Master gardeners are a special group of Las Vegans. We involve them at the Gardens at the Springs Preserve by offering tours, having them assist in major functions and using them to work in our plant propagation and plant salvaging projects.

The master gardeners recently recognized several members for extraordinary contributions of time and expertise. Richard Cutbirth volunteered the most hours (750) this year. Cliff Wood contributed 244 hours working the phone help line, (which you can call 257-5555 to have your gardening concerns answered.)

Special recognition was given to Don Fabbi and Richard Leifried for contributing more than 14,600 hours between them over the years. If they were paid for those services it would be more than $263,400, a gigantic savings to the people of Clark County. These are dedicated individuals.

Master gardeners are area residents who have completed a comprehensive horticultural training program through Nevada Cooperative Extension.

If you'd like to be a master gardener, classes begin Sept. 9, but you must attend an information and interview meeting Wednesday. For further information contact Ann Edmunds, master gardener coordinator, at Nevada Cooperative Extension, 8050 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas or call 257-5587 or edmundsa@unce.unr.edu.

THINGS TO DO TO YOUR LANDSCAPE

Vegetables: As vegetables come to the end of production, pull them out and then examine roots for nematodes. They are large warty growths along roots that slowly kill veggies. If you find these critters on your roots, sterilize the soil before planting again.

Prepare the soil for your fall vegetables -- the greatest garden you'll grow through the year. Get seeds on hand and soil prepared to get crops in early so they have a chance to develop before cold weather sets in. Note what you can plant: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bunching onions, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, collards, lima beans, mustard, snap beans, rutabagas, shallots and turnips.

Houseplants: Many potted houseplants grow in a way that exposes the pot with long stringers hanging below it. Trim these stringers back to stimulate growth closer to plant. Root some cuttings and insert them into the pot to provide more attractive growth. Or coil up the longer stems around the pot to give a fuller effect. If you struggle on when to water your houseplants, purchase a bamboo skewer twig. Grocery and 99-cent stores sell them. Insert twig into rootball. If soil feels moist or organic matter sticks to it, don't water. But if it pulls out clean and dry, it's watering time.

Roses: Hang in there; cooler weather is about six weeks away. In the meantime, feed your roses but at half the rate. Many roses are experiencing leaf scorch, and that means paying more attention to watering. Leaf-cutter bees continue to chew on the edges of rose leaves; consider the damage cosmetic.

Shrubs: Around Aug. 15, we begin experiencing cooler nighttime temperatures. This is a sign to summer dormant shrubs to put on a fall flush of growth and that becomes more evident around Labor Day. Expect some leaf-drop, but don't worry about it. Expect pests such as spider mites to build up. The best control is a weekly wash-down. Water removes unwanted pests, and cleans off plants brought on by the winds.

Trees: Don't take trees for granted; they cool off our homes and us. Even with good care, recently planted trees may look stressed; pale foliage, leaves scorched and not much regrowth. Don't be alarmed; they are establishing a good root system. Don't get anxious to prune your spring flowering trees; they have already set blooms for next year.

Fruit trees: Occasionally, give your fruit trees a very deep irrigation to help push the salts away from the rootball. Modify the size of the basin so you irrigate out beyond the dripline. Avoid any pruning until after leaves drop; exposing interior limbs become an open invitation for borers.

Cactus and succulents: Make sure cactus and succulents are receiving water. A plant needing water may droop, have wrinkled skin or have depressions between ribs. If you have succulents in containers, fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer. Remove spent blooming stalks from hesperaloe, agaves, or yuccas anytime. Prune out any diseased or damaged stems of prickly pear or cholla to reduce the plant's size. Allow cuttings to dry and apply sulphur on cuts if a multistemmed plant needs pruning. Make your cuts, at a joint or as low to the ground as possible.

Annuals: It's evaluation time for your flowers. Flowers planted last spring most likely are looking like a war zone unless you planted heat-tolerant plants. Hanging baskets of annuals may also be past their prime, and may need replanting. Next year, use more heat-tolerant varieties. Include celosia, coleus, dusty miller cosmo, gaillardia, gomphrena ornamental pepper, periwinkle, portulaca, zinnia, lisianthus, four o' clocks, salvias and sunflower. Do some deadheading, trimming and sprucing up the plants and then fertilize to spur on new growth and follow with a good irrigation. If you don't replace them, at least prep soil for fall flowers.

Bulbs: Peruse your bulb catalogs to order in your spring flowering bulbs for this fall. Bulbs to focus on are flowering onion, anemone, crocus, amaryllis, hyacinth, iris, daffodil, ranunculus and tulip. Bulbs to consider for summer color next year: agapanthus, caladium, canna, daylily, elephant ear, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, spider lily, tiger flower, society and garlic. Meanwhile, out in the garden, expect to find spider mites lurching on your bulbs. Douse them with a strong force of water.

Perennials: Our long growing season combined with over-watering produces abundant growth and in some cases rampant growth through the summer. Look over your perennial beds and evaluate the growth. Sometimes you have to play referee and throw them out, but do it with your eyes closed and it won't hurt as bad. Tall plants can shade out or fall over on smaller plants, so they'll need staking. Some plants spread into areas you don't want; chop them back. Note these observations and make decisions about what to remove, divide, or transplant this fall. Continue to cut back and remove dead flower stalks and unattractive growth. Look for vigorous new growth at the base of many perennials, when you see it, cut your plant back to rejuvenate it.

Linn Mills writes a gardening column each Thursday. You can reach him at linn@reviewjournal.com or at the Gardens at the Springs Preserve at 822-8325.