Root Rot and Wisterias

Question from Judy: My Wisteria – 9.5 years old — just stopped growing and leaves began yellowing and drying. I cut back some wood that had not leafed out and it was dead. When I looked up these conditions, it said it could be Cotton Root...

Dwarf grapefruit tree overpruned

Question from Chuck: I made the mistake of pruning my dwarf grapefruit tree 3 years ago. I haven’t had a grapefruit since. What can I do? The tree is beautiful and healthy looking, but no fruit. Answer from Pat: If you cut your grapefruit tree...

How to Prevent Blossom End Rot on Tomatoes, and Best Temperatures for Setting Fruit on Pepper Plants

Question from Ramon: I am new to gardening and this is only my second year. My first year was hot peppers and tomatoes. The hot peppers did great that year but the tomatoes, I found out later, that I was over watering. This year I went to deep watering...

Apricot Trees

Question from Tim: Dear Pat, I live in central California, San Luis Obispo county. I have 4 trees about 20years old that dropped all their blossoms and developed sap all along the branches and of course no fruit at all? Did I prune wrong the year before?...

White Grubs

Question from Elin: How to get rid of organically besides digging out? Did last year, back again! Answer from Pat: White grubs are the larval form of various beetles and bugs, such as June Bugs, who lay their eggs in the ground. White grubs eat plant...

When to plant tomatoes for fall/early winter harvest

Question from Lewis: I wanted to know when to plant tomatoes and what kind of tomatoes for a late fall, early winter harvest. Answer from Pat: The best time to plant tomatoes for summer use is in March, but this year our temperatures have been cool along...

Small Patio Trees

Question from Margo: I am having two trees removed and need replacements. One, will be in an elevated triangular planter about 6″ at the widest point. It is directly over a spa. So I need a tree that will not drop leaves and will not have invasive...

Duranta

Question from Eliana: Thanks for all your wonderful writings! I am thinking of siting a duranta erecta in a small area next to a house with full sun, where preferred height is really only 7′ high x 5′ x 3′ wide and deep. I realize...

Heavy pruning of olive trees while fruiting

Question from Kathleen: The condo complex I stay in started heavy pruning of all the fruiting olive tree today, 9-1-10. Is it healthy for the tree to be lose 80% of its leaves while developing its fruit? I do energy analysis and I thik the poor...

Does Ice Over Plant Roots Make Them Go Dormant?

Question from Bob: I have heard of placing ice cubes over the top of the plant locations at night to give them that additional chill, is there any sound meaning to this. Answer from Pat: You asked me if it works to put ice over the roots of rhubarb...

Thanks for your inspiration

From Jim and Karen: I just wanted to thank you guys for your inspirational walls in Del Mar and Solana Beach that we used to make our own mosaic wall in our front yard. The wall is 45′ long and 5′ high at the starting point. We used a combination...

Espaliered Apple Pruning

Question from Robin: My espalier apple trees are just starting to drop a few brown leaves but are generally filled with green leaves, new flowers and some small apples. I believe I should still go ahead and winter spray them to force leaf drop and the...

Bamboo in So Cal

Question from Jessica: My husband and I have a large backyard and want to plant bamboo as a natural partition separating the vegetable garden portion and the Japanese garden portion of our yard. We know to put barriers underground to prevent the spreading,...

Hot Lips

Question from Judi: I’m sending you a picture of a flower called “hot lips”. A friend of mine saw it while on vacation and loved it. It must have another name besides hot lips and who would know but you? Wishing you a happy healthy...