You should smell a big difference between bay laurel and cherry laurel, which come from different plant families despite their similar names.
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.
Pear trees can be roughly divided into two types: European and Asian. This distinction is not just about origin but also the fruit they produce.
The roots of plants follow water. Where water was applied, you will find roots.
Black spots on a pluot could be either from the sun (sunburn on the fruit) or, more likely, a nutritional problem.
California pepper tree is evergreen. Evergreen plants constantly drop leaves all season long but drop their leaves heaviest soon after times of new growth.
Kurapia has worked well in covering highway and freeway shoulders, rooftops, public utility areas, commercial properties and solar farm landscapes. But not much is known how it performs in a desert climate.
A fruit tree should be solid in the soil and not wiggle after it is planted. Staking helps but doesn’t replace proper planting.
Many people contacted me about whether they could plant seeds or put transplants into the ground because of this unusually cold weather. My answer was the same to them as it is here. It depends.
Maybe gardeners aren’t busy in Minnesota or Iowa during the winter, but for gardeners living in the Mojave Desert, it is probably our busiest time of year. I’m asked about spraying dormant oils on trees, but most people don’t know anything about them. It’s a shame because it’s probably the most important method to control bugs that may become problems during the coming year. It’s good insurance.
Q: I want to do something with my yard. I am sick of it being so ugly, but I’m not sure where to start. I had some landscapers who quoted me some prices for doing everything, but they are very expensive. How do I get started?
Winter fruit tree pruning starts as soon as leaves drop from the trees. It’s easier to see the branching structure of the tree — I call it the tree’s “architecture” — after the leaves are gone. This is also the time for the major pruning of landscape trees and shrubs.
Q: I contacted you earlier about my artichoke and tiny black bugs. I applied a solution of Garden Safe Neem Oil as a spray. Hosed it down a couple times so cut off the top few inches of leaves. No pests since then. The main plant is dying, and there are several suckers growing. I have been looking online for the care of the plant.
As I promised, here is an abbreviated version of the problem and solutions to rabbit vandalism in residential landscapes.
Question: We are planning a wall to surround our yard so we can keep the rabbits out.
Q: I attempted to grow watermelons for the first time last summer and everything was looking good until it got hot. These tiny black specks appeared on the back of some of the leaves. I was told it was aphids but they weren’t sure. I hope you can see them clearly from the picture I’ve attached. Should I use insecticidal soap as recommended or something else?
