by Leslie Lyles, M.S. |
Most of us like to ignore our landscapes as soon as the cold weather comes and the irrigation systems are shut down for the winter; however, during dry winters this can be a big mistake. In order for trees to survive the winter and be healthy, they need moisture. With that [...]
by Holly Bromley, B.S. & Leslie Lyles, M.S. |
The leaves are changing from a brisk summer green to the beautiful varied fall colors. Soon the leaves will wither, readying for winter, and a layer will begin to accumulate on the earth floor. You may ache to rake, but leave those leaves!
Environmentally conscious people generally embrace [...]
by Craig Witt |
The soil in a productive garden needs to be in “BALANCE” in order to grow an abundance of nutritious produce.
If you look at the following circles, you can visualize the three basic aspects of soil and how they interact to create a well-balanced mixture.
Most gardeners and landscapers spend the majority of their [...]
www.pestinformation.com |
Pesticides are toxic and, while often effective against pests, can be dangerous for your family and pets. Outdoors, sprayed pesticides might drift on a breeze and dust your vegetable garden or your neighbor’s yard. Indoors, pesticides can linger in the air, exposing the family to harmful chemicals. For these reasons, many people are turning [...]
by Leslie Lyles, MS and Holly Bromley, BS |
The blazing hot days of summer are upon us. While daily temperatures soar and the humidity drops into the 20’s we suffer with dry skin and seek ways to stay well hydrated. We know that drinking plenty of water is essential to good health. Certainly Nevada can [...]
by Craig Witt and Mark O’Farrell, Soil Council |
Northern Nevada’s short growing season and cool nighttime temperatures make growing high yielding tomatoes a challenge. Consistent success can be achieved by performing a combination of gardening practices correctly. The following five practices have proven to produce outstanding results:
Season Extension
The Wall-O-Water is one of the best season [...]
Written by Craig Witt and Mark O’Farrell, Soil Council
Tough economic times are when the garden becomes most valuable. Robert Rodale sums it up quite eloquently, “so the best fall-back possession is not gold, but a large garden and a pantry full of home-produced food.”
Dr. Arden Andersen further describes the value of home-produced food; [...]
By Craig Witt and
Mark O’Farrell, Soil Council
What is the difference between mulch and compost?
Repeat this simple mantra over and over: Healthy plants need healthy soil.
A healthy soil is teaming with millions of living organisms that all contribute to the health of your plants. To get through a brutal high desert winter, your soil microbes need [...]
By Craig Witt and Mark O’Farrell, Soil Council
Q: What is a “triple mix”?
A: Triple mix is a very common term given to a soil blend that is comprised of three parts. The most important question to find out is exactly what are the three parts of a “triple mix”.
It is interesting to hear the response [...]
By Mark O’Farrell and Craig Witt, Soil Council
Q: What kind of plants can I grow in my vegetable garden in the fall?
A: There are a lot of vegetables that prefer cool temperatures and do well in this area. Garlic is a wonderful, easy to grow vegetable that needs to be planted in the fall. It [...]
Find Your Average
First Fall Frost Date
By Barbara Pleasant
To determine your optimum dates for sowing fall crops, add three weeks to the days to maturity ratings listed below or shown on your seed packs to compensate for days that are getting shorter. Then count back from your average first fall frost date to find the date [...]
By Craig Witt
Q: What can I do to help my veggies during growing season?
A: The best help comes in two parts. First, the soil. Compost that contains minerals which are deficient in your local soil should be applied to the soil around the plants. Second, a foliar fertilizer should be applied to the leaf surface. [...]
