Dormant Spray For Low-Chill Apple Trees

Question from Robin: Truly hope this email is reaching you with a greatly improved shoulder! Question: I need to winter spray my Anna and Golden Dorsett apples both of which have loads of leaves and varying size of apples. Last year I simply stripped...

Borers in Alder Trees

Question from Jennifer: We have had a major problem with flat-head borers in our alder trees and have already had quite a few trees removed. We have three left, one which is hopeless but the other two can probably be saved if there is a solution. So my...

Sequoia Semper Soquel in Zone 18

Question from Melissa: I live in Zone 9, Santa Clarita, and love the Sequoia Semper Soquel–which is being sold at my local nursery. My research on the internet indicates that this tree prefers coastal mist/fog, but is also noted to grow in Zone...

Can Torrey Pines Grow in Nevada

Question from Joe: I grew up in San Diego and love the the Torrey Pine. I have collected some seed to try to plant. I live in Nevada and was wanting to know if they will grow in a soil that has a heavy mixture of clay, gravel, rock and alkali? Would you...

Trouble with Avocados

Question from Monty: I live in Irvine, CA. I have several citrus and stone fruit trees espaliered in my back yard and doing fine. However, I have two avocado trees that continue to struggle (four and six years old). They get good sun, but not all day...

Best Home Grown Plums, Apricots, and Nectarines in Southern California

Question from Jon: We had a gorgeous old plum tree in our back yard.  It had produced really great juicy plums for 1 season, but unfortunately the tree was very old and was not well cared for by the previous owner, so we had to remove it a few months...

Restore Health to Old Macadamia Tree

Question from Bruce: Just bought a property near Grafton It has a well established macadamia About 20 feet high,loads of fruit The tree is looking a bit pale and i would like to take the top out and give it afeed. Iran a citrus orchard for 5 years,could...

Evergreen Tree for a Planter

Question from Ivana: We have a large planter 6ftx6ft in the back of our building and would love to find a good evergreen accent tree. The planter is just next to parking spaces and the building so we need a tree that would not be messy and/or bear fruit...

Evergreen Trees for Median

Question from Lena: We live in Harbor City, CA.  The majority of the trees planted on the median are I think some form of a pepper tree.  The roots are invasive to plumbing not to mention the sidewalks. Where occasionally LA city comes around as slaps...

Morus Alba Winter Pruning

Question from Ron: This is our first year in new home with spendid landscaping near Lake Murray in La Mesa. Large morus alba has been pollarded over the years annually by previous owners. How close to “knuckles” should I cut the old growth...

Fruit Tree Nutrients

Question from Tom: I have planted many varieties of citrus and stone fruits in my yard within the last year. They are all low chill selections and should do well in the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego where I live. I am comfortable with pruning and...

How to Heal Deer Scrapes on Fruit Trees

Question from Chuck: I have a 5 year old peach tree that suffered a deer scrape to the trunk, not the branches. The trunk is about 4 inchs in diameter and the antlers scraped deep into both sides of the trunk below where it starts to branch out. This...

Chipped Eucalyptus Wood and Leaves from Tree Trimmers

Contrary to public opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the contents of tree-trimmers chippers as mulch, even if the source is eucalyptus. All wood eventually rots and becomes part of the soil. Eucalyptus chippings make an excellent and...

Growing Kiwi’s in La Mesa

Question from Jon: I hope you are recovering well from your surgery and feeling better.  My mother (who is 90) has also had several joints replaced as well as heart valve.  Hopefully the technology will continue to improve by the time I need something...