Question: We have nine pine trees, and they are dropping lots of needles. We have a large berm under the trees and water inside the berm twice weekly. Should the needles be removed or left inside the berm?
Bob Morris
Bob Morris is a horticulture expert living in Las Vegas and professor emeritus for the University of Nevada. Visit his blog at xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com. Send questions to Extremehort@aol.com.
Q: I have read that African sumacs are fast growers. The African sumacs here seem to be at a stand still. I have had two in my backyard since April. They are alive but the canopy and trunk just seem the same; there has been perhaps 10 percent growth. The trees are solid with tall, thin trunks, about ½ to ¾ inch in diameter, with a canopy that branches out at 8 feet. There are no branches or leaves below that. The trees are staked high and the stems are all finger diameter. Will they take off eventually?
Question: I have been growing grapes for seven years. Can you please tell me what is wrong with my vines? They are still producing grapes.
Q: Could you tell me where I could find irrigation instructions in gallons rather than minutes or hours? I am having difficulty calculating how much to irrigate larger established plants and trees.
Question: We are planning a wall to surround our yard so we can keep the rabbits out.
Q: I have a golden barrel cactus that has grown to 3 feet wide in a place where I cannot leave it . It’s a beautiful specimen, but I have to remove it. Any ideas on how to move it? The thorns are lethal.
Question: Will either dwarf lime or lemon trees do well here?
Lawns are getting toasted right now. This is a stressful time of year for plants, particularly those that are not truly desert plants. Temperatures are out of their “comfort zone” and they become susceptible to diseases because they are less capable of fighting through a problem.
Question: I’ve seen garlic at outdoor markets where the garlic is actually braided.
Q: Is using wood from a commercial orchard safe for smoking meats? I don’t know whether you use any of these, but I figured you might have an answer .
Question: My mother’s mimosa tree was fine May 24. Something has attacked it. I attached before-and-after photos, with close-ups of a couple of damaged areas.
The current high temperatures will have a big effect on plants’ water use and stress. Make sure landscape plants are deeply watered during this time of high stress. It is best that plants enter into the heat of the day with plenty of water rather than applying it at the end of the day.
Question: I saw your blog and was wondering if you would help us with a saguaro problem. We bought a healthy saguaro in December and transplanted it ourselves.
Q: Do desert-adapted shrubs like Texas rangers, cassias and others benefit from adding sulfur to the soil? Will they perform better in a pH around 7.5 as opposed to 8? I know it’s probably not necessary but I’m just wondering if the additional sulfur in the soil will help them thrive better or if it’s overkill.
I noticed what appears to be some kind of white fuzz on my pear tree’s leaves.