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Mulch of all types saves water and reduces weeding. But unlike rock mulch, wood chip mulch will rot into the soil.

Anyone who has been gardening for a while has a horror story or two about hornworms, which infest many vegetables in the tomato family.

Boron is one of the salts commonly found in desert soils. It can be present naturally or it can accumulate over the years in such places as horse corrals.

My best advice is to look at the amount of light they received, horticulture expert Bob Morris says, and then at the varieties you chose.

One day a week will be enough water from December through about March. But during fruit production, more water is required.

All of the so-called temperate fruit trees flower in the spring. The white-flowered types such as almonds, plums and pluots, apples and pears usually flower a bit later.

My landscaper is recommending a redbud tree in the planter attached to my pool. I asked him if that’s a good tree to plant so close to the pool.