Pruning is one of the most misunderstood aspects of palm culture. Correctly pruning any plant or tree can benefit the growth and health of the plant. Maintained correctly, palms are low maintenance trees. For some reason, people believe they can…
It might come as a surprise to some, but trees in the southwestern desert are not going to live forever. Sure, there are some desert ironwoods, Olneya tesota, along washes which have enjoyed the past few hundred years, but as…
It is without a doubt the summer in the Southwest! For some, that is a great time; for those fine flora that inhabit the great southwestern parts of the USA, it can be horrible. If you happen to be one…
By David Cristiani The use of accent plants, the Southwest green industry’s term for larger cactus and succulent plants, continues to increase beyond low desert communities. Some of that is more about following a trend, but some of that responds…
By Helen M. Stone There are almost as many different types of fertilizers as there are plants. Whole books have been written on soil fertility and fertilizer selection; this publication has covered the topic extensively in the past years.…
by Dr. Jacqueline A. Soule If you grew up in Arizona in the 1960s you learned that the state is renowned for “The Five C’s:” Climate, Cattle, Copper, Citrus, and Cotton. Since then, several million people have moved into the…
By Dr. John Ball Every day incidents occur in the tree care industry. Tree workers tend to call them accidents rather than incidents, but the medical field is getting away from this description. Accidents seem to imply that it just…
By Pete Duncombe Spring is an exciting time in the Gardens as the doldrums of winter are replaced by the emerging leaves and flowers in increasing abundance as the season progresses. One of the most striking signs of spring are…
By Jim Downer, Ph.D By now everyone has heard the hue and cry of drought and the peril we Californians all face from prolonged snow pack depletion and lack of rain. Those who study climate change suggest that some places…
A back road trip through the Mojave Desert can be very time consuming, and I often remind myself that the purpose of the trip includes the journey as well as the destination. So many interesting things to catch my eye!…
