How Do I Turn That Mesquite ‘Bush’ Into a Tree?

QUESTION: I have a number of native mesquites in my yard that are like big shrubs, and I want to raise their canopies to get more shade in the summer. Can I do a little pruning now to start doing that? Is this the right time of year to do that?

ANSWER: Native mesquites often grow more like bushes than trees. But you can change their shape by pruning them a little bit now, and then doing it in the spring, too. It’s best to prune these trees when they’re dormant, anyway. If you do it in the summer, you have all that black sap running out. A tree should be at least 3 years old. Start with small branches and use hand-pruning shears. Then try to remove whole limbs or branches. If you leave just stubs of branches, you’re going to get a lot of new, spindly branches growing up off those stubs.

Native and other types of mesquites are often multitrunk trees. So try to maintain that natural form. Cutting off one of the trunks could weaken the tree. Don’t overprune; do your trimming a little bit at a time.

Q: A lot of baby mesquites have sprouted in my yard; many of them are eight inches tall. Could I dig them out to plant each of them in a five-gallon plastic can of soil mixed with fertilizer? If I can get them to grow, I’m planning to transplant them later in my yard. I’ll slit the cans, cut off the bottom, and stick the rest of the can in the ground. What do you think?

A: That should work just fine, but don’t try to grow these mesquite volunteers in native dirt without adding other, better soil and nutrients to the growing mixture. Be sure to drill drainage holes in the bottom of the can. And don’t just plot the pot in the ground; cut off the bottom and slip the rest of the pot up and off. I have a whole yard filled with mesquite trees that are 25 to 30 feet high that I started out that way.

Native mesquites are hardy, low-water-using, fast-growing trees. Their root systems rarely push up adjacent sidewalks or foundations.

Q: I inherited a 1982-83 Park Model manufactured home from a relative. It has an enclosed porch, plus attached sheds. I’m planning to sell my house and move into it. Can I buy homeowners insurance for this property?

A: Yes, you can insure this new home. But you don’t want to slap the standard homeowners insurance policy on this structure. Tell your insurance agent what you’re doing and find out exactly what you have to buy to cover the property. Besides covering damage to your home due to fire or windstorms, for example, manufactured-home insurance can also cover detached sheds or garages and your personal belongings, and can give you liability coverage for injuries to others that might occur on your property.

Q: How do I take care of my cannas for the winter? If they have outgrown the space they are in, can I dig out part of the clump of plants and transplant it?

A: Before it starts to get frosty, you should cut cannas back to the ground and trim out any leaf damage that might have occurred during the summer. The underground tubers or rhizomes of these tropical plants will be insulated by soil and will survive and resprout in the spring. Yes, it’s possible to dig out part of the growth and divide the canna rhizomes in the spring. Dig down gently into the plant while being careful not to damage the rhizomes. Break the clumps apart with your hands at natural separations. Each smaller clump that you replant should have at least three eyes or buds.