Desert Horticulture Bob Morris

Testing of home landscapes can be expensive. Sampling and testing of desert soils doesn't have to be done every year. Usually every three to five years is enough. Learn how to establish a baseline desert soil test of your landscape and how often testing should be done. All this and more in this episode of Desert Horticulture.Support the Show.

Desert horticulture is a unique form of horticulture that must be tweaked for desert soils, increased sunlight intensity, increased temperatures, low humidity and other factors. It's frustrating when solid local horticultural advice been given and people check its accuracy on a general horticulture Internet sites, not knowing whether this advice is good or bad. When seeking advice stay close to home and from a reliable source. Sometimes advice is based on marketing....

Desert soils can be very low in organics. This is why amendments are added to landscapes. Amendments will benefit the soil structure or soil chemistry or both! Learn what it means to amend the soil and differences in soil amendments and what they can and can't do. Learn how composts differ in how rich in nutrients and why, how they are made and which to use and when. All in this episode of Desert Horticulture. Support the Show.

Iron, manganese and zinc is in short supply in desert soils. Particularly iron. Learn how applications of iron should differ, from soil to liquid leaf (foliar) applications, depending on the time of year. Not only that but its effectiveness varies depending on the type of product used, how it is applied and when it is applied. Learn this and more in this episode of Desert Horticulture.Support the Show.

Fire blight disease is one of the most virulent and aggressive diseases that fruit trees and landscape plants can get. This past year we've had an outbreak of this disease. Some fruit trees and landscape plants are more susceptible to it than others. In particular Asian pears, Quince and some European pears as well is apples can get it. Walk your landscape and Orchard in the spring months when new growth occurs. If you've had fireblight in the past walked your landscape frequen...

Summer pruning is a confusing management practice. It starts around late spring or very early summer and may continue all summer long. Its purpose is twofold: keep the tree smaller and reduce the winter pruning workload. Summer pruning focuses on removal of new growth only from existing productive trees. Summer pruning allows the tree to invest new growth where it senses light and a "hole" in the canopy needs to be "plugged". When fruit trees are meant to stay small, summe...