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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.

Bermuda grass performs best when it’s taller

Q: I can’t get my Bermuda grass lawn to look good. I would like it more like a golf course grass. I think one of my problems has been mowing too low, believing it would green up if I did this. During the past two weeks I’ve raised the height of my mower and fertilized. It is looking much better, but it probably needs another week of growing. I’m getting small patches of darker green grass with a wider leaf. I think this is what they call Poa. There’s probably little I can do to stop this Poa weed.

Slime mold one of the good guys
BOB MORRIS

Question: I found this “thing” under my Joshua tree this morning. It is about 6 inches long. Is it mold? I only water three times a week for five minutes.

Less water, lots of compost will help new tree
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: My husband went out a couple of weeks ago and picked up a Pink Lady apple. I it planted they way you recommended and I have mulched the ground except for the 6 inches next to the trunk. I have it securely staked and I am watering by hand every day. What’s next? Food? Or what to make it do well?

Invasive plants can be controlled in desert environs
BOB MORRIS

Question: I have a narrow area, and the Las Vegas nurseries have Japanese privet. However, I have read on various blogs that birds eat the berries, and they get dropped in other areas of the yard and gardens, sprouting up all over. They say it is considered an invasive species in many areas. Have you found this problem to be true, and if so, is there anything that can be done so that the plant will not produce berries?

Small-diameter fruit tree stem sets up for easier pruning
BOB MORRIS

Question: I planted some bare root fruit trees earlier this year, and unfortunately, several did not survive. This was my fault because I didn’t get them planted right away, and the roots may have dried out. I want to replace them with container nursery stock.

THE LATEST
Killing skeletonizer larvae easier than adult moths
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: I just sighted my first grape leaf skeletonizer moth. I’ve learned that Bt will control the worms. I’d like to try and minimize the larvae if I can by eradicating as many moths as possible. Can you recommend the best course of action, if any, to control the moth ?

Indoor-only pine needs acclimation before planting
BOB MORRIS

Question: Last Christmas, a friend bought for me a tiny pine tree about 6 inches tall. It is now 2 feet tall, and I need to transplant it. When is the best time of year to do this?

Many factors affect tomato production
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: I noticed last year that I didn’t get nearly the same number of tomatoes that I had harvested in previous years. I have a raised bed with a blend of about 4-to-1 cheap compost and our desert soil. Each year I have continued adding compost from my own yard and vegetable scraps. Last year the tomato plants themselves grew well and I saw lots of flowers, but the tomatoes just never developed.

Iron sulfates can stain several surfaces
BOB MORRIS

Question: My husband used a fertilizer that stained our pavers and the bottom of our pool in spots. Do you know of a solution to remove those stains?

Aphids should disappear when temperatures rise
By BOB MORRIS GARDENING

Q: I attempted to grow watermelons for the first time last summer and everything was looking good until it got hot. These tiny black specks appeared on the back of some of the leaves. I was told it was aphids but they weren’t sure. I hope you can see them clearly from the picture I’ve attached. Should I use insecticidal soap as recommended or something else? 

Garlic stores well, must be eaten fast if fresh
BOB MORRIS

Question: I know garlic will keep four to six months in cooler climates. Because I don’t have a root cellar, what are my options for storing garlic?

Soft-skinned fruits can be wasted on the ground
BOB MORRIS

Question: I purchased an assortment of tomatoes, and they are doing well. Folks like to put them in cages, but I have always found them more bother than they are worth. So I let them sprawl and go where they want.

Distilled water can deflocculate soil
BOB MORRIS

Question: In a past posting on your blog, you mentioned that using 100 percent distilled water for container plant irrigation might mess with the potting soil. What did you mean by that?

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