the BEACON Newspaper, Indiana beacon12-18 | Page 23

December 2018 @live.com By Melanie Alexander After a warm, humid By summer, we had our first Maxine significant frost this morning. Klump That means the holidays will be here before Community any of us are Correspondent ready. Our family is already planning who will be assigned [email protected] to which of those foods which are “must haves” for family gatherings. I thought I’d offer some alternatives to some of those traditional dishes geared for our faster-paced lives of today. During the mid-twentieth century, at least one gelatin By John Hawley Purdue Extension Educator [email protected] Managing Common Chickweed and Other Winter Weeds in the Landscape Winter is here to stay, folks. Snow, bare trees, brown grass, and empty gardens define our landscape during these months. However, gardeners need to be aware of countless winter weeds. A few of these weeds to think of during these chilly days include henbit, field pennycress, purple dead- nettle, and common chick- weed. For today’s article, we will discuss common chick- weed, one of the most resil- ient winter annual weeds. Common Chickweed is a broadleaf weed commonly found in Dearborn County landscapes. This prostrate weed can get quite tall when left to grow and is often toler- ant of continuous mowing. Seeds germinate in late sum- mer or early fall, so the heart of winter is when you may see some of the thickest patches. For identification, the pros- trate growth habit and leaf shape of common chickweed make it unique. Leaves are shaped like small eggs with a smooth green appearance. They are arranged opposite on the stem, with some older growth presenting with hairs. The leaves on the upper por- tion of the plant lack petioles (leaf stems) while leaves on the lower portion will have them. Common Chickweed will produce small clumps of white flowers that look like daisies in the early spring. The most effective controls for chickweed included ad- equate mowing height, proper fertilization, and irrigation. Common Chickweed is also an “indicator weed” which means other problems may be present in your landscape. It also thrives in shady condi- tions, so be sure to prune trees when appropriate and work to improve sunlight coverage over your lawn. Chemical control of com- mon chickweed may be nec- essary. Both conventional and organic options are available. For specific chemical recom- mendations, follow the link at the end of this article or give my office a call. I would be happy to provide guidance. Be sure to follow all label instructions when applying chemical in the landscape. For management of other THE BEACON salad was part of the menu. For Thanksgiving and other winter holidays, the chosen flavor was cranberry combined with multiple other fruit flavors. This cranberry compote is one that I prepare throughout the winter rather than just for special occasions. It is quick to prepare and keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. Although it pairs well with poultry and pork, I often serve it with pound cake for dessert. Note: I use fruits that are canned in juice rather than syrup. 1 16-oz. can sliced peaches 1 16-oz. can sliced pears 1 16-oz. can apricot halves Cranberry Compote 1 12-oz. package cranberries 1 medium orange 1 ¼ cups sugar 1 cup golden raisins ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon cinnamon Sweet potatoes are a favorite vegetable, and throughout most of the year, I prefer them baked or simply mashed with a small amount of butter topping them. I sometimes add a sprinkle of brown sugar. But at this winter weeds in the land- scape, consider your approach before weeds appear. Thor- ough physical control and herbicide applications done at the proper time in the fall are priceless in terms of manage- ment. In general, the earlier you treat for weeds, the easier they are to manage. Once weeds mature and reproduce, they are often difficult to control. Thank you to the fantas- tic researchers at Purdue University, including Aaron Patton and Leslie Beck, for providing the research content referenced in this article. As always, I advise garden- ers and landscapers to down- load one of the offerings from the Purdue Plant Doctor App for mobile phones and tablets. These apps are excellent tools for learning how to handle many different plant problems from pest control to winter damage. To download content from the Purdue Plant Doctor App, search your service provider’s App store or visit: https://pur- dueplantdoctor.com/ To learn more about the topics discussed in this article, visit: http://purdueturftips. blogspot.com/ or https:// ag.purdue.edu/btny/weed- science/Pages/PlantID.aspx For additional informa- tion about other agriculture and natural resources top- ics, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. You can also reach my office at 812-926-1189. We are located at 229 Main Street, Aurora, IN 47001. Look for my next article in the January issue of The Beacon! Grate 1 teaspoon peel from the orange and then squeeze enough juice to equal ¼ cup. Heat orange juice and next 6 ingredients to boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add peaches, pears, and apricots (with juice) and heat through. May be served warm or at room temperature. Will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Page 11B time of year, family members are hinting that we need the addition of some other ingredients and toppings. Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole Updated 2 (29-oz) cans yams or sweet potatoes, drained of juice ¼ cup sour cream 2 ½ tablespoons butter, melted ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg, beaten and coarsely mash with a fork. Stir in sour cream and the remaining ingredients. Place the mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish or a casserole which has been buttered OR coated with cooking spray. At this point, you may top with ½ cup miniature marshmallows and/or ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds. Bake for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Optional items as outlined below Preheat oven to 375°. Place sweet potatoes in large bowl Here’s to celebrations with family and friends to share memories and anticipate possibilities. goBEACONnews.com news • puzzles • calendar • weather BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY C PAMPERED PETS F LOORING S HOWROOM SMALL CLIENTELE FOR BEST RESULTS F URNITURE S HOWROOM CERTIFIED GROOMER GROOMING SPECIALIST CALL 513-374-9231 MAUREEN 1st Visit 10% Discount Joe Brandel 20 E. Center St. Lawrenceburg IN 812-537-0619 557 W. 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