Pear Tree and Fireblight Disease

Q. I  attached pictures of my pear tree. Do you have any idea why the leaves are doing this strange browning and dying out? Never seen anything like this.

Both pictures were submitted by the reader. Sure looks like fireblight disease to me.

A. I'm going to state the obvious. The leaves turned brown because they are dead or dying. I know you want to know why they are dead.

The usual reasons can be wide-ranging and related to either diseases, damage to limbs or the trunk or soil problems. The possibility that concerns me the most is a disease called ‘fireblight’. Search the Internet or my blog for pictures of what fireblight disease looks like. Check the entire tree for this kind of damage.

Advanced stage of fireblight disease. The tree can still be saved by pruning back about 12 inches to stop the disease from spreading.

If you are at all suspicious of fireblight, then prune out these branches 6 to 8 inches below this area and use a sanitized pruning shears. If more than one cut is needed, then sanitize your pruning shears between each cut. Use 70% isopropyl alcohol or higher or a cigarette lighter and heat up the blades to kill any possible disease organisms that you could transfer to the cuts.

Make sure the tree was planted with compost mixed into the soil as an amendment at planting time. Never surround fruit trees with rocks or gravel on the surface of the soil. Woodchips that can decompose and benefit the soil are much preferred over rocks for any kind of fruit tree.

Fireblight disease on recently planted 'Bartlett' European pear.

If you are watering daily, the tree roots could be suffocating because the soil stays wet and not draining properly. Root suffocation can also cause the leaves to die and turn brown or black. Stop daily watering. Water every other day or every third day during the heat of the summer. Apply enough water when irrigating to cover a large enough area under the tree to initially wet and keep this soil from totally drying out until the next watering.

Pear trees grow very well in our climate if the soil is prepared at the time of planting with compost and if the soil surface is covered in woodchips after planting. You should never have to water daily if you are giving the trees enough water, over a large enough area, when you are watering.

Soil Testing for Home Gardens and Landscapes

 Testing the soil for home landscapes doesn't need to be done every year. They are expensive. Start with a baseline soil test (beginning) and test the soil every three to five years or when you think it is necessary. Many of these retail home soil tests can also be marketing tools for selling amendment products.

Home soil testing come in kits like La Motte's or a soil sample you can send in for analysis like the one below. Testing raised beds for gardening is no different than a small garden area without sidewalls. Make sure ALL the important plant nutrients have been tested in desert soils.

There has been a lot of negative endorsements in general info about home soil tests. But in my opinion they aren't too bad if you are looking for general numbers. 

This is an example of a home soil test result from Las Vegas, Nevada. It was not too bad. Not as precise as a commercial agricultural soil testing lab but not too bad.

Agricultural Labs

For more precision I would recommend a commercial agricultural soil testing laboratory that can invest  hundreds of thousands of dollars in important equipment. For research we use A and L Soil Testing Laboratory in Modesto, California, or do it ourselves but a good soil testing labs are considerably less expensive than doing it yourself for research. The major advantage of a lab doing it for a fee and home testing is usually the numbers of tests you can run. Home testing usually involves several tests for the same price while a commercial lab you only can submit one soil sample for a fee.

Use a Local Lab

It is important to submit samples to a lab that represents your type of soil. Some of the big labs need to know a bit about your soil sample before you begin. Soil testing can be different in different parts of the country. If you live in an arid/desert part of the country, submit it to an arid/desert soil testing laboratory.

This is an example of a commercial agricultural soil testing laboratory report. 

Commercial agricultural soil testing laboratories invest a considerable amount of money in testing equipment. They are expensive but when accuracy is needed they do a very good job. 

Examples of commercial agricultural soil testing laboratories in desert areas to consider include A and L in Modesto, and  IAS in Phoenix,

In some states an agricultural soil test is available from the University. These are a good bargain and give you valuable and accurate information.

What to Test?

Most soil testing includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and a few other nutrients. Besides these, in desert soils make sure your soil is tested for iron, manganese and zinc as well. Don't forget the pH (alkalinity) and EC (salts) to include the salts of sodium, chlorides and boron. Boron is important for soil testing in desert soils.

Remember..."garbage in, garbage out." Always submit a good soil sample.

Planting During our Desert Heat

Leaf scorch can be a reminder that the plant might be in a hot location, soil not amended properly or it was not surrounded by wood chips when it should be.

 Avoid planting anything during our desert heat. All planting should stop if it's windy or temperatures are above 100°F. Sometimes you must plant but think about other times. They will be better and you will have more success. Planting during cooler weather is better for the plant. Planting during cooler weather and you will have more success.

If you must plant during the heat:

Plant in areas of the landscape appropriate for the plants. Some plants tolerate desert heat better than others. No plants like heat. They prefer growing at temperatures they like (45F to 85F depending on the plant).

Dig planting holes and amend the soil a day ahead. Fill the planting hole with water when you're finished.

Plant only during early morning hours.

Avoid planting on windy days. Check your phone weather app.

Have water ready and available. Would you like some coffee you like some coffee no?

Always plant in a "wet hole", never a "dry hole".

Plant as soon as you get home. Never wait for tomorrow.

Keep plants roots wet. Feeder roots in without moisture die within 15 seconds. How many roots die determines the degree of "transplant shock". Transplant shock isn't "normal".

'Red Push' Chinese Pistache Damage

Q. I have two ‘Red Push’ Chinese pistache trees planted about three years ago and doing well. Recently one was shocked and I’m not sure what happened. This occurred almost overnight. I gave it a few extra gallons and added two drippers to each plant. I don’t use any Round up or anything like that. Can it be saved? 

'Red Push' Chinese pistache are damaged with high winds

A. It will take a while, but the tree should be fine. The tree will use its stored energy to put on new leaves and replace the dead ones. In the future it’s important to note the weather occurring during that time because we did have some strong winds a few times this summer. 

Strong Winds are Damaging and Trees Use More Water

Strong winds are particularly damaging in the spring when leaves are new and tender. Strong winds equals increased water lost by plants. Sudden death of leaves right after strong winds signals a need for water. But that water application is usually just once. 

However, frequent watering coupled with poor drainage might also cause this problem. My guess is that leaf death was coupled with the wind. So be careful with applying water to landscapes. It can be the “giver of life” in the desert, but it also can be the "giver of death". 

Established Trees Have Stored Food

A three-year-old tree like ‘Red Push’ has stored “food” in its branches that it relies on when pushing new leaves. It takes a bit longer for the tree to respond during the spring and early summer months because it has “used up” all its “spring” buds putting on new growth. It’s like a double whammy. It may take the tree a bit longer to produce new buds and new growth. 

Chinese Pistache is Mesic not Xeric

Tree response to leaf death occurring in late summer and fall is much more rapid since the buds are already formed and new growth happens much faster. Remember that any of the Chinese pistache trees are mesic in their water use; they can tolerate desert soils but need a little bit of irrigation help. They grow best when surrounded by other plants that require water. As with most mesic trees, they can tolerate lawns when there is decent drainage.

More "White Fuzzies" in Landscapes

Q. I live in the central Las Vegas Valley and noticed a creep of linear white deposits on the stems of plants in my raised vegetable garden that has recurred in some desert-adapted plants elsewhere in the yard. It first appeared on sunflower stems, then lacinato kale, some basil, tomatoes and their stems, and now on new growth from a Vitex tree and turpentine bush. It seems to be spreading, in other words. Can you advise what this is, and any way to remedy it?

A. Those “white deposits” are probably tiny “cocoons” of tiny insects in the landscape. I reorted these on my blog in previous years, calling them “white fuzzies”. I didn’t know what they exactly were either, but I knew that they were insect related.

A horticulturist in the Phoenix area guessed that they were sharpshooter (insect) pupae, and he may be right. In any regard, these insect pupae “were just passing through” the landscape where they were “incidental” and probably not damaging these plants.

Generally speaking, when we see white deposits on many different kinds of plants it’s usually not disease-related but may be related to insects. If guessed that these white deposits in this case are “insect related” then look at the plant and note any damage you might see. If there is no damage, then these insects are “incidental” to your plants.

If you see insect damage to the plants, then they might not be “incidental” and it’s best to use your favorite least toxic insect spray and see if that stops the problem. Soap and water is usually a good first, least toxic spray and readily available. You can always try something more toxic as your second spray if that doesn’t stop the damage.

USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Quarterly Fraud Claims June, 2022

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Walker River Paiute Trible Signs Local Food Cooperative Agreement with USDA

 

USDA Announces Walker River Paiute Tribe Signs Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Date: Friday, July 15, 2022 - 3:00pm

Contact Info

Public Affairs

PA@usda.gov

(202) 720-8998

Release No. 090-22

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has signed a cooperative agreement with Walker River Paiute Tribe under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). This is the first LFPA cooperative agreement between USDA and a tribal government. Additional agreements with tribal governments will follow in the coming weeks.

“USDA is excited to partner with Walker River Paiute Tribe to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in this community,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country. I am so honored to partner with Chairman Torres on this first-of-its-kind tribal agreement.”

The federally recognized Walker River Paiute Tribe is located on the Walker River Paiute Reservation, located in Schurz, Nev., a rural community in midwestern Nevada about 100 miles southeast of Reno, Nev.

Through LFPA, the Tribe will work with the Agai-Dicutta Local Food Purchase Program to source and distribute locally and regionally produced eggs, dairy, and produce at the Walker River Paiute Reservation. This two-year project will increase local food consumption among historically underserved populations while building economic opportunity for local, regional, and underserved farmers and producers.

“We are excited to collaborate with USDA by being the first tribal nation to sign a Local Food Purchase Agreement. Our partnership will benefit local producers throughout the Great Basin area and provide our tribal citizens access to healthy foods. We are happy to be a part of promoting tribal nutrition security, keeping dollars circulating within our local economy and building relationships with local farmers, ranchers and producers,” said Walker River Paiute Tribe Chairman Amber Torres. “I truly believe no one knows the needs of our tribal citizens better than the tribe and the people we serve. Despite the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic presented the tribe over the past two years, this program continues to show our resiliency as a tribal nation. We appreciate the flexibility and trust to administer our own program and the acknowledgement of our tribal sovereignty. Our congressional leaders made sure that Indian country was not an afterthought through tribal allocations in the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act, both of which provided seed funding for our Food Sovereignty project.”

The LFPA program is authorized by the American Rescue Plan to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Through this program, USDA will award up to $400 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments to support local, regional, and underserved producers through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination.

AMS looks forward to continuing to sign agreements under this innovative program that allows state and tribal governments to procure and distribute local and regional foods and beverages that are healthy, nutritious, and unique to their geographic area.

More information about the program is available on AMS’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program webpage.

Spanish Dagger (Yucca) and Curve-Leaf Yucca are Not Cacti

Q. I have a five-foot yucca tree that I cannot get to be disease free after two years of trying.  I have tried the following chemicals; Bayer Advanced complete Insect Killer, Bonide Thuricide and Bonide Tree and Shrub Insect Control Systemic. Any suggestions on how to save it.

Judging from the picture and your problems it might be Spanish Dagger, a native of the SE part of the US. Spanish Dagger, Yucca gloriosa, does not handle the heat and should not be planted in south or westerly landscapes. Not sent to me by the author.

A. Judging from the picture you sent to me your yucca tree is Yucca gloriosa, a.k.a. Spanish dagger. Spanish dagger is a yucca native to the SE that gets brown spots on its leaves that resemble disease but it is either planted in the wrong location or planted incorrectly or both. This plant is both mesic (high in its water use) and not a desert yucca native.

Looks like Yucca recurvifolia (aka Y. pendula) another yucca native to the southeastern and southern US that may scorch if planted in a hot location. Readers picture.

Spanish dagger is an Eastern coastal native from South Carolina to Florida. If planted in our desert Southwest, this yucca will look diseased if it’s planted on the West or South sides of a home, surrounded by rock, or watered like a cactus.

Because it’s a native of the southeastern United States, Spanish dagger should be planted so that it gets shade in the afternoon; on the East or north side of a home landscape in afternoon shade. Also, plant it with compost amending the soil and surrounded by other mesic plants to help moisten the soil.

Increase Grape Berry Size by Thinning Fruit Early

Q. When do you harvest green grapes and how do you increase their individual size?

'Italia' seeded grape ready for harvest in North Las Vegas.

A. Increasing the size of the berries (individual fruit) is a two-step process starting when the berries are very small. The correct time to begin this operation in our climate could begin as early as the end of March or the first part of April. At this time the berries have already begun to increase their size. The correct time to begin is when the berries are about the size of a young, early pea.

Remove small clusters of grape berries when this size

            First, leave only the large bunches and remove any small bunches. You want the average distance between bunches of about eight or 12 inches depending on how much was set. You want the remaining bunches to be big and long.

Remove the bottom 1/3 of the grape cluster by pinching.

            After removing the smaller bunches and getting the correct average distance apart, next reduce the size of each bunch by one third. Pinch the bottom one third of each bunch of grapes and remove it. It will decompose on the soil or mulch surface. The result is a fewer berries and fewer bunches. This results in larger fruit.

1. Keep an eye on your grapes in mid Spring.

2. When grape "berries" are young and pea-sized thin out the clusters.

3. Next pinch each remaining cluster so it is reduced by 1/3.

            This is the “organic” method. There is an “inorganic” method involving spraying the bunches with hormonal sprays when they are increasing in size but the “organic” method should be adequate for most homeowners.

            When to harvest is more difficult with green grapes than red grapes. Green grapes have a slight color change when they are ready to harvest. This change in color of the berries is from green to yellowish green or “bronzy” in color.

To determine the harvesting date, taste a few of the berries. If the berries are to your liking, then harvest them. Birds begin their damage (pecking or stealing berries) when the sugar content rises in fruit. Seldom do they damage fruit when the sugar content is low unless they are a stupid or young and inexperienced. Whenever you start to see significant bird damage, begin harvesting ripe fruit. After the grapes are harvested there is little to no change in “sweetness”.

Grape Berries Drying Up and Shriveling in Early Summer

Q. The berries on my ‘Red Flame’ grape are shriveling and turning gray but the vine looks healthy. Do you know what the problem is?

This is probably one of the bunch rot diseases, either powdery mildew or botrytis. Nothing can be done now.

A. From the pictures you sent it’s one of the “bunch” diseases. The bunch diseases attack only grape bunches. At the beginning of summer is when we notice disease problems on the berries of grapes such as the so-called “bunch rots”. But that’s not the time to treat. Grape fruit (the berries) develop nicely up until that time and everything appears normal. But you can’t see the disease yet.

This particular disease is either botrytis or powdery mildew of grape bunches. The cause was a fungal disease, and the grape vine needed a chemical spray for protecting the grapes in about late March or early April. There’s nothing you can do now. Fungicide sprays must be applied shortly before or right after the berries start developing.

            Fungicides act differently than insecticides. Disease control using fungicides and bactericides must be applied months before the disease is seen. For homeowners, copper fungicides should be applied to these bunches (you must spray the entire vine) to protect the bunches from this disease. The exact disease name is not necessary but the fungicide is.

You can apply a fungicide to your ‘Red Flame’ grapes now, but it won’t do you any good. The disease will continue and more grapes will turn “gray”.. The infection is already “inside” the berries but can’t be seen. The graying of the berries is a visual “sign” the disease is present. Using chemicals to control diseases is usually a “protective” spray. Controlling insects by applying insecticides are different. Very seldom are insecticides applied as a “protectant”; a.k.a., applied before we see the problem. Insecticides are applied usually as a “curative”; after we see they are present.

How to know when to apply fungicides? Commercial growers use the weather and understand that if they don’t apply the right disease control there are risks that they could lose their fruit. If the weather is right, fungicides and bactericides may be applied to susceptible plants. Any time windy or wet weather precedes fruit development or flowering, disease control (fungicides, bactericides, viricides) are applied to highly susceptible plants.

Correcting Lemon Mistakes Through Proper Pruning When Young

Q. Your Xtremehorticulture blog is an awesome source of information! I live in Phoenix and question why my ‘Lisbon’ lemon tree is failing after two years. It flowers in the early spring as it should, and produces fruit, albeit, its fruit is nasty and dry. The canopy is about 10% of what it should be, and I suspect sunburn has been choking the plant. I think the tree is a goner and thinking of removing it.

'Lisbon' lemon tree grown in Las Vegas and sun damage to the leaves.

A. Yes, I think your tree may be sunburned. Give it a chance still. At two years of age, you might be able to nurse it back to health if you follow some easy directions.

You live in the northern part of the Sonoran Desert. Las Vegas is in the eastern side of the Mojave Desert. All citrus including ‘Lisbon’ lemon are subtropical; this means the tree, unlike ‘Myers’ lemon, doesn’t survive freezing temperatures very long. And in your case our very strong desert sunlight. As the canopy increases in shade and size, giving more shade to the fruit and the tree itself, the fruit will improve. Guaranteed. Don’t let the fruit overripen before you pick it. That’s a no-no.

This citrus tree was limbed up too soon and the trunk may develop sunburn in hot locations.

You might be able to get away “limbing it up” like in the seaside and Mediterranean area of Portugal, where ‘Lisbon’ lemon probably originated, but it won’t work in the desert Southwest. Leave the tree shrub-like the first few years until it gets established and then slowly limb it up, making sure the trunk and limbs stay shaded, as it gets older.

Citrus with a full canopy but exposed fruit still developed sunburn in Arizona.

Make sure the soil has been amended at the time of planting. This is a subtropical fruit tree and requires more organic matter in the soil than we have in most of our desert soils. I would not surround this tree with rock or rock mulch on the surface of the soil. Instead, use a layer of 3 to 4 inches of wood chips keeping the wood chips away from the trunk the first few years of its life. As the wood chips on the soil surface decompose or rot in the presence of water, it will slowly add “organics” back to the soil. Rock doesn’t do that.

The last thing to consider is planting the tree on the north or east side of your landscape, or at least 3 or 4 feet away from a hot west facing or South facing wall. It may or may not need it but it can help the tree. All fruit trees need about eight hours of sunlight each day, but subtropical trees can do without the 120°F heat common in Phoenix. If they are in good health, they will withstand the desert heat.

A Black Fig is a ... Black Fig

Q. A friend gave my husband some fig fruits. This friend said the fig tree is just so full of fruits enough for all his friends and birds. They're so sweet, very deep (almost black) purple, and small; about an inch around. Can you identify this fig please?

Unknown "black fig" from homeowner. 

A. There are many different black or dark purple fig fruit varieties. All the fig varieties do well in Las Vegas if there given enough water. I need more to go on than just the size and the color of the fruit. Varieties of black or purple figs include ‘Black Mission’, ‘Blackjack’, ‘LSU Purple’, ‘Violet de Bordeaux’. Celeste and others. From your description my guess would be ‘Black Mission’ but it’s just a guess.

'Celeste' fig ripe.

Next March try rooting about ten stem cuttings from the tree if you want to preserve the fruit. You will have to label in “Unknown” unless you can discover the variety. Use a rooting hormone like Hormex #16 when you do it just to improve your chances of success.

These are grape cuttings but it gives you the approximate size of stem cuttings. Dip the cut ends in rooting hormone to improve your chances of success.

Birds can be a big problem since this fruit is ready to harvest the same day birds like them. Unlike some other fruit, figs are what we call “non-climacteric” which means they must be left on the tree until they are ripe and ready to be harvested. Other non-climacteric fruit include grapes, apples, pomegranates, and a few others.

Bird pecked fig fruit.

Desert Problems with Star Jasmine

Q. I have a Jasmine plant and it was flowering but not it’s not and not looking good. What is your call on it?

A. Most times when people say they have a “Jasmine” plant they mean star jasmine. Star jasmine is not a true Jasmine, but the fragrance can be delectable which is true of most in that plant family.

Star Jasmine, a vine or groundcover from warm areas of China, may develop iron chlorosis when grown in a rock mulch.

            Star jasmine comes originally from China so it will like improved soils and dislike rock mulch. Whenever a plant comes from a non-desert area then try to plant it on the East side of your landscape. This area receives shade in the afternoon and is more hospitable to plants that are not from the desert. It can be grown as a groundcover or as a vine, but it must be tied to a trellis to get it to perform as a vine.

Star jasmine grown near a door or window will provide a great fragrance to a home. Star jasmine needs an organic soil with woodchips covering it to look its best.

            Most star jasmine in poor health are surrounded with rock mulch. If your star jasmine is in poor health, then surround it with wood chip mulch rather than rock mulch. When it’s planted, make sure the soil is amended with compost. Dig the hole three times wider than the container or its root system and add the amended soil to this planting hole. If it’s a 5 gallon or larger plant, then stake it. The wood stake that comes with many local nursery plants is adequate for smaller plants as long as it is pounded into the solid soil beneath it and retied with nursery tape. Most plants require only one season of staking and then it’s removed.

            The only way to re-green yellow leaves is by spraying it with an iron solution. Early next spring, apply any iron chelate to the soil. For difficult yellow plants to “green-up”, use the EDDHA iron chelate applied to the soil in early spring.

Weed Control Around Saguaro

Q. I have a 25-foot Saguaro cactus with at least 7 arms in my Palm Springs landscape. My gardener just put Roundup around it to control weeds. We had this done a few years ago, and since then the Saguaro leans dramatically.  I didn't want him to put it there.

Saguaro cactus in a Sonoran landscape in Parker, Az.

A. I wouldn’t spray Roundup close to it unless you protect the Saguaro. It says on the label to protect anything green because it is a general killer. It was developed originally is a grass killer but it will kill nearly everything if you apply the right concentration.

The base of Saguaro will develop tough brown "bark" areas as it gets older. Even though it might be there, protect the base with cardboard when spraying systemic weed killers like Roundup.

            An older Saguaro like yours should be developing some woody brown areas towards the base as parts of it remain green but that’s not enough. Anything you don’t want damaged or killed, protect it. An easy way to do that is a cardboard barrier to protect the Saguaro. After you’re finished spraying you can either remove it or just use it as a shield when you’re spraying Roundup close to it.

Peaches Produce Fruit at Different Times With Different Flavors, Aroma and Flesh Color

Q. Several years ago at the University orchard on Horse Drive you gave us a list of five different peach trees to plant, each ripening at different times. We’ve enjoyed peaches from May through September ever since. Thanks.

'Earlitreat' peaches on May 24, 2005, at the University orchard in North Las Vegas. Other good early peaches include 'FlordaPrince'. 'FlordaKing', and 'Earligrande'.

A. I prefer to plant entire fruit trees, rather than a single tree with several varieties (think “fruit cocktail” trees). that ripen at different times of the year for many different reasons. Let’s talk about one of them.

Peaches like this Early Elberta ('July' or 'Kim') make the next round along with 'June Pride', and 'Snow Beauty'.

Generally, the varieties of fruit trees that flower earliest produce the earliest fruit. In our climate peach varieties start flowering the first week of February and other later producing varieties of peach may start flowering as late as the as the end of April. Later flowering varieties frequently produce fruit later as well.

Dont forget the flat peaches like 'Donut' and 'Galaxy'. They produce fruit also around July.

As examples, the peach variety named ‘Earlitreat’ begins flowering the first week of February. Other early producing peaches like ‘FlordaPrince’ and ‘FlordaKing’ start flowering about a week after ‘Earlitreat’.  If there is a frost while the flowers are open, think early spring through early summer, it produces less fruit or maybe no fruit at all! These varieties of peaches will produce fruit (if frost permits) in mid to late May until early June.

Peach varieties like 'Indian Blood' may be worth the October wait due to its very special aroma and flesh color.

The variety of peach called ‘Red Baron’ produces fruit around July but doesn’t begin flowering nearly a whole month later than ‘Earlitreat’; early March! By selecting varieties that flower early or later usually will affect when the fruit is produced. The missing information are the varieties that taste the best! Each peach variety is different, performs differently in the desert and tastes different.

If a light frost occurs anytime between February 1 and the middle of March (estimated date for our last frost can be as late as March 15!) then we will be guaranteed fruit if we are growing several varieties of peach trees in the same location.

"Fluffy" Soil a Problem When Reseeding a Lawn?

Q. Preparing to reseed a few bad spots in my lawn. I was surprised to find the ground completely infested with a spidery web of roots. The soil itself seems to have been changed to a fluffy, powdery texture. I’m thinking I should remove and replace the soil before seeding these spots but am concerned these crazy roots will grow back. Any ideas as to what they are and what I should do about them?

When Bermudagrass has a chance to grow rampant it can produce a thick mat of roots, similar to a spiderweb, that can cause the soil to be "fluffy" or "puffy".

A. I am guessing this "fluffy soil" you're talking about may be the Bermudagrass rhizomes mixed with soil. That's what your picture looks like. To repair it requires removing all these rhizomes all the way down to solid bare soil. Once you have done that, the soil should be about at the right height for seeding. I don't think the soil will be lower than it needs to be. Since you are right next to a sidewalk, the soil should not be more than about 3/8 inch lower than the sidewalk. If it's lower than this, you can add some soil to the area but I kind of doubt you will need to.

What bothers me, and I'm right it is Bermudagrass, is why it's there in the first place. Bermudagrass invades spots in the lawn that are drier than other areas. It out competes fescue where its dry. Sidewalks and driveways are hotter than other areas, so the lawn uses more water in these areas. Adjust your lawn sprinklers so this area gets more water.  You may have to water the entire lawn more often or with more water just to compensate for this dry area unless you fix the irrigation problem.

Bermudagrass thrives where it's hot and dry. It will outcompete fescue in a lawn where it's dry. Putting one sprinkler to cover an area that's triangular-shaped will cause Bermuda grass to invade that dry area.

Bermudagrass is even more aggressive if the lawn is mown short. Make sure the lawn is mown as high as possible during the months of April through October when Bermudagrass is most aggressive and no bevel cuts when you edge the lawn!

When to Use Woodchips and When to Use Rock?

The relationship between amending the soil at planting time, the choice of using woodchips as a surface mulch, or applying crushed rock instead, also relates to the types of plants found in your landscape. Of course, I like compost best to amend the soil at planting time, but other amendments will also work. Adding amendments to the soil does two things: it makes the soil “fluffy” (changes the soil structure by making the soil more porous) and adds whatever plant nutrients to the soil that it contains.

Chinese photinia is from where??? You guessed it, China. Plants not coming from the desert Southwest should be planted in wood chips and soil amended with compost.

What are rich composts?

Some composts are rich and full of nutrients, i.e., made from sources of manure. Other times they are not so rich, and the addition of a fertilizer might be needed. Some of the chemicals in the compost are “tied up” inside the compost and released slowly as it “rots” in the soil. Others are quickly washed into the soil with the first few applications of water. Some of these chemical additions can be good and some are not. It depends on what was used to make the compost. The only real way of knowing its chemistry is testing the soil through a certified laboratory or trusting the compost supplier.

This is an example of a "rich" compost, Viragrow's 166. It is full of plant nutrients, about $150 worth of plant nutrients in every cubic yard, but also contains biosolids. It's a tradeoff. Do you want to recycle your poop? You made it.

 

Planting amendments mixed with soil

Planting amendments like compost mixed with the soil at planting time, and then covering the soil with rock mulch, gives many plants somewhere between three and five years before the plant has problems (it doesn’t add the right kind of plant nutrients when it decomposes). By that time the soil amendment(s) used at planting time are gone. Plants sensitive to the loss of amendments respond by the leaves first turning yellow and scorching, followed by leaf drop, and finally followed by branch dieback.

This is also a compost from Viragrow. It is plant based and "organic"; it does not contain one iota of biosolids. But it is lighter in color, more coarse in texture and not as "rich" in plant nutrients. A fertilizer should be applied to the plants along with this compost.

Sometimes this process weakens the plants enough for insects like borers to finish the job. This is particularly true of plants like Photinia, Nandina/heavenly bamboo, Sago Palm, Japanese blueberry, Carolina Cherry Laurel, and most fruit trees.

Applying compost to rock landscapes.

There is a trick you can use if your landscape is already covered by rock. Rake back the rock to bare soil three feet away from these plants and apply a rich compost (or compost plus fertilizer) to the soil surface (even better if you lightly “scratch it” into the soil), water it in, and put everything back including the rock and irrigation. If the landscape area has rocks bigger than one inch, the rich compost can be applied on top of the rock and wash it in without raking the rock! It’s easier that way. If you have had yellow plants in the past, count on using this method every three years. You might consider adding your favorite iron to this application if it’s applied in the spring and these are iron critical plants.

General Rule of Thumb

When planting with plants from the desert Southwest, they can tolerate rock. When planting with plants not from the desert Southwest, use wood chips.

Mexican and California Palms are Not That Easy to Tell Apart. Or Are They?

Q. My husband and I are snowbirds from Canada. We try to have our yards as low maintenance as possible. The Mexican fan palms in our backyard are bulging up, pushed and broke the bricks on the ground again. How often are these pruned? Will they get much bigger?

Mexican fan palm, Washingtonia robusta, is known for its height and the narrow trunk. California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera or desert palm (palm on the bottom), is known for its broad trunk and shorter stature.

A. Two most common palms considered for home landscapes are the Mexican and California fan palms. The difference between the two is that Mexican fan palm has a narrow trunk while the California fan palm has a very wide trunk. These palms interbreed with each other so it's very difficult to know exactly what you have even though you bought supposedly a narrow trunked "Mexican fan palm".

So, unfortunately, it's hard to predict how wide across your fan palm will get even though it's called "Mexican fan palm". When these fan palms grow about 10 feet tall, the width of the trunk probably won't change a whole lot. Palms grow differently than trees and they don't get much wider with age due to a lack of secondary growth after a few years.

Even the so-called experts have trouble telling them apart!

Is this W. filifera?

Which is which? Or are they both the same?

Mexican and California fan palms gets 60 (California fan palm) to 100 feet tall (Mexican fan palm). There are other palms that stay smaller than this and are better suited to residential landscapes. These palms produce seed from the flowers in about April. If you have your palm pruned at that time of year you can have the flower stalks removed as well as the palm fronds. This eliminates seeds from being spit and germinating everywhere or landing in your pool.

Palm seedlings like this one start easily when water is present.

It's best to prune these palms every year but you could get by with pruning the fronds off every two years. Ideally you want the palms pruned so that the head of it is a half-circle. This means only removing fronds below horizontal. I would discourage you from having it pruned as a "feather duster" with only a wisp of palm fronds at the very tip. Landscape maintenance companies encourage homeowners to do that so that you can get an extra year before pruning again. I wouldn't recommend this as it weakens the palm.

Mostly Mexican fan palms pruned improperly like a feather duster.

            Personally, I think these palms are too large for residential landscapes and it's best to have them removed when they're young. It's expensive to remove them when they're older.

            By the way, they won't produce shade of any amount as they get taller, and they are water guzzlers compared to the shade they produce.

How to Prune Texas Rangers the Right Way!

Q. I am new to my home and inherited several Texas ranger bushes. Two of them are on long stems with bushiness only at the top. If I cut these way down, will they bush out, filling around the bottoms of the plant or will I kill it?

Timely Texas ranger pruning allows flowering.

A. I am sure you are not alone with this problem. The short answer is yes, they will grow from the base if cut back. But Texas rangers are slow to grow back after they have been pruned. They are not like oleanders which can grow back quickly as suckers. They don’t sucker well from the base. Instead, they prefer to force their growth on existing stems just below the cuts. It may be necessary to prune all the growth back close to the ground. Leave about 2 inches above the soil or rock for new growth to sucker from the stems.

Pruning Texas ranger with a hedge shears results

            This is a common pruning practice by landscape companies that don’t know what they’re doing. They use hedge shears about twice a year to “shape” these bushes instead of pruning them. Shaping works, but only on hedges. That’s why they are called “hedge shears”.

            If you want to do it yourself then use a sharp lopper or reciprocating saw and cut these big stems back 2 inches above the soil surface and let them sprout from the sides. If there are too many sprouts, pull them off so that only the ones you like remain. It speeds up the growth if you do that. The best time to pull them off is in the spring otherwise you must prune them off. About every second or third year, prune two or three of the largest stems close to the soil surface and let the stems regrow from side sprouts.