Callers:

• Tim – He noticed his apple tree has a grub worm on it and a damaged area. What should he do? Also, his nectarine fruit was covered with a sticky residue and the skin was damaged, so he got no edible fruit.

Recommendation – Jerry talks through Tim’s options to get rid of the insects and when it might be okay to cut the damaged part off of it. Most of the time, letting a wound heal naturally is the best option. Think about adding a fungicide on the wound, just don’t cover it up.  The sticky residue is probably a thrip, that can be treated with a spray.

*If you find a specific critter and don’t know what to do. Put it in a plastic bag and take it to your local nursery for help!

*The “Thrip” residue is a nuisance, but not harmful. Tim can just wash the fruit off and its still edible.

Callers:

• Cheryl – She recently lost 4 Chilean mesquite trees in a storm this year and needs to replace them. Should they stick with the mesquite again and what can they do to make sure the damage doesn’t happen again.

Recommendation – The mesquite tree is a good fit. Jerry talks through the common mistakes in watering and tree care that make them susceptible to damage.  Over-watering causes damage to the root system…slow and deep watering.

*The crew discusses how most “trees” in the desert are actually bushes and how to correctly water and care for them here.

• Richard – He lives around 2100 feet of elevation and wants to know how deep he should bury his irrigation to ensure it won’t freeze and burst.

Recommendation – Polyethylene piping is becoming more and more popular because its less rigid as PVC and has some flexibility to prevent damage when it freezes.  Burying the line at 6 inches should be more than good enough. Chris from Vicente Landscaping knows a ton about this and Richard could call him to ask.

• Josh – He’s building a raised bed planter and wants to know if it’s too early to plant and what kind of soil should he use?

Recommendation – It’s right in the middle of the winter garden season, but winter plants have a quick turnaround and he can get to work right now.  Go for it now!! (Just protect them from freezing for a short-time)  Rosie is pumped Josh is using stacked blocks from Superlite!

We continue answering Josh’s question and cover what soil he should be using…..amending the soil is critical here in the desert.

*More on eliminating critters and why we love raised garden so much!

Caller:

• Kyle – He wants advice on getting his lawn to turn green…..

Recommendation – One common mistake is forgetting to fertilize before the cold winter temps.  Use an all-purpose fertilizer and when it thaws a bit, it will start working.  Don’t over-water either!

Thanks to Jerry from Harper’s Nursery & Landscaping Company for joining us!