Pruning Crepe Myrtle Correctly

Q. When is the right time of year to trim my crepe myrtle tree and what should be done?

A. They usually do not require much pruning. I noticed from your picture that it is planted close to your house Your biggest problems would be branches growing toward the house and walking under branches that are too low.

            Remove branches growing toward the house at a "crotch" (where two branches come together) and remove with a "thinning cut”. A thinning cut is the total removal of a entire branch, leaving no part of it coming from the tree.

            Limbs that are too low should be removed if people need to pass under the tree. This should also be done with a thinning cut. Remove limbs high enough to allow traffic under the tree.

            Aesthetically, trees look better if you restrict limb removal so the tree’s trunk is exposed for no more than one third of its height. A common problem in pruning large trees in this town is excessive limb removal. Once removed, large limbs and the aesthetics it brings, is lost forever.            Crepe myrtle tends to grow branches too close together and sometimes on top or crossing each other. Look for these common problems and remove one of the offending branches with a thinning cut, leaving no stub.

            Lastly, remove any dead wood or weak growth. Using thinning cuts will help preserve this year’s flower production.

Bee Propolis Found to Reduce Psoriasis

Inhibitory effect of a propolis on Di-n-Propyl Disulfide or n-Hexyl salycilate-induced skin irritation, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in mice

Citrus Does Not Need Much Pruning

A short piece on pruning citrus that was requested last Saturday at the pruning demonstrations at the Orchard in North Las Vegas.

Puffballs and Other Mushrooms Comon to Desert Landscapes

Q. These odd things grow in my back yard from time to time and I was wondering what they are. Do you know?

Use the 1-2-3 Cut for Large Limb Removal

Large limb removal can cause some damage to a tree if you are not careful. As you cut through a limb the weight of that limb as it begins to fall can break through the last third of the limb where it is cut and rip the bark down the side of a tree. Cut large limbs this way....

Root Fig Cuttings in February and March

Q. I just came across one of your oldest articles about growing fig trees in Las Vegas and I would like toask you when is a good time to cut off some of the bottom branches to make a new tree. I got this tree about 2 years ago from California and has been growing fast and big in my backyard.

Winter is the Best Time to Shop for Compost

Q. I was checking the mulch products at Whiting Bros. and they have a product called Ferta Mulch.
They label it "Humic Composted Mulch". It looks like finely chopped up  bark. They recommend it to improve the quality of your soil. They have a picture of it on their website. I can buy a ton of it for $40.00. I'm expanding my vegetable garden by approximately 20x30 so the 2 cubic ft bags at  the big box stores are out of the question.  My soil is very sandy. What do you think?

Apply Rose Fertilizers Now

Q. In previous years I started fertilizing our roses in March. They performed poorly last year so I want to feed them earlier. Is it ok to start now, and if so is there any special formula or nutrients required for the first feeding?

Ash Trees Do Not Normally Need Applied Iron

Q. Should I give my ash trees the same iron treatment as fruit trees?

Sago Palms Damaged in December

Q. Do white fronds indicate my sago palm has frost damage? Can my sago be saved? Should sagos be wrapped and, if so, do I just cover them when the temperatures drop down to the 20's but then remove the wraps once the weather warms up?

Fertilize Fruit Trees Organically or Not Organically. Your choice.

Q. Can I start feeding my fruit trees now or should I wait until spring?

Solutions for Home Avocado Production in Las Vegas?

Q. I have started two avocado trees with the intent of having them available to my son if and when he buys a home in the Las Vegas area.  I went on-line and doubt that this is going to be possible unless he is willing to nurse them religiously.  Do you have any suggestions? Do you know if a myrtle variety the wax flower can be grown here?  I know it is native to Australia and some varieties are hardy to 25 degrees.

A. I would suggest that you take a look at my blog located at http://xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com/ and search the word avocado in the search box near the top. I’ve talked quite a bit about this plant and growing in Las Vegas in this blog. 

            I do not really recommend it for our climate unless you want to grow it more as a curiosity. Avocado trees do not survive much below freezing. In December this past month we had two solid days that never really broke freezing in some parts of the valley. 

Protecting avocados from frost from Univ of Calif Ventura County Extension
 

            They are much too large for a greenhouse. Your son would be much better off trying some citrus rather than an avocado. And even with citrus here are some parts of the valley which will be too cold for any citrus to survive for more than about five years.

            If you really want to give your son a reliable fruit tree for our climate he would be better off with pomegranate, pistachio, apricot, peach or almond.

            If you still want to move ahead with your avocado then make sure you put it in a window that will give it full sun for at least six hours every day. Turn the container 180 degrees every week to prevent the plant from leaning in one direction toward the sun and growing at an angle.

            If you do not have this kind of window Then you will need to supplement The avocado seedling with extra light. If you do not supplement with extra light, the small avocado seedling will become tall, thin and spindly.

            You can use fluorescent lights a few inches from the plant on a timer with about 16 hours of light each day. This will work while the seedling is still small but eventually it will have to be planted outside.

            There are parts of the valley which have a better chance of growing avocado than others. Locations downtown surrounded by a lot of cement are usually much warmer than outside the city. These locations should be in places where it is not windy. But even in these locations when the avocado tree gets larger it will be damaged.

            There is the dwarf avocado called ‘Little Cado’ that you might be able to obtain from an online source that he could use in a container. The container would need to be protected when there is danger of frost. 

 More about 'Little Cado' for containers

            I have never heard of a variety of Crape myrtle called wax myrtle. But then again there are a lot of things I’ve never heard of. There is a woody plant native to the US called wax myrtle and it should do well in most parts of the valley. That is the problem with using common names. If you have a scientific name for the plant I might be able to tell you more.

Sunburn on Plants a Major Desert Problem

Q. I have three 3-tier privets in the front of my house. One of them, showing in the two attached pictures, seems to have trouble at the top tier, which grew yellowish and small leafs, while the bottom two tiers grow normally. The top part of the trunk close to the sickly tier shows darker color.  Nursery people told me that the troubled shrub got too much sun and needs more water. But I have watered the shrubs (all three of them next to each other) with the same amount and same frequency. To tell me just the top tier of one shrub needs more water does not make much sense to me, right?

My question is: why only the top tier turn sickly yellow while others are growing normally? and what can I do to protect it from dying?  Thanks.

Suggested Reading for Desert Gardeners

Q. I happened upon your blog the other day.  I am curious if you'd have any info on education programs on site for learning to build gardens and grow food on desert land.  I study permaculture and green design in the Northwest and would like to eventually acquire some desert land to transform.

Backyard Orchard Weed Control? I like fire.

Q. My backyard is planted with a 20 tree fruit orchard similar to a small scale UNR orchard or Dave Wilson backyard orchard. I have added many truckloads of the free mulch from the orchard over the past 3 years, which has broken down and made the soil much better. The problem is last year I got overrun with bermuda grass. I put cardboard down, more mulch down, and the grass just came up through it. Do you have any tips on getting rid of it naturally? Is there any type of green mulch I could plant in the spring that would choke it out? What do you guys do at the orchard to keep the weeds out?

November Weather for the UNCE Orchard, North Las Vegas, Nevada.

Notice that during the month of November we had virtually no freezing temperatures in one of the colder parts of the valley. Rainfall for the month was significant with over 1 1/2 inches. Remember that rainfall can be very isolated in southern Nevada with rain falling in some parts while not in others and the amount can vary significantly across the valley. Winds did not seem significant enough to cause much damage to plants.

December 2013 Weather Report from the UNCE Orchard in North Las Vegas