for winter color, some fall clean up  and winter preparations in the garden. Sweet Bay will be working in the winter vegetable garden also.  If anyone has extra Southern Woods fern, please bring some to plant under oaks.  Bring some clippers to shape up the crape myrtle trees also.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday season with family and friends.

Kathy Carmichael

I think the portobello mushroom is one of the most under appreciated superfoods. At just a measly 24 calories per cup it packs a whopping 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. They add a great “meaty” texture and savory flavor to any salad or sandwich. Grill up an entire cap as an exiting replacement to a weeknight burger. Portobello mushrooms are readily available at any local supermarket and they’re ridiculously cheap.

The recipe below is one that I created from all of my favorite things. It would make a great vegetarian main course or side dish for fish tacos or quesadillas. It was a big hit in my house and it’s sure to be a hit with your crowd, too.

Portobello and Peppers with Cilantro Lime Rice

(serves 4 as a side dish)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked fragrant rice (Basamati or Jasmine)
• 2 portobello mushroom caps cut into 3/4″ cubes
• 1/2 medium green pepper cut into strips
• 1/2 medium red onion cut into strips
• 2 limes (for juice and zesting)
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Coat a skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium, saute the onions and peppers until almost soft. Add in the portobello mushrooms and cook through.

Into the rice, add the juice from the limes, cilantro, and about 2 teaspoons of lime zest (if you’re not a huge fan of limes, you can leave out the zest). Stir the rice mixture.

Add the mushroom and pepper mixture from the pan into the rice and stir. Salt and pepper to taste. And, of course, enjoy!

(Also, I hope you enjoy the photo above. Perhaps I’ve found a new career as a food stylist? You can all say you knew me when.)

I looooove Halloween! Can you tell? Here are some pics from my front yard decoration and instructions on some of the projects I made for it.

Giant (and Small) Garbage Bag Spider

Giant Spider

Supplies

• Black Garbage Bags
• 16 Gauge Wire (something finer for the small spider)
• Wire Cutters
• Duct Tape
• Electrical Tape

For the small spider, create one circle hoop with wire. Place a plastic grocery bag inside the hoop and wrap a few times with electrical tape. For the Giant Spider form two hoops and interlock them so the create a sphere shape. Then stuff a garbage bag inside the center of the sphere.

Form each of the 8 legs by taking a double length of the wire, folding it in half and wrapping the ends of the wire around the hoop. Wrap a small piece of electrical tape around where the hoop and each leg meet (for the Giant Spider you can use duct tape for this).

Next, cover the center of the spider’s body with a piece of garbage bag and secure with electrical tape. Around the 8 legs, cut strips of garbage bag to wind around each leg forming the skin of the spider. Finish off with electrical tape. You can also decorate the spider’s head with googly eyes, or create pincers.

Zombie Garage

Supplies

• Measuring Tape
• Black Paper (preferably cardstock)
• Wax Paper
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• White or Yellow Colored Pencil
• Clear Tape
• Lamp or light source (for display)
• Hands!

Measure your garage windows to decide on your size. Use the pencil to trace your hands onto the black paper starting at the bottom of the page. Remember to be creative with the hand shapes and locations. Use the scissors to cut out the shapes and stick the cutouts onto the wax paper with the glue stick. Let these dry completely, then mount inside the windows with clear tape. Be sure to backlight for the best effect!

CNN.com posted a sort of random article on composting. It’s got a lot of helpful info if you’re just getting started. Link

Wednesday, October 21st
Plantaholic Preview Party
6 to 9 p.m.
North Florida Research and Edcucation Center, Quincy, FL

Gardening Friends of the Big Bend is pleased to announce our third Plantaholic Preview Party. This evening fund-raiser includes party food and drinks with a crowd of plant enthusiasts bidding on silent and live auction items. Pre-priced plants are also for sale. Auction and sale items include rare, unique, bodacious and perhaps even bizarre plants and accessories suitable for our area. This event is a one-of-a-kind evening with happy gardeners helping the NFREC with its research and educational missions. A $25 ticket for the evening party and auction can be purchased prior to October 21 from GFBB’s website; from Sue Watkins, stwatkins@nettally.com, 850-524-1329; or from Jill Williams, B419@aol.com, 850-663-2280. Tickets at the door on October 21 will be $30 each. Pre-purchased tickets for GFBB members are $20 each.

Saturday, October 3, 2009
Agave/Succulent Workshop
8:30 – 12:00
NFREC, Quincy

Many people rightly think of agave, yucca, and succulents as tough plants associated with environments like deserts and dunes. What they may not realize is that these plants and others like them adapt well to home and commercial landscapes where they thrive in harsh conditions associated with urban living. This adaptability translates into low maintenance since they need little or no irrigation, fertilization, pruning or spraying. Above and beyond their toughness, agaves and “friends” capture the imagination because of their dramatic architectural forms, unusual shapes, variety of colors and patterning. Due to the growing interest in agave, yucca, dyckia, and succulents Gardening Friends will be sponsoring this October 3 workshop at NFREC-Quincy.

Speaking at this Saturday workshop will be Doug Hopkins, Landscape Designer and Succulent Grower from Gainesville, FL. Doug will speak on “Succulents for North Florida from Around the World!” Dr. Ed Duke, FAMU Horticulture, will speak about using succulents in your own garden – a task Ed has personally experienced. Dr. Gary Knox of NFREC – Quincy will share information of “Agaves and ‘Friends’ at NFREC”.