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Bob Morris

Bob Morris

Bob Morris is a horticulture expert living in Las Vegas and professor emeritus for the University of Nevada. Visit his blog at xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com. Send questions to Extremehort@aol.com.

Water plants deeply to reduce temperature stress
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

The current high temperatures will have a big effect on plants’ water use and stress. Make sure landscape plants are deeply watered during this time of high stress. It is best that plants enter into the heat of the day with plenty of water rather than applying it at the end of the day.

Saguaro buckling caused by overwatering
BOB MORRIS

Question: I saw your blog and was wondering if you would help us with a saguaro problem. We bought a healthy saguaro in December and transplanted it ourselves.

Leaves will help tell story of plants’ health
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: Do desert-adapted shrubs like Texas rangers, cassias and others benefit from adding sulfur to the soil? Will they perform better in a pH around 7.5 as opposed to 8? I know it’s probably not necessary but I’m just wondering if the additional sulfur in the soil will help them thrive better or if it’s overkill.

THE LATEST
Life is mostly peachy for healthy tree
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q:  I attached a couple of pictures of my peach tree. It’s growing like gangbusters (I did a pretty good job pruning it back after your class), but something is going on with it because it’s dropping leaves and has this brown-leaf-edges thing going on. It had major growth (about 3 feet) after I harvested the peaches this month. Thank you for any help you can give.

First four to six inches include worms in vermicomposting
BOB MORRIS

Question: How do I separate the worms from my compost? I bought 1,000 worms from a worm farm online. They have multiplied into the zillions, but I don’t want to give them to my neighbors when I give away the compost. Is there an easy way to separate worms from compost?

Bermuda grass performs best when it’s taller
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: I can’t get my Bermuda grass lawn to look good. I would like it more like a golf course grass. I think one of my problems has been mowing too low, believing it would green up if I did this. During the past two weeks I’ve raised the height of my mower and fertilized. It is looking much better, but it probably needs another week of growing. I’m getting small patches of darker green grass with a wider leaf. I think this is what they call Poa. There’s probably little I can do to stop this Poa weed.

Slime mold one of the good guys
BOB MORRIS

Question: I found this “thing” under my Joshua tree this morning. It is about 6 inches long. Is it mold? I only water three times a week for five minutes.

Less water, lots of compost will help new tree
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: My husband went out a couple of weeks ago and picked up a Pink Lady apple. I it planted they way you recommended and I have mulched the ground except for the 6 inches next to the trunk. I have it securely staked and I am watering by hand every day. What’s next? Food? Or what to make it do well?

Invasive plants can be controlled in desert environs
BOB MORRIS

Question: I have a narrow area, and the Las Vegas nurseries have Japanese privet. However, I have read on various blogs that birds eat the berries, and they get dropped in other areas of the yard and gardens, sprouting up all over. They say it is considered an invasive species in many areas. Have you found this problem to be true, and if so, is there anything that can be done so that the plant will not produce berries?

Small-diameter fruit tree stem sets up for easier pruning
BOB MORRIS

Question: I planted some bare root fruit trees earlier this year, and unfortunately, several did not survive. This was my fault because I didn’t get them planted right away, and the roots may have dried out. I want to replace them with container nursery stock.

Killing skeletonizer larvae easier than adult moths
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: I just sighted my first grape leaf skeletonizer moth. I’ve learned that Bt will control the worms. I’d like to try and minimize the larvae if I can by eradicating as many moths as possible. Can you recommend the best course of action, if any, to control the moth ?

Indoor-only pine needs acclimation before planting
BOB MORRIS

Question: Last Christmas, a friend bought for me a tiny pine tree about 6 inches tall. It is now 2 feet tall, and I need to transplant it. When is the best time of year to do this?

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