Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is an annual grass that can sometimes behave as a biennial or short-lived perennial in California. The species is upright in habit (to about 3 feet in height); seeds germinate in the late fall and the plants grow vigorously through the winter and early spring. Ryegrass can be identified by its dark green, glossy and hairless leaves that are rolled in the bud. Auricles are well-developed and the ligules are long and membranous. Once flowering occurs, ryegrass is easily distinguishable by alternating spikelets that run along the length of the main flowering stem (April through September). Additional photos can be found at the end of this post; more details regarding Italian ryegrass...

It's that time of year again. Time to get small grains seeded, especially considering that there is the potential for a weather system to move through our area next week (Wednesday, November 21, 2018).

Water in our weather? Current forecasts suggest that rain could move through the area next week.

As we move into winter, it's also time to start thinking about the potential injury that can result due to environmental conditions. Last year, farm advisors in the...