May Gardening In The Low Desert

Fertilize citrus this month, see the May 1998 article on gardening in the low desert. Also check out that article for watering and iron deficiency problems with other plants, and for powdery mildew on roses.

You may have to cope with the grape skeletonizer, a caterpillar which virtually strips the leaves bare, by spraying with Bacillus thuringiensis (Dipel)-- paying careful attention to the undersides of the leaves. Check for new damage in 10 days and respray if necessary. If you don't want to spray, shake the branches early in the morning when it's cool, the caterpillars will fall to the ground. It may be possible to identify and destroy the little moth that lays the eggs before the eggs are laid - these are smaller than a pinhead - or rub out the eggs using finger and thumb. If you don't get them before they hatch out, remove the whole leaf before the pale caterpillars start spreading. Thin grapes to no more than two clusters on each sturdy shoot, one cluster on less sturdy ones when the berries are about the size of match heads.

Container plants, except for the most sun-loving, need a little afternoon shade and attention to watering. I like to group mine in dappled shade for the summer for ease of watering. It's important to remember that a plant that does well in full sun elsewhere usually can't take our searing sun in summer. I have a few vegetables as well as flowers in containers, even the pots that plants are sold in and I like to paint them with a light colored paint to reflect the sun and help keep them cooler.

Tomatoes bloom this month but may not get pollinated so they won't fruit, especially if nights are cool. In the early morning, gently hit the stems with a little stick or shake gently. This spreads the pollen. You can also use tomato-bloom spray but use it with care and according to the instructions. Blossom end rot -- a small, water-soaked lesion will appear at the blossom-end of the fruit. This spot will grow larger, turning dark and sunken. This is caused by calcium deficiency and water stress resulting from irregular watering. To correct this, apply gypsum to the soil, improve water management through regular deep watering, use a mulch to reduce evaporation and space tomatoes adequately to avoid water stress.

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