Many types of cacti have spines on the paddles to protect them from chewing-type predators like jackrabbits and desert cottontails. But insects can burrow in just under the skin.
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.
Signs of plant disease are seeing the reason why the symptoms occurred in the first place. The reasons for leaf drop can be from many different signs.
Planting seeds during the heat requires that you visit your raised bed and check your seed (and new seedlings) at least twice a day — early morning and late afternoon. No need to keep the soil wet and soggy, but the seed should be swollen with water.
Dr. Sylvan Wittwer’s information on raised bed gardening stands the test of time. It is essential to use his recommended varieties but his recommendations on fertilizers and pesticides can be substituted for more organic forms if you prefer.
Lowering total landscape water use requires finding a balance between open areas that need no irrigation with areas that require irrigation.
Nitrogen causes stem growth as well as dark green leaf color. Adding only an iron fertilizer or chelate causes the new growth to become green but does not stimulate new growth that much.
New residents should plant older varieties that are known successes until they get the hang of growing vegetables in this climate.
When moving any kind of tree from one location to another, I recommend removing about one-quarter to one-third of the tree’s canopy to compensate for the loss of roots.
As soon as you plant your crepe myrtle, it will start straightening as it grows. The light will come at it from all different directions unlike in the nursery. When you plant it, plant it as straight as possible and let the plant figure it out with new growth.
A volunteer opportunity to plant shrubs and flowers around the Nevada Garden Clubs Center will be held March 4 starting at 7 a.m.
Cuttings from citrus trees should be cut slanted at the bottom and straight across at the top end. Cutting them slanted at the bottom end helps to not confuse the top from the bottom.
Rose are fertilized sometime toward the end of January when growth starts. They will need a second application of fertilizer just before it gets hot — about eight to 12 weeks later.
Desert spoon comes from the cooler Chihuahuan Desert’s higher elevations. Desert spoon doesn’t like heat over 110 degrees very much.
Pomegranate handles heat from a hot wall better than either apricot or peach. Anything you plant there should be heat tolerant.
If you are going to apply an iron fertilizer it should be in a chelated form. The best all-around chelate to use is a chelated iron fertilizer called EDDHA.
