Xtremehorticulture

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert

Bird Scaring Tactics to Keep Them Out of Your Fruit Trees

2 Comments / bird damage, fruit trees, netting, scaring devices for birds /

Q. Do you know where we can get the shiny silvery streamers for our fruit trees? The birds are upon us, (or them). We have the mesh covering, but would like to try something different.  If there’s anything else you can suggest, we would appreciate that as well. Thanks for your help. An electronic bird scaring device A. We have tried streamers, tinsel, CD’s, DVD’s, (no VHS tapes yet), electronic bird scaring devices (which work for about two weeks when in constant use) and not much seems to work over the long run. Scaring devices MAY work over the short haul if discontinued after a couple of weeks and restarted again next season. But if you expect something to keep birds out of fruit trees for months at a time you will be very disappointed. The best is netting the trees but the netting must be attached firmly to the ground with no entry points or the birds will find it. You would net the trees about two weeks before the fruit is ready. They don’t seem to bother fruit until they get to a certain stage of ripeness unless they are REAL hungry. That being said.. try…. http://www.groworganic.com/weed-pest-control/animal-bird-control/bird-control.html

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Growing Garlic Ten Commandments

Leave a Comment / best varieties of garlic, desert growing, desert southwest, garlic planting /

Morado Gigante garlic Remember that in our climate, the desert Southwest, Mojave Desert, plant garlic in late September to the end of October. You can go later and we have and it usually turns out fine but this is the best time. Prepare the soil well with well-rotted organic matter (compost) and use lots of phosphorus (bone meal) in the bed. You can plant both hardneck and softneck varieties. Varieties to include might be Red Toche, Susanville, Polish White, Giant Morado, Tuscan, Red Janice, California Early, and many others. Most will work well here. – Extremehort From http://www.thegarlicstore.com/ 10. Always start with quality planting stock. Plant the biggest cloves – they yield the biggest bulbs (Eat the smaller ones!) 9. Planting in fall is best (though people have reported good luck with early spring planting). Full sun preferred. 7. Garlic likes friable soil, near neutral pH, with some composted manure. Incorporate a little bone meal at planting. And thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s bulbils. 6. Plant cloves about 5-6 inches apart and 2-3 inches deep. 5. Mulch your garlic (straw, alfalfa, leaves, etc.) 4. Keep soil moist (don’t let it dry out during the winter) 3. Garlic hates weeds. 2. Harvest when lower half of leaves have largely turned brown. 1. Be sure to cure your garlic by hanging it in a shady, well ventilated place for 2-3 weeks.

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Fruitless Olive Not Always Fruitless

Leave a Comment / swan hill olive not fruitless, Wilsonii, Wilsons /

Q. Last fall we planted an olive tree that was certified to be non-fruit blooming. Now, it is full of olives! I just want it to grow. So, should we pluck the little olives off the tree so it can put its energy into growth? Olives forming on “fruitless” olive A. Yes, this can happen. Fruitless varieties like Swan Hill are grafted on to an olive rootstock. The top of the tree is fruitless but the bottom of the trunk below the location of the graft is not. Sometimes in the nursery the tops of some fruitless olives die back leaving the rootstock (a fruiting olive) that grows instead.             The dead top (fruitless) is unknowingly pruned out or removed. The rootstock grows very rapidly and replaces the dead fruitless part of the plant. This has been documented in the nurseries.             This can result in a fruiting olive tree. Sometimes the tags get mixed up in the nursery as well and a fruiting variety is labeled a fruitless variety by accident. I would not remove the olives. It would be far to laborious and time consuming and the small benefit you would get is not worth the effort. There are some great olive recipes that you could experiment with.

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Mesquite Tree Can Bleed Profusely When Cut

22 Comments / bleeding, dripping sap, slime flux, wetwood /

Mesquite tree with sap running down from a pruning cut Q. This is about mesquite trees of which I have two in my front yard. Last fall I had both trees trimmed quite drastically by a recommended tree service. They are coming back very nicely except one limb is dripping what I thought was oil; a dark stain looking like oil or tar.              At first, I thought the gardeners had dripped oil over the rocks and over my lantern with their equipment.  Then I looked up!  I don’t know what to do about this; I clean up the area as best I can and within a week, it looks like it had never been cleaned. Is this something I should worry about, or should I just keep on cleaning?  Only one limb on one tree is doing this. A. Mesquite trees can bleed quite profusely when they have been cut. This is nothing to worry about and it should stop by now.             Out of curiosity you might just take your finger to this sap and smell it. If it has a strong yeasty smell and it attracts flies it’s possible it could be a relatively minor disease problem called Wetwood or slime flux. I just mention this because it is more of a curiosity than anything else.             There is really not much you can do about this disease and it should not have any long-lasting effects on the health of the plant. This is not true of this disease and a couple of others but mesquite it should be no problem. It is going to be unsightly.             If the liquid persists, it is possible to drill a hole at the bottom of where it is leaking and    tap in a 2 or 3 inch tube into the hole so that the liquid runs down and out the tube, not down the side of the tree. Make sure all is sterile when puncturing or putting a hole or cut into plants.

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Citrus Fruit Cocktail Tree A Good Idea?

Leave a Comment / five in one tree, fruit cocktail tree, multiple fruit on a single tree, should I buy /

Q. My husband bought a tree with each branch a different citrus fruit: lemon, lime and 2 different oranges. I have never heard all these fruits on 1 tree. What do you think? A. The tree you bought is called a Cocktail Tree where they bud different types of citrus onto one rootstock . . It seems to be a great idea but rarely works out because on of the varieties inevitably becomes dominate and shunts the other varieties. Also, they rarely tell which variety of the type is used so it is a pig in a poke purchase.  A trick that really works, especially if your space is limited is to buy two or three trees, one each of your favorite type  (orange, grapefruit, lime or whatever citrus you like) and then plant the individual plants all in the same hole . . They all stay on their own rootstock and the dominance issue is negated. And, you can pick your favorite type and variety of that type. People have been successful using this technique for years. It might be a bit more expensive initially but this trick works and the Cocktail Trees have a poor track record. I hope this helps . . Good luck. Terry Mikel

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How to Cook Up Your Mesquite Beans

Leave a Comment / cooking with mesquite beans, edible mesquite pods, how to eat mesquite pods /

Q. I have a young honey mesquite that is having its first beans.  I’ve heard they are edible.  If they are, are all varieties the same, and how does one serve one up? Linda A. The Mesquite pods have been used as a food by peoples and browse by animals forever . . .The beans are actually very small, about half the size of and similar in shape to a lentil . . The beans are not eaten; the pod matrix is the edible part . . If you take the dried pods and put them in a blender and let ‘er rip you will break down the pods and the hard seeds (covered in a papery shroud) will float to the top of the mix . . Remove the seeds to plant or toss and use the rest as a sweet, coarse flour . . I use it a lot in cornbread but it can be used in most bread recipes . . . The North American species have more pod matrix and flavor than the South American species . . The one glaring exception is the one South American species Prosopis nigra or Black Mesquite which has, by far the most delicious and plump pods . . They are rarely found in landscapes but I know where a few are and I can sneak  some pods from time to time . .Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone . . Don’t worry if you see pinhead sized holes in the pods, not to worry that is just a little weevil that feeds on the seeds, the part you are not going to eat . . There are many books and articles about Native American foods in the southwest that talk about Mesquite pods . . . . It might be fun to check out some of those references also . . .Good luck and let us know how it works out for you and let us know what you made . .  Terry Mikel

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Leaf Munching on Grapes, Whiteflies, Leafhoppers

4 Comments / grape insecticides, hornworms, leaves disappearing, whiteflies /

Q. My grapes leafs are gigantic this year after the big pruning; but something is taking big munching bites out of the leaves – I don’t see any thorn worms?  Any ideas? -Jeri One of the hornworms as larva or caterpillar A. It is probably hornworms this time of year. Put on a spray of Bt now or spinosad. Repeat it in about two weeks. Use spinosad if you had leafhoppers last year. They are tiny and they jump. That should keep them pretty clean. Q. I enjoy your articles in the newspaper. Thank you for your insights into my garden. I have a five year old grapevine.  Each year I have an infestation of tiny white flying insects.  I have tried traditional sprays with no success. What are they, and how do I get rid of them?  BTW – The hummingbirds love them.  The birds will cause the insects to become airborne, then pluck them off in mid-air. -Fred Leafhopper damage to grape leaf A. It is possible that they are either leafhoppers or whiteflies. I have seen leafhoppers more often than whiteflies on grapes. However your description fits whiteflies better than leafhoppers since you said they fly and are white.             Leafhoppers are usually darker in color, green or brown or a combination of both but jump into the air rather than fly. Both are hard to control but soap and water sprays are good when they are very young.             It is getting late now as this should have been applied in late April or early May if using soapy water. You can also use insecticidal soap. It is in the right concentration and does not have potential problems as you might have with soaps or detergents that have skin conditioners or scents added. Leafhopper damage cropped and enlarged upper surface             Be sure to spray the undersides of the leaves which is where they are most likely found but go out and find where they are and direct the spray on the insects, not just on the plants. The insecticidal soaps have no residual so if they land back on the soapy surface of the leaf it will not harm them.             The soapy water MUST come in contact with the insect or it will not work. If these are truly whiteflies then use a fruit spray that contains the words pyrethrums, permethrin, cypermethrin, pyrethroids, etc. you get the idea. It should have “ethr…” in words in the ingredients. There are lots of different kinds.             If this is leafhoppers you can try applying spinosad this time of year but it is starting to get late for this application. It should have been done in May but try it.

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Cleveland Sage a Great Choice for Beauty and Fragrance

Leave a Comment / desert landscapes, desert plants, landscaping, plant selection /

Q. I am trying to identify this bush/plant. It is in a desert landscape. Poor picture (sorry) but the blooms are blue/purple and seem to grow out of the center of the bloom below. Each bloom is shaped like a pinwheel with small flowers around the edge. Each stem/stalk supports 4 or 5 of the pinwheels, each spaced evenly up the stem. Very interesting and pretty. Cleveland sage picture submitted by reader A. The picture is a bit fuzzy which doesn’t help with my old eyes but I think what you have is Salvia clevelandii or Cleveland Sage, or Blue Sage. It gets its name from being named in the Cleveland National Forest which is east and north of San Diego.             I really love the plant for its visual beauty but one extra is the wonderful fragrance of the foliage. Even on warm days with just the lightest of zephyrs the fragrance wafts all around. Terry Mikel Here is another shot of Cleveland sage

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Hawaiian Tomoto Plant with Yellow Leaves May Be For Many Reasons

Leave a Comment / fertilization, fertilizing, maintenance of landscape trees in desert soils, poor growth, vegetable fertilzers, vegetable yellow /

Q. I have 4 Hawaiian tomato plants in containers, all producing tomatoes.  On one plant the leaves on lower branches are turning yellow.  The plant appears to be healthy having several flowers and small fruit forming. I fertilized all 4 plants 2 weeks ago with Miracle Gro and was planning to fertilize in 2 week intervals as suggested on product container.  What can be done to prevent the yellowing of leaves on the other 3 plants and resolve the present problem with the one plant in question? A. There could be several things going on. My first reaction was a lack of nitrogen fertilizer until you told me you were using a fertilizer on a regular basis. When plants don’t get enough nitrogen fertilizer the older leaves can turn yellow and die.             You can also look at how much new growth there is since nitrogen is also responsible for stem and leaf growth. If it is not growing and putting on new growth then this can also be an indicator of a lack of nitrogen.             Watering too often and keeping the soil too moist can also cause yellowing of foliage. So if you have mulched the soil and watering frequently then this might also be a potential problem.             Some soil amendments if they have not broken down completely can cause yellowing but this is usually compensated by using fertilizer high in nitrogen. Also poor grade composts can cause yellowing so try to avoid the very inexpensive composts and soil amendments. Good soil amendments are expensive unless you make your own.             If the soil is native desert soil that has been amended with compost or soil amendments, salts can cause yellowing of leaves. There are lots of natural salts in desert soils, frequently at levels too high for most of our landscape and vegetable plants. If your soil is fairly new, it make take a couple of years of compost and growing to get it into good condition.             Salts are removed by leaching or watering the soil with lots of water in and letting it drain over and over in repeating cycles. Salts dissolve easily in fresh water and the draining water carries dissolved salts from the soil to a depth below the roots of the plants. If you use composted native desert soils you should always leach the soil prior to planting.             So look at your soil modifications, how you are watering and whether you have leached the soil or not. If after this you think there is still a problem you might consider replacing the soil.

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Strawberry Weevils A Big Problem When Growing Strawberries

Leave a Comment / control, insect eating strawberries, roly polys, sowbug, vine weevils /

Readers strawberry plant with damage Q. A friend of mine has recommended that I contact you regarding a problem I’ve got with a newly planted garden in my back yard.  These beetles are devouring my strawberries and I’m even seeing them on my other veggies in the same planting area.  I tried the water, soap, baking soda, cayenne pepper spray solution but it’s not seeming to make much of an impact, if any.  I really don’t want to use pesticides.  A. What you have is most likely one of the vine weevils. Because it is on strawberries I would like to think it is the strawberry vine weevil but there are other vine weevils as well. Regardless of the name the problem and controls are similar. Difficult. Vine weevil on readers plants, picture magnified and cropped             Probably one of the more effective ways is going to sterilize the soil. This can be done without chemicals. This will require you to remove the plants from their home, wash them thoroughly and replant them in soil that has been sterilized through solar sterilization. This is a bad time of year to do this however. You could do this this fall.             You will sterilize the soil by tilling or digging the soil so that it is loose to a depth of 12 inches. Water the soil. Place clear plastic over the top and seal the edges with soil and rocks so the wind does not blow it open.             Leave it covered so that the soil “cooks” for two hot days. After two hot days you can uncover it, let it cool and plant again with clean plants. Use clean mulch that is free of critters as much as possible.             There are baits you can buy but the bait must say it controls pill bugs and sow bugs , not just snails and slugs. The bed will get infested again and you will have to go through the same scenario to clean up the bed.             There are some insecticides you could use but check the label and make sure they can be used on fruit and see how many days you have to wait before you pick the fruit after you apply it. this is called the “re-entry period” sometimes on the label.

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