- Author: Pamela M. Geisel
- Author: Chuck Ingels
This year was a tough year for the peaches and nectarines. It seemed that even though we sprayed with a copper oil spray and with a registered fungicide at the right time, the PLC was very noticeable on the trees this spring. Treating now is useless as is pulling off the infected leaves. Never the less, many peolple do it because it makes them feel better and they don't see the infected leaves anymore. Chuck Ingels on the other hand is trying to do something about it! He has been working on methods that home gardeners may use to thwart PCL without the use of the chemical recently removed from sale to home gardeners, specifically Lime Sulfur and Copper Fungicide Microcop. The only fungicide products left for treating peach leaf...
- Author: Pamela M. Geisel
- Author: Janet Hartin
Did you ever wonder why we always give and receive red and white flowers for Valentine’s Day?
The language of flowers became popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Virtually every flower, even its color, had special significance during this period. Flowers even formed secret correspondence between men and women with bouquets being chosen carefully to convey sentiment.
The red rose is the symbol of love; a pink rose the symbol of perfect happiness
Daffodils show regard; daisies, loyalty. Apple blossoms mean a preference for the recipient and the gardenia indicates secret love.
Plants also have meanings. Ivy is a symbol of wedded love; the fern, fascination.
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- Author: Pamela M. Geisel
Oh, I love this time of year. The harvest is on for prunes, almonds, walnuts and soon, olives for processing into both table olives and olive oil. While making olive oil at home is possible, it isn't easy. But it is easy to cure your own olives at home using one of several great methods. You may cure them using the traditional lye cured method. They can be salt cured using black ripe olives, which creates a dry olive that is wonderful when rinsed and coated with good olive oil and chopped rosemary. You can water cure them or finally you can ferment them like one would ferment cucumbers for dill pickles. What is really great about olives though is that once they are cured, the real art comes down to the seasonings you apply to...
- Author: Pamela M. Geisel
Two grasses have recently been discussed by PlantRight and other organizations with concerns about invasive ornamental grassses. Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima) and Chilean Needle grass (Nassella neesiana) are two grasses in particular that have invasive tendancies. Both are being phased our of production by the nursery industry and alternatives are suggested. A recent publication describes the potential extent of invasion of Chilean needle grass, Nassella neesiana (Cyperales: Poaceae), in the United States. Under current climate conditions, researchers predict that N. neesiana may become invasive on the west coast and in the...
- Author: Pamela M. Geisel
(Text abridged from CDFA Alert) In October 18th, 2010 Ag officials confimred the detection of a red palm weevil (scientific name: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and native to Southeast Asia) in Orange County. This is the first time this pest has been found in the US. The weevil is considered one of the worst pests of palm trees and the trees, once infested usually die.
According to A.J. Kwamura, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary A.G. Kawamura. “It also endangers all of the decorative palms that are so common in our landscape and so much a part of the classic California backdrop. I would like to express my gratitude to the landscape contractor who originally reported this pest. He is...