Late winter freezes can wreak havoc on fruit trees

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This time of the year we need to be on the alert for unseasonable late cold weather during the bloom times of fruit trees. When the flower is open, even barely freezing temperatures can kill the reproductive parts of the flower and subsequently prevent any fruit from forming from that blossom.

A fruit tree produces many more flowers than it needs to have a full crop and flowers do not all open at once, but even unopened flowers are tender to temperatures even a few degrees below freezing. The lowest parts of the valley usually have the coldest temperatures for the longest times into the spring.

Mid-February is the usual time when weeds such as crabgrass and spurge germinate. These annual weeds can be controlled in large areas with pre-emergent weed killers. But mulch and thick lawns are usually enough to keep them choked out. They are easy to hand pull or hoe out if you get them early.

If you didn't get your application of iron on the soil, where plants have needed them in the past, then don't waste any more time and get that application on now. Iron fertilizers like KeRex and others that carry iron 138 are the most effective in soil applications.

Fescue lawns will respond to applications of fertilizer now and green up even more. Use light applications unless it is a Weed and Feed product with built in weed killers. Mow close to 3 inches tall and aerate from now over the next couple of months. Water infrequently to help roots go deeper.

The dairy compost from Amargosa that I have talked about in the past is available again from Star Nurseries locations that have bulk loading facilities. There were some production problems with the composted manure late last year, but these should have been corrected. This is not available in bags, so you have to bring your own way of hauling.

When you buy composted manure, there should be no smell of ammonia, it should have a dark, brown or black color and smell rich or earthy and free of debris. If it fails in any of these, don't buy it.

For two years now, we have used this composted manure on fruit trees and tomatoes here in the valley. I would recommend about two 5-gallon buckets per mature fruit tree and applied in the irrigation basin of the tree. If it is on drip, then rake it into the mulch near the drip emitter and into the soil as much as possible. Water it in with a hose.

On vegetables and flower beds, I would recommend mixing it in with your existing soil about 50/50 before planting. For yellowing plants, I would incorporate it into the soil in holes dug to a depth of about 1 foot and mixed with existing soils. This should be within 2 feet of established plants and near the source of the irrigation water. In new plantings, mix it in the backfill about 50/50 and water it in.

If you are having problems with this manure or can't find it or it doesn't meet your level of quality, let me know since I do have this available at the Master Gardeners Orchard.

Question: I just bought several Queen Palms for my backyard. I would like information on how I can keep them green. I noted some Queen palms in the neighborhood that are browning.

If you could suggest a book or a name of a fertilizer, I would really appreciate it. If you could tell me at what time of the year to apply fertilizer, that would be helpful also.

Answer: Queen Palms are tough to grow here and have them looking like they look in San Diego. They are a bit more fragile than the tougher fan and date palms. However, the best thing to do is try to put them in a location that is protected from winds as much as possible.

If they are in good health, they can handle the heat but not the wind. They cannot handle sub-freezing temperatures very well. The next thing I would do is use lots of organic material incorporated into the planting holes, probably about 50 percent. This will improve their general overall health and make them more tolerant to our severe desert climate.

Composted manures, guanos and kelps would be a good addition for general nutrients and availability of nutrients. Lastly, I would not put them in rock mulch if at all possible. I would use organic mulch, 4 or 5 inches deep, out a distance of several feet from the trunk.

Drip irrigation may not deliver enough water to them unless you can irrigate them long enough to deliver a large volume of water. I would have a minimum of four high-volume emitters. They will not tolerate long extended times without water and still look good. I would water them like you would water other non-desert trees and shrubs.

They are meant for high-water use areas in the landscape, not low-water use areas, and would be appropriate for what I call the oasis areas of the landscape, usually located near the house or outside living areas.

Q: What is the best way to remove purple fountain grass? I like it but have four groups of the grass in my front yard and would like to eliminate two of the plants.

I would like to transplant some Spanish bayonet that is growing in my courtyard. Is it possible to transplant Spanish bayonet, and when and how is the best way? The Spanish bayonet and fountain grass are about 2 to 3 years old.

A: The best way to remove purple fountain grass is to dig it up along with the soil around it to a distance of about 6 inches and to a depth of about 1 foot just so that you make sure you get it all. Most of the base of the plant, the part that is responsible for renewing it, should be within a few inches of the surface. This would be called the crown of the plant.

The Spanish bayonet should transplant easily. It could be done next fall, but now would be a good time. We moved a 3-year-old apple tree just last week.

Pre-dig the hole where it is to be planted and get your soil amendments ready and mixed into the backfill soil. The plant seems to like the soil amended better than the native soil.

Go as deep as you can around the plant when you dig it out by cutting a small trench, and move the plant with as much of a soil ball as possible. If the soil ball falls apart, get it into the hole and get the roots covered with soil quickly.

Use planting amendments and a transplant fertilizer high in phosphorus, immediately flood the planting hole to settle the soil around the roots or rootball. Water with a hose until established. Keep the soil moist but well drained during the spring. It should be established by about May or June.

Bob Morris is a horticulture specialist with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.