Mechanical Control of Borers in Fruit Trees

I will usually take a very sharp, large knife and remove this loose bark and find out how much damage has been done by the borer.

Sneezing Might Be Due to African Sumac

Ash trees are starting to bloom now as well.

Brown Spots Probably Disease Problem on Tree Photinia

Q. Can you tell what the problem is with my patio tree and what I can do about it? The leaves are all covered in brown spots. I am not sure which plant it is.

Majestic Beauty Hawthorne a Good Choice But Use Wood Mulch

Q. On the north side of our house we have a 10-foot wide space we are trying to landscape. Several have suggested planting bay laurel trees but we are concerned about the tree's size for the space. When we went to the nursery their suggestion was the Majestic Beauty hawthorn tree. Will the Hawthorn tree do well in our climate and soils?

Wild Mustard is Free and Available For Your Salads All Over Town

Mustards are all over town right now and they appear like weeds. But what you may not know is that they are at their peak of flavor right now, particularly the younger, smaller leaves toward the center.

Can I Use Compost With Worms in It?

Q. I have been collecting vegetables scraps for the last 6 months for composting but did not have a cover on my bin.  I have found the compost loaded with this bug or worm.  Can I use this compost? There are too many to pick out.  I'm afraid if put in soil they will kill plants but my compost is really good!!

Dark Brown or Black Shells on Oleander May Be Scale Insects

Q. I have a serious infestation of hard shelled black insects on my oleanders. I have a tree-like hedge of oleanders on both sides of my home. One of the oleanders is heavily infested but the problem is spreading rapidly to all the others.

Clover-Looking Weed with Yellow Flowers is Very Difficult to Control

Q. I have oxalis clover look-alike as a weed. How can I control it? I am ready to use chemicals at this point having tried to rid it by digging and pulling with no success. Having it in my grass is bad enough but now that it is in my iris beds I want to kill the dang stuff!

Thanks to Hunter for Advanced Irrigation Control at the Orchard

A really big thanks goes out to Hunter Industry and in particular Nate Gould out of Phoenix, Arizona. Nate offered to provide the UNCE orchard in North Las Vegas with a state-of-the-art Hunter ACC Irrigation Clock. This definitely brings the UNCE Orchard into the 21st Century!

Italian Cypress Will Work as a Windbreak on 1 Acre But....

Q. I have used Italian cypress in moderate climates with very good success but now I will be moving to the desert in Pahrump on one acre and want to put in about 30-50 of these for windbreak. Is there anything special I need to consider planting these in a desert climate?

Should a License Be Required to Carry a Hedge Shears?

What was not forseen in the advent of desert landscaping was the dramatic change in pruning techniques brought in by the landscape industry. Hand pruners and loppers were gone. Hedge shears were in.

Still Afraid to Prune Your Lantana?

You may have either the purple lantana or the multi-colored lantana. Most of it died back during the winter. But where to cut? What if I cut it back too far. Will I kill it? Even in February you still have time.

Nevada's First Bottle of Olive Oil All Produced in Nevada

Last year produced the first bottle of Nevada olive oil.

Star Jasmine Problems Mostly Soil, Mulch and Cold Related

Q. What can I do to correct all the issues afflicting the star jasmine this winter?

Things To Do With Fruit Trees Now

While pruning the last couple of days I saw some things  to do that I wanted to bring to your attention.

Not Too Late to Trim and Fertilize Lantana

We generally grow two types of lantana in the landscapes in southern Nevada; the purple one and the one that is multi-colored, usually with some yellow and rose or pink flowers. Both are handled about the same way in watering, pruning and fertilizing.

Please Dont Prune Your Palo Verde LIke This

I was dumbfounded. I saw it from the bus.

Pick Fruit and Check for Circling Roots When Repotting Lemon

Q. I purchased a lovely Meyer Lemon tree in a one gallon pot in middle of the spring. It already had 6 lemons on it. I have the original fruit, have new fruit growing, and still am getting blossoms. Should I transplant it now into a larger pot or wait until after the fruit ripens and is used?

Do Liners at the Bottom of Raised Beds Help or Hinder?

Q. I'm setting up some raised beds for planting this spring and wondered about water evaporation from the soil. Since water retention in the soils here in Vegas is an issue due to the heat would it make sense to put a liner in the beds to help keep the moisture from draining out so quickly?

Remove Suckers Coming From Rootstock on Loquat

Not sure if I should remove growth below the graft from a Loquat tree.