As Nevadans start digging out their gardening tools, is offering free resources and expertise to help their yards and gardens flourish in our state’s often dry, challenging conditions. Highlights include a new , a series of livestream online classes to help Nevadans grow their own healthy produce, personal advice from trained volunteers, plant sales and more.
New Pest Solutions online resource
Extension has launched a new user-friendly to help residents throughout Nevada safely and effectively manage common yard and garden pests, including both weeds and insects.
“We wanted to provide a one-stop shop for finding answers to managing the most common pests in our state,” said Carrie Jensen, leader for Extension’s integrated pest management program. “We have a lot of information up now, ready for spring, and we’ll continue to add more and more information throughout the summer.”
Grow Your Own, Nevada!
The Grow Your Own, Nevada! Program will livestream eight classes 6 – 8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 1 – 24, to help Nevadans grow their own healthy food. Horticulture experts from Extension will share their best tips on:
- April 1: Vertical Edible Gardening, Wendy Hanson Mazet
- April 3: Managing Garden Pests, Megan Andrews
- April 8: Drip Irrigation Demystified, Carrie Jensen
- April 10: Back to Basics, Heidi Kratsch
- April 15: Composting: Hot, Cold and Worm Bins, Heidi Kratsch
- April 17: Growing the Best Tomatoes, Rachel McClure
- April 22: Small Space Fruit Tree Care and Selection, Wendy Hanson Mazet
- April 24: Native Plants to Attract Pollinators, Carrie Jensen
Classes are free and held via Zoom, but residents must for every class they wish to attend.
For more information on classes, email Megan Andrews. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should contact Paul Lessick, civil rights and compliance coordinator, at 702-257-5577 at least five days prior to the scheduled event with their needs or for more information.
Master Gardeners volunteers
Those with yard and gardening questions can for research-based information for Nevada’s climate and conditions. In Washoe County, Master Gardener volunteers also staff a help desk at the Extension office, 4955 Energy Way, Reno, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. Talk with them in person, contact them at 775-336-0265 or email them. Master Gardeners also do free presentations on timely gardening topics at the Spanish Springs Library, 7100A Pyramid Way, Sparks, 1:30 – 3 p.m., the fourth Sunday of each month.
Visit the general to find contact information for several Extension offices throughout the state that have Master Gardeners ready to assist. Master Gardeners also staff booths at farmers markets and other events throughout the spring and summer to provide research-based gardening information and answer questions.
For those interested in becoming a Master Gardener volunteer, or gaining more gardening knowledge through Extension’s , registration will begin May 1 for weekly classes beginning Aug. 7 and concluding Oct. 3. For more information on classes, cost and requirements, email Master Gardener Coordinator Katelyn Brinkerhoff.
Gardening and living safely at Lake Tahoe
Extension is presenting a free five-part educational series 6 – 8 p.m. on Wednesdays in April, at University of Nevada, Reno – Lake Tahoe, 999 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village, in the Primm Library. for each presentation. Topics include:
- April 2: Master Gardeners present Gardening in a Fire Adapted Community
- April 9: presents Understanding Fire Behavior and Reducing Wildfire Risk
- April 16: presents Let’s Talk, Is Your Home Making You Sick
- April 23: Living With Fire presents Combining Vegetation Management and Home Hardening for Wildfire Resilience
- April 30: Master Gardeners present Container Gardening at Elevation
Plant sales
The Master Gardener Plant Sale will be on 2 – 6 p.m., May 16, and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., May 17, at Extension’s office in Washoe County, 4955 Energy Way, Reno. Master Gardeners cultivate plant starts at the University’s to offer for sale to the community. The focus is on plants and varieties that thrive in local conditions. The Master Gardener Program is primarily self-funded, and the plant sale is a significant source for funding the program’s community outreach projects.
Besides supplying local high-quality organic plant starts for commercial and nonprofit farms in the state, the Experiment Station’s will also offer organic plants for sale to the public at the Desert Farming Initiative Organic Plant Sale during the University’s , 2 – 6 p.m., May 30, at the Valley Road facility, 1000 Valley Road, Reno. The Desert Farming Initiative will also have plants for sale that can be ordered online and picked up at the Great Basin Community Food Cooperative Seedling Sale on May 31 at the Cooperative, 240 Court St., Reno. Details and the order form will be posted at the as the event draws near.
The Master Gardeners in Douglas County are hosting the Master Gardener Native Plant Sale at Nature Conservancy’s River Fork Ranch, 381 Genoa Lane, Minden, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., May 17. Proceeds benefit Master Gardener programs in Douglas County.
