Tomato Transplants Wilted and Died. Disease?

Q. Last weekend I started putting some tomatoes into raised garden beds. I had started these from seed about 8 weeks ago, transplanted them once into 20 oz plastic cups after four weeks, and hardened them off for a week before putting them in the ground. The were 4-6 inches tall. They went into good topsoil and I fertilized them lightly with Miracle Gro for tomatoes. Within about five days they started wilting from the bottom up and two are completely dead. I've noticed white lesions on several of the stems. Photos attached. Could this be blight? Is there a chance I overfertilized? I haven't seen any insects on the plants.

I Told You to Spray Your Vegetables!

Here is what to do when protecting your vegetables from insects:

This Question on Drip Irrigation Made My Head Hurt!

Q. I have a LOT of different shrubs and trees on only 2 valves. I don't know how to water them.

Never Plant or Transplant into a Dry Hole

Compost and soils amended heavily with composts can present some problems with transplants and seeds if you are not careful. I did some of my own testing with some local composts and guess what I found out!

Brown Bumps on Quince Branches Probably Scale Insects

Q. We have a three year old Quince tree which looked very good to me until today when I noticed brown or dark purple, small, pee-sized bumps on the top brunches. Removing the bumps causes a fluid to ooze out. I guess the fluid must be sweet since there are ants running up and down the branch.

Asparagus Production in Kosovo Just Taking Off

Kosovo is now an exporter of asparagus inside its own country, to the EU and beyond. I was there consulting in 2013 and 2014. They are filling their first orders now thanks to a USAID project, CNFA and Tetra Tech.

Leaf Cupping Normally Aphids...But Not This Time!

Q. My Blenheim apricot tree planted in 2012 is not doing well. A few branches have lost all their leaves. Other leaves are starting to curl and cup. This year it had plenty of apricots but few leaves. I thinned them out since the tree is young.

Meet Local Producer Janet Knight in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Here is one local producer in Las Vegas, yes IN Las Vegas, who has a backyard farm and welcomes visitors. If you like this, I will help you find some other local producers.

Harvest Garlic When the tops Dieback About 1/3 Where it is a Hot Climate

Q. I planted garlic back in the fall. It is close to harvest now, fully grown and some tops starting to brown. I pulled one the other day to check them. It seems fine and full of cloves with the papery outer skin, but the stalk above is very thick and dense. I'm wondering do I hang them to dry, and if so, for how long.

Prepare Your Lawn for the Summer Disease Problems

If you have tall fescue for a lawn in southern Nevada, here are some tips to help prepare for the diseases that will threaten your lawn this summer.

Stinkbugs Come in Different Colors

Q. What is this bug? Have hundreds or them in my yard. Are they harmful to my plants (vegetable and flower). How do I get rid of them?

You Don't Need to Pick Up Grass Clippings if you Manage Your Lawn Correctly

Q. The landscapers for our HOA are using mulching mowers on our grass. The cut grass often remains on top, browns and causes the grass under to brown out also. Should grass be mulched in our desert? The landscape foremen bagged the grass and took it away.

Oleander Freeze Damage Can Be Fixed By Cutting Plant Back

Q. I have an oleander that suffered extensive freeze damage this past winter. It is still brown but coming back slowly. I would like to improve the looks of the bush without killing it. Should I prune the dead looking branches or just let it go

Stinkbugs Attack Residence and Car in Henderson Nevada

Q. We have thousands of these beetles in our trees here in Henderson. Yesterday they collected on a neighbor’s car by the thousands.  They sprayed them off. These bugs left imprints on the finish of their car that were unremovable. What are these bugs and what do we tell our pest control companies to do?

Ocotillo Watering Should be Infrequent in Desert Landscapes

Q. I have trouble with my Ocotillo.  They get beautiful green leaves that last about two to three weeks and then turn brown and fall off.  They are on my watering system.  Are they getting too much water?

Lantana and Yellow Bells Should Not Be Dead from Winter Cold

Q. I have had Tecoma stans, Yellow bells, in the backyard as well as lantana for the past 3 or 4 summers. They do well but never winter over. When I dig them up to replant, the root structures seem to be healthy and alive. The tag on the plant says they are cold hardy. Is there anything I can do to help them winter over?

Treat Now to Prevent Wormy Peaches

Peach twig borer seen now flying in the Las Vegas valley. These small brown moths are very similar to the insects that produce wormy apples. Treat now and prevent that from happening later.

Fireblight Seen in the Las Vegas Valley in Late March

Fireblight has been seen on Asian pear, European pear and apple in the Las Vegas valley.

Uneven Garlic Growth Probably Not Due to Cold Winter

Q. Does a colder, harsher longer than usual winter affect the growing of garlic? I've noticed many of my plants are under-developed, or didn't develop at all, while others have gigantic stalks!

Small Yellow Immature Plums Dropping Sign of No Pollination

Q. I have two Santa Rosa plum trees planted in my backyard.  The one in the lawn area has about 25% small yellow plums that fall off when I flick them or shake the branches.