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.

   ...

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...

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...

(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...

Lye cured, water cured, pickled, salt cured, kalamata, black olives, green olives...how do you know what to do to make safe home cured olives?  Come find out from the experts!!!  Bill Krueger, UC Olive Expert and chair of the UC Davis Table Olive Symposium will be conducting a workshop on home olive curing and will describe the many methods that you can use at home to create those delicious snacks.  The workshop will be on Saturday, October 9th, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Historic Mills Orchard Ranch located at 7782 County Road 16 in Hamiltong City, CA.  (Near Chico, CA)  Cost is $30.00 per person and includes olive tasting, refreshments and home olive processing guide.  Checks can be made payable to UC Regents and mailed to...