Home and Garden

Prune trees, shrubs to reduce transmission of disease

The Texas ranger on the right has been sheared into a gumball, while the other shrub as been a ...

Gardeners can remove small amounts from trees and shrubs any time during the year, but this is the time of year when you can take large amounts of wood from trees, shrubs and plants.

Wood chip mulch had been applied to these fruit trees growing in the ground the first year. Woo ...

Cooperative Extension orchard offers wood chip mulch

By Bob Morris / RJ

January 22, 2022 - 8:05 am

Wood chip mulch is again available at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension orchard located 100 yards east of Horse Drive and North Decatur Boulevard.

Scaffold limbs of this young fruit tree radiate from the trunk like spokes on a wheel. (Bob Morris)

Compost produces steam — even in cold weather

By Bob Morris / RJ

January 15, 2022 - 8:00 am

The temperature of compost when it’s cooling is only about 105 degrees. The center of the pile might be hotter, but it’s not hot enough to damage plants.

Japanese blueberry leaves turn red and drop from the limbs because they are damaged. (Bob Morris)

Thermometer better than phone app good at predicting freeze

By Bob Morris / RJ

January 8, 2022 - 8:00 am

Phone apps are good for predicting a possible freeze, but nothing replaces verification that an actual freeze happened. Maximum/minimum thermometers are a good bench check against your phone app or the National Weather Service predictions.