Home and Garden

Brief

August 4, 2010 - 11:00 pm

MASTER GARDENER CLASSES SET, REGISTRATION UNDER WAY

There is still time --and space -- to register for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension's upcoming fall master gardener training.

Classes will begin Monday, Sept. 13, and run from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. The training includes 24 classes.

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. Projects are ongoing at Acacia Park, Nathan Adelson Hospice and the 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.

There is a $150 fee for the course, which is due with completed applications. Scholarships and payment plans may be available.

To register, call Mary Bertsch, program assistant, at 257-5501 or e-mail bertschm@unce.unr.edu.

Petunias are not known for handling summer heat. They typically prefer cooler temperatures. (Ge ...

Some petunia varieties can stand up to our summer heat

By Bob Morris Gardening

April 27, 2024 - 6:00 am

There are lots of different kinds of petunias. For instance, the Madness Summer Series can take the heat, but petunias typically are not known for that.

Lady Banks rose, which flowers in late spring, is not a natural climber. (Bob Morris)

What kind of mulch is best for newly planted vines?

By Bob Morris Gardening

April 22, 2024 - 2:32 pm

Mulch of all types saves water and reduces weeding. But unlike rock mulch, wood chip mulch will rot into the soil.

You can dress up your cabinets by installing distinctive knobs or pulls. (Getty Images)

Refacing cabinets is a tedious but rewarding project

By Mike Klimek / RJ

April 20, 2024 - 5:30 am

You’ll need to buy new doors and drawer fronts, apply a peel-and-stick wood veneer over the cabinets, and finish all the parts to match.

Overlook tomato hornworm larvae when they are smaller and harder to find and they'll soon grow ...

Watch out for hornworms lurking in your garden

By Bob Morris Gardening

April 13, 2024 - 6:00 am

Anyone who has been gardening for a while has a horror story or two about hornworms, which infest many vegetables in the tomato family.

Boron damage to an almond tree in North Las Vegas. High levels of boron can be a problem in des ...

What can be done about high boron levels in soil?

By Bob Morris Gardening

April 6, 2024 - 6:00 am

Boron is one of the salts commonly found in desert soils. It can be present naturally or it can accumulate over the years in such places as horse corrals.

Aside from the physical demands of installing ceramic tile, the toughest and most important par ...

How difficult and costly is installing ceramic tile?

By Mike Klimek / RJ

April 6, 2024 - 5:55 am

The toughest part of this job, aside from the physical demands of lifting and setting tile while on your knees, is the layout of the tile.

Loose heads of broccoli, prrobably because of low light levels. (Bob Morris)

What’s causing cauliflower, broccoli to form loose heads?

By Bob Morris Gardening

March 30, 2024 - 6:01 am

My best advice is to look at the amount of light they received, horticulture expert Bob Morris says, and then at the varieties you chose.

During fruit production water must be available through a tree's roots so the fruit gets large. ...

With fruit production, tree’s need for water grows

By Bob Morris Gardening

March 23, 2024 - 6:00 am

One day a week will be enough water from December through about March. But during fruit production, more water is required.

End your water torture by fixing leaky supply valve

By Mike Klimek / RJ

March 23, 2024 - 5:30 am

To some people, the rhythmic sound of water dripping is soothing. To others, it’s torture.

Almond trees in bloom. I do not believe that honeybees will visit white flowers once they start ...

Do honeybees prefer pink flowers over white ones?

By Bob Morris Gardening

March 16, 2024 - 6:00 am

All of the so-called temperate fruit trees flower in the spring. The white-flowered types such as almonds, plums and pluots, apples and pears usually flower a bit later.