Q. Our house plants seem to breed a small black gnat. We use potting soil with our African violets and herbs. Anything we can do? It has been suggested soapy water spray?
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| Fungus Gnat |
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Grey Bugs Devastating Zucchini
Q. I found these gray bugs on my zucchini and they are killing them! They are under the leaves and tons of them. What do I do?
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| Squash Bugs |
Prune Palms in Early Spring to Remove Winter Damage
Early Spring is a great time to be pruning your palms if they had winter damage. They are pushing new growth now so any pruning done now will be replaced with new growth over the next month.
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| Freeze Damage to Palm |
Summer Pruning Helps Keep Your Fruit Trees Dwarfed and Improves Fruit Quality
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| This nectarine has a canopy which is too dense and should have been summer pruned. |
Timing is important. It is done at a time of year when it is easily removed and after spring growth has been pushed from locations where it is not wanted. When done in April, new growth can be removed easily by pulling down. If it is done too late, this new growth will be difficult to remove by pulling.
The type of growth I focus on most often is growing straight up (suckers), growing straight down, toward the interior of the tree, growth which is crossing or interfering in some way. Remember that the spring growth of peaches and nectarines (those fruit trees that produce fruit laterally along one year old wood) will be needed next year for fruit production so be careful not to remove too much.
Fruit trees at the Orchard are kept at about 6 1/2 feet tall so new growth growing above this is also frequently removed.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Recommended Fruit Tree Varieties for the Mojave Desert
Fruit tree evaluations were made from 1993-2008. Most of the fruit tree selections were provided by Dave Wilson Nursery for research and demonstration purposes in the Eastern Mojave Desert of southern Nevada. More general information about these fruit can be obtained by visiting their website at http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/homeindex1.html
Almonds – Most almonds do extremely well in southern Nevada and make excellent landscape trees.
Recommended rootstock: Nemaguard but others do well here as well
Top Choice
All in One – Genetic Dwarf, Self pollinating
Garden Prince – Genetic Dwarf, Self pollinating, flowers white with purple
Notable Mention
Carmel
Neplus Ultra
Nonpariel
Price
Under Review
None at this time
Apples – Not all apples do well in southern Nevada and range from “best apple ever tasted” to “tasteless” depending on variety
Recommended dwarfing rootstock: M111; avoid extreme dwarfing rootstocks due to fruit sunburning
Top Choice
Dorsett Golden – Early Season, yellow fruit
Fuji – Mid Season, orangish-red fruit
Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) – Late Season, red over green fruit
Notable Mention
Anna
Einshemer
Gordon
Mutsu (Crispin)
White Winter Pearmain
Under Review
Akane
Arkansas Black
Asmead Kernel
Babe (Genetic Dwarf)
Gala
Granny Smith
Red Fuji
Scarlet Sentinel Columnar
Yellow Newton Pippen
Apricot – Most apricots do well in southern Nevada and have wonderful flavor
Recommended rootstock: Nemaguard preferred but others have performed well
Top Choice
Blenheim (Royal)
Flavor Delight (Aprium; actually a plum apricot hybrid but fruit marketed as an apricot)
Gold Kist
Moorpark
Royal Rosa – excellent landscape tree
Notable Mention
Canadian Blenheim White
Chinese
Early Golden
Flora Gold
Katy – excellent landscape tree
Under Review (Early results are good on all)
Autumn Glo
Early Autumn
Goldcot
Harcot
Tomcot
Aprium – Plum apricot hybrid that does extremely well in our climate
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard but others have performed well
Top Choice
Flavor Delight – See apricot
Asian Pear – Performs surprisingly well in our climate and we are currently working on increasing the size and quality of the fruit
Recommended Rootstock: OHxF333 but others have performed well
Under Review
Chojuro
Hosui
Kikusui
Shinko
Shinseiki
Tsu Li
Twentieth Century
Ya Li
Blackberry – Struggles in this climate and soils but produces acceptable fruit
Top Choice
None at this time
Notable Mention
Rosborough
Womack
Under Review
None at this time
Cactus, Nopal – For fresh vegetable (nopalitos) and fruit (tuna) and extremely well adapted for this climate. Being removed from trials in 2010.
Top Choice
Copena F1
Copena V1
Notable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
None at this time
Cherry, Sweet – Inconsistent fruit production and not reliable in this climate
Top Choice
None at this time
Notable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
Bing
Black Tartarian
Craig's Crimson
Lapins
Royal Ann
Cherry Plum – Hybrids between cherry plum and Japanese plum
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard preferred but others have done well.
Top Choice
None at this time
Notable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
Delight
Sprite
Figs – Most figs do well in this climate.
Top Choice
Black Mission – dark purple skin with strawberry colored flesh
Janice – greenish-yellow (white) skin with light greenish amber flesh with few seeds
Notable Mention
Kadota
Under Review
Brown Turkey
Celestial
Flanders
King (Desert King)
LSU Purple
White Genoa
Grapes, Table – Nearly all table grapes do well in our climate
Top Choice
Blush
Fantasy
Flame
Notable Mention
Harmony
Himrod
Perlette
Thompson Seedless
Under Review
Italia
Princess
Black Monnuka
Grapes, Wine – Many wine grapes are very productive in our climate but taste evaluations and winemaking with the fruit is underway
Recommended Rootstock: own roots, 110R, 1103P but others have done well
Top Choice
None at this time
Honorable Mention
Primitivo
Summer Muscat
Zinfandel
Under Review
Alicante Bouschet
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Grenache
Marsanne
Merlot
Sangiovese
Sauvignon Blanc
Syrah Noir
Tempranillo
Viognier
Jujube – Chinese Date or Indian Fig does very well in our climate
Top Choice
Li
Honorable Mention
Lang
Contorted
Under Review
None at this time
Nectarine – Nectarines do well in our climate but vary in fruit quality
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard but others have done well in our climate
Top Choice
Arctic Star
Honorable Mention
Acrtic Glo
Arctic Rose
Desert Dawn
Desert Delight
Double Delight
Under Review
Arctic Gold
Garden Delight – Miniature
Goldmine
Independence
Liz’s Late
Necta Zee – Miniature
Panamint
Peach – Peaches do extremely well in our climate and have received praise from internationally recognized chefs
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard but others have performed well
Top Choice
Babcock – White, mid season
Eva’s Pride – Early season
May Pride – Early season
Mid Pride – Mid season
Starks Saturn – Donut peach, white flesh, mid season
Honorable Mention
Arctic Supreme - white flesh, mid season
Desert Gold -
Earlitreat – Earliest producer
Early Amber – Early season
Early Elberta -
Elberta – Mid season
FlordaPrince – Early season
Red Baron – Showy flowers, good landscape tree, mid season
Red Haven – Mid season
Under Review
Arctic Jay – White
Carnival
Double Jewel
Elegant Lady - White
Fairtime
Gold Dust
Harken
Indian Free
July Elberta (Kim)
Nectar White - White
O’Henry – Late season
Rio Oso Gem
Snow Beauty - White
Snow Giant - White
Snow King - White
Strawberry Free - White
Sugar Lady - White
Summerset
Sweet Bagel – Donut peach, yellow
Tra Zee – Late season
Tropic Snow -White
White Heath Cling - White
White Lady - White
Peach, Miniature
Top Choice
None at this time
Honorable Mention
Bonanza – Mid season
El Dorado – Mid season
Pix Zee – Mid season
Under Review
Honey Babe
Garden Gold
Garden Sun
Pear, European – European pears do quite well in taste but suffer from visual appeal
Recommended Rootstock: Any
Top Choice
Kieffer – Salad pear, nicknamed “Jicama pear” with flavor resembling an Asian pear, good for canning and baking
Honorable Mention
Bartlett
Monterrey
Red Bartlett
Under Review
Bosc
California
Comice
D’Anjou
Hood
Persimmon – Struggles in this climate but fruit is good quality
Top Choice
Fuyu
Honorable Mention
Hachiya
Under Review
Chocolate
Coffeecake
Giant Fuyu
Niunai
Tamopan
Plum – Plums do well in our climate. The most common fresh plums are Japanese plums.
Recommended Rootstock:
Top Choice
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, Weeping – landscape tree form of Santa Rosa
Burgundy
Emerald Beauty
Honorable Mention
Beauty
Burbank
Elephant Heart
French Improved – Prune
Italian Prune - Prune
Under Review
Catalina
Green Gage – European plum
Nubiana
Plumcot – Apricot plum hybrid
Under Review
Plum Parfait
Pluot – A very complex hybrid of apricot and plum that has developed a very high sugar level and complex flavors when tree ripened
Recommended Rootstock:
Top Choice
Flavor King
Flavor Queen
Flavor Supreme
Honorable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
Dapple Dandy
Flavorosa
Flavor Delight
Flavor Finale
Flavor Grenade
Geopride
Pomegranate
Top Choice
Eversweet
Wonderful
Sweet
Honorable Mention
Utah Sweet
Under Review
Ambrosia
Grenada
Sharp Velvet
Quince
Top Choice
Pineapple
Under Review
Orange
Smyrna
Almonds – Most almonds do extremely well in southern Nevada and make excellent landscape trees.
Recommended rootstock: Nemaguard but others do well here as well
Top Choice
All in One – Genetic Dwarf, Self pollinating
Garden Prince – Genetic Dwarf, Self pollinating, flowers white with purple
Notable Mention
Carmel
Neplus Ultra
Nonpariel
Price
Under Review
None at this time
Apples – Not all apples do well in southern Nevada and range from “best apple ever tasted” to “tasteless” depending on variety
Recommended dwarfing rootstock: M111; avoid extreme dwarfing rootstocks due to fruit sunburning
Top Choice
Dorsett Golden – Early Season, yellow fruit
Fuji – Mid Season, orangish-red fruit
Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) – Late Season, red over green fruit
Notable Mention
Anna
Einshemer
Gordon
Mutsu (Crispin)
White Winter Pearmain
Under Review
Akane
Arkansas Black
Asmead Kernel
Babe (Genetic Dwarf)
Gala
Granny Smith
Red Fuji
Scarlet Sentinel Columnar
Yellow Newton Pippen
Apricot – Most apricots do well in southern Nevada and have wonderful flavor
Recommended rootstock: Nemaguard preferred but others have performed well
Top Choice
Blenheim (Royal)
Flavor Delight (Aprium; actually a plum apricot hybrid but fruit marketed as an apricot)
Gold Kist
Moorpark
Royal Rosa – excellent landscape tree
Notable Mention
Canadian Blenheim White
Chinese
Early Golden
Flora Gold
Katy – excellent landscape tree
Under Review (Early results are good on all)
Autumn Glo
Early Autumn
Goldcot
Harcot
Tomcot
Aprium – Plum apricot hybrid that does extremely well in our climate
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard but others have performed well
Top Choice
Flavor Delight – See apricot
Asian Pear – Performs surprisingly well in our climate and we are currently working on increasing the size and quality of the fruit
Recommended Rootstock: OHxF333 but others have performed well
Under Review
Chojuro
Hosui
Kikusui
Shinko
Shinseiki
Tsu Li
Twentieth Century
Ya Li
Blackberry – Struggles in this climate and soils but produces acceptable fruit
Top Choice
None at this time
Notable Mention
Rosborough
Womack
Under Review
None at this time
Cactus, Nopal – For fresh vegetable (nopalitos) and fruit (tuna) and extremely well adapted for this climate. Being removed from trials in 2010.
Top Choice
Copena F1
Copena V1
Notable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
None at this time
Cherry, Sweet – Inconsistent fruit production and not reliable in this climate
Top Choice
None at this time
Notable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
Bing
Black Tartarian
Craig's Crimson
Lapins
Royal Ann
Cherry Plum – Hybrids between cherry plum and Japanese plum
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard preferred but others have done well.
Top Choice
None at this time
Notable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
Delight
Sprite
Figs – Most figs do well in this climate.
Top Choice
Black Mission – dark purple skin with strawberry colored flesh
Janice – greenish-yellow (white) skin with light greenish amber flesh with few seeds
Notable Mention
Kadota
Under Review
Brown Turkey
Celestial
Flanders
King (Desert King)
LSU Purple
White Genoa
Grapes, Table – Nearly all table grapes do well in our climate
Top Choice
Blush
Fantasy
Flame
Notable Mention
Harmony
Himrod
Perlette
Thompson Seedless
Under Review
Italia
Princess
Black Monnuka
Grapes, Wine – Many wine grapes are very productive in our climate but taste evaluations and winemaking with the fruit is underway
Recommended Rootstock: own roots, 110R, 1103P but others have done well
Top Choice
None at this time
Honorable Mention
Primitivo
Summer Muscat
Zinfandel
Under Review
Alicante Bouschet
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Grenache
Marsanne
Merlot
Sangiovese
Sauvignon Blanc
Syrah Noir
Tempranillo
Viognier
Jujube – Chinese Date or Indian Fig does very well in our climate
Top Choice
Li
Honorable Mention
Lang
Contorted
Under Review
None at this time
Nectarine – Nectarines do well in our climate but vary in fruit quality
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard but others have done well in our climate
Top Choice
Arctic Star
Honorable Mention
Acrtic Glo
Arctic Rose
Desert Dawn
Desert Delight
Double Delight
Under Review
Arctic Gold
Garden Delight – Miniature
Goldmine
Independence
Liz’s Late
Necta Zee – Miniature
Panamint
Peach – Peaches do extremely well in our climate and have received praise from internationally recognized chefs
Recommended Rootstock: Nemaguard but others have performed well
Top Choice
Babcock – White, mid season
Eva’s Pride – Early season
May Pride – Early season
Mid Pride – Mid season
Starks Saturn – Donut peach, white flesh, mid season
Honorable Mention
Arctic Supreme - white flesh, mid season
Desert Gold -
Earlitreat – Earliest producer
Early Amber – Early season
Early Elberta -
Elberta – Mid season
FlordaPrince – Early season
Red Baron – Showy flowers, good landscape tree, mid season
Red Haven – Mid season
Under Review
Arctic Jay – White
Carnival
Double Jewel
Elegant Lady - White
Fairtime
Gold Dust
Harken
Indian Free
July Elberta (Kim)
Nectar White - White
O’Henry – Late season
Rio Oso Gem
Snow Beauty - White
Snow Giant - White
Snow King - White
Strawberry Free - White
Sugar Lady - White
Summerset
Sweet Bagel – Donut peach, yellow
Tra Zee – Late season
Tropic Snow -White
White Heath Cling - White
White Lady - White
Peach, Miniature
Top Choice
None at this time
Honorable Mention
Bonanza – Mid season
El Dorado – Mid season
Pix Zee – Mid season
Under Review
Honey Babe
Garden Gold
Garden Sun
Pear, European – European pears do quite well in taste but suffer from visual appeal
Recommended Rootstock: Any
Top Choice
Kieffer – Salad pear, nicknamed “Jicama pear” with flavor resembling an Asian pear, good for canning and baking
Honorable Mention
Bartlett
Monterrey
Red Bartlett
Under Review
Bosc
California
Comice
D’Anjou
Hood
Persimmon – Struggles in this climate but fruit is good quality
Top Choice
Fuyu
Honorable Mention
Hachiya
Under Review
Chocolate
Coffeecake
Giant Fuyu
Niunai
Tamopan
Plum – Plums do well in our climate. The most common fresh plums are Japanese plums.
Recommended Rootstock:
Top Choice
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, Weeping – landscape tree form of Santa Rosa
Burgundy
Emerald Beauty
Honorable Mention
Beauty
Burbank
Elephant Heart
French Improved – Prune
Italian Prune - Prune
Under Review
Catalina
Green Gage – European plum
Nubiana
Plumcot – Apricot plum hybrid
Under Review
Plum Parfait
Pluot – A very complex hybrid of apricot and plum that has developed a very high sugar level and complex flavors when tree ripened
Recommended Rootstock:
Top Choice
Flavor King
Flavor Queen
Flavor Supreme
Honorable Mention
None at this time
Under Review
Dapple Dandy
Flavorosa
Flavor Delight
Flavor Finale
Flavor Grenade
Geopride
Pomegranate
Top Choice
Eversweet
Wonderful
Sweet
Honorable Mention
Utah Sweet
Under Review
Ambrosia
Grenada
Sharp Velvet
Quince
Top Choice
Pineapple
Under Review
Orange
Smyrna