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Rosemary thrives in desert Southwest

Is there a difference between rosemary used for cooking and rosemary used in landscaping?

Borers spend larval stage tunneling inside trees

I have a major borer problem with my nectarine tree. I will be removing it and replanting. Do I need to treat the soil before I plant another tree?

Succulent dieback can happen due to overwatering

A friend of mine is having trouble with his century plants, agave and cactuses turning yellow in June and July. These plants are in a rock yard with hand watering. They are 2 years old.

Rats seek out extra vitamin C in lemon rinds

We have a critter attacking our lemons. It does not eat the fruit, only the peel. It eats the peel so cleanly that the bare fruit is left hanging on the tree.

Row covers help protect plants from freezing

We use a white, breathable fabric for some of our tender desert plants when there’s a chance of freezing temperatures.

Potatoes won’t thrive if planted in summer

Question: I want to plant potatoes here in Las Vegas. Our season is timed different than others, though, so there aren’t seed potatoes available now for a mid- or late July planting.

Cedar, redwood mulches work better than pine

Question: Would you please tell me what type of mulch is not recommended to put in flower beds? I thought I remembered it being redwood mulch, but I can’t find anything on that. Could it have been cedar? My landscape guy says the shredded cedar is not a problem for vegetation.

If bees don’t get to flowers, plums can’t form properly

Question: I have two Santa Rosa plum trees planted in my backyard. One is planted in a lawn, and the other is in a rock landscape. Both are doing well with numerous large plums growing on them. The one in the lawn area has about 25 percent small yellow plums that fall off when I flick them or shake the branches. The remainder of the larger plums look great.

Ocotillo thought to absorb water through its stems

Question: I have a recently planted ocotillo. It is tied together by wire. When should I cut the ties? Also, I heard that I should spray the plant with water frequently. What’s frequently?