Downtown

Summon bees to assist with summer squash

A lack of squash development may be due to poor pollination, which is most likely because of cool weather and poor bee activity.

Steps help make the most of compost

June 27, 2011 - 11:17 pm

The ingredients and methods for composting are the same regardless of where you live, but those who reside in the Southwest may want to consider a few additional suggestions.

Pecan trees’ shade is too water-costly

June 20, 2011 - 11:18 pm

Pecan trees will do well in this climate, but I would not recommend them as a shade tree in the desert.

Iris corms tend to be late bloomers

BOB MORRIS

June 13, 2011 - 11:18 pm

In many cases, an iris needs a year or sometims more to get established before it will bloom. Much depends on the size of the rhizome that was planted and how it was planted.

Use semi-rotten veggies to eat away at pillbugs

June 7, 2011 - 8:59 am

Question: I have voracious pillbugs eating my tomato plants, starting at the stalk at ground level. These are the bugs that resemble armadillos and can roll themselves into a ball. Is there anything I can do to protect the plants or get rid of the bugs?

Beans have rotten time in cool spring

May 31, 2011 - 10:59 am

Bean plants could suffer collar rot when springtime weather is cool and causes soil to retain moisture.

Lantanas suffer varying degrees of cold damage

May 24, 2011 - 5:32 am

Plant losses due to freezing temperatures involve how low the temperature drops, the time of year the temperatures occurred and for how long.

Garden slugs self-destruct in stale beer

May 17, 2011 - 10:01 am

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.

Compost better than rock dust as desert soil supplement

May 10, 2011 - 9:05 am

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.

Bottling herb-infused oils too slippery a task

May 3, 2011 - 12:26 pm

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.

Nerium oleanders can do without being covered in desert climate

April 26, 2011 - 8:57 pm

Nerium oleanders might be more resilient than you think when it gets chilly. Once established, they don’t require a cover to shield them from cold.

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