Nopal Cactus Talk Thursday, Dec 3 Lorenzi Park

Mexicans call them Nopales or Nopalitos. The fruit they call Tunas. These edible cacti were under evaluation at the University Orchard in cooperation with the University of Sonora in Hermosillo.

Fruit or tunas of the nopal cactus under cultivation and evaluation at the University orchard

I will be giving a presentation to the Cactus and Succulent Society on how to grow them as a food crop Thursday night, December 3, at 630 pm at the Garden Clubs building located at Lorenzi Park off of Washington and Rancho.

Nopal cactus ..nopales...under cultivation and evaluation at the University orchard. This is an ideal size and thickness to use as fresh vegetable.

Apple Variety Testing for the Mojave Desert

Q. I've seen Yellow Newtown Pippin listed as Under Review in your recommended fruit varieties to grow in the desert. How has it done? I would love to have one if the quality is good here.

A. Here is a link to the recommended fruit variety list that I completed back in 2010. 
http://xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com/2015/11/special-fruit-tree-orders-no-longer.html

Apple Babe from Dave Wilson Nursery under evaluation in North Las Vegas Nevada

Fuji apple grown in North Las Vegas Nevada

Anna apple grown in North Las Vegas Nevada

When I left the University back in 2011 this program of fruit evaluation for desert environments was no longer continued. Fruit quality is very connected to the terrior or the local environment. This is nothing new and has been noted for many other crops where quality is a desired trait and useful in marketing.

I have not had a chance to evaluate this Apple yet. I like about five seasons of production to get a good evaluation. Just because a plant grows does not necessarily mean the fruit quality is high. Sometimes there is little you can do to influence the quality of a fruit if you do not have a suitable terrior it. 

Most people think that a good fruit is one that is large, has an appealing color and free from blemishes to be a "good" fruit. How wrong! There are too many variations because of the climate and weather. The chilling requirement is 800 to 1000 hours according to Dave Wilson Nursery. This may be somewhat problematic for production in the warm desert but not necessarily for fruit quality.

I will take a look at some of the information the orchard has gathered so far on this variety and let you know. I have not been involved so I hope that the three is still there, there are replications to account for variations and data has been recorded. It ripens a little bit before Granny Smith and a month or so before Pink Lady. It ripens during a time of the year when flavor should be good considering ONLY the time of year. 

More information on this and related varieties.

Texas Mountain Laurel Good Choice for Desert Landscapes

Blond Ambition Ornamental Grass Good for Las Vegas Landscapes

Why Did My House Plant Suddenly Begin Wilting?

Q. Suddenly, this plant started drooping and weI can't figure out why.  It's was a beautiful healthy plant until about a week ago when the branches started to bend/droop. We tried tying it up but this morning it was even worse.  Could the heat being on in the house be a factor?  We've had the plant for about seven years with no problems. Two other possible factors:  about a month ago we moved the plant from an inside wall to an outside wall near two windows; and about four months ago we re-potted it using a regular mix.

Plants that are drooping are wilting inside the house

A. I don't believe anything that happened a few months ago would have any direct bearing on this drooping. It has to be something that happened recently or that has been progressive. I'm assuming you've monitored the soil for moisture content by either using the pencil method or lifting it to determine its weight before irrigating.

My guess is the problem is at the root level or major stem or stems coming out of the soil. I'm guessing the roots. I would pull the plant out of the container as if you are repotting it. Remove the soil from around the roots and inspect the roots for damage. It is difficult to find repotting soil that is not free from fungus gnats. If there are insects feeding on the roots than this could be the problem.

If the soil is not draining like it should and root rot becomes a problem, then you would see this kind of reaction. I would repot it with a good potting soil, stake it, add some super thrive (I am not a big believer but at this point I would try anything) and see what happens.

Inexpensive soil moisture meter. Not terribly accurate but gives you a general idea if the soil is wet or not.

Monitor the soil moisture content carefully with a soil moisture meter you can get from the nursery for about eight dollars or use these other methods I mentioned to determine soil moisture content before you irrigate.

Correcting Oleanders with Leaves Browning Along the Edges

Q. We have one oleander approximately 2 years old and 4 new ones we purchased several weeks ago.  The older one (1st photo) and one of the new ones (2nd photo) have some leaves that are browning along the edges while the centers are still green; a few have tips that are browning too.  From what I've read, could the plants have leaf scorch or, "salt or boron toxicity"?

Two pictures sent in regarding oleander leaf scorch

A. You are right, this browning along the margin of oleander leaves, or leaf scorch as it is sometimes called, could result from a number of things.

One possibility is a bacterial disease that has been called Oleander Leaf Scorch. It is a bacterial disease which is rarer in plants than fungal diseases. This disease is carried from plant to plant by what we call "vectors". These vectors can be insects that feed on the "juices" of this plant or they can be transmitted by humans on pruning shears. This is why I am constantly reminding people to clean and disinfect their pruning equipment before they begin pruning and between plants if the plant they finished pruning appears to be "sick".

More information about oleander leaf scorch from the University of California

Leaf scorch can also because to buy a lack of water and excessive salts in the soil which can be made worse if plants do not get enough water. One particular salt that you have identified as a problem in our soils is boron. The other particularly troublesome salts contain sodium and chlorides. Salts that contain for plants, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and others can also cause leaf scorch if they are in excess. Fertilizer salts containing high levels of nitrogen can be particularly troublesome and cause plant damage if applied in excess, too close to the plant or when soils are dry.

What to do? Apply compost around the base of the plant and either wash it into the soil or lightly dig it into the upper surface of the soil.

Add more water. If you feel as if the plant is not receiving enough water, add more drip emitters. This is preferable to just increasing the number of minutes since everything watered by that valve will be affected. If you're fertilizing the plants, make sure the fertilizer salts that you apply are kept at least 12 inches from the trunk and applied near the emitters or bubbler. Make sure the soil does not become dry between irrigations because dry soils increase the concentration of salts already in the soil.

Lastly, cut the oleanders to the ground and let them re-grow from the base. If you apply more water, improve the soil and are careful with fertilizers and the plants still have leaf scorch during the next growing season, then dispose of them and to get new ones. Oleander leaf scorch will not be in the soil. It can only be transmitted from unhealthy plants to healthy plants either by insects or humans who are not careful about pruning.

Holes in Trees

Q. I have three pecan trees in the Moapa Valley area that has been attacked by something for the last six years after they were planted. It starts with small circular holes, 2 or 3 millimeters in diameter, in the bark.  This holes are often in a line extending horizontally across the trunk or limb.  Then the bark appears to be shredded in concentrated areas.  As the summer season progresses, the tree leaves slowly and progressively turn prematurely brown.  I never see any particular pest on the tree, just evidence of their presence by the damage they inflict.

This same problem seems to affect a plum and nectarine tree which are now dead. One of the trees was affected so badly that I cut the tree off just above the graft about 4 years ago.  It has regrown some limbs and has not yet shown evidence of new pest damage.  The other two pecan trees still show evidence of continuing damage.  I used the Bayer borer worm treatment two years in a row a few years back.  That seemed to help a little, but again, over time, the damage has been recurring. I think I am going to loose another tree soon and all of them eventually if I don't figure out how to fix the problem.  I'd be willing to try replanting all new trees if I could have some confidence that the problem would not reoccur.  Any information or advice you can offer will be appreciated. 

First picture showing bird damage

A. The first picture is for sure damage from birds in the woodpecker family, probably sapsuckers. The second picture is most likely the same but the damage is spaced so closely together it is more difficult to recognize. The third picture is some sort of "mechanical" damage, the same type of damage as the first two and I can only guess that it is from the same thing using the KISS principle.

Second picture showing bird damage very close together and causing a lot of damage

Most of these birds are migratory so you see their damage in the spring usually but it is also possible it is in the fall. I am no ornithologist but I understand their are some birds in this family that live in this area permanently. I only see this damage during migrations but maybe in your location it might be different.

Third picture doesn't show the bird damage as well but I'm guessing this is what is causing this kind of damage

I have had damage to fruit trees for dozens of years and the trees survive and don't seem to be bothered this much at all. I think the reason for that is they grow so rapidly that they recover from this damage quickly.

Williamson's sapsucker might be causing this kind of damage. I no longer have the photo credits for this picture but I took it from the web several years ago.

From the looks of the trees and the environment I can see in the pictures I think your trees are under a lot of stress. This may prevent them from recovering quickly from this damage. It is very important that trees that are damaged get enough water, fertilizer and soil enhancement so recovery is quick and not lingering into succeeding years. They must recover completely in one season of growth. They will do that if they are pushed to do so after the damage has been done.

Sapsucker damage to an Apple at the University Orchard

Each of these holes put into the tree from birds by their feeding must totally heal before the next season of damage. I don't think yours are doing that. Cover the soil beneath the trees with wood chips at least four inches deep and out to a distance equal to the ends of the branches. Water and apply fertilizer sufficiently after you see the damage to push the tree's recovery as quickly as possible.

If you can use a bubbler and basin instead of drip (if you are using drip irrigation) this might help. This will flood the area under the trees and deliver enough water for a quick recovery. Fertilize the trees in late January or February to get the trees into rapid growth before the damage occurs.

Bubbler and basin around a fruit tree with the basin covered in wood mulch

You can also try to put wire mesh around the tree or damaged areas of the trunk but the birds usually then go to limbs. But if you lose a limb at least you don't lose the tree.

Bees and the Care of Fairy Duster Plant

Q. Please help me identify the bees on this fairy duster shrub growing on the Eastern side of a Mesquite home. Additionally, I'd appreciate some pointers on how to help this plant become a healthier better looking shrub. Very little has been done because the bees are usually on it. The bees and I coexist with a healthy respect for each other. I'm hoping they are some type of honey bee.

Pictures of plant sent to me

A. Bees can be difficult to identify through just pictures and I am not an entomologist so it makes the problem worse. Size is probably the first clue to the type of bee. Next is the coloration. When we get into the general size of the honeybee it can get a little difficult whether these bees have been Africanized or if they are leaf cutter bees.

Basil and leaf cutter bee

The other category is whether they are social bees or solitary bees like the leaf cutter. Nearly all of the bees are beneficial whether they make honey or not just because they are our best pollinators. Some bees can be a problem such as the Africanized honey bee or leaf cutter bees.

Bee swarm in a fruit tree

If honeybees have been Africanized they can be aggressive and dangerous. This is the only be that we would consider to be truly dangerous. Other bees of this size like the leaf cutter bee can be a nuisance because it cut circles out of the leaves of some plants such as basil, roses, lilac, bougainvillea and others. Normally these leaves are soft and easily cut by the leaf cutter bee so the female can use it for nesting. Solitary bees normally do not make honey that we can collect. Social bees are the honey makers.

Regardless, all of the bees you are seeing there are friendly and beneficial.

Pollinating peach flower

Fairy duster plant is native to North and Central America growing in warm desert climates and soils. This tells you a little bit about how to manage it. It will tolerate desert soils as well as infrequent watering.

At planting time I would amend the soil with about 25 to 50% compost and make the whole about three times wider than its container. I realize yours is already in the ground so watering and fertilizer applications are important to mention.

Do not water this plant too often. That will be the biggest mistake people make.Fertilize it lightly once in the very early spring around late January or February with a rose type fertilizer. The plant can get 3 feet wide and 3 feet tall in soils that have been amended with compost.

As long as it's in a sunny location you should see a profusion of blooms in the spring and summer months that attract bees, hummingbirds and night flying moths. Quail like to feed on seed from the seed pods. Rabbits like to browse on new growth.

You can clean up the plant in the early spring by removing dead leaves and stems. You will encourage more blooms if the plant is in a sunny location and flowers are removed before they begin to form seedpods.

Chinese Pistache Growing Poorly

Q. A nursery planted my tree in spring (May I think) it has sap running in several places from the trunk. Also the leaves seem to have some disease, but the new leaves at the base of the trunk look great.  I have looked on the internet but could find an answer.  It looks like it's dying.  What is your prognoses - see attached photos taken today.

Trunk of this Chinese Pistache

A. I looked at the pictures of the pistache tree that you sent to me. The pictures make me think it is water related. Your Chinese pistache is probably a grafted tree. A graft is used to attach two plants together; one which will become the roots and the other becomes the trunk and top of the tree. If you look at the trunk of the tree a few inches above the soil you should see a slight "crook" or bend in an otherwise straight trunk. This bend is where the graft took place which joined the two young trees together.

Picture of leaf sent in

This is important to find. If the new leaves you mentioned at the base of the trunk are coming from below this crook or bend then the tree is "suckering" from the plant grafted for the roots. This is a very good indication that the top part of the tree has been damaged or is under a lot of stress. Normally, this is not a good sign and you don't want this type of growth to continue. You would remove this growth from the trunk and is close to the trunk as possible. If you leave any short stubs after you remove these suckers then growth from this area is likely to return.

Base of trunk showing new growth

What caused this? This is where I go out on a limb, no pun intended. Nine times out of 10 this is related to some sort of watering issue. I am going to guess and say it's not getting enough water. If this was a 24 inch boxed tree you should be delivering about 15 to 20 gallons of water each time you water. I am guessing this tree is on drip irrigation. I can't tell you how many minutes this would be because that will depend on how much water these emitters are delivering. A tree of this size should have a minimum of four drip emitters spaced in a square pattern about 18 inches from the trunk. If I am correct, you should be able to correct this problem by building a basin or bowl around the trunk about 3 feet in diameter and 6 to 8 inches tall. You would use a hose and fill this basin with water completely once a month during the winter months. When things begin to warm up in about March you might do this every two weeks. Once you hit may you should be doing it weekly.

Chinese pistache shown in its location

Another possibility could be that it is receiving too much water. If you are watering daily and delivering a lot of water through those drip emitters than it is possible the roots are suffocating because of too much water. I tend to believe it's not enough judging from how the tree reacted.

What to do? Build that basin around the tree that I mentioned earlier. Fill this basin with water from a hose twice. Remove the suckers from the tree as I described. If you think there are not enough emitters, add emitters around the tree or find some way to deliver a higher volume of water if you are only watering a few minutes. You won't see much of a reaction from this tree to these improvements until next spring and summer. Remember, do not water daily. When you do water, give it a lot of water and wait a few days between irrigations during the summer months.

Philippine Government Officials Visit Las Vegas on Agritourism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Release Date: November 30, 2015

Kill Date: December 19, 2015

Contact: Robert Morris, 702.630-5173; 702.610-5035

E-mail:  extremehort@aol.com

Las Vegas Visits Impact Philippine Agri-Tourism

Las Vegas – With 32 million credited to the Las Vegas tourism count through September, no one thinks about the agricultural side of the gaming industry. No one thinks of Las Vegas as a place to grow food. They do in the Philippines. Their reasoning: visitors have to eat and the restaurant scene is changing rapidly.

        Three government officials representing the Philippine Department of Agriculture recently took note of changes they predict will impact agri-tourism in the Philippines. Most notable is how government involvement can foster or hinder development of this new industry.

      The restaurant industry has marketed itself differently in Las Vegas during the past decade paralleling consumer demand. These changes are trending internationally as well. Themed restaurants have emerged which embrace the locally grown food trend, eating healthy and growth of farmers markets.

        Philippine government representatives visited several producers of local food in Las Vegas. Here they learned about enticements and barriers producers experienced working with local government agencies to bring locally grown food to area restaurants frequented by tourists.

          In a recently published Restaurant Business Online survey, 15 of the top 100 restaurants in gross food and beverage sales are located in Las Vegas. The number one restaurant grossed $47 million in 2014. Tourists visiting Las Vegas spent over 60% of their tourism dollars on food and drink. This equated to about 70% of their gambling budget.

        The Philippines is poised to become the next most attractive gambling hub in Asia given its proximity to a range of key tourism markets.  It attracts over 4 million visitors each year with a 40% increase in tourism over the past three years and expected to climb dramatically. Dramatic increases are attributed to increased gaming restrictions in Macau, the world’s largest gaming destination, and the shrinking Chinese economy.

###

Robert Morris is an Emeritus Professor with the University of Nevada, Reno and retired Horticulture Specialist with Nevada Cooperative Extension. He is local and international horticulture consultant who contributes weekly with his own byline to the Las Vegas Review Journal. Visit www.xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com

If you would like more information about this topic or schedule an interview with Bob please call him at (702) 630-5173 or email him at Extremehort@aol.com

Leaves Remain on Trees If Weather is not Cold

Q. I have two dwarf peach trees. They are still loaded with leaves. What can I do about it?

A. Nothing. Just let them drop normally. One good night of near freezing or freezing temperatures and they will drop. Prune them in mid to late January.

Normal fall leaf drop on peach

            Another method you can use to drop the leaves is to begin restricting water to the tree. If it’s possible, turn off the drip emitters or bubbler to the tree for a couple of weeks. You will not hurt the tree and you will encourage leaf drop. When the leaves begin to turn yellow resume your irrigations.

Figs Remaining on Tree During Winter is Normal

Q. Our fig tree is losing all of its leaves but still has fruit on it. What can we do?

The third crop of figs in Las Vegas does not have enough time to ripen before freezing weather. The figs remain on the tree after leaf drop, dried and inedible.

A. This time of year figs lose their leaves, it is normal. It is that time of year.

            What confuses you is that there is fruit remaining on the tree and you would like to harvest it. Figs, in our climate, have three crops each growing season but unfortunately our season is not long enough to support the third crop. So this crop is lost to winter weather.

Mixture of early figs (briba, lower. older wood) and main crop (smaller, above, new wood) coming on a little later, less mature.

            The first crop of the season grows on the wood produced last year older wood and is called the briba crop. The second and third crops are called the main crops and develops on new growth.

            What you are seeing is normal. Enjoy the first two crops and remove the third crop and put it in your compost pile to prevent possible future disease or insect problems. However, I must admit, I usually let the immature fruit from the third crop drop to the ground where it rots in the wood mulch beneath the tree with no problems.

Protect Citrus From Freezing Temperatures Soon

Q. When should I begin to protect plants like citrus from the freezing weather that’s coming?

A. Some citrus will handle the cold weather better than others. Most of the citrus sold in this area are grafted to a cold hardy root system called a rootstock. Damage or even death results when the temperatures remain low enough to kill the top of the tree, its root system or both.

This citrus died from winter freezing temperatures several years ago and the sour orange rootstock grew in its place producing oranges that were too sour to eat.

            The more cold hardy and reliable citrus here are kumquat, grapefruit and Myers lemon. However, they will not survive the cold if the roots which they are grafted to are not cold tolerant as well. Most plants sold by nurseries in this area have citrus on cold hardy rootstock. This might not be the case if you buy citrus online.

Spring freezing weather caused this fig to die back and push new growth from lateral buds along the stem.

            None of the citrus are severely damaged if temperatures remain above 32° F. The least cold tolerant of the citrus, such as limes, is damaged when temperatures drop below freezing. When temperatures are low enough to damage the top of the tree but not the rootstock, suckers or water sprouts grow from the rootstock the following spring while the top of the tree may be dead or severely damaged.

Freeze damage to bougainvillea

            As we start getting close to 32F, start watching the local weather reports or track the low temperatures online. When you see projected temperatures reaching 32° F or lower, wrap the base of the tree with a blanket or cover this area with mulch. Smaller trees or trees pruned into an espalier may be entirely covered with a blanket.

            Some people wrap tender trees with Christmas lights on a timer that comes on at night. This may work if temperatures are not extremely low and there is no wind. Blankets should be removed the next day when temperatures climb above freezing.

Soaking Seed in "Fortified" Water Does Make a Difference

Q. I am new to starting my plants from seed. I read an article about soaking seed with fish or seaweed solution before planting. I am trying broccoli seeds which are small and I used water from a fish solution. Am I on the right track?

A. Yes, you are on the right track. Let’s focus on vegetable seed which are fairly easy to germinate. When seeds germinate, they first “soak up” water from its surroundings. This is called imbibition.

            Imbibition causes seed to swell or enlarge and begins all of the internal chemistry which pushes it towards germination. That is, IF the temperature is correct for that seed. By the way, imbibition does not tell you if the seed is alive. Imbibition occurs if seed is alive or dead.

            If a seed imbibes water and begins the process of germination and the seed dries out after this, living seed will die. It had its chance and failed.

            For imbibition to occur, the seed must be in contact with the water long enough for water to be absorbed. This is an important concept in the desert. If the seed comes in contact with water for five or 10 minutes, and then dries, it will not imbibe water. The seed will not germinate but it may still be alive. If this happens too many times in a row, the seed will die.

Large seed like this runner bean seed is easy to soak in water, surface dry and plant. Small seed are difficult.

            Seed must be in contact with water for a fairly long time for imbibition to occur. This is the reason I encourage gardeners who are germinating seed in the garden during the summer months to use a thin surface mulch. This surface mulch reduces evaporation from the soil and leaves soil water in contact with the seed for a longer period of time.

            The water that moves into the seed during imbibition carries with it whatever nutrients are in solution. So if you have dissolved nutrients from sea kelp or a fish solution, that water will enter the seed and provide nourishment to the seedling.

            That was a long winded answer that basically says, “Yes, the quality of the water used for germinating seed may have an impact on the growth of a seedling.” I will caution you though. You do not want a strong solution when imbibing seeds with water. If this water has a high nutrient content from the sea kelp or fish solution, it could kill the seed or damage the seedling. It is best to dilute it.

            Another word of caution. Once you retrieve these small seeds from this solution of water, they will be wet, cling together and be difficult for planting. It is much easier if they are allowed to dry before planting.

            Here is where you have to be careful. If you dry seeds too long before planting you risk the possibility they will die. If you do not wait long enough, they are difficult to plant. Allow seeds to dry on their surfaces, only, before planting. Do not let them dry further than this or you may kill the seed.

When seed first begin to germinate (left) the beginning of the root, the radicle, is the first to emerge.

            And another word of caution. If you wait too long before planting and these seeds begin to germinate, you will see a tiny projection coming from the seed. This is the beginning of a root called the radicle. It is very easy to break this radicle when you are handling the seed as you are planting. If it breaks, the seed is dead.Throw it out.

            Imbibe the seed with cool water for 24 hours. Surface dry the seed long enough so it can be planted easily and immediately plant it in warm soil.

Special Fruit Tree Orders No Longer Available

Q. In the past you took special orders for bare-root fruit trees. I am looking for a fig tree. Will you be repeating the offer this year?  If so, when will the information be posted in your Saturday newspaper article?

A. I am sorry I no longer provide that service to the local community since I left the University. However, nearly any type of fig will grow in this climate and many can be purchased locally or online.

Kadota fig

            The most common figs selected and have a history of doing well here include Kadota in the category of yellow or white figs, Black Mission and Brown Turkey in the category of dark figs. The white or yellow figs have a mild flavor while the dark figs are typically stronger in flavor.

Black Mission fig

            Keep in mind that several of our birds love figs and you will be in competition with them when they are ready for harvest. Figs can only be harvested when they are soft and ready to be eaten. They cannot be picked early, like peaches or apricots, and the fruit allowed to mature off of the tree.

The darker figs generally get larger than the yellow figs

            The nice thing about fig trees is that they can be pruned heavily and still return a good crop the following year. The biggest mistake people make with figs is not giving them enough water or not watering them frequently enough. Water them just like any fruit tree.

            This lack of water results in fruit that does not mature, stays small and hard and is inedible. If this lack of water occurs early in the development of the fruit, it will drop from the tree.

I do understand that the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is providing fruit trees for the local community. I am not involved in this program so I will not guarantee what is available meets my criteria for local production.I would strongly suggest that you visit the list I published a couple of years ago on this blog. Or send an email to me and I will forward the publication to you.

Be Careful of Fruit Growing Wild in Your Landscape

Q. My husband found a plant growing wild in our garden with green berries in clusters that turn dark blue or black. He tasted a few and they seem to be okay. We looked at pictures on the Internet but it does not resemble any of the common berries. Did you know what this is?

A. I think you have black nightshade. Several people have sent me pictures of this plant growing in their garden. It is a fairly common weed in the garden and landscape that gets mixed up with tomato and pepper seed.

Black nightshade

            This plant can be found worldwide and is extremely variable in leaf size, leaf color and whether the leaves are smooth or hairy on the surface. The berries of this plant are pretty consistent in size and color in a rather distinctive cluster and a good way to identify it.

Fruit and flowers of nightshade

            There are several countries that do eat different plant parts of nightshade and promote it as an herbal medicine, food or for livestock but the American black nightshade is poisonous and should not be eaten in any form.

            Be careful of internet information. This plant, because of its variability, may vary in the amount of poison it contains in different parts of the world. To be on the safe side, consider it a poisonous weed and get rid of it.

Can I Transplant a 10-year-old Palm Tree?

Q. We have a palm tree, perhaps a Mexican fan palm, that was planted close to a wall and I have to move it because the wall is damaged. I'm guessing the palm was planted 10-15 years ago. Can the palm be transplanted or is it a loss?

A. You have two problems with that palm; it is too close to a wall which makes moving it very difficult and it requires a crane if you want it moved. Moving it will be very expensive and it will not be worth, monetarily, transplanting it to a new hole. If you decide to move it anyway then you would move it during the warm spring months or even summer but avoid moving it during fall and winter.

Wall cracking because of roots lifting the wall. This is typically not the case with Palm trees but the trunks of some palm trees can be a problem.

            Palm trees are full of water and fan palms can run from 200 to 500 pounds for every foot of trunk depending on the diameter of the trunk. Palm trees with larger diameter trunks can weigh 1000 pounds or more per foot. This does not include the weight of the root ball.

            Cut your losses and have it removed. Unfortunately palms do not burn very well and are not used for firewood since it produces little heat when burned and burn quickly when dried. The wood does not compost very well either.

Are Any Vegetables or Herbs Available Locally As Transplants?

Q. You mentioned growing winter vegetables such as spinach, cauliflower and others. Are these vegetable plants available locally?

A. We are seeing more and more of these plants available as transplants locally as the trend in vegetable gardening has grown but it is still hit and miss to find them.

            Most of these plants can be planted directly in the garden from seed easily. Certainly the leafy green vegetables should be started from seed and not purchased as transplants. These include spinach, lettuces, mustards, kale and the like.

            There are only a few winter vegetables that should only be started from transplants and include Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. Almost all of the other winter vegetables can be started from seed directly in the garden if soil temperatures are warm enough.

            If soil temperatures are not, cover the area with plastic where seed was placed and cover the edges with soil so wind does not pick it up. I have some information I produced on soil temperatures required for different seed germination.

            The advantage of starting vegetables from seed is freedom from some of the pests and diseases found in greenhouses as well as any pesticides that might be used on them. Sometimes you may have to start these vegetables from seed when transplants are not available locally.

If you want some videos on any of this let me know. I'll be happy to make them and post them on YouTube with a link back to my blog.

I have included a copy of a vegetable and herb planting calendar for the winter that I did for a local compost company, Viragrow.

Why Does My Sumac Have Yellowing and Dying Branches?

Q. I have a 20-year-old sumac tree that has developed yellow leaves in several areas. There has been no change in watering or the soil. What is causing this and how can we treat it.

Branches dying in the bottom of the canopy of sumac. This may be due to too much shade. If not, it definitely contributed to the problem.

A. If the yellowing or browning of the leaves is occurring in shaded areas it might be because there is not enough light reaching the leaves. If the canopy is dense and creates too much shade then leaves and stems in these heavily shaded areas will die. When the leaves are first dying they turn yellow and finally brown when they are dead.

            Try removing some limbs on the tree to allow more light to penetrate inside the canopy. The problem is that African sumac responds very well to pruning with new growth and limb removal might have to be done regularly.

Regrowth or watersprouts coming from a large African sumac limb after removal.

            Do not remove too many limbs but allow the entry of filtered light inside the canopy.

            An easy way to see if enough light is entering the canopy is to look at the ground. If the ground beneath the tree is a solid shadow, not enough light is entering the canopy. It should be pixelated. Some limbs should be removed until the light on the ground is “speckled”.

            You can do this pruning any time of the year and do not have to wait for winter. I would focus on removing limbs around 1 inch in diameter and no larger unless the tree needs major pruning work done. Do major pruning only in the winter months.

            African sumac does not have very many diseases so I have ruled out the possibility of disease. At least in our desert climate.. It has a few insect problems but nothing serious except aphids which leaves a sticky or shiny appearance on the leaf surface.

            Aphids would be a problem in the spring and fall months. Heavy feeding by aphids could cause yellowing of leaves as well but they will be sticky. They can usually be removed with soap and water sprays.

When Removing a Lawn, Large Trees Frequently Die

Q. We’re seriously considering getting rid of our turf and taking advantage of the SNWA Rebate Program ("Grass for Cash" Program).  However, not at the expense of our beautiful fruitless mulberry. What steps do we take to maintain the health and vitality of the tree? 

Mulberry that might be threatened in a "cash for grass" rebate program. Most landscapers will not provide enough water in the right locations for a tree of this size to survive.

A. Great looking tree and I applaud your efforts to keep it although I am sure those with severe allergy problems would like to see it gone.

            As you have discovered, the water needed to support a tree like that is nearly equal to the amount of water applied to the lawn underneath it. The best advice I have is to maintain the grass directly under the canopy of the tree. If you decide to remove all the grass, then you will need to add a way to deliver enough water directly underneath the canopy.

            A method that some people are using is to lay a coil of in-line drip emitters around the tree in a spiral, spacing the tubing about 12 to 18 inches apart. Use tubing with emitters spaced about 12 inches apart along its length.

            The less distance between emitters, the less time will be needed for watering. I am guessing this method will require about one hour to deliver enough water for the tree in a single irrigation. Other plants can be planted in this area that will take advantage of the wetted area.

            Another method, and the one I like the most, is to flood irrigate about half the area under the canopy with two bubblers in a constructed basin that is at least one third the diameter of the canopy. The basin must be level so that the water does not accumulate on one side of the basin.  It will take about 10 to 15 minutes to fill the basin with enough water to supply the tree.

Pine tree with a bubbler and basin used to for irrigation. The bubbler releases water quickly and fills the basin. It is important that the bottom of the basin is flat.

            The most common option is to use drip emitters under the tree. This seldom works when keeping large, mature trees like yours healthy. You would need a very large number of drip emitters to deliver enough water. Very few retrofitted desert landscapes use enough to keep the tree from dying back.  

This tree previously was growing in lawn. This area was converted to a rock landscape, the grass removed, to conserve water. This tree was not provided with enough water after this conversion so it began to die.

            Consider covering the soil under the tree with wood chip mulch rather than rock mulch to maintain good “soil health” under the tree. Good soil health was promoted in the past by maintaining your lawn. With the lawn gone and the soil covered with rock mulch, soil health will be severely impacted which will negatively impact the health of the tree in a period of 3 to 5 years.