Anyone who has been gardening for a while has a horror story or two about hornworms, which infest many vegetables in the tomato family.
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.
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.
Q: Our sweet bay laurel trees face east and are watered by a drip irrigation system on a separate line for trees only. Obviously, these trees are not doing well. They were originally 24-inch boxed trees planted in 2013. Our HOA contends they are close to the end of their lives, and they will be removed. Any ideas?
The trick to applying chemicals like copper, boron and chlorides is to do it far enough from your raised bed so that the roots from these vegetables won’t be harmed.
I like deals. Buying a large tree in a box and getting it planted for free is a good deal. Just have it done right.
It’s a good idea in our climate to delay the final pruning of wine grapes and table grapes until freezing, dry and windy weather has passed.
The active ingredient in Roundup and KnockOut is glyphosate. This active ingredient alone doesn’t produce any results for four to seven days after it is sprayed.
Q: I purchased a few waxleaf privet plants in February. They were planted in my yard using drip irrigation with one drip emitter per plant for about one month now. I am starting to see some black markings and yellowing on the leaves. I also think there may be some root rot, but I am unsure.
Q: I use woodchips around my vegetables, fruit trees and landscape plants. When I turn it over after the first freeze, what should I add to counter the effects of rotting wood?
Q: If I make my own compost, can I use it instead of commercial fertilizers for grass, plants, trees and shrubs?
Q: Two years ago I planted Thompson seedless grapes. The first two years there were no grapes, and I did not expect any fruit. This year, there are leaves and no fruit. They were pruned the same way as my red seedless grapes, which were very prolific. Is there something special that I must do to make the vine produce?
A friend of mine is having trouble with his century plants, agave and cactuses turning yellow in June and July. These plants are in a rock yard with hand watering. They are 2 years old.
Q: I have two 20-year-old ash trees that appear to be dying. I have attached pictures. The smaller tree is a Modesto ash and it started losing limbs about a year ago. The bark is now separating and it looks like an old stump with a few sprouts. The other is a Rayburn ash. Its limbs started dying this summer, but the limb deaths are accelerating.
Question: We have a 20-year-old olive tree in our front yard diagnosed with verticillium wilt disease. The north third of the tree appears to be healthy. If we remove this tree, what distance from the old hole is needed for the new tree? We would like a replacement tree to provide shade. We are looking at oak, pine, ash, spruce or fir.
Question: I purchased a lovely Meyer Lemon tree in a 1-gallon pot in the middle of the spring. It already had six lemons on it. I have the original fruit, have new fruit growing and still am getting blossoms. Should I transplant it now into a larger pot or wait until after the fruit ripens and is used?
