You don’t have to travel more than an hour, from anywhere in the Las Vegas Valley, to reach Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which boasts some of the finest canyon hikes in our region. One in particular— Pine Creek Canyon — is not only pleasing to the eye but offers historical interest.
Q: How long after planting Mexican fan palms should you wait before feeding? I’ve heard that feeding too soon could stress palms. Is steer manure any good?
The most frequently asked question asked in 2016 concerned fig trees. Readers wanted to know why their fig trees did not produce good fruit. Either the fruit dropped from the tree when it was small, or the fruit clung to the tree and never became large but remained small, hard and dry.
Many Americans will never experience the thrill of seeing an eagle in the wild. But you needn’t be deprived, for these majestic and rare birds gather every winter in Arizona’s Verde Canyon. And it’s easy to see them while taking a train trip on the Verde Canyon Railroad.
Q: Should I be pruning my lemon and grapefruit bushes now?
I am giving a class on pruning fruit trees at the Master Gardener Orchard, 4600 Horse Drive in North Las Vegas, from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday. The class is free and open to the public. For more information call the master gardener help desk at 702-257-5555. More classes will be offered at the orchard on pruning fruit trees every Saturday during the month of January.
One of the best displays nature affords is the sight of its largest animals — whales.
Q: It got to 30 degrees overnight in Boulder City. I’m worried about my little 6-foot lemon tree in a 5-gallon pot on the porch. I placed a queen-size bed sheet over the tree and hung a 100-watt incandescent lamp from a branch last night. I’m hoping that small amount of heat will raise the temperatures above freezing. Is this necessary?
There’s a lot of trash talk going on in City Hall these days, and it’s not just the kind you might expect a month after one of the most contentious elections on record. We’re talking about the garbage you put out for collection.
With the holidays upon us, many of us find our stress reaching all-time highs, and our attention focused on material goods — not necessarily what we hope, but what in the world to give loved ones! Neither condition is good, and for once, I am going to suggest that running away may be the perfect cure. A family trip to a national park can remove you from the pressure cooker of commercialized Christmas, promote togetherness and perhaps even start a family tradition.
Temperatures turned cold this past week. Historically, we still have about three or four more weeks of warm weather so it probably will get warm again soon. But if you plant vegetables from seed, these cold soil temperatures should still be warm enough to germinate radish, peas, beets, possibly carrots and turnips.
Fall and early winter are excellent times to prevent insect problems that occur next year. I received reports of worms or grubs feeding now on the roots of plants. The most common are white grubs.
Reading some of the national gardening blogs and articles gives me a chuckle. Frequently they are out of touch with gardening and horticulture in the desert Southwest. For instance, one recently said there was little to do during the winter months. Obviously, they have never lived in our climate.
So imagine this scenario: A state-of-the-art ice hockey practice facility for the Las Vegas NHL expansion franchise just off of Pavilion Center Drive, diagonally to the rear of Red Rock Casino Resort and just opposite Downtown Summerlin. Then, heading farther in an easterly direction and ultimately next door to the 120,000-square-foot ice skating facility, a modernistic baseball stadium for the Las Vegas 51s.
Hualapai Mountain Park is a 2,300-acre preserve located just outside of Kingman, Ariz. Often overlooked in favor of larger and better known parks, it is a gem hidden in the pines with elevations ranging from 4,984 feet to 8,417 feet at Hualapai Peak.
