Don’t miss three chances to see flower exhibits

What an opportunity Las Vegans have with three upcoming flower shows. Not only will roses and irises be on exhibit, but also many other beautiful plants. All plant material and exhibits must come from within the valley to give you ideas of what you can accomplish with your yard.

And let's not forget the many flower arrangements and designs that really add a touch of class to any show. You'll be flabbergasted at what these hobbyists do in the artistic design section. I like to visit the shows just before opening, to watch these hobbyists working so feverishly adding those last-minute touches. I recall a lady just finished her exhibit when a totally different idea struck her mind and she dismantled her arrangement and had it back together just before judging started. Admission is free to the three shows.

Members of the three societies will be on hand to answer questions and distribute free literature regarding the successful growing of their favorites in Southern Nevada.

SPRING ROSE SHOW

Everything's coming up roses from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. It is at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., where the Las Vegas Valley Rose Society will present its annual spring rose show.

The society will show off hundreds of roses, along with floral arrangements and educational exhibits in the library rotunda. Try your hand at entering roses. For more information or to enter your favorite, call 646-6048. You could win the Sweepstakes Award.

Roses are so beautiful, delicate, and peaceful. The rose is so well accepted, it is now America's national floral emblem. It is as much a symbol of friendship and peace as the eagle.

Mother's Day began May 8, 1914. Soon thereafter, the rose became "Queen of that Day." On that weekend, Americans plant roses for their mothers more than any other time.

KEEPING AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, ONE IRIS AT A TIME

The Las Vegas Iris Society is hosting its annual iris show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Nevada Garden Club Building, 3333 W. Washington Ave. For more information, call 876-1524 or 228-0827.

Come witness one of nature's most beautiful flowers in all its glory. Bring along your camera to capture irises on display and note their names. That way you'll know which rhizomes to look for at the society's annual sale in June. From such a weird-looking rhizome comes such striking flowers. The sale is a great way to start growing irises, and you'll be starting out with the best.

'A CHILD'S DREAM'

The Sunset Garden Club's Annual Flower Show will be from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway in Henderson. This is a standard flower show, meaning you'll see just about every kind of flower. Should you want to enter your prize-winning flowers or arrangements, call 451-0854.

SOUTHERN NEVADA WATER AUTHORITY LANDSCAPE AWARDS

The SNWA is looking for beautiful landscapes that exemplify good water conservation and award the family for the work well done. Is your landscape:

• Eye-catching?

• An interesting array of water-conserving plants?

• Water-efficient?

• Well maintained?

If so, call 258-7283 or go online at www.snwa.com to request an application. The deadline for entering the contest is Wednesday. The competition is this time of year, as this is when most landscapes are at their peak of beauty. Winners will be announced at a special ceremony in June.

Landscapes are dear to us, especially in this arid climate. Trees, shrubs and attractive desert plants cool surroundings, adding to the home's beauty and increasing its property value. The annual Landscape Awards contest is one way to recognize those who have the vision to promote water-efficient landscapes and still create a beautiful desert environment.

As we move into summer, questions continue to come my way. If you have questions about garden problems, call 822-7754 or e-mail me, linn.mills@ springspreserve.org. If you have access to a digital camera, send pictures; it helps to make a better diagnosis.

Q: We just put in a hybrid Bermuda lawn, and it ended up being very rough. We planned on using it as a putting green. Is there anyway to level the lawn out?

A: Filter about a half-inch of sand into lower areas of the lawn. Be careful about adding too much sand and avoid smothering grass. Let the grass grow through the sand and reassess the situation. Repeat the process if you find other low spots.

Q: I need to prune back my palo verde. Can I still do it now without causing any problems?

A: You can prune a palo verde anytime. When removing branches, make a cut back in the tree where they attach to another branch, so not to leave stubs. If you do, it will glare at you until you remove it. Stubs become open invitations for pests to enter.

Q: When removing fronds from our Mexican fan palm, how high up do I take out the fronds?

A: To maintain the palm's good health, avoid removing fronds that are still green, as they are still producing food for the plant. And by all means, avoid removing so many fronds that when done your palm looks like a pencil-point with a duster on end; you severely weaken the tree.

Q: How do you get rid of the white, cottony stuff on the prickly pear pads?

A: It is an insect called cochineal scale. These insects secrete a white, cottony, waxy coating over themselves for protection as they feed on prickly pear cactus spines. Blast them off with a strong jet of water. If any remain, use insecticidal soap to penetrate their shields.

Q: My ornamental plum bloomed very well this spring. I noticed it was severely cracked along the trunk facing west and bark peeled away with sawdust under it. What can I do to save it, or is it too far gone?

A: Your tree is infested with tree borers. The tip-off was in your question that the damage was on the west side and sawdust was under it. About the only thing you can do is whitewash the trunk or paint it with a water-based Latex paint to deter further infestation and remove any wood infested with the borers.

Plums struggle in our soils for iron, and it is hard to detect because their colored leaves mask the iron deficiency. Pay particular attention to leaves turning yellow. Sometimes you'll find red blotches on leaves, but the real sign I find is twig die back at the tip end of twigs. You'll also notice leaves becoming smaller as they approach the dead twigs. Use a chelated iron such as Kerex to correct.

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Sunday. You can reach him at linn.mills @springspreserve.org or call him at 822-7754.