Home and Garden

Spacing fruit trees close together requires dedicated pruning

Question: I know that the fruit trees at the orchard are spaced closer together than what is normally recommended. With the way that they are pruned, it works out really well.

Bird’s nest mushrooms benefit soil

BOB MORRIS

December 11, 2012 - 9:04 am

I found some mystery pods in the garden when doing some clean up. One of the pods is closed, and the second is open and with what appears to be small black seeds. Any idea what this is?

Rock mulch best for native desert plants

BOB MORRIS

June 11, 2012 - 11:17 pm

Question: I often enjoy your pieces, and your suggestion of replacing rock mulch with wood chips caught my attention. I have an 18-year-old velvet ash in a small (20 feet by 20 feet), rock-covered front yard. Does this tree do better with rock or wood chips around its trunk?