Mystery plant, has flowers in the early summer.

          Found this strange looking friend growing in the deep shade of a Ficus tree at my friend's house. He has 3 acres of mostly grass but he thinks its the most amazing property ever. Regardless, I thought this little guy was some kind of raspberry or blackberry due to it's diminutive size and berry looking pods. 

This picture was taken in May

     Later I continued to check on the berries, hoping it was something edible. But it never turned purple or red, instead it burst into color. Into a most familiar color, the native flower known as Lantana.

     I don't know that much about Lantana other than it has yellow flowers or it has pink flowers and sometimes you can find one plant with both colors on it. Some people say the ripe berries are edible. Maybe we should do more with this native beauty.

     Wikipedia says that Lantana is poisonous if eaten, but can be used topically as it has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It also has chemicals which give it insecticidal properties, which makes it insect resistant. Lantana is native to North and South America.

Monarda punctata, Horsemint, Spotted Bee Balm

   I was at the forest garden and snapped a nice picture of an interesting looking flower near the road that I had never seen before. It was growing under the edge of shade from trees but also getting a few hours of sunlight as it was near the road. To me, these are among the harshest conditions known to plants.
     Then later I found an article on social media put out there by the Pasco County UF IFAS office that touted the horn of beebalm. It specifically mentions how the flowers of beebalm herald the beginning of Florida's fall wildflower season. What it neglected to mention in detail was beebalm's edibility and medicinal uses, plus the fact that it's a native that grows with no irrigation!
     Green Deane says it has more thymol than the other mints. It can be used as a cough suppressant, an antihelminthic, anti-inflammatory. He also says that it can make a sedating tea. Which might be good if you have a cough.

     On Archive, there is actually a book discussing the production of thymiol using beebalm, and breaks down the costs by acre. It's an interesting read. The information from 1916 is still every bit as true today, even if our currency's value has changed over the years.
     I have often thought about the value of creating herbal teas and tisanes to treat some common ailments. Dehydration would be necessary, of course, along with a delivery system such as tea bags. Beebalm would be a great herb to start out with, as it is medicinal, safe, and native.

Pennisetum purpureum, Napier grass, Elephant Grass

     At the local gardening club, I picked up some rooted cuttings of this interesting black grass and planted one in the front garden and one in the back garden. I didn't know too much about it then, other than that it was big and black and $12.
     It turns out that Elephant grass earned it name because it is a favorite plant of elephants back in its native home of Africa. It is edible for people too, and by extension, rabbits. Plants for a Future says the young shoots or leaves are added to soups. Elephant grass is closely related to millet.

     According to Feedipedia, it is primarily used in cut and carry feeding systems and used to make silage. It is desirable due to its wide range of habitats and drought tolerance. The fresh leaves an stems are reported to have just 1-10% protein, but to be a good source of carotene.  Historically there have been a few cases of nitrate poisining in cattle fed on exclusively Elephant Grass, but I remember reading the same for Tifton hay also. Archive has a fantastic book about using Elephant grass as a fodder crop in Hawaii.
     It is also used to make thatch and mulch, and to prevent erosion if planted on contour.
   Elephant grass is mainly grown in stands. It produces few seeds and is usually propagated by stem cuttings of at least 3 nodes, 2 of which are buried into the soil. Has been known to grow 4 meters in three months time after planting from stem cuttings.

     It has been growing very well in my yard for almost one year now. I plan on taking cuttings out to the forest to plant on the sandy areas created by cars driving through the corner of the land.

Scrubland Baroness versus the River

     Collected another piece of property two miles from the forest garden. Im just going to collect lost little bits of land as investments. Well why not? Its not like they are making any more of it.

One hour of chainsawing later...

     Happened on a nice little piece of property about 8/10 of an acre that is a long rectangle. One of the short sides is on a paved road and the opposite short side is on an offshoot of one of the main rivers here in West Florida. The land was cheap; I bought it unseen. Judging by the amount of water present in the creek during the dryest part of April, I am sure my creek will have water all year.
     Went to work on it the other day with the chainsaw. I only worked for about an hour, but managed to cut a nice hole into the beginning. This will be another good spot to use those pavers from lowes.
   Someday, I get to be one of those people on the boat on the river. Someday.

Wild Coffee, Psychotria Nervosa

     I like to call this plant Psycho Coffee, because it's just more fun to say. I bought this several years ago from the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, and it has thrived with no care at all. When I planted it back then I heeded the advice of IFAS and put it in the full shade, where it doubled in height and width and produced two seedlings. The seedlings also thrived in the full shade with no care, no watering, nothing.

     Psycho Coffee is native to Florida, and Florida is its only home. It's hardiness is from 10B to 11, but it's growing well in the full shade in my 8A front yard. I happened to be at the Pasco County Earth Day celebration, and there was a gentleman there from the Florida Native Plant Society and he had some for sale, so I picked up another one and supported the Society. I have also spotted it growing as a huge bush at the entrance of the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve in St. Petersburg.
     Psycho coffee propagates by seed, and I have found that the easiest way to propagate it is to dig up seedlings and put them where you want them.
     The berries are edible, and have a large seed in them. They don't taste good. Flowers attract butterflies and the fruits attract birds. Some say that members of the coffee family contain a hallucinogen called dimethyltryptamine, but it is unknown if Psycho Coffee has that chemical. It's called Psychotria nervosa for the prominent ribbing on the leaves.
     Definitely a keeper because edible fruit, beautiful flowers that bloom for months and attract pollinators, requires no care or watering, and loves full shade.

Scrubland Baroness works on the Forest Garden, July 2017

   Early on, one of the children noted that the ground in the real forest was very spongy and lacked a pathway. Apparently children are too short to see over the tops of palmetto bushes, which can make navigation difficult. My solution was to begin building a pathway from the edge of the forest to the shady vale.

   We stopped at the closest big box store and got 20 pavers to begin the pathway. At $1.36 each, the convenience of premade bricks at a reasonable size makes up for the additional price. Plus I didnt have to cast my own bricks, which sounds like a messy and time consuming process.

     Carrying the bricks to place them was the hardest part. I got some cardio, and didnt even make the kids help out.

Chrissy the Scrub Land Baroness

March, 2019

     When I was young, I was bullied. A lot. Things were different then. I have forgiven the chick who was always trying to fight me, because I am a grown up and she, well, she works at a car dealership. I have also forgiven the chick who was always calling me a "scrub" (she thought she was so much better than I was, economically, it seems.) She is a waitress now, and I have come to embrace the term Scrub and all it stands for.

Future Campsite

     When I was younger and trying to understand how the world works I would always ask my father the good questions. Not about dating and romancey stuff, but about science/history/religion/life. I used to spend time with him on the weekends at his repair shop, and sometimes we went out on service calls. I remeber once, as we were driving past the cattle farms on the east side of the county, asking him who owned all this land and how come they didn't do anything with it? His answer was vague, something about rich people that hoarded land from others. That kind of answer was right in character with him, as he grew up on a dairy farm and knew the value of land, or at least, Michigan land. Anyone who has scoped the price of acreage here in Florida knows that you can't buy anything but swampland for less than about 12k an acre. Many estimates are even higher than that number.

Climbing Tree

     When I was a teenager, I really started learning how the world works, and I took an interest in the biosciences and ecology. It was sometime during that time that I had the dream of becoming one of those land barons, so that I could preserve plant and animal habitat. Of course, back then I wanted to buy rainforests so the pretty little parrots and iguanas had their home to live in (thanks a lot, Ferngully!) But now that I am a grown up, I believe in protecting habitat locally. I try to support local parks amd state parks. I try to practice sustainable living ideals - so I have, indeed, turned into the scrub who hangs the laundry on the clothesline.

Rat Snake

     This year I have done something amazing, completed one of my lifelong goals - I have bought some bug out land. I have a piece of the local scrubland for myself, out on the eastside of my county. Though it's only an acre and a half, I am now one of those reviled land barons.
          Scrub Land Baroness.

Found Opuntia

     I feel like it's Christmas in the Springtime. When I was planting the Yucca filamentosa on the easement boundary of the new place I found several beautiful, native Opuntias growing there. I wonder if the previous owner planted them or it was just a fortuitous accident?

Opuntia placed using the STUN method, update

  It has been about two months since I planted all those tunas at the new property. They look great considering no rain and no care, right?
     It won't be too long, maybe another 6 months, and I will place them around the border of the new garden. It will be just one layer of fencing around my fortress of solitude.

Fortress of Solitude - Building a Moat

     Other than the Prickly Pear cacti that ai am propagating for my moat, I also have plans to use Yucca filamentosa as an additional barrier. If the yuccas were spaced appropriately it would be enough danger to stop most large animals, in theory. No deer preying on my garden!
    I planted out some of the immature yuccas from my house with enough spacing in between them for a row of prickly pear and then Agave americana on the inside row. Of the three aforementioned species Agave americana is the moat useful to me at the moment, as a leaf from it needs no adulteration in order to feed the rabbits. They like it! So having agave on the inside seems to make sense to me at the moment, even if I am sick from a cold and sleep deprived.
     Here is the beginning of the plant fence near the road.

Veronica spicata, Blue carpet speedwell, update

     Now that the Speedwell plants have gone to seed, they aren't nearly as beautiful as they were when they were flowering in this picture. But now they have dozens of seed pods, which are moist and mucilaginous. Perhaps when they dry out I will seed this spring flowering beauty elsewhere on the lands! It's useful as an expectorant or just as an additive to tea; almost a shame it's not native.

Rabbits, Spring of 2019, part 2

     Early Saturday morning, I remembere d that one of the rabbits was about to kindle, so I quickly scrubbed the nesting box and threw it into her cage, beautified with a new cardboard bottom. It was a good thing that I had done that right then too, because when I went out there Sunday morning to feed the rabbits, she had filled the box with fur and squirming masses. And inhaled every last drop of water and food. So I topped her up with an additional water bottle and plenty of greens with more to come every day.
     The garden has been producing growies in abundance this year, thanks to my super plant selections and attention to watering. This morning the rabbits received leaves of ginger, tropical sage, turks cap hibiscus, and Spanish Needle.

Buy this plant from me - Dwarf Red Canna

This morning I snapped a quick picture of this dwarf, red Canna. This is its first bloom of the season.
As you may know, Cannas love full sun and plenty of water. It's difficult to overwater them! Cannas can be placed into a pot in a new or existing pond, or planted out in the ditch that might exist in your yard.
I was thinking $5 or a trade/barter would be a good price, as this is a 100% organic offering of an edible plant beautiful enough for the front yard.
Thank you for checking out my plants. More offerings to come in the future. Ok to ask questions, even dumb ones.
-Knotty Pots
Chrissy

Veronica spicata, blue carpet speedwell

     Found this while hiking at the new property. Veronica spicata is edible, but is mostly used to create an herbal tea (an expectorant) to treat asthma and congestion. Also used as an additive for herbal tea blends.
     Sounds like it might be useful for my next cold!

Opuntia Placed Using the STUN method.

     I may have said before that I am a huge fan of Mark Sheppard's STUN method of gardening, which is short for Sheer Total Utter Neglect.  In short, you plant a whole lot of the thing you want to grow, as many different varieties as you wish, collect the seeds of the survivors, and continue to plant and collect seed of future generations so that you will be growing the best, most adapted plants for your space.
     So I pruned all of my Opuntia, which came out to a lot more than I had thought it would. Filling up an entire bucket! From my postage stamp yard I was impressed. These are not old and large plants, but tiny things I have found in the neighborhood and bought one at the botancal gardens. These are the native Opuntias, be cautious when handling!

     Then I took all the tunas to the new property, which I am going to have to give a name to. I had wanted to make a fortress of solitude out of the place complete with a moat of Cactus all around it, but as yet I dont have enough plant matter for that. So I placed them all in the ground in a protected area. Could always move them later on. I was delighted to find the sand was moist about an inch deep, perfect for these cacti! With any luck, I can STUN these into thousands more plants for my moat.

Opuntia, a revisiting

     I have been rethinking the case for planting spiny Opuntia at the new place. The spiny Prickly Pear still makes a delicious fruit, and it has the added benefit of keeping out people, deer, and anything else soft and fleshy.
There is a very nice overview here.
     I must have at least 20 starts in the front yard ready for transplant. Exciting!

Slow Cooker Spoon Bread with Seafood Recipe

Wine and Wine Cooking, 1972. Cookie, Animal Control, 2013.

     This recipe came from another amazing antique cookbook thrift store find. Spoon bread is a somewhat custardy cornbread, which can only very loosely be called a bread. It is supposed to be have the consistency of a quiche or, more accurately, a bread pudding which can be eaten with a spoon. This meal could be a nutritious one for anyone who has trouble chewing. Perhaps the best part about it is that it can be prepared with pantry ingredients on hand, with the exception of butter (maybe substitute oil) and fresh eggs.

Spoon bread with Seafood

For the spoon bread:
1 1/2 cups milk (powdered or fresh)
1 cup corn kernels (frozen, fresh, canned, dehydrated)
2 or 3 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup uncooked yellow corn meal
2 eggs
1/2 cup sauterne (sweet white) wine, or substitute milk

     To prepare the spoon bread - whip the eggs, then add the other liquid ingredients and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Line the slow cooker with parchment paper, and slowly pour in the spoon bread batter. Put the lid in place, and turn on the highest setting for at least 1 1/2 hours.
     My delicious variation - We happened to be flat out of corn, so I used frozen mixed gumbo vegetables (okra, peas, etc.). It was a tasty, healthy substitution. I ended up taking the kiddo to the library at this point, and the spoon bread cooked for about 2 1/2 hours in the crock pot without burning. I love that kind of recipe!

For the sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sifted flour
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons chopped green or mild onion (or substitute powdered onion)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sauterne (sweet white) wine, or omit
1 cup vegetables like peas or carrots
1 can of tuna (6 1/2-7 oz), drained

     To prepare the sauce - Mix together all the ingredients sans the tuna slowly in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, allowing the sauce to thicken. When the sauce has reached your desired thickness, add the tuna and remove from heat.
     My variation - omitted the wine and used frozen yellow squash as the vegetable. Used powdered onion and dry dill. Yum!

Combating Invasive Plants

     There are so many different views as to what constitutes an invasive plant. The state of Florida would say invasive plants are all non-native plant species that displace natural habitats. My mother would say that all vines are invasive plants that should be removed before the get "out of control." Perhaps she should stick to something that is easier to manage, like Confederate Jasmine.
     Then there are native invasives, like Dog Fennel in pastureland. Florida does not like to be turned into pasture, it likes to turn into scrub forests and swamps, and Dog Fennel is a succession plant that helps with that process. It quickly flowers and reseeds itself over an entire field, ruining it in just one season. (Maybe that's why Florida has no large land herbivores?)
     The agricultural state university 'round here is doing trial testing for releasing a beetle that eats Air Potato. While I'm all for getting rid of Air Potato, a member of the yam family from Africa that may or may not be edible, I'm unsure that the beetle is the way to go. UofF was also responsible for the Lovebugs being introduced here, and look how well that turned out! The Lovebug's only natural predator is... cars driven by humans.
     The extension service agents and the university website will both point out chemical controls for various plants, and how to properly apply them. This technique could be useful for a very small infestation of a particularly noxious plant, like Poison Ivy, but how would it work for an acre of forest covered by Air Potato or a field infested with Dog Fennel? On the other hand, proper land management techniques are generally cheap or free, excepting for time investment.
     Some techniques: controlled burns, agro-forestry, tilling and seeding, over-seeding, frequent rotational grazing, overgrazing and seeding, hand-scything, rotational grazing with multiple species, holistic management. Perhaps really rethinking how agriculture is done here might include something even more drastic, like small-scale, holistic, organic farms that raise key deer and rabbits instead of cattle.

Vitamin C Tisane/Infusion Recipes

Dried Hibiscus Flowers 

     Be aware that boiling the plants for 20 minutes reduces available ascorbic acid by at least 20%. Perhaps making sun tea/solar tea or steeping overnight might be a better method.

High-C Tisane (Homemade Red Zinger Tea)

Dried hibiscus, lemongrass, orange peel, peppermint, and rose hips
Boiling water
1 . Steep herbs for ten minutes
2. Drink as a vitamin C boost.

Pine Needle tisane

Dried pine needles
Boiling water
1 . Steep herbs for ten minutes
2. Drink as a vitamin C boost.

Celestial Seasoning's Red Zinger

Mint tisane

Your choice of mint or balm
Boiling water
1 . Steep herbs for ten minutes
2. Drink as a vitamin C boost.

Fresh Flowers, Water. Let chill overnight. Enjoy!

Making Soap from Wood Ash (Potash) and Oils, Part 3

      Most websites say that the lye solution is the correct strength when a small potato or raw egg floats while showing an amount above the surface tension of the water about the size of a quarter. Most sources are unclear about the proper pH of lye water, but it is expected to be somewhere between 13 and 14 (the most alkalotic substances known to man) to be strong enough to saponify oils.
     It is difficult to guesstimate an approximate recipe to use the lye water. One person states, "If your lye water will float an egg with only a quarter size showing, boil down 1 gallon of lye water to 3/8 cup. Use 2 cup fats with 3/4 c. concentrated lye water…proceed slowly adding small amounts lye to fats whipping briskly each time."
     Another recipe concerning the proportion to ash water to fats can be found here. The author states, "Thirty-five liters of ashes is about the right amount for 2 kilograms of fat (a bushel of ashes for 4 pounds of fat). This proportion is cited in soap-making recipes of the colonial period in the United States, but many of the recipes of that era differ on the proportion of ashes to fat. Put 115 ml (1/2 cup) of lye in the kettle for every 230 ml (1 cup) of fats or oils."
     Another soap making website says the ratio of home-made lye water to fats should be "115 ml (1/2 cup) of lye in the kettle for every 230 ml (1 cup) of fats or oils." It goes on to say the mixture should be boiled until it becomes thick, foamy, and rubbery.
     This site has a surprisingly well-written article about how to neutralize an alkalotic pH in liquid soaps. In short, boric acid or borax is added to the soap solution, then allowed to precipitate, leaving the remaining soap more neutral and clear. Of course, proper pH testing is necessary to prevent skin reaction (we can handle more acid than alkali). Adding more fat will also bind the alkali in the lye.