I made some changes in the one I posted earlier and embedded it from Scribd as a pdf document. Please let me know if you have trouble downloading it by posting here on the blog. This has been put together for elevations of about 500 ft (160m) to 3000 ft (1000m) elevations at 36 degrees N. Latitude in a desert environment. Vegetable and Herb Planting Calendar
Vegetable and Herb Planting Calendar Re-Posted as PDF Read More »
Q. I heard about a cherry tree from the Dave Wilson Nursery website that has very low chill hours. Can we order these from the UNCE Orchard? Low Chill Fruit Trees for the hot desert A. There are low-chill sweet cherries but they have been in such high demand we have not been able to secure any in past years. However, we have had no problems growing high chill hour apples, peaches, apricots and plums here in the valley. They have been productive for over 15 years. So the idea of chilling hours being an “on or off switch” for producing fruit should not always be a consideration for homeowners when selecting fruit varieties. Sweet cherries are a problem in southern Nevada unless you can plant them in a backyard where they have protection from wind and there is some humidity from a pool or a lawn. We had many different varieties of sweet cherries and produced only about 12 cherries from all of them in 15 years at the UNCE orchard. We could not get sweet cherries to produce at the UNCE Orchard even with good flower production and lots of pollination opprotunities from many different sweet cherries planted in the same area Sweet cherries flower extremely well so chilling has not been the problem. The problem has been in setting the fruit and keeping it on the tree. Poor flowering is what you would more likely expect if you didn’t have enough chill hours. Other people in town have had success with sweet cherries but nearly all of them appear to be in backyards that are protected and have a higher humidity. The people in Las Vegas who have been growing sweet cherries successfully tell me that they have grown Bing, Lambert and other common varieties. You might have more luck with sour cherries and they are more versatile anyway. We have no reports to give you yet whether they will work here or not because they are still being tested.
Low Chill Cherries and Other Fruit for the Desert Read More »
Q. Do you have any solutions for keeping rabbits from eating plants? I live in Sun City Anthem and they are a real problem. I just planted some lovely gerbera daisies and they’ve eaten the plants to the ground. Rabbit damage to mockorange by rabbits. They chew off plants at an angle. Rabbits cut off plants at an angle with their teeth A. There are two solutions as far as I know. One is to put in plants resistant to rabbits or the other is to exclude them with fencing that keeps them away from the plants. If rabbits are terribly hungry, garlic or pepper sprays don’t seem to help much. Hunger overrides fear of getting caught. Usually one inch mesh chicken wire will work as long as it is about 24 inches high and buried a few inches below the soil surface so they cannot get their nose under it or dig. If rabbits have other food choices they may not damage your plants so much. Encourage your neighbors to plant carrots! Rabbit resistant plants University of Arizona click here
Rabbits a Problem? Fencing and Rabbit Resistant Plants Read More »
Q. I wonder if you can help me diagnose a problem with my camellia, the variety is “Marie Bracey”. I had it in a container while it was young and my husband moved it for me to our back yard where it gets the morning sun and afternoon shade which is what the card read that was attached. It was growing fine but now there are about 30 leaves that have brown tips. Another question, the card says to cut back after flowering, which has not happened yet but it does not explain how to cut it and to what level. A. You are fighting an “uphill battle” growing camellias in the Las Vegas valley since they require similar conditions to azaleas and rhododendrons. Not that you can’t do it but it will take quite a bit of care on your part. There are camellia societies, the counterparts to rose societies, on the southern east coastal areas and west coastal areas and inland in northern California. You have the Japanese camellia type. These plants are medium to large shrubs and even trees so it may take some time for it to get big enough to flower. Link to International Camelia Society Link to American Camelia Society Nice link to information and pictures of Camelias Another camellia I know you are familiar with is Chinese camellia, the plant that is used to make teas like black teas, green teas and Oolongs. So this plant does not come from the desert parts of the world. This will give you some insight as to what you will have to do; improve the soil a lot and give it some protection from the harsh desert environment. You did that by following the card attached to it. But just a warning. That card was not intended for Las Vegas but for more friendly camellia environments so you may need to take what it says a step further. Even morning sun may be too intense for it if it extends into late morning and thus contribute to the browning of the leaf edges. Other things that can contribute to leaf scorch are the poor soil conditions we have and the salty water coming from Lake Mead to our taps. Those people with well water frequently have much better water than the water coming from our taps. Another problem you will most likely have will be yellowing leaves. Camellias like the soil to be slightly acid and our soils are not. This will mean that iron will be tough for the plant to get in a form it can use. The only way to provide that kind of iron is to make the soil more acid or give it iron in a form it can use. Lots of decayed or decaying organic material will help in the soil around the roots and on the soil surface on top of the roots. Sulfur applications will also help but the sulfur should be pulverized into a powder, not like little rocks if it is to be effective. So usually the more effective way to apply iron so the plant can use it is to use chelates. Like the broken record I am, the chelate EDDHA combined with the iron is the most effective way for iron to reach the plants in our soils. Sulfur granules applied to the soil surface two years later. The granules are too large and breakdown slowly. Also these plants are on drip irrigation so the sulfur never comes in contact with water …unless it rains…in the desert? So what to do? Make sure the plant had lots of GOOD compost mixed into the soil at planting time. I would also put some sulfur with that planting soil. If you are not sure, replant it carefully this fall around the first week of October. Mulch the soil surface with organic or wood mulch. This is very important with camellia since it has a very shallow root system. Make sure the soil drains easily. Find a place that gives it early morning sun and not late morning sun, out of strong winds and not near a hot wall. Filtered light from a tree that allows scattered light on the ground with plenty of air movement (but not strong wind) would even be better but not total shade. Next spring after all danger of frost has passed (usually around the first to the middle of March) fertilize the plant with an azalea or rose fertilizer and add iron chelate as well. Expect that your camellia will not be picture perfect since it is not growing in an ideal climate and soil. Contact me next spring and let me know how it is doing and we can take it to the next step.
Camelias Not for the Inexperienced Gardener in the Desert Read More »
Q. We want to plant a pecan tree. Would you please recommend one for Las Vegas? If we plant one, can we cut it way back and keep it small like we did our other fruit trees? A. Think twice about it. Pecan is a big tree requiring lots of water. If you want to proceed, then pick a Western variety that is self-fruitful and low chill such as Mahan, Mohawk, Tejas or Western Schley. Pecans are so big that cutting them back may result in a tree that is about 2/3 of its mature size, maybe 60 to 100 feet tall, but you will not get it much smaller than this. The reason you can keep trees like almonds and pistachios small is because they are not big trees to begin with. The larger fruit trees, like apple and pear, are usually put on dwarfing rootstocks. Pecan is a big tree and is not on any dwarfing rootstock so it will be hard to keep its size small. Pecans tend to get anywhere from 70 to 150 feet tall and can have a 6 foot diameter trunk. Normal spacing between pecans is 60 feet apart. Estimating Water Use for Pecan Trees
Think Twice About Planting Pecan in the Desert Read More »
Leaffooted plant bug on pomegranate with babies (nymphs) Q. Several months ago you answered my question as to what was affecting the loss of all my almonds in my almond trees. You said I should apply the insecticide Sevin for pest control. But when do I apply the Sevin? My almonds are doing well now but they always do well now and then later I see something ozzing out of the nuts and a yellowish design on the inside. Then the nuts drop from the tree. So when do I spray with this insecticide? A. If I told you to apply Sevin insecticide I must have thought you had leaf footed plant bug in your almonds. My personal philosophy is to use pesticides as a last resort for insect control whenever possible. This would be the only reason I would recommend the use of a pesticide in almonds. You would apply it when you see the insect present on the leaves. This insect has overwintered in yours or your neighbors landscape plants. I have seen them overwinter in our climate in these locations. When leaves emerge, this insect will begin feeding and laying eggs. The first thing you will see are herds of the immature called nymphs on the undersides of leaves. You might see some adults as well but the babies are much more numerous. You should start to see them around late April or early May so start looking then. When you see them, begin spraying immediately according to the label mixing rate. Wear protective clothing.
Almond Nut Drop and When to Spray an Insecticide Read More »
Q. My Texas Mountain Laurel has yellow leaves and they continue to get more yellow as time goes by. It faces southwest, has 2 adjustable emitters turned down low, in the winter watering once a week for one hour. In early August I fed it with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants. I have looked very closely for bugs, and see none. There are some brown spots that have been appearing on the leaves. Want to see what this plant looks like? A. This plant is native to the Chihuahuan desert and so is accustomed to very low rainfall, particularly during the summer months. This doesn’t mean you should not water it in the summer but it does tell me that it would prefer deep but less frequent irrigations at the time of the year. It is also not accustomed to high amounts of fertilizer and does not need fertilizers blended for acid loving plants. This plant grows easily in alkaline soils. It is a legume so go lightly with the fertilizers. Generally speaking, deep irrigations to a depth of 12 to 18 inches, once a week should be fine during the summer months. You should be able to water less often in the winter. They are found on rocky soils in the desert but I am sure that they would prefer improved soils as long as they drain water. In the spring this plant tends to get a caterpillar, the larva of the Genista moth, in it that feeds on the leaves. Sprays containing Bt, like Dipel or Thuricide or even Spinosad, should control it with one or two applications when you start to see them. Genista moth on Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Moutain Laurel with Yellow Leaves Read More »
Become A Founding Member of a New Bee Club! Anyone can join! All ages welcome! If you want to learn about our pollinator friends, or want to have a more abundant garden, or you want to become a beekeeper this is the club for you! When: Sat. Feb. 4th, 2012 11am-12noon Where: RISE Resource Center (Housed in the Advent Church) 3460 N. Rancho (Between Gowen & Cheyenne) Las Vegas,NV What to bring: Yourself and a friend, a sense of adventure and a “Bee Friendly” attitude Contact Rita at [email protected]
New Bee Group Forming in Las Vegas Read More »
Tom Spellman from Dave Wilson Nursery If you are interested in fruit trees and hearing from true experts on the subject I would invite you to come out to the UNCE Orchard on Thursday afternoon at 2PM on February 16 to hear Tom Spellman from Dave Wilson Nursery. He will tour the orchard and talk about new fruit tree introductions from Zaiger Genetics. There is no fee. This only happens once a year and the first time I have offered this opportunity to the public. Tom is a true expert on citrus as well.
Tom Spellman to Speak at Orchard 2 PM Thursday Feb 16 2012 Read More »
Asparagus spear just starting to become overmature for best quality Q. I’m gardening in raised beds that are 4′ x 8′. I’m not sure how much asparagus to plant. My wife and are I the only ones who would eat it and I’m guessing we would harvest 1x per week during the period they are harvestable. How much of my garden would need to be dedicated for that production level? A. If asparagus is planted correctly it should start producing in February and you will stop picking about eight weeks later. When asparagus is in production and when it is warm outside you will picking as frequently as every other day to stay ahead of it. If you don’t, much of it will be unusable. There is no such thing as picking weekly with asparagus once it is in production. It does freeze well, it makes great soup and they can be grilled nicely. I would say half-dozen crowns should be plenty for you and your wife. My asparagus class will be offered in March at Plant World and through Eventbrite.com.
How Much Asparagus Should I Plant? Read More »