Have You Pinched Your Grapes Lately?

Have you pinched your grapes lately? The berries of table grapes will get much larger if you will remove the bottom third of the bunch.

Vitex Water Management Affects Blooms and Growth

Q. I have a Chaste tree that has been growing in my backyard for about seven years.  The branches have always been full of leaves and I would get an abundance of beautiful purple blooms. Last spring, I noticed there were not as many leaves and I would only get purple flowers here and there. This spring again the leaves are sparse and the branches are mostly bare. Should I be doing something extra to bring back the lushness of my Chaste tree?

Redwood and Cedar Mulches Last Longer in Landscapes

Q. Would you please tell me what type of mulch is not recommended to put in flower beds? I thought I remembered it being redwood mulch but I can't find anything on that. Could it have been cedar?  My landscape guy says the shredded cedar is not a problem for vegetation.

Sappy Pine Trees Might Need Pruning Paint

Q. I trim my 80 foot pine tree every 7 to 8 years. Each time I have buckets and buckets of sap coming from cut limbs. It just re-landscaped underneath this tree but I need to prune it again. I'm worried about all the sap that is going to fall on everything I just put down. Is there a way I might prevent the sap from dripping like using pruning paint?

Carob Tree Under Used in Desert Landscapes

Carob tree is a good shade tree but slow growing for low water use desert landscapes. It will develops "warts" along its branches near where flowers are produced when it gets older. You should not be concerned. It is normal. Some people find the smell coming from male flowers to be offensive.

Why Are The Leaves of My Locust Tree Turning Yellow?

Q. Do you have idea why some many of the leaves on this Locust tree are turning yellow?