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Local Las Vegas Valley breaking news from Nevada's most reliable source. Read about the latest updates happening in your region at Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Winter freezing temperatures can damage plants

Chilling injury is due to cooler or cold weather (above freezing) temperatures to tropical plants growing outside of — or close to — the fringes of their normal range.

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Garden roses struggle when temperatures rise

Some plants don’t grow well in rock, and roses are one of them. Nearly all landscape plants in the rose family like soil improvement and a moist environment when planted in desert soils.

Good tomato crop probably a result of cool spring weather

Tomatoes stop setting fruit when air temperatures stay consistently above 95 degrees. The tomatoes that set earlier continue to grow and mature when it stays hot. If the air temperature drops below 95 for a couple of days, new flowers will again set fruit.

Removing dead fronds doesn’t affect health of sago

Q: The top ring of sago palmfronds died after I transplanted it but remain on the plant. I left this brown ring of fronds around the crown of the plant and it looks like new growth coming from the center is OK. Should I trim off the dead fronds without disturbing the crown or just let them fall off?

Both warm-, cool-season grasses grow in Las Vegas

My class on creating a desert orchard will be held in November for four Saturday afternoon sessions. It begins Nov. 3. You can sign up for it on Eventbrite or contact me and I can arrange it for you.

Protect your plants from freezing temperatures

The freeze is coming. Remember that the coldest is just before dawn. Clear, cloudless skies are more likely to give us lower temperatures and freezing; windy cold is worse than just cold. Cover tender plants before you go to bed and uncover them when it is no longer freezing.

Debunking the myths of pine needle mulch

Q: We have 14-year-old pine trees with large water berms under them for collecting water. The inside of these berms are full of pine needles that I hoped would help hold moisture but they do not deteriorate. Should they be left under the trees or be removed?

Saguaro buckling caused by overwatering

Question: I saw your blog and was wondering if you would help us with a saguaro problem. We bought a healthy saguaro in December and transplanted it ourselves.