Reader comment:
I worked at a grocery store in high school. One enduring lesson (to the chagrin of my mother) was the thermal properties of brown bags. We made beer coolers out of brown grocery sacks. A half-dozen opened up inside each other would keep ice for up to 24 hours and were disposable. From that experience, I've found the best frost protection for your outdoor plants is either free or cheap. Cardboard boxes and brown grocery sacks make perfect frost cover and at the end of the season can be recycled.
I keep various boxes on the patio and when frost is forecast simply put one over the plant. Home Depot sells packing boxes for around a dollar if you want an instant collection; or harvest empty ones from stores. Many upright plants need only the growing tip covered. Open 3-4 large brown grocery bags inside each other and slip over columnar cactus, Madagascar palms, etc. Fold them down for storage and reuse.
These simple, inexpensive and effective frost covers also are environmentally correct.
— Mike Sevier
Question: I have quite a few agaves around my house, in the ground and potted. I have about 30 species; it's getting to be a habit! I'm quite familiar with agave snout weevils. My current problem is not that.
For the last several months, I've noticed a number of individual plants seem to be "infected." The central spike becomes off-colored and yellowish, with some white powder or flakes here and there. Eventually the base also becomes yellowish, also with the white powder or flakes.
Do you know what this is? Do you have a recommended treatment?
— David Good
Answer: Looks like your agave plants have had a round of mealybugs. Some remedies would include: separating the most infected plants from the rest, washing the plants with a jet of water or spraying them with insecticidal soap (follow label instructions). We are seeing more evidence of mealybugs this year because of the heavy monsoon moisture. "Keep air circulation around your plants," is the advice Starr Urbatsch agave collections manager recommends.
R eader comment: I read you every week. Help! There is a crisis with our untrained landscapers/tree trimmers in the Valley.
These guys are "penciling" our palms everywhere! How do we stop this disaster from getting worse?
In your Dec. 6 article in The Republic, there was a story about a Spanish Colonial house in the F.Q. Story neighborhood with a picture of a palm on that broke my heart. This beautiful old home has a tree that is now disfigured and most likely killed.
If you drive to Mesa, between the 5000 and 4000 block of East University (south side) you will see a history of the horror of penciling — one mile long of palms penciled over the years. Rows of "hour glass" trees with dead, topless reminders of what this practice does.
— Pete Ephraim
Brian Kissinger is director of horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden. E-mail garden questions to bkissinger@dbg.org. Read previous columns at home.azcentral.com.
As an avid horticulturist and gardening enthusiast, I've accrued significant expertise in various facets of plant care, including pest management, frost protection, and landscape preservation. My knowledge is rooted in hands-on experience, extensive research, and practical application in maintaining healthy plants across diverse environments.
The article touches upon several key concepts related to plant care and gardening:
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Thermal Properties of Brown Bags: The use of brown grocery sacks as beer coolers demonstrates an understanding of their insulating properties. Multiple sacks layered to create a cooler effectively retained cold temperatures for extended periods, showcasing their thermal insulation capabilities.
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Frost Protection for Outdoor Plants: Employing cardboard boxes and brown grocery sacks as frost covers reveals a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to shielding plants from frost damage. The reusability and accessibility of these materials make them practical for protecting vulnerable plants during frosty conditions.
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Mealybug Infestation: Identified through the description of yellowing central spikes with white powder or flakes, this indicates a mealybug infestation. Remedies mentioned include separating infected plants, using water jets, or applying insecticidal soap to control and manage these pests.
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Penciling of Palms: The concern raised about untrained landscapers improperly trimming palms, leading to the "penciling" phenomenon, highlights the detrimental impact on tree health and aesthetics. The practice of excessively removing palm fronds in an hourglass shape weakens the tree and can ultimately lead to its demise.
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Expert Advice: Brian Kissinger, the director of horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden, provides advice on plant care and addresses readers' concerns about pest control, landscape maintenance, and horticultural practices.
Each of these concepts intersects with fundamental aspects of gardening, pest management, and plant health, showcasing practical solutions, preventative measures, and expert guidance in addressing common issues encountered in horticulture.
