Bayer Garden Products tells us, when treating for grape bunch diseases, that about half of the improvement is due to better air circulation and the other half using a copper-based fungicide.
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Dr. Sylvan Wittwer’s information on raised bed gardening stands the test of time. It is essential to use his recommended varieties but his recommendations on fertilizers and pesticides can be substituted for more organic forms if you prefer.
In the hot desert, loss of shade from an irrigation problem leads to attacks by borers.
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.
Beans, carrots and beets should have been harvest before the weather got hot. These are cool-season crops.
When preparing to prune plants, follow these three rules: adjusting loppers or hand shears so they don’t rip plants instead of cutting them, making sure the blade is sharp for the same reason and sanitizing the blades.
Plant landscape trees in wet soil and keep plant roots wet during planting. The soil should stay wet for the first couple of days while these plants are getting established.
Horticulture expert Bob Morris answers readers’ gardening questions.
Q: I have 19 mature, healthy Mexican fan palms pruned every year after flowering. This year they were pruned on June 13, but after three weeks one suddenly died and another died two weeks later. I used the same pruning crew for five years with no problems. I removed about 250 square feet of turf from in front of the trees last year with no other significant changes to their irrigation or fertilization regimen.
Q: You emphasized it’s better to water longer rather than more often. But what if that’s not possible? Our small condo community has an old irrigation system with everything watered from the same lines. We irrigate for nearly 24 hours. Less than that and small plants really struggle. Is there anything we can do?
Q: During the first year with my apricot tree, I sprayed it with soapy water to control aphids. Every day I check the leaves, but the apids never stop. Is this good a spray to use?
Grape leaf skeletonizers have multiple generations during the growing season and protection from Bt only lasts a few days.
This has not been unusual weather. It’s the norm. But watch out! February can be dangerous for plants. December 1990 was one of the coldest months on record, but February 1989 was much more damaging to plants.
Q: We notice that some of our trees don’t seem to be rooting into the soil properly. We assume it’s because of improper root ball preparation or girdling roots. Our test to see if the tree has rooted after at least one growing season is to bend the tree trunk back and forth. If the root ball under the soil easily moves when the tree is pushed, we assume that the tree has poor or little rooting into the surrounding soil.
Question: I’ve seen garlic at outdoor markets where the garlic is actually braided.
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Quick quiz: What’s one of the safest beverages you can drink in Southern Nevada? If your answer is “tap water,” you’re right! Southern Nevada’s municipal water supply meets or surpasses all State of Nevada and Federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards. In fact, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) tests your water 300,000 times a […]
Early voting begins Saturday for the June 11 primary. Here’s what you need to know.
Colin Czech is accused of killing a man outside a downtown convenience store and eating parts of the victim’s face, police said.
The Las Vegas Strip casino introduced a new tier in its loyalty program, and visitors will need to reach at least that tier to receive unlimited free parking.
Harry Reid International Airport said its parking was in “high demand” this weekend, and expected Terminal 1 long term and economy parking to be at capacity.
Natalie Burt
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