Horticulture Consultants Inc

07/02/2020

Consumer Hort has a great message. Hug a tree!

06/23/2020

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/504059-barcelona-opera-fills-empty-theater-with-plants-for-reopening

The Liceu Opera of Barcelona opened Monday for its first concert since March amid the coronavirus pandemic, with musicians playing for a packed audience of plants.

06/02/2020

Red Bird
Red birds or Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is a plant that conjures up thoughts of tropical paradise and tall glasses topped off with little umbrellas and exotic fruit. Our first inflorescence is a harbinger of summer. We know it will not cool off again for some time. Let’s enjoy the sunshine and the beauty of it all!

05/27/2020

I had occasion to travel up to Mt. Charleston to consult on some tree issues. On the way back I was able to stop and smell the "roses", well at least members of the rose family. Please enjoy the Antelope Bush or Cliff Rose (Purshia mexicana) in full bloom.

05/20/2020

Tree Torture
Just about everyday in my work I see tree torture going on. Overpruned trees, under fertilized palms, and the list goes on. Good for business I suppose. But what really galls me is to see tree staking systems that have been left in place too long. It is common knowledge that if a tree requires staking for more than 12 months then there is good likelihood that something is wrong. Poor root ball, inferior soil preparation, or both. Even if the tree requires staking for lengthy periods every contractor has a duty to check the staking system. The stakes should be checked for tension, position and to be sure, if the tree is holding up the stakes. Whenever I see a situation such as the one depicted, I usually try to “emancipate” the poor thing if possible. Often the damage is permanent but hopefully not terminal. Set those trees free!

05/19/2020

Gopher Plants
Right now I see a lot of gopher plants (Euphorbia rigida) that have finished blooming yet ignored by the landscape maintenance personnel. In the photos attached note that the plant forms a beautiful rosette from which arise individual stems. Each stem flowers in the spring producing a wonderful chartreuse inflorescence. After the fruit is set often the color changes to pinkish-red cast. This is the signal to trim off these old stems. If the stems are left untrimmed, they will produce copious amounts of seed that can be dispersed into the landscape. Gopher plants will germinate in any location that is moist, making them almost w**d like (it is in the spurge family). For this reason, they should be pruned immediately after the flowering has ceased. The trick is to prune off the entire stem at ground level. This must also be done without injuring the new shoots that are emerging within the rosette. Procrastinating will make the process all the more difficult as the newer shoots enlarge. Be advised that the sap of this plant is toxic, and it will cause dermatitis to exposed skin and serious injury to the eyes if you happen to touch the skin in close proximity. Take care in handling the stems as they are pruned. If some seeds do germinate simply remove them before they become established. Remember not to delay trimming.

05/18/2020

Hornworms
My tomato plants are looking pretty good right now; so good that the hornworms are starting to take notice. We try not to use too many pesticides around the house, but these pests are very difficult to control without some help. So, I ordered a fresh bottle of Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt as it is commonly called. This bacterium is highly selective and only kills members of the Lepidoptera order of insects. The caterpillar, the larval stage of this moth, is the instar that causes so much damage. Once applied, the Bt is ingested by the caterpillar as they munch and the bacterium affects the midgut of the insects causing it to stop feeding. Within 2 to 3 days the insect will die. The half-life of the pesticide is brief so it must be reapplied every week or so to provide continual protection. As with all pesticides care should be taken to ensure that the product is used according to label instructions. Happy Gardening!

05/16/2020

Prickly Pear Cactus
Our wonderful prickly pear cactus, a gardening gift from Landscape Architect Jennifer Margison, opened its first blossom today. As it was a gift, I don’t know the species of this beauty, but it has vigorous growth and spectacular orangish-red flowers. It very well could be a hybrid. We have had this cactus in a container for several years and it is a real showstopper when it blooms in May. So far, no issues with the cochineal scale. These sucking insects were a problem for our other Opuntia cactus. They appear as a mass of white goo which is the protective, waxy coating that protects the scale insects beneath. By the way, indigenous Americans showed early settlers that the scale insects when crushed produced a deep red color. Prior to this revelation, Europeans really did not have the ability to produce a vivid red dye (Red Coats anyone?). Last year we trimmed our cactus and placed a few pads in a container, edgewise of course and they rooted in no time. The newest addition is slightly behind Momma, but it will also bloom in its first year. Enjoy the day, as its gonna get hot.

05/15/2020

Soaptree Yucca
Another late spring bloomer is the soaptree yucca (Yucca elata). This species is arborescent meaning that it becomes “treelike” as it matures. In fact, the specific epithet translates from Latin as “tall” and it can attain an eventual height of 20 feet. The narrow but long leaves have a silvery cast largely due to their white filamentous margins. Flower spikes are quite spectacular, often reaching 15 feet in length. The masses of white, waxy flowers are produced in abundance creating a candelabra effect. Don’t be surprised if you notice tons of aphids on the blossoms often accompanied by ants that tender them for the “honeydew” produced. These pests can be hosed off if desired, or if you are an armchair gardener like me you can allow them to remain in place as a food source for hummingbirds rearing their young. Soaptree yucca is a native of the Chihuahuan desert and as with nearly every plant from that area they adapt easily to other regions including the Mojave. It is the official state flower of New Mexico. Hardy to -10°F they are hardy in both cold and heat. They only require well-drained soil and ample space to grow. Oh, by the way, the common name is derived from the presence of saponin found in the stems and roots that produce a foamy soap once used by indigenous people of the Southwest.

05/14/2020

Yellow Bells
You know summer is near when the yellow bells (Tecoma stans v. stans ‘Gold Star’) fully emerges from dormancy. This prolific flowering member of the Bignonia family bears large clusters of golden yellow flowers all summer long. The plant does not set fruit until very late in the season which reduces the litter somewhat and allows for continuous blooming. There will be litter though as the spent flowers tend to pile up after a while. The blossoms attract bumblebees which are too large to enter the corolla, so they simply pierce the flower near the o***y and take up the nectar from the outside. It is fun to watch them frolic about the shrub. Tecoma loves full sun and hot sites, but be sure to provide ample irrigation. Come fall they will begin to produce long seed pods and flowering will be reduced. Frost will turn the foliage brown and you may wish to cut the plant back severely at this point. By the way, Tecoma stans is the official flower of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Enjoy summer with your own Gold Star!

05/13/2020

Too Much Wind
Yes, we know it is windy in the desert, but enough is enough. We have had incessant winds over the last few days. This creates a drying effect on turf and herbaceous plants. The often-unseen damage is on the newly formed leaves. As leaves emerge from their budlike form, they are very tender and easily damaged by the wind. There is not much that you can do to protect young shoots especially in large trees. However, be mindful of those windy days when you later discover damaged leaves with ragged edges and torn centers. Do not let unscrupulous gardeners try to convince you that you have a pest issue and sell you a “treatment” that you do not need. If the damage is severe, simply cut back the branch or branch tip removing the damaged tissue. If there is nominal damage, then allow the branch to remain in place. Your tree will continue to produce new leaves that will become more acclimated to the weather conditions. Hopefully, the winds will subside soon, but we all know what comes next. Bring on the heat!

07/19/2010