Briefs

Mum society cancels annual show due to warm weather

The Las Vegas Chrysanthemum Society has cancelled its yearly mum show, which was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Nevada Garden Club Center.

The unusually warm summer weather has delayed the bloom development to such an extent that the club will not have any blooms to make the show dates.

Henderson couple receives landscape makeover

Tiffany and Kevin Egbert of Henderson were chosen as the recipients of a new landscape presented by the Nevada State Contractors Board and Nevada Landscape Association through their second annual Operation Green program.

Through the program, volunteers from the association provided a free landscape for the Egberts.

Kevin Egbert, a staff sergeant with the 1/221 Cavalry Nevada Army National Guard, is currently stationed in Afghanistan. He is expected to return home in April 2010. The couple have a 1-year-old daughter named Maeve.

Additionally, the contractors working on the program decided to provide a free landscape for Rose Maria Gordon of Las Vegas.

Operation Green was limited to 100 applications and the recipients were chosen based on income and special circumstances.

NLA member companies that donated materials, labor or food for volunteers include Village Nursery; Ewing Irrigation; John Deere Co.; Belgard-old Castle; Pavestone; John Sobey, Able Tree Service; Kalamazoo Materials; The Turf Store; The Office Squad; LCIS Insurance (Landscape Contractors Insurance); Private Greens of Nevada; Courtney Landscape & Pools; Land Care Inc.; Nevada Landscape Services LLC.; Jeff's Lawn and Landscaping; Seth Hendrickson; Tom Rausch, LCIS Insurance representative; Tom Holborow, private citizen; and Republic Services.

Additionally, the program provided a new landscape for a couple in Sparks.

Springs Preserve seeks pumpkins for compost

It's that time of year again: Halloween has come and gone, the neighborhood kids have emptied out the candy bowls and those carefully carved jack-o'-lanterns are starting to look a little saggy around the edges.

Instead of throwing them away, the Springs Preserve is accepting the wilting gourds and will turn them into compost.

Old pumpkins will be accepted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from now through Nov. 22. Make sure that candles and decorations are removed.

Composted pumpkins are used for environmentally friendly landscaping projects at the Preserve.

The Springs Preserve is located at 333 S. Valley View Blvd. For more information, call 822-7700.

Master gardener program sets information presentation

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will hold information and registration sessions for the upcoming Spring 2010 Master Gardener Training on Nov. 17 and Dec. 8 from 6-7 p.m. at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road.

The spring training class begins Feb. 2, 2010, and will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are 24 classes in the training program.

During the information sessions, extension horticulture staff will provide details about program requirements, volunteer commitment and master gardener community projects.

The master gardener program teaches sustainable desert gardening practices, including proper plant selection and care, disease and pest management and water-efficient gardening. To become a master gardener, an individual must complete 72 hours of horticultural instruction and volunteer 50 hours on community projects each year.

Volunteer projects are ongoing at Acacia Park, Nathan Adelson Hospice and Las Vegas Springs Preserve. Additional projects include the Doolittle and Lieburn Senior Center community gardens, the master gardener orchard and Nellis Air Force Base environmental grove.

A $150 fee is due with completed applications; scholarships and payment plans may be available.

Reservations for the information session may be made by calling Mary Bertsch, program assistant, at 257-5501 or e-mailing bertschm@unce.unr.edu.