Control crabgrass without chemicals
Here are answers to questions that crossed my desk last week.
Question: Can I control crabgrass without chemicals?
Answer: Yes. Use corn gluten meal, a nontoxic byproduct of corn processing. It prevents seeds from germinating.
Because it is organic, it will break down slowly to control weeds, so apply it now before the crabby stuff germinates. And it has 10 percent nitrogen in it so you'll be fertilizing at the same time.
Q: How can I improve my shabby fescue lawn?
A: Lower the mower an inch to clip off the dead grass. Then the emerging grass will hide the dead stuff.
Q: How do I control dandelions in my lawn?
A: Your nursery sells a "weed and feed" product that does the job. Apply it on a cool, calm day for best results. Once temperatures rise above 85 degrees, it damages plants such as tomatoes.
Q: Why don't my mesquite trees look healthy?
A: They are dormant. Mesquites are tough, but if you don't find new growth this spring, the trees probably died. Overwatering through the winter is a possible cause for their demise.
Q: How can I tell whether my 2-year old ocotillo is alive or dead? It did flower last spring but no leaves.
A: Dave Turner said flowering last spring signals that there's some life in the plant. He suggested misting the plant daily to dripping wet. If it hasn't leafed out by June, get rid of it.
Turner said if you plant another ocotillo, place a misting head above the plant to mist the entire plant until roots develop. Ocotillos don't have the ability to take up water until they generate roots.
Q: When can I prune my frosted trumpet vine?
A: It's been warm, so damage might be minimal. Watch for new growth emerging from stems, and remove all above that point. I suspect the small tender growth is frozen.
Q: Why are some of my many India Hawthorne bushes dying? I drip irrigate them twice a day for two minutes.
A: They are not getting enough water to push away salts around the roots. Hawthornes are tough plants. Replace the damaged bushes and deep irrigate to push away the salts. During the summer, deep irrigate monthly to keep salts out of the rooted area.
Q: Why is my cherry tree in decline? Each year, sap oozes from branches that later die.
A: Our warm winters cause cherries to struggle. They don't get enough chilling hours and never get a chance to go dormant. This causes oozing from limbs, so remove them.
Q: What is zoysia grass, and is it water conserving?
A: It's a low-growing, dense and spreading grass that conserves water. It is slow to establish and slow growing, but it turns brown in the winter. If you decide to plant zoysia, order it locally and have it shipped in. If you are considering zoysia, consider the dramatically improved hybrid Bermuda grasses.
Q: Why did my 6-year-old grapefruit tree's bark split?
A: It often occurs on the southwest side of a tree in the late winter as water expands and contracts as temperatures range up and down within the bark. This suggests it didn't get adequate water. Citrus trees are high water users and need infrequent but deep irrigations to prevent further splitting. Dig down after a deep irrigation to see if it wetted the soil 2 feet down.
Q: Do "salad citrus" trees, consisting of lemon, lime and orange, do well here?
A: First, citrus is marginal because of our late frosts. Protect it on chilly nights. One variety may become aggressive causing you to eliminate a weaker variety, which happens with five-in-one apples.
Gardening in Small Places
Let Angela O'Callaghan of Nevada Cooperative Extension show you "How to Vegetable Garden in Small Places" at 8 a.m. Saturday. Topics include types of containers to use, potting soil mixes, artificial lighting, fertilizers, success with seeds and more. Call 257-5555 To register. The workshop is at 8050 S. Paradise Road.
Gardening in containers
Containers are the way to garden in small places and you can do it with confidence. At this container gardening workshop, I'll show you the steps to be successful in limited spaces. It is at
8:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday during February at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Vegas Valley Blvd. Visit springspreserve.org for additional information.
Linn Mills' garden column appears on Sundays. He can be reached at linn.mills@ springspreserve.org or 822-7754.
