Tap water takes toll on houseplants

Question: Is it OK to use tap water to water my house plants? I have a water softener and conditioner. My plants do look healthy, but would they look healthier if I use a purified or distilled water?

Answer: If you have a whole house water softener, don't use it. If your water softener is only tapped into the hot water, then you could use it.

Your plants, however, will do better if you do not use our tap water at all. Our tap water is fairly hard, containing a lot of calcium, magnesium and carbonates, which will, over time, have a negative impact on your houseplants.

It would be better to use tap water combined with distilled or RO water to dilute the tap water, perhaps 50/50 or more. You can use straight distilled or RO water, but I would add a very small amount of houseplant fertilizer to it to help keep it from ruining the structure of your houseplant soil.

Q: In one of your columns, you mentioned neem oil for controlling aphids. In a previous column, I saw neem oil mentioned as an ant repellent. I have tried to find neem oil for ant control with no luck. Any idea where I can get some, and under what brand name?

A: I don't think I mentioned neem for ant control but I may have mentioned that if you control the aphids on a tree, you will probably control the ant problem, as well. I have never heard of neem used for ants, and if it is not on the label, then it cannot be recommended for ants. It would be against the law, even to use it for something not on the label.

Q: Several months ago, I believe you discussed birds of paradise in your column. I believe there were different types, and you stated that one of them was much more resistant to cold weather than the other two. I would appreciate it if you would let me know which of the birds of paradise is the most cold weather resistant.

A: The two you are most concerned with are the red and yellow Mexican bird of paradise. These are desert adapted plants and can be planted in rock mulch or desert landscaping.

The third, African bird of paradise, is semi-tropical with fleshy leaves that cannot be planted in rock, but requires organic soils and to be kept moist. This could be planted here in protected locations from wind and direct west or south sunlight.

Of the two Mexican types, the yellow is cold tolerant. The red one is not. However, most people prefer the red because it is prettier and, once established, it can die to the ground after a freeze and it will recover if it is mulched heavily prior to going into the freezing temperatures.

Q: I am having a problem with huge and numerous weeds in my back yard. Some grow 3 feet in height, with roots extending all the way to China. Or it seems like it. Is there any way I can get rid of them and prevent them in the future, short of having my yard paved?

A: Mulches play a good role in keeping weeds from starting in the first place. Mulches placed at least 2 to 3 inches thick will reduce weed problems tremendously.

Second, remove them when they are small. As soon as you see weeds emerge, they can be removed much more easily than waiting until they are large.

Plant roots emerge first from seeds, followed by the tops of plants, such as stems and leaves. So when you see small stems and leaves, that means the roots are two to three times as large underground typically for weeds. They can easily be removed with a hoe or cultivator when they are young.

Lastly are preemergent herbicides (weed killers) that can be applied starting in mid-February for annuals and late July or August for winter annuals, such as the mustards. These can be purchased at many nurseries or garden centers.

Q: What lawn grasses can we grow here in Las Vegas?

A: In Las Vegas, we live in what is considered to be the transition zone for turfgrasses. We can grow both warm season grasses and cool season grasses -- equally poorly.

This opens up the possibilities to include cool season grasses, like tall fescue and ryegrass, and warm season grasses, like the bermudas, buffalograss, zoysia, St. Augustine and Seashore paspalum.

The real question is what is available to you. Most places are going to have tall fescue available and possibly some others on special order. There might be an occasional place that will have buffalograss now and maybe even a seashore paspalum.

The warm season grasses brown in the winter due to cold, and the cool season grasses, if they make it at all, struggle during the summer heat here.

Tall fescue among the cool season grasses has been the consistent performer in this climate, even with its drawbacks, such as high water use and summer patch disease.

Bermudas have been the most available warm season grass, but buffalograss is now supposed to be available here. Zoysias have been available off and on here over the years. The problem is that people don't like a brown winter lawn.

Bermudas can be overseeded with ryegrass for winter color. Buffalograss and zoysia probably should not be overseeded.

Tall fescue is cheap to maintain except for the water issue. The warm season grasses typically are more expensive, discounting water, to maintain. Buffalograss might be the exception.

If it were me and I did not want maintenance issues, I would probably opt for tall fescue. But put it in the smallest area that you need and don't go hog wild and cover the whole yard. If I didn't mind a brown winter lawn, I would opt for buffalograss, if it is available.

Make it functional and estimate how much you would really need to have for whatever purpose you were planning it for.

The nice thing about turfgrass is that it is the easiest landscape feature to remove if and when you decide to remove it. In the meantime, well cared for grass does help to improve the soil where it is growing.

Q: I am a beginner with landscaping. I have an established palm tree and I have had it for five years. Now I have a cluster of palm trees right down from where I planted this one. Can you tell me where these plants came from? I really like them around my pool but I don't know how to take care of them.

A. The seeds probably came from your palm tree. The seeds drop to the ground, where they sprout new palm trees, usually after they go through a winter.

Apply fertilizer to the trees in the spring before new growth. Use a 16-16-16 or similar type of plant food.

Palms can be messy around the pool due to the seeds and you may not like that. You cannot do much about their height. They get to be whatever height they get to be, depending on the type of palm.

Water once a week right now. Increase it to twice a week starting May 1. Decrease it to once a week on Oct 1.

Water once every two weeks in the winter. When you water them, water deeply so that the water penetrates 18 to 24 inches into the ground.

Q: I am trying to find out the name of a gazania that grows very low and tight and spreads out like a carpet. It has thin leaves with a silver stripe. The one I saw had very small yellow flowers on it. Any thought on this would be appreciated.

A: Try Frosty Kiss yellow gazania, and Treasure Flower Talent gazania. Make sure you get the yellow Talent form.

Bob Morris is a horticulture specialist with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.