Bob Morris

Q: I need confirmation of a problem with my grapes. A gardening Facebook group is certain my grape berries have thrip damage this year. I sent you a picture to confirm it or not.

Q: We have a 30-foot-tall lemon tree planted in late 2006. This tree produces large fruit, averaging 15 ounces to more than a pound. I consider this tree to be perpetual as it flowers fruit and maintains a crop in development at the same time. My question is, do we pick the ripe fruit or let them fall as they may?

Q: Once again I had a fairly good crop of tomatoes this year. One problem, though, a lot of ripe tomatoes are disappearing overnight. Are gray rats known for foraging and consuming garden produce? I spotted one about a week ago going over a side wall in my yard.

Q: I am trying to grow an avocado tree. I have it in a container, and it’s now 22 inches tall. When is the best time to transplant, and what is the best way to take care of it in our desert?

Q: I would like to grow my own rhubarb. Could you tell me where I can find the plant or the bulb, and when would be a good season to start?

Q: Last year, we bought a Meyer lemon and planted it in a large pot. We got more than 30 lemons off this little tree. I noticed a lot of sap near the base of the tree, then a bunch of furry little things on the trunk and some branches. They scrape off easily. I’m guessing they are the cause of the sap.

Q: Two years ago I planted Thompson seedless grapes. The first two years there were no grapes, and I did not expect any fruit. This year, there are leaves and no fruit. They were pruned the same way as my red seedless grapes, which were very prolific. Is there something special that I must do to make the vine produce?

Q: This year has been the worst for weeds and grass coming up through the rocks. I’ve tried Bayer Advanced all-in-one concentrate that acted like a fertilizer and strengthened their growth. I got Roundup weed and grass killer concentrate. Two weeks later and the grass is coming up like I planted it. What do you suggest I use to spray on this grass to kill it?