Severe frosts hard on cordylines

As some of you know already there will be some changes coming regarding how you can get hold of my newsletter and other gardening information. Here are some Internet sites you can use to get even more information and discuss your problems.

I have a spot for sharing information on fruit tree growing and sustainable landscaping. It is interactive so please ask questions so all can learn. Search for "Xtremehorticulture of the Desert" and "blogspot" in your favorite search engine.

Another is the Facebook page for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Orchard where we talk about growing fruit trees and vegetables in the desert and what fruit and vegetables are currently available at the orchard. Log into Facebook and search for "Master Gardeners Tree Fruit Orchard."

If you are into home food preservation, then this is the place for you; it is specifically focused on Southern Nevada. The master food preservers are discussing topics here and sourcing bulk foods for home food preservation. Type in your search engine "Master Food Preservers" and "blogspot."

And lastly, if you want to stay on top of the farmers market and local small scale food production, you might want to take a look at the locally produced Dice tomato website. This is a site for sustainable food production in Southern Nevada and can be found at www.dicetomatoes.com.

Q: I purchased a Festival burgundy grass from a local mass retailer but it was dying after planting. I took it back and grabbed a purple "spiky" plant assuming it was the same. It is a cordyline indivisa. I just planted it, but was suspicious and checked the Internet. They aren't the same plant. I know I could take back it back but wondered which one is better for my front yard. My heart goes to the grass.

A: Cordylines are a fairly large group of plants. Many are tropical and usually reserved for interior use, not outside. However, the Festival cordyline is a fairly new introduction and I am not very familiar with this one. It is trademarked, so that indicates it is pretty new.

Some of the cordylines are fairly frost tolerant but none, to my knowledge, will handle a hard frost.

As far as where to put it, this could be tricky. It is not a desert plant but it is fairly drought tolerant. This is probably not a good choice for a rock or desert landscape. If this were planted, I would put it into a pool area or a microclimate that I had designed to have a "tropical" appearance, such as a small patio area that is protected from wind and late afternoon sun. It's a guess but you will most likely have to protect it from extreme winter lows and use a lot of soil enrichment along with organic or wood mulches.

The other "spiky" plant, cordyline indivisa, is commonly known as cabbage tree and can get quite large in cooler climates. Usually indivisa has much wider leaves than Festival and will not handle the heat as well as Festival might. My guess is that neither might be a good choice unless you are willing to take some special precautions, such as I mentioned earlier.

If what you have is indivisa, I think you will have some serious problems with it. It will probably not last the summer in an exterior landscape. Festival might give you a fighting chance. Just protect it.

Q: Many years ago I started a rose garden in Beatty, Nevada. I was very pleased with the results of a formula I read in the Review-Journal. One of the ingredients of the formula is cottonseed meal. It has become so expensive. Is there something else that you would suggest to substitute.?I would appreciate your suggestion.

A: The basic idea of using cottonseed meal is both as a source of organic nitrogen fertilizer and as an organic amendment to the soil. Cottonseed meal is a waste byproduct from the growing of cotton. The cottonseed meal is left after oil is extracted from cotton seed.

Compost will do pretty much the same thing and can be used as a substitute. I would recommend any animal manure compost such as poultry, cattle or horse manure that has been composted. Composting is the breakdown of manure (green or animal) products along with plant waste.

Basically, composting is the controlled rotting of all of these products together, which requires moisture and air. Kitchen scraps, including coffee grounds, are extremely beneficial if making your own compost. Most people don't recommend animal scraps from meat because of domestic pest problems, but they can be used as well if you are careful with them. They break down rapidly.

Composts do not need sunlight at all so it is best to keep them in the shade and tarp them loosely, enough to protect them, to keep the wind from removing too much water too rapidly from them in our desert climate. They should be turned or mixed in some way but don't have to be as long as the compost pile gets enough air. It will just take longer.

If ammonia or rotten egg smells come from the compost pile, it may be toxic and should not be used. The pile may be too deep or kept too wet. Most composts don't smell very much at all. Otherwise you can pick up some bagged compost from nurseries or building suppliers and use that as well.

Bob Morris is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Direct gardening questions to the master gardener hot line at 257-5555 or contact Morris by email at morrisr@unce.unr.edu.