Dive into the fascinating world of horticulture as we demystify the language of gardening, empowering enthusiasts within the knowledge to cultivate thriving gardens. Join us as we explore the rich lexicon that defines the art and science of horticulture.
Aggregate Fruit: noun Botany. A fruit formed by several ovaries in the pistil of a single flower. All these tiny eggs are pollinated and meld together to form a single fruit. Examples include raspberries and blackberries.
Berry: noun Botany. A true fruit formed directly from the ovary of a flower. (See Horticultural Terms article in the Fall 2023 blog.) Examples include blueberries and bananas!
Fruit development is a complex and varied botanical event that provides nutritious treats for birds and bees and animals of all kinds, but most delightfully to humans. Most of us just call them by their common names: berries of all kinds, apples, and pears. But scientists have been able to analyze the details of fruit procreation and development in ways unimaginable.
The general public will continue to call fruits by their common names, but now when you find the seeds in a fruit or feel the lumpy exterior of a raspberry you can marvel at the diversity of morphology within the category of “fruit.”
- Author: Lee Miller, UCCE Master Gardener
Embark on a botanical journey through the seasons with us! In this article, we explore the diverse flora that graces each season, from the delicate blooms of spring to the fiery foliage of autumn. Discover the beauty, significance, and wonder of nature's ever-changing tapestry in our exploration of seasonal plants.
TREE: Elephant Heart Plum. This is a tree that will produce some wonderful plums in late summer, which is not typical of so many plums. Harvest time in the Central Valley is in September. The Elephant Heart plum tree was another fantastic creation of Luther Burbank in the early 1920s. Elephant Heart plums are large, heart-shaped fruit with thick, bronze-green skin that turns reddish purple when completely ripe. They have juicy, blood-red, freestone flesh with a distinctive rich flavor. The Elephant Heart plum tree produces higher yields with a Santa Rosa plum as a pollinizer. It is a favorite for the home orchard and has low chill requirements, so it's a good one for California. I enjoyed one at my old homestead and I tried to graft a flowering plum rootstock with Elephant Heart scion wood, but alas, the graft didn't take (althoughLaroda plum grafts did).
PERENNIAL FLOWER: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). The PurpleConeflower blooms profusely for up to two months in mid- to late summer and sometimes re-blooms in the fall. Perfect for both small gardens and large prairie meadows, the showy flowers are a favorite nectar source for butterflies, bees, and myriad pollinators. It's a popular perennial with smooth, 2-to-4-foot-long stems and long-lasting, lavender flowers. The plants have rough, scattered leaves that become small toward the top of the stem. Flowers occur singly atop the stems, and they have domed, purplish-brown, spiny central discs and drooping, lavender-purple (rarely white) rays. It's an attractive perennial. I just planted two in my front yard and hope they do well in the coming year. I enjoyed these at my old home next to my patio.
PERENNIAL FLOWER: Gray Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus). This is a wonderful Mediterranean herb with aromatic silver foliage that covers itself with hundreds of deep yellow, button-shaped flowers in summer. These bright yellow button flowers make it a striking shrub in any garden. The mounding evergreen foliage is an attractive groundcover that is deer and rabbit resistant, and the fragrant foliage and flowers can also be used in sachets. It is ideal for California gardens where we have hot, dry summers, since it likes full sun. It grows about 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. This beautiful plant is good for accent growing, edging, ground cover, and rock gardens. I enjoyed the one I had at my old home which was covered in blossoms, as per this picture which I took eleven years ago. I recently planted one at my new home.
- Author: Julie Hyske, Master Gardener
Springtime is that breath of fresh air that we've been waiting for. The days are growing both brighter and longer. Now is the time to celebrate the freshness that spring offers and to have our meals reflect the best of its offerings. This vegetarian lasagna is loaded with fresh veggies including carrots, zucchini, peppers and mushrooms. The creaminess of ricotta and freshness of mozzarella binds the goodness of spring's finest into a delightful primavera lasagna. The spring asparagus salad showcases the beauty of spring produce in a perfect cold salad that is hearty enough to serve as a family main dish and elegant enough to sit as a side dish at an Easter or Mother's Day brunch. The lemon tart is a stunning yet easy to make dessert. Start by making a simple shortbread crust in a tart pan and fill with an easy sweet and tart lemon curd filling. You can top this with lemon slices, berries, or edible flower petals for the over-the-top presentation. The spring crisp is gorgeous and comforting, so much easier than a pie. Just have it prepared and ready to pop into the oven so it will be warm for dessert. Chef's choice of which spring berries or a blend with rhubarb you want to highlight! Not only were each of these recipes chosen for their brightness and freshness in showcasing spring's offerings, but their simplicity will afford you the time and pleasure to go out and tend your own spring gardens!
Lasagna Primavera
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
½ cup diced red pepper
6 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning herb blend
1½ tsp. salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
15 oz. container part-skim ricotta
12 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, or fresh washed
1 large egg
25-oz. jar good quality marinara sauce
1 pkg. no-boil lasagna noodles
1 lb. shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350?. Coat a 9-by-13-inch lasagna baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, zucchini, onion, carrot, peppers, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened and any liquid has evaporated, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in basil. Meanwhile, mix ricotta, spinach, egg, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Spread ½ cup marinara in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer on 3 lasagna noodles (they will expand when they cook). Add half of the vegetables, spreading evenly. Top with half of the ricotta-spinach mixture, spreading evenly. Spoon on ? cup sauce. Top with ½ cup cheese. Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining vegetables, the remaining ricotta, ? cup sauce and ½ cup [What kind? Mozarella, Parmesan?] cheese. Place the remaining 3 noodles on top and spread the remaining sauce over the top, ensuring the noodles are moistened with the sauce. Do not top with cheese. Cover the lasagna with a layer of cooking-sprayed foil. Bake until the lasagna is steaming hot, the top layer of noodles is fork-tender, and the sauce is bubbling along the edges of the baking dish, about 50 minutes. Remove foil, top with the remaining cheeses, and bake until the cheese is melted, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serves 8
Asparagus Spring Salad
Ingredients
1½ cups asparagus, tender parts only, cut into 1-inch pieces (about ¾ lb.)
6-8 cups baby spring mix greens
½ cup frozen petite peas, thawed
3 radishes, sliced paper thin
½ cup red or yellow bell pepper, matchstick sliced
¾ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¾ cup cherry or assorted-colored cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
3 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
½ cup crumbled goat or feta cheese
? cup slivered almonds
Sea salt and black pepper
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
3 Tbsp. wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the dressing ingredients in a wide-mouthed Mason jar or small bowl and blend until emulsified. Taste to adjust any of the ingredients to your own preference. Blanch the asparagus: bring a pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl filled with ice and water nearby. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until bright green and fork tender. Transfer the blanched asparagus to the iced water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry. Assemble the salad: layer the salad greens on a platter or in a salad bowl and layer the peas, radishes, peppers, chickpeas, tomatoes, and avocado. Drizzle with some of the salad dressing and season with salt and pepper. Top with hard boiled eggs, cheese crumbles, and almonds. Drizzle with additional salad dressing. Season to taste and serve.
Servings 6
Lemon Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Shortbread crust:
1½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. butter at room temp.
Lemon tart filling:
1? cup granulated sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (ideally Meyer lemons)
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 Tbsp. lemon zest grated finely
½ cup salted butter, cut into pieces
Preheat oven to 350? and spray a 9-to-10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray. In a food processor or by hand, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the prepared tart pan, tamping down the bottom and pressing the mixture up the sides. Bake the crust for approximately 10 minutes or until a golden brown. Once baked, set the crust aside to cool. In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, whole eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and butter pieces. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon; this could take 12-15 minutes. Spread the lemon filling onto the cooled crust with an offset spatula, to about ½ inch from the edges. Bake for an additional 5 minutes to set the lemon filling. Cool completely at room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before slicing and serving. If desired, garnish the tart with violas.
Serves 10
Springtime Crisp
Ingredients
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 cups blackberries, blueberries, or rhubarb
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup quick-cooking oats
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add 3 cups of your chosen fruit and the strawberries; toss to coat. Next, spoon into an 8-inch cast iron or other oven-proof skillet. In a small bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the fruit mixture. Bake at 350? until the crisp is bubbly and the fruit is tender, about 45 minutes. The crisp may be served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Servings 6-8
- Author: Julie Hyske
Recipes From the Garden: A Taste of the Season
A roundup of soups welcoming in the New Year guarantees comfort and warmth this winter season. Maybe you have heard the hype: Trader Joe's mini wontons are the perfect dumpling to elevate your wonton soup experience. And to transform this soup from great to WOW, be sure to add to each individual bowl the TJ's crunchy chili onion to your desired level of heat. Best of all, this soup lends itself to your favorite additions/modifications of veggies and proteins. Chicken Parm soup has everything you love about the Italian dish; chicken, sharp Parm and bright tomatoes. It will be done in under 30 minutes and warm up the soul. Cheesy taco soup, like a loaded beef taco, has all the favorite flavors in a cheesy, satisfying soup format. Almost as thick as chowder, this soup is hearty and filling. The creamy mushroom soup is definitely not your familiar can version. The wine cuts through the earthiness of the mushrooms and there is a richness of the cream. Its dimensions of flavors make it perfect for special occasions or a light dinner. The last recipe for Pastini soup is so simple and curing. Got a cold, the chills, the blues-this soup will warm you up like a warm hug. Pastini soup, the small star-shaped pasta, is called the Italian penicillin with its steamy chicken broth. My challenge to you in 2024 is to make a soup each week of winter. Not simply the tried-and-true; venture out with a new bowl of goodness. Beckoning soup recipes offer limitless possibilities for becoming traditions.
Chicken Cilantro Wonton Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
6 cups of chicken broth or stock
1 pkg Trader Joe's Mini Chicken Cilantro Wontons
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
8 oz sugar snap peas
¾ cup shredded carrots
½ cup chopped green onions
½ cup sliced water chestnuts
1tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp soy sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
½ tsp each: salt, pepper and ginger
Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion, to taste
Heat a large stock pot with olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. After they are browned on one side, add the sugar snap peas and the ½ tsp each of salt, pepper and ginger, along with the garlic. Add the chicken broth/stock and bring to a boil. Add to the boiling mixture the wontons, green onion and shredded carrots for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the water chestnuts, sesame oil and soy sauce. Adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls. Individually add the Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion (suggest starting at tsp to ¼ tsp as individual desired heat level varies).
Servings 4
Chicken Parm Soup
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
½ cup of chopped yellow onions
1 tsp chopped garlic
6 oz of tomato paste
5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp of chopped basil or pesto
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups of dried mini pasta (small shells, mini penne, ditalini or orchette)
¾ cup heavy whip cream
2 ½ cups of shredded chicken
1 cup mozzarella
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and using kitchen shears chop into small pieces. Place the butter into a large pot and melt completely. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Pour in the tomato paste and 1 cup of chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Add the chopped tomato pieces, stirring until combined, adding the additional chicken broth to the pot along with the oregano, basil/pesto, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring. At boiling point add the dry pasta, stirring. Simmer for 10-12 minutes checking for the doneness of the pasta. When al dente, add the shredded chicken. Turn the heat off and stir in the cream until well combined. Serve into bowls and top with mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
Servings 6-8
Cheesy Taco Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
¾ cup large yellow onion chopped
1 tsp each of chili powder and ground cumin
½ tsp each: salt, dried oregano, paprika and pepper
1 medium red bell pepper chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
¼ cup masa
1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can sweet corn, rinsed and drained
1 small can mild chilies
1 cup mild salsa
1 10 oz can mild enchilada sauce
5 cups chicken broth
Add later
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
6 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
Garnishes
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Avocado
Hot sauce
Fresh cilantro
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Brown the ground beef with onions until meat is cooked through. Add all spices and seasonings, red bell pepper and garlic. Sprinkle in masa and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Stir in the pinto beans, black beans, corn, mild chilies, salsa, enchilada sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Turn heat to low and stir in cream cheese until melted, followed by Pepper Jack and cheddar cheese until melted. Add milk to thin, if needed. Season with hot sauce to taste. Serve with additional garnishes as desired.
Servings 6-8
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
2 yellow onions medium diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 lbs of fresh baby bella or cremini mushrooms sliced
4 tsp chopped thyme
½ cup any dry red or white wine
6 tbsp flour
5 cups chicken broth
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp beef bouillon granules
1 cup heavy cream
Chopped fresh parsley as a garnish
Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium high heat until melted. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Cook garlic about 1 minute until fragrant. Add mushrooms and 2 tsp thyme. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in wine and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, stir again and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low-medium, season with salt, pepper and bouillon granules. Cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, while occasionally stirring to thicken. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cream and gently simmer. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top off with fresh parsley and remaining thyme. Serve warm.
Servings 6
Pastina
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
In a large pot, bring the chicken or vegetable broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pastina to the pot and stir gently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the pasta cook for about 10 minutes or until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. Once the pastina is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and add the garlic and olive oil mixture, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir again. If desired, sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the top of the pastina and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve the pastina hot and enjoy!
Servings 2
- Author: Lee Miller
