Beekeeping: Beehive on Palm Tree Removal.
A colony of bees made a nest on a palm branch. I transferred the nest into a bee box to take home.

By: Jeff Heriot

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Beekeeping: Beehive on Palm Tree Removal. - Video

THE strong winds have taken their toll on an ash tree in a park in Yate.

The tree in Kingsgate Park, which is estimated to be between 30 to 50-years old was found completely blown over this morning by staff and visitors when the park was opened.

Estates officer for Yate Town Council, Tony Moore, said: "This is a medium sized mature tree, located off any pathways, and near the park boundary.

"Arrangements are being made for its removal and timber and chippings will be retained for user where possible."

"We believe it fell during the strong winds. The tree will be cut up and removed and branches will be chipped and the chips will be used for mulching shrub beds and surfacing paths. Larger limbs will be used to form path edgings around the park.

"Because the tree is an ash, it will be inspected by the tree surgeon, and if Ash dieback disease is detected, then the debris will be disposed in accordance with Defra guidance."

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Ash tree torn away from ground during strong winds in Yate

PINEHURST, Calif. A massive die-off of pine trees in the southern Sierra Nevada caused by beetles attacking drought-stressed trees is turning forests brown and creating a fire tinderbox.

From El Portal in Mariposa County to Kernville in Kern County and beyond, stands of dead trees are striking fear in the hearts of mountain residents.

"You drive around and it's all around us," said Lee Duncan, who lives in Miramonte in Fresno County near Pinehurst. "It's like a gasoline can everywhere."

About the only hope in halting the die-off is for the drought to end, an unlikely occurrence this year as winter ended with perhaps the lowest Sierra snowpack on record.

As a fourth year of drought looms, mountain residents are stuck with the cost of removing dead trees next to their homes and loggers fault the U.S. Forest Service for not allowing them to thin forests. But forest managers say the tree die-off might help Mother Nature.

El Portal resident Jerry Rupert knows all too well the dangers of forest fire. The El Portal fire that burned about 4,700 acres in and around Yosemite National Park last year started behind his home.

Now Rupert warily watches the mountainside across from his home as more pine trees turn brown in a steep river canyon leading to the nearby community of Yosemite West.

"If we get a lightning strike over there, that whole hill is going to go up," Rupert said. "All it has to do is hit one of those dead trees in there - and there are hundreds of them. It's not going to be pretty."

Rupert said he wants the U.S Forest Service to cut down the dead pines to reduce the chances of one being struck by lightning.

"The woods are sick," he said. "They need help."

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Sierra Nevada pine tree die-off worsens as beetles thrive in drought

MASTER GARDENER: Propagating plumeria cuttings, controlling hydrangea color

Q. I have loved plumerias since I first saw them in Hawaii and brought home a few cuttings. My question is: Some of the plants I have were inherited, were not well cared for, and are extremely 'leggy'. Can I cut some of the branches and re-root them? I wouldn't mind sacrificing the 'mother plant' if it meant getting several off-spring and hopefully fuller plants. Please advise if this is possible, the best time to take the cuttings and the procedure for doing it.

A. The plumeria, Plumeria rubra, is a beautiful shrub or small tree that has colorful, exceptionally fragrant flowers. Although it is considered a tropical plant, it seems to grow very well outdoors in Southern California, whether planted in a pot or in the ground, as long as it is protected from hard frosts. Although the plumeria is usually a rather expensive plant to buy, it is a surprisingly easy plant to propagate from cuttings.

Plumeria cuttings will root best when the temperature is at least 60 degrees, so spring is a good time to start making your cuttings. Simply cut piece of a branch 12-18 inches long. The cutting may be a single length or branched, with the branched cuttings likely to make the bushiest plants. You will find that a milky sap will immediately start dripping from the cut surfaces. Avoid getting the sap on your skin as some people are sensitive to it and may develop a rash. Allow the cut ends of the branches to dry in a cool shady location for at least a few days. This drying time drastically reduces the chance of rot occurring.

Remove all but the top few small leaves from the cuttings (they will drop off eventually anyway). If you are making multiple cuttings from one very long branch, then be sure to keep track of which end is up. Plant each cutting about three inches deep in a one-gallon or larger pot filled with an artificial soil mix that will drain quickly. A general-purpose mix with almost an equal volume of perlite or vermiculite works well for me. There is no need to use a rooting hormone. Place the pots in a bright location but avoid direct sun, and keep the soil moist but not soggy. Depending upon the time of year, rooting will take one to three months. Once the cuttings develop roots you will notice top growth beginning, and you can gradually move the new plants to a location with brighter light and increase watering.

Dont fertilize during the fall and winter to avoid promoting tender growth that could be damaged by cold weather. During the first winter, the young plants may require more protection from frost than the parent plant. Regardless of age, plumerias require little water during the winter; give them just enough to keep the branches from shriveling. When spring arrives, begin fertilization and increase watering. Before long, the colorful, fragrant flowers of the new plumeria plants will be ready to fill your garden with color and fragrance.

Q. Several years ago you told how to control the color on hydrangeas, but I've forgotten how to do it. Would you repeat the instructions?

A. The color of the hydrangea will vary according to the pH of the soil in which it is growing. Blue flowers are produced by adding aluminum sulfate to the soil to make the soil more acidic. Pink flowers can be assured by a heavy application of superphosphate to the soil to make the soil more alkaline. Either treatment must be begun well ahead of the blooming season to be effective so as soon as you notice spring growth, you should begin application. In our Southern California soils, untreated hydrangeas are likely to be pink, unless the soil is treated to produce blue flowers.

Ottillia Toots Bier has been a UC Cooperative Extension master gardener since 1980. Send comments and questions to features@pe.com.

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MASTER GARDENER: Propagating plumeria cuttings, controlling hydrangea color

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Tile the bathroom shower enclosure.

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