Category

Question

Trees

When do I spray for pine tip moth? 

How do I care for my trees when:
-          They are not doing well?
-          They have yellowing needle tips or leaves.
-          They are sick or dying?

How do I get rid of these insects on my trees?
      Aphids?  
     
      Caterpillar webs? 
     
      Tree borers?

What is causing these problems with my trees?
-        Holes?
-         
 Needle tips are browning?
-         
 Oozing sap?
- White sap on pine trees?  

May be borers of some kind.

Old needles or drought
 What kind of tree?
Borers

What trees are:
-          Best for shade?
-          Grown well here
-          Hardy, disease-free
-          Rapid growing ?

 Not recommended because will also die rapidly.

I have some general questions:
-          How large will a tree get? 
-          What are the growth habits of trees?
-          What products can be used to prevent cut trees from re-growing?
-          How do I get rid of volunteer roots after tree removal? 

That depends on the tree species.
Various.

Roundup
Dig them out or leave them to rot away.

My tree is sick.  What do I do to treat this disease?
-          Anthracnose
-          Dutch elm disease
-          Galls on ash tree? -         
 Mimosa tree scale?
-          Mistletoe in tree?
-          Pine needle scale?
-          Powdery residue on trees?
-          Slime flux?

Fungicide
Remove tree. no cure
Nothing, they are only unsightly

Prune out if possible
Spray
Mildew?
Prevention only by careful pruning.

IPM

How do I get rid of these insects and pests?
-          Ants - Aphids  - Bagworms  - Bark beetles  - Borers  - Bud worms  
-          Cockroaches  - Elm beetles  - Fruit tree borers  - Grasshoppers  - Grubs 
-          Hornets  - Leaf cutter bees  - Mites  - Rolly pollies  - Slugs  - Snails 
-          Spider mites  - Tent caterpillars  - Thrips  - Webworms 

How do I control these animals?
-          Bats  - Birds  - Cats  - Dogs  - Gophers  - Lizards  - Mice  - Moles
-          Rabbits  - Snakes  - Squirrels 

Can you tell me what these bugs or insects are? Am I identifying them correctly?
-          Black and white beetle with antenna
-          Grasshoppers
-          Insect with fuzzy band of black down top with yellow stripes on both sides
-          Killer bees
-          Pillbugs
-          Six legged small bugs
-          Termites
-          Tiny black ants
-          Tiny black bugs that fly
-          Tiny bugs in flowers
-          Wasp body, black wings
-          Weevils
-          Worms
-          ½” long bug, 4 legs, 2 feelers, brown with wings on pepper plants 

Can you tell me how to apply herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides?
-          What should be sprayed?
-          What products should be used?
-          Use of pre-emergent herbicides?
-          How is dormant spray applied?
-          How are lime sulphur sprays applied?
-          When should my plants be sprayed?
-          Apply fungicide with wetting agent – should this be oil or soap? 

Will use of these products hurt people, pets, other animals, or the environment?
-          Is it ok to eat garden vegetables after spraying?
-          Will snail bait kill lizards?
-          When is it safe to let pets out?
-          Will birds eat WeednFeed?
-          Will diatomaceous earth hurt plants?
-          Will B.T. hurt bees?
-          Can all-purpose spray be used on anything?
-          Should I dispose of plants and dirt where diazinon mixed in whiskey barrel?
-          Toxicity of chemicals used on lawn
-          Use of insecticides around turtles 

IPM

How do we get rid of these weeds?
-          Bermuda grass in vegetable garden
-          Bindweed
-          Dandelions
-          Tumbleweeds
-          Weeds all over yard  

I have some general IPM questions:
-          Where can I get products?
-          What is BT?
-          Active ingredient in herbicide for spurge and crabgrass?
-          Are tomato leaves poisonous?
-          What do ladybug eggs look like?
-          Where can caller get turtles for snail control? 

How do I control or eliminate these diseases on my plants?
-          Black spots on roses
-          Fungus
-          Powdery mildew
-          Rust
-          Scale 

The last item (scale) is caused by an insect and treatment can be found under that name.

Vegetable Gardening

How do I get rid of these pests in my garden?
-          Aphids
-          Black ants
-          Big green worms on tomato plants
-          Grasshoppers
-          Mexican bean beetles
-          Snails  Snails and Slugs Management Guidelines--UC IPM
Raising Snails, SRB 96-05
-          Small bugs that roll up like armadillos
-          Spider mites on tomatoes
-          Squash bugs
-          Tomato hornworms
-          White flies
-          Worms on corn 

Can you tell me what to do for the following problems with my vegetables? 
-          Blossom end rot?
-          Brown spots, holes in leaves, surrounded by yellow
-          Curling leaves
-          Curly top virus
-          Dying plants
-          Granular white, substance on leaves
-          Leaves wilting
-          Plants turned yellow
-          Tomato fungus
-          White spots on leaves 

Uneven water availability

How do I take care of my vegetables when
:-          Carrots are not growing
-          Ears of corn poorly filled out? .
-          Growing watermelons
-          Plants losing their fruits
-          Plants not growing
-          Plants not pollinating – not producing flowers or setting fruit (cantaloupe,  pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, zucchini)
-          Tomatoes not doing well
-          Using a wall of water
-          Wind on small vegetables 

Poor pollination, grow in blocks not single rows

When can I plant these vegetables?
-          Beans  - Beets  - Corn  - Eggplant  - Garlic  - Lettuce  - Onions  - Peas
-          Peppers  - Potatoes  - Rhubarb  - Spinach  - Tomatoes  - Tomatoes in North Valley  - Plant vegetable seeds indoors and outdoors  -           

I have some general questions about vegetable gardening:
-          What vegetables are good for companion planting?
-          Where can I get general information on canning and gardening in NM?
-          Will onions harm newly planted vines?
-          Can I eat parsley root?
-          Can I preserve decorator gourds for future?
-          How do I ripen green tomatoes? 
-          Are pinto beans susceptible to bugs?
-          Can I use treated wood in raised garden bed?
-          Which vegetables are hard to cross?
-          How do I dry and store onions?
-          Are sweet peas and pods edible?
-          Where can I find super sweet corn SH2-1? 

Click here: Companion Planting

NMSU web site or call local Extension Office
 

Yes
 Dry thoroughly then shellac.
 

Wrap in paper and store at room temp until they turn color. Check frequently.

Yes

No

When can I pick these vegetables?
-          Artichokes  - Brussels sprouts  - Corn  - Garlic  - Gourds  - Melons
-          Potatoes (dig)  - Pumpkins  - Sweet potatoes  - Watermelons 

How do you plant these vegetables?
-          Garlic  - Tomatoes  - Vegetable garden

Pruning

When do I prune my shrub and climbing roses? 

When do I prune these shrubs?
-          Althea or alcea rosea (hollyhock)

-          Arborvitae (evergreen shrub or tree)
-          Blue mist (deciduous shrub)
-          Butterfly bush
-          Chamisa (rabbitbrush)
-          Crape or crepe myrtle (deciduous shrub or tree)
-          Evergreens
-          Forsythia
-          Holly (evergreen shrub or tree)
-          Lilacs
-          Photinia
-          Privet
-          Rosemary (evergreen shrub)
-          Sage (annual, perennial, or shrubs)
-          Salvia (annuals, perennials, or shrubs)
-          Snowball bush
-          Spanish broom (deciduous shrub) 

After plants have finished blooming, remove stalks entirely at ground level.
 

When do I prune my fruit trees and my deciduous and evergreen trees?
-          Apricot tree
-          Blue spruce
-          Desert Willow
-          Hawthorn (deciduous tree)
-          Mulberry tree
-          Peach trees
-          Pinon pines
-          Quince trees
-          Trees (in general) 

When do I prune these vines?
-          Honeysuckle
-          Ivy – English & Boston
-          Wisteria

When do I prune these plants?
-          Autumn Sage
-          Everbearing raspberries
-          Grapes
-          Irises
-          Pampas grass (evergreen, giant ornamental grass)
-          Peonies
-          Red-hot poker 

How do I prune my shrub and climbing roses? 

How do I prune these shrubs?
-          Abelia (evergreen shrub)
-          Butterfly bush
-          Chamisa (rabbit brush)
-          Crepe or crape myrtle (deciduous shrub or tree)
-          Hibiscus (annual, perennial, deciduous shrubs, or evergreen shrubs)
-          Lavendar (evergreen shrubs or sub shrubs)
-          Lilac
-          Mahonia (Oregon grape) (evergreen shrub)
-          Pomegranate (deciduous tree or shrub)
-          Russian sage (woody perennial shrub)
-          Spanish broom (deciduous shrub)  

How do I prune these deciduous and evergreen trees?
-          Afghan pine tree
-          Blue spruce
-          Cottonwood tree
-          Honey locust 
-          Mulberry
-          Pinon pine
-          Ponderosa pine
-          Poplars
-          Vitex (Chaste tree) 

How do I prune my fruit trees?
-          Apple trees
-          Apricot trees
-          Peach trees
-          Pear trees
-          Plum trees 

Should I and how do I deadhead these flowers?
-          African daisies
-          Chrysanthemums
-          Daffodils
-          Daisies
-          Dianthus
-          Irises
-          Miniature roses
-          Pansies
-          Penstemons
-          Petunias
-          Tulips
-          Verbena
-          Yarrow 

How do I prune small fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, and grapes? 

How do I prune these plants?
-          Bonsai
-          Dusty miller (woody perennial)
-          Honeysuckle vine
-          Sedum bush (succulent perennial or sub shrub) 

Turf

Lawn care questions:
-          How and when to aerate lawn
-          Care of bluegrass lawn
-          Mowing schedules
-          Mowing heights
-          Mushrooms in lawn
-          Planting new grass
-          Preparing lawn for winter
-          Seeding and re-seeding
-          Thatching
-          Using mulching mower 

I have a problem with my lawn.  What do I do?
-          Broadleaf weeds in lawn
-          Brown patches in lawn
-          Clumps of crab grass
-          How to kill Bermuda grass?
-          Little holes in lawn
-          Lawn diseases – large 3 to 5 ft. circles
-          Lawn fungus
-          Newly seeded lawn only coming up in patches
-          Polka dot, round spots of green
-          Powdery mildew
-          Removing K31 clump of grass
-          Rust – brown spots
-          Sinking lawn
-          Toadstool and fungal disease
-          White tips on grass
-          White, goopy stuff shaped like mushroom on rye grass
-          Yellow circles
-          Yellowing grass (buffalo and bluegrass)
-          Yellow spots 

When do I fertilize?
-          Bluegrass
-          Bermuda grass
-          Fescue 

I have these general questions:
-          Is Zoysia grass drought tolerant?
-          How deep do grass roots grow?
-          How long for grass seed to germinate?
-          What type of grass to plant under shade trees

Propagation

When and how do I transplant the following plants?
- Apache plume -Boxwood -Bulbs -Butterfly bush
- Cactus -Cannas -Chamisa -Crape myrtle
- Daffodils -Desert Willow -Elephant ears -Grapes
- Grape hyacinth -Groundcover -Hollyhocks -Iris
- Lavendar -Lemon grass -Lilies -Nandina
- Palm trees -Perennials -Photinia -Poinsettia
- Rosemary -Roses -Russian sage -Spanish broom
- Spirea -Sunflowers -Tarragon -Tulips
- Vines -Wisteria -Yarrow

When and how do I divide the following plants?
-          Agapanthus (Lily-of-the-Nile)
-          Carnation
-          Cereus (night-blooming)
-          Chrysanthemums
-          Iris
-          German statice
-          Gladiolas
-          Lamb’s ear
-          Purple sage
-          Tulips 

How do I take plant cuttings of the following plants?
- Butterfly bush - Desert willow - Forsythia - Fruitless mulberry
- Geraniums - Grape vines - Hearts & flowers - Hibiscus
- Honeysuckle - NM olive - Roses - Russian sage
- Spanish broom - Sycamore tree - Wisteria vine  

Perennials

How do I take care of my roses?
-          Roses not budding, blooming out
-          New growth on roses shriveling
-          Rose leaves turning yellow, curling up, and brown
-          Roses not doing well or dying
-          Rose leaves have brown tips
-          3 yr. old rose bush has bloomed only once
-          Bare root rose is not leafing out
-          Rose care for winter
-          General care, feeding, mulching, watering, and pruning of roses 

How do I take care of my geraniums?
-          Not flowering           
-     Transplanted geraniums are dropping buds
-          How close to plant
-          Do they have to have a rest period? Bloomed all winter in greenhouse.
-          Yellow leaves
-          Long and scraggly (4 in one pot, 30” tall)
-          Preparing geraniums for winter 

How do I care for this problem on my roses?
-          Black spots on green leaves
-          Leaves turning yellow to brown but plant is well watered
-          Mosaic virus
-          Powdery mildew           

How do I control these insects/pests on my roses?
-          Aphids
-          Borers
-          Thrips; drooping buds and non-opening buds 

Shrubs

How do I take care of these shrubs?
-          Bowles mauve     - Crepe myrtle        - Hydrangeas
-          Pyracantha          - Rose of Sharon    - Spanish broom      - Yew  

What can I do when my shrubs have these problems?
-          Abelia not doing well
-          Arborvitae – inside is dead
-          Boxwoods – brown bottoms; watered a lot daily
-          Butterfly bush – buds are withering
-          Butterfly bush is dying
-          Creosote plant – is baby plant dead or alive?
-          Crepe myrtle – tips of leaves are brown
-          Crepe myrtle – turning yellow
-          Datura lilies – lip folds under; is this ok?
-          Euonymus – turning yellow
-          Evergreen – browning tips
-          Forsythia – 20 yrs. old; doesn’t bloom
-          Gardenia – yellow leaves
-          Hibiscus – yellow leaves
-          Honeysuckle – two areas declining/dying
-          Juniper – turning yellow, starting on tips
-          Lilac – few leaves; not growing well
-          Lilac – branch with yellow, dying leaves
-          Mexican heather not doing well; planted one gallon size in pot
-          Mexican heather – will it winter over?
-          Oregon grape (mahonia) – leaves turning brown
-          Photinia – 10 yr. old shrub pruned but never filled back in well
-          Photinia – leave edges are brown
-          Photinia – yellow leaves
-          Poinsettia – get it to bloom for Christmas?
-          Privet – dead leaves and rest of leaves are yellow
-          Privet – grew only 3-4” this year; yellow leaves
-          Silverberry – yellow leaves 

What can I do to get rid of these diseases on my shrubs?
-          Boxwood sample – root rot (no cure)
-          Boxwood – scale
-          Euonymus – scale
-          Gardenia - white, powdery stuff
-          Lilac – powdery mildew
-          Pyracantha – fire blight  

Soils

Questions on composting and composting problems:
-          Compost cool & dry; what to do?
-          Composting grass clippings but nothing else
-          Dig holes in ground?
-          Flies on compost
-          How often to water?
-          How to start?
-          How to heat up pile?
-          Pillbugs in pile
-          Start compost pile in sun or shade?
-          Where can I get composting publications?
-          Where to buy “red wriggler worms”? 

Can I put the following items in my compost?
-          Bermuda grass
-          Cottonwood leaves
-          Credit card statements with colored ink
-          Garden waste
-          Hard cooked eggs
-          Manure
-          Onions
-          Old pears and apples
-          Pampas grass
-          Tumbleweeds
-          Weed seeds

How do I prepare and/or amend my soil?
-          For flower garden
-          For garden
-          For grass pasture
-          For yard
-          Hard ground
-          Improve clay soil
-          Iron in ground
-          Prior to laying sod
-          Sandy soil
-          Tilling or spading 

Should I add the following to improve my soil?
-          Bone meal? No, Use super phosphate instead
-          Compost? Yes. As often as possible.
-          Lime? No. Our soils are already too alkaline.
-          Manure ? Yes, when available
-          Peat moss? No, use compost instead because of expense.
-          Sawdust? Possibly

I have some questions about soil testing.
-          How do you get soil tested?
-          How long does it take?
-          State agency for soil testing? Extension Service at NMSU
-          Take a soil sample?
-          What is tested? N P K, pH, Organic Matter and Salinity
-          Where to send soil samples? NMSU via Extension Office         

What type of mulch should I use?
-          Bark
-          Black plastic and gravel
-          Newspaper
-          Pecan shell mulch
-          Weed blocker fabric 

Fruit Trees

How do I treat fruit trees for borers? Paradichlorobenzene if available
-          Apricot tree        -    Cherry tree   -    Peach tree-          Pear tree            -    Plum tree 

How do I treat or control these insects and pests on my fruit trees?
-          Aphids
-          Cherry fruit fly
-          Coddling moths
-          Webs on limb of crabapple tree
-          Worms in apple trees 

How do I care for my fruit trees?
-          Apples falling off tree
-          Apple tree – slimy stuff running down tree
-          Apple & cherry trees – outside branches alive but inside branches are dead
-          Apple trees planted last fall are white, hard & smooth, and small.
-          Apple tree is not doing well
-          Apricot tree leaves are curled and dropping off.
-          Cherry tree fruit never ripened
-          Cherry tree is splitting
-          Cherry tree is not doing well
-          Fruit trees oozing sap
-          Nectarine tree - reason for rotted fruit
-          Peach tree has yellow leaves
-          Peach tree and plum tree - bark shredding one on south side and other on north side
-          Peach tree leaves are torn, brown
-          Peach tree – less leaves, no fruit
-          Pear tree branch with abnormal growth
-          Plum - unfertilized and has never leafed out
-          Plum tree bark peeling
-          Purple plum leaves are not purple 

How do I treat my fruit trees for these diseases?
-          Fireblight
-          Powdery mildew
-          Scale 

When do I pick fruit on my fruit trees and how do I tell when my fruit is ripe? 

Home Visits

I would like a home visit because:
-          Lawn problems
-          Tree care
-          Tree problems 

Fertilizing

What fertilizers should I use and how should I apply them to the following?
-          Ash trees-          Chitalpa-          Crabapples-          Flowers-          Lawns-          Locust tree-          Peonies-          Plum tree-          Raintree-          Roses-          Shrubs-          General info on trees, flowers, shrubs 

When do I fertilize my roses? 

Container Grown Plants

How do I take care of my plants?
-          Houseplants with yellow leaves (e.g. ficus, miniature roses, etc.)  -          What container plants can winter on a patio?-          Why did African violet on top of TV die?-          What to do with plants brought inside from patio?-          Palm fronds falling down-          Plants dying – why?-          Plants not doing well – why? 

How do I control or get rid of these insects and pests on my plants?-          Cottony masses on leaf nodes and branches-          Fungus gnats-          Mealybugs-          Webby insect sucking houseplants; leaves falling off-          White flies-          Something is eating my plant 

Lucky Bamboo, botanical name Dracaena.  It is tough and resilient, does not require much light and can grow in the places like bathrooms where sun light is not available.  It is easy to take care of as only water is needed and is almost care free, all you have to do is to put it in clean water in an indoor environment.

Bulbs, Corms, Rhizomes, & Tubers

How do I take care of my plants?-          How treat amaryllis after it blooms?-          Brodiaea won’t bloom – in wet & shade-          Calla lilies – lovely leaves but no flowers-          Cannas – need to be dug up or can be left in ground over winter-          Daffodils – some growing and not blooming-          What do I do with daffodil leaves?-          Dahlias – leggy-          Daylilies not blooming-          Gladiolas – what to do with them?-          Irises failed to bloom-          Iris rhizomes-          When can I dig out my tulips?-          Lilies are turning yellow; watered over winter, no insects; no fertilizer-          Can you keep paper whites?-          Spider lilies are not blooming 

 When can I plant the following?-

          Daffodils-          Tulips 

Plant Identification

Can you help me identify these plants and/or trees?-          Is it an evergreen juniper or arborvitae?-          Tree with heart shaped leaf, fuzzy top & bottom, about 20 ft. tall-          Spring-flowering shrub-          Name of sedum that’s red with flowers-          How to identify pines?-          Volunteer tree -          What color is Queen Elizabeth rose?-          Trying to identify bulb, white flowers (6 petals), spotted pink petals, single stalk.-          Trying to identify a mushroom.-          Plant with long leaves, fine points along leaf, purple & white flowers.-          Flowering pink, white tree-          Shrub with flowers that look like feather duster-          What are good smelling plants with yellow flowers?-          How about a tall spike of red-orange flowers?-          What are flowering dark pink purple trees off Lomas? 

Vines

How do I take care of these vines?-          Bougainvillea -          English & Boston ivy together on a wall-          Ivy:  All leaves yellowing on English ivy.  Ok to plant Boston ivy?  Can I grow?-          Trumpet vines-          Wisteria:  How do I treat holes?  Leaves are yellowing.  Why won’t buds open; they are not blooming.   

Watering

When should I water?-          When do I water on a drip system?-          Water in morning or afternoon on drip system?-          Do I need to water this winter?-          How much do you water trees in September and October?-          When should I water my lawn? 

How should I water?  What is the best method?-          How to use drip irrigation-          Watering trees in lawn-          Water roses with sprinklers or drippers? 

Small Fruits

General plant care questions for small fruits:-          Blackberries are hard and dry while plants look great-          Grapes are drying up before they get ripe on a 4 year old grape vine-          Grapes have brown spots with leaves curling at the ends-          Raspberries are not bearing fruit-          Raspberries are sour and not doing well-          Strawberry plants growing profusely but stopped producing in 3^rd year-          Strawberries planted last year are dying; waters [ Home ]are putting out many shoots; can I cut the shoots and put in a rooting mixture?-           

How do you prune?-          Grapes-          Raspberries 

Special Items

General landscaping questions:-          Wants quick fix for backyard to add color-          Wants ideas for putting in lawn, tree, veggies-          What shade plants can I use-          Can we help with re-landscaping a yard-          Wants suggestions on how to restore a well-established garden

How do I prepare hummingbird food? 

When is last freeze date? 

Cactus & Succulents

General questions on plant care, planting schedules and methods, and disease problems on yucca and others such as the ice plant. 

Xeriscaping

General questions on what xeric plants to plant, how to care for them, water them, and prune them. 

Herbs

General questions on planting methods, planting schedules, plant care, disease and insect/pest control, harvesting schedules, and pruning. 

Annuals

General questions on planting methods, planting schedules, plant care, disease and insect/pest control.-          Cosmos          -  Four o-clocks    -  Marigolds     -  Money plant  - Portulaca -          Snapdragons  -  Sunflowers        -  Zinnias

Biennials

General questions on planting methods, planting schedules, plant care, diseases and insect/pest control, and blooming schedules:-  Canterbury bells    -  Hollyhocks    -  Rudbeckia    -  Sweet Williams   -  Valerian