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Garden slugs self-destruct in stale beer

Stale beer works great as a slug bait. Put out a bowl of day-old beer in the garden, sinking it slightly so they can gain entry and then die a happy death.

Soak up stream’s beauty at Hackerry Canyon

Hackberry Canyon is a hidden gem in the southwestern section of the 1.9 million-acre Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Utah. It is a bit off the beaten path, but those who make the effort will be rewarded with a colorful narrow canyon complete with a perennial stream, flanked by lush vegetation.

Compost better than rock dust as desert soil supplement

Rock dust is used in organic agriculture to replenish minerals that have been removed from the soils when growing and removing vegetables and fruit. I tend to favor the addition of compost to our vegetable gardens since our soils are so low in organic matter and its derivatives.

Rio Secco in Henderson a classic Las Vegas course

There are a lot of reasons why I love playing golf in Las Vegas, the latest being the recent round I played at Rio Secco Golf Club, 2851 Grand Hills Ave., Henderson. I say this because the folks at Rio Secco have managed to include everything I love about Vegas into their golf club.

Bottling herb-infused oils too slippery a task

Garlic- or herb-infused oils that are contaminated with clostridium botulinum, the bacteria responsible for botulism, cannot be identified by smell, sight or taste, making it dangerous to bottle or store them at home.

Grab a bite and a bit of history at Kelso Depot

After driving miles of remote desert road through the Mojave National Preserve, Californians are often surprised to come upon the Kelso Depot, where a railroad station large and elaborate enough to serve a small city sits virtually in the middle of nowhere. It serves as the primary visitor center for the preserve, has excellent museum displays and even offers a good place to get a light lunch.

Joshua Tree National Park a haven of oases

Joshua Tree National Park, just outside of Twentynine Palms, Calif., is a great springtime destination to visit for a day or two or even an extended trip to hike, go birding or just drive around looking at wildflowers. The park was established as a national monument in 1936 and gained national park status in 1994, and this year, it is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Some palms slow to mold into mulch

Question: I was told by a landscaping company that the fronds from Mexican fan palms cannot be chipped and recycled into mulch because they are too alkaline. This was news to me! Your opinion regarding that palms-too-alkaline-for-mulch theory would be appreciated.