Outdoors

Q: Do we fertilize fruit trees sometime in the fall, and when can we start planting fall vegetables?

Q: I have a Bearss lime tree that has some fruit that has green and yellow and sometimes brown vertical striping on the rind all the way around. It is beautiful but what causes it, and is it still edible? Is a Bearss lime a good lime choice?

The botanical meaning of corn — “zea” (cause of life) and “mays” (our mother) — should clue you to the profound importance of this crop to mankind. The evolution of corn can be summed up in two T’s: Three Sisters and Thanksgiving.

The plant: It’s no surprise to learn that this cheery yellow-blooming perennial is a member of Asteraceae or the sunflower family. Trixis comes from the Greek word trixos meaning “three-fold,” referring to the three-cleft outer corolla lip of the flower.

There will be no mercy for Lynn Twitchell and her beloved roses this year. When the Gilbert resident arrives at the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society’s 51st annual Rose & Arrangement show Nov. 17 , she will no longer be a novice.

Q: What should I look for when hiring a lawn maintenance company? Do they fertilize my plants, fix irrigation emitters and heads? Are they true arborists, and can I trust them to properly trim and prune my shrubs and trees?

Q: What should my fertilizing and irrigation schedule be for my fruit trees during the cool season?

Gil Gillenwater just returned from his annual trip hiking from the south rim of the Grand Canyon to the north rim, and his backpack and other gear are still strewn about the master bedroom of his Scottsdale home.

With the fall gardening season in full swing, gardeners will soon have an abundance of fresh herbs ready for harvest.

When Matt Cody, president and founder of Cachet Homes, arrives home from a busy day at the office, he comes in through the back door.

As we settle into fall gardening season, it’s a good idea to check your irrigation system to make sure it’s functioning properly and set up to deliver the right amount of water to your plants and trees.

Trumpet creeper has been called “rambunctious” and “a thug” by home gardeners far and wide, but we desert gardeners adore plants that survive and even thrive through our brutal summers.

As the fall gardening season approaches, you may want to brush up on your planting and maintenance know-how or seek inspiration for your flower beds and landscaping.

Looking for an afternoon of family fun? Try your backyard. Yard games are a simple, exciting way to entertain. And when the weather starts to cool down, it’s the perfect time to get outdoors and play.

Less is always more in landscape lighting. Amped floodlights that blind your neighbors (and make your house visible from the sky) are out. Subtle illumination is in.

The biggest misconception about composting is that it’s a big, smelly pile of garbage. But a compost system doesn’t have to smell bad or attract bugs, says Kirti Mathura, curator of shrubs at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

A hundred years ago, East Valley residents who wanted to hang out on their porches during the summer dipped burlap bags in water and hung them on the eaves of their home — a crude precursor to the evaporative cooler.

Soil cakes 9-year-old Sally Miller’s hands as she helps her aunt, Carolyn Hills, pull carrots from her Scottsdale garden. “Wow,” says Sally, as she places the carrot in the wooden basket. “That’s a big one.”

Romance abounds in Mike and Cindy Jepsen’s garden. The sweet scent of the flowers lingers from afar, beckoning visitors entering the patio to walk across the lush green lawn and gaze at its splendor.

If you’d like to remain outdoors as the temperature continues to climb, you’ll need to make sure your backyard has plenty of shade. Taking cover from the sun’s rays can be tough in the East Valley, where yards are often filled with young trees offering little cover. Don’t worry: It is possible to add shade to your backyard while you add style and extend your living space.