Star Nursery's Green Pages - Fall 2020

GREEN pages Fall 2020

Victory Gardening It’s Only Just Begun in 2020

ETABLES VEG

E S A SON L O CO

Your #1 Source for

DECORATIVE ROCK & HARDSCAPES • Pavers • Flagstone • Wall Block • Stepping Stones • River Rock • Boulders • Bulk Soil • Bulk Sand

•Create a Maintainable and Drought Tolerant Landscape •Use Flagstone for a Beautiful and Unique Walkway

Decorative Rock Yards Nevada

Arizona

Utah

Las Vegas

Kingman

Dixie

2600 West Ann Rd. (702) 216-STAR (7827)

4140 Stockton Hill Road (928) 757-STAR (7827)

1335 South Dixie Dr. (435) 414-5893

5380 Blue Diamond Rd. (702) 382-ROCK (7625)

Fort Mohave

8725 South Eastern Ave. (702) 251-ROCK (7625)

6325 Hwy 95 (928) 788-STAR (7827)

Pahrump

Lake Havasu

911 Buol Rd. (775) 727-5300

1141 N. Lake Havasu Ave. (928) 505-ROCK (7625)

St. George 1145 West Sunset Blvd.

(435) 688-STAR (7827)

DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE

Our Staff Editor-in-Chief Art/Design

Contributing Writers

Mackenzie Vesp Doug Ryan Taylor White Paul Noe (Dr Q) Joey Lynn Watt Mackenzie Vesp Christine MacRae Elizabeth Mapula

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Fall Calendar Cool Season Veggies Victory Garden Fall is for Planting Canning Overseeding Your Lawn Recipie Store Spotlight

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Employee Spotlight

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BEST SOLUTIONS

Garden Centers Las Vegas, NV Ann Road & Simmons 2600 W. Ann Rd. North Las Vegas, NV 89031 (702) 216-STAR (7827) West Cheyenne & Tenaya 7330 W. Cheyenne Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89129 (702) 253-STAR (7827) W. Charleston Blvd. & Cimarron 8170 W. Charleston Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89117 (702) 360-STAR (7827) W. Tropicana & Fort Apache 9480 W. Tropicana Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89147 (702) 278-STAR (7827) Boulder Hwy. & E. Tropicana 5340 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV 89122 (702) 435-STAR (7827) S. Eastern & Pebble 8725 S. Eastern Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89123 (702) 333-STAR (7827) Blue Diamond & Lindell 5380 Blue Diamond Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89139 (702) 444-STAR (7827)

Pahrump, NV Buol Rd. & Hwy. 372 911 Buol Rd. Pahrump, NV 89048 (775) 727-5300

Star Nursery has been privately owned and operated for 36 years. We are proud to be the premier garden center for all your landscaping needs. Currently, we operate in Southern Nevada, Southern Utah and Northern Arizona with a total of 16 Garden Centers and 9 Decorative Rock Yards. We cater to both residential and commercial clientele.

Star Nursery offers the best in garden supplies. From a large assortment of trees to shrubbery, drought tolerant plants, succulents and houseplants, we have landscape material to suit anyone’s lifestyle. We offer the largest and most complete line of products that include irrigation supplies, gardening accessories, yard tools, succulents, houseplants, pottery and our very own exclusive line of Dr. Q’s Garden Products. This line of products consists of soils and fertilizers that are specifically formulated to help you succeed with your gardening efforts in the Southwest Region. We also carry a selection of hardscape products ranging from flagstone and pavers to decorative rock and bulk soils.

Find everything you need to maintain a beautiful landscape or garden space. We pride ourselves in giving our customers the right price and best advice.

Star Nursery -Your Garden’s Partner for Every Bloomin’ Thing Since 1983.

Lake Havasu, AZ Lake Havasu Ave. & College Dr. 1141 N. Lake Havasu Ave. Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 (928) 505-ROCK (7625)

Kingman, AZ Stockton Hill Rd. & Gordon Dr. 4140 Stockton Hill Rd. Kingman, AZ 86409 (928) 757-STAR (7827)

Fort Mohave, AZ Hwy. 95 & Boundary Cone Rd. 6325 Hwy. 95 Fort Mohave, AZ 86426 (928) 788-STAR (7827)

Mesquite, NV

Bullhead City, AZ

Commerce Cir. & Pioneer 549 Commerce Cir. Mesquite, NV 89027 (702) 613-4770

Mohave Dr. & Miracle Mile 1579 Mohave Dr. Bullhead City, AZ 86442 (928) 758-STAR (7827)

St. George, UT Sunset Blvd. & Bluff St. 1145 W. Sunset Blvd.

St. George, UT 84770 (435) 688-STAR (7827) Dixie Dr. & Gubler Ln. 1335 S. Dixie Dr. St. George, UT 84770 (435) 674-STAR (7827)

Washington, UT Telegraph Rd. & 500 W. 385 W. Telegraph Rd. Washington, UT 84780 (435) 986-0820

Gardener’s Fall Calendar

SEPTEMBER • Fertilize: Spend this month fertilizing your lawn, roses, citrus, and fruit trees.

• Lawns: Aerate, dethatch, overseed, and add ½ inch top dressing, anytime from now through November. Download Star Note#830 “Spruce Up and Over-Seed Your Lawn” for step by step instructions at starnursery.com.

• Plant: As the weather cools down, it’s a great time to plant those cold-hardy cacti & succulents. Fall is the time for new growth, so start planting your favorite trees and shurbs. Plant mums when buds are tight, with few blooms, fully opening blooms from fall to first frost. Other great items to plant are tomatoes, artichokes, peppers, beans, squash, and pumpkins. Plant deciduous vines & groundcovers now so they’re established before cold weather temps push them into dormancy.

• Roses: Once temperatures are below 100 degrees, give your roses a light pruning, save the heavy pruning for January.

• Treating Iris’: Divide and transplant iris.

• Watering Schedule: With less sun comes less watering. Make sure to adjust your controller for less frequent watering. We suggest watering trees and shrubs only 2 days a week.

• Winter Annuals: Now is the time to prepare your flower beds for winter annuals. Mix in fresh organics like PayDirt at the time of planting.

OCTOBER • Shrubs: Help your shrubs harden-off for winter by reducing watering frequency.

You can safely move shrubs that have not been happy with their summer location. Be sure to transplant with our “Planting Partner’s,” Dr Q’s Pay Dirt, Dr Q’s Gold Dust and Dr Q’s Plant Tonic, to help prevent transplant shock.

• Planting: Plant cool-season annuals and vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and radishes. It is still a good time to continue planting hardy trees and shrubs. Now is the time to toss wildflower seeds to create a spring pollinator’s garden.

• Frost is Coming: Purchase burlap, frost cloth and cactus covers for the arrival of frost. Get to stores early while supplies last.

• Harvest: Now is finally the time when you can harvest pomegranates. You know pomegranates are perfectly ripe when the outter shell is red to reddish brown in color.

• Weeds: Deal with winter weeds now. Apply pre-emergent herbicides, especially on rockscapes.

NOVEMBER • Frost is Here: Begin checking the forecast for freeze warnings. If you have young vines that are frost tender, lay them down, cover them with a thick layer of mulch for winter protection. If you can get the plant to maturity, it will be more likely to acclimate in the future.

Don’t forget to uncover in the spring. Now is your last chance to pick up burlap and protect your plants from the harsh weather coming.

The average first frost typically arrives in mid-November. Plants must be protected when temperatures drop below 28°F. Don’t forget to protect your young citrus trees.

• Potted Plants: When in doubt about cold sensitivity, bring potted succulents indoors. “If theres a cool breeze, don’t let them freeze.”

Other cold sensitive potted plants like citrus and Pigmy Palms can be brought into the garage until threat of freeze has passed.

• Harvesting: Harvest Mexican limes and other citrus as they ripen. Don’t leave them to freeze on the tree as cold weather approaches.

• Cactus Care: Starting November, withhold watering through February. Withholding water encourages dormancy and will lessen the chances of root rot or excessive freeze damage in bitter cold.

•DON’T Clean Up: Fallen leaves from healthy decidious trees and conifers are nature’s mulch. They decompose and help add the much needed organic matter our soil lacks.

•DO Clean Up: Pepper plants must be pulled and allow area to rest in the winter. Use this time to plan a different crop next season, as rotating crops help prevent soil born disease and nutrient deficiencies.

Cool Season Vegetables The following is a list of popular cool-season vegetables that are often grown in our climate. These varieties are generally heatsensitive and prefer the cool days of fall, winter and early spring to produce their best crops. Most cool-season vegetables are adapted to frost but be prepared to protect young plants from freezing cold and wind if necessary.

Beets (Dec. thru Jan. – seed): Prefer sandy soil. Plant regularly for longer harvest.

Broccoli (Sep.- seed; Oct.- transplants): Easy to grow; side shoots continue to produce long after main head is harvested.

Vegetables have been grown successfully in desert climates for many years. One of the great surprises to new gardeners is the variety and quality of produce that can be grown during the cooler weather. Cool season vegetables grow best at temperatures averaging 15° cooler than those needed by warm season types.

Some varieties have edible leaves or roots such as: lettuce, spinach, carrots, and radishes; other artichokes, broccoli and cauliflower are grown for their immature flowers. A few peas and broad beans for example produce edible seeds. Most cool season crops can endure short periods of frost. For best results, grow them to maturity in cool weather; if it gets too warm, they can turn bitter tasting, or bolt to seed rather than produce edible parts.

Soil preparation is essential in producing crops in the desert southwest. For the home gardener, a few basic rules apply. First, don’t try to garden in hard-packed, high-alkaline, poorly drained soil. Instead build raised beds or use containers with drainage holes and fill them with good, bagged organic material like Dr. Q’s Vegetable & Herb Planting Mix or Potting soil. Next, use the right fertilizers for what you’re trying to grow. Leaf crops need adequate amounts of nitrogen. Root and fruit crops like carrots and peas need less nitrogen and more phosphorus and potassium. A good choice is Dr. Q’s Tomato & Vegetable Food or Gold Dust Starter Fertilizer. Also, the use of surface mulches helps to prevent weeds, conserve water and protect plant roots.

Cedar Mulch will repel insects without the use of pesticides.

Brussels Sprouts (Sep.- seed; Oct.transplants): Large plant, prefers good drainage. Pick cabbage-like heads when smaller than a golf ball.

Cabbage & Kale (Sep. to Nov.- seed and transplants): Rotate location each year to avoid pest build-up.

Carrots (Sep. & Feb. to May- seed): Choose short varieties unless you have excellent soil a foot or more deep. Harvest when young for best flavor.

Cauliflower (Late July-seed; Oct.- transplants): Similar to Broccoli. Use large leaves at base to cover over developing head to keep it white.

Collards & Mustard (All year- seed & transplants): Different plants with similar appearance, taste and culture.

Lettuce (All year- seed & transplants): Leaf lettuce, like Black Seeded Simpson and Romaine, can be grown all year. Head lettuce can only be grown in the cooler parts of the year and is more difficult.

Onions, Dry (Oct. to Mar.- seed or sets): Thin early; harvest next year after the tops wither.

Radish (All year- seed): Gets pithy and hot fast, especially in poor soil. Plant small quantities every two weeks for regular supply. Give rich soil for sweet, mild flavor.

Spinach (Sep. to Oct. or Feb.- seed): Thin plants to 6 inches apart. Feed once during season. Cut off at ground level to harvest, avoid the extra grit that comes from pulling up the whole plant.

Tomato (Aug. to Sep.- transplants): Made possible by long desert growing season. Plant fast developing varieties like Early Girl for late fall crop.

Onions, Green (Sep. to June- seed or sets): Easy from sets; plant regularly for continual crop of young, sweet onions.

Turnips & Rutabagas (Aug. to Oct.-seed): Grow turnips for relatively quick crop; rutabagas if you want to store them. Both have tasty greens which can be sparingly harvested without hurting the developing bulb.

Peas (Nov. or Feb. – seed): Bush varieties are much easier to deal with. Try snap and sugar hybrids. Prefer rich soil with excellent drainage.

For more information on Cool Weather Vegetable Gardening, get a copy of our StarNote #200 at starnursery.com.

Victory Gardening It’s Only Just Begun in 2020

victory gardening It's only just begun!in 2020

The first Victory Gardens were born of necessity during the first World War as a way to hinder food shortages and ensure that commercial crops would be used for American soldiers. It was a way for the people to contribute in a time of great uncertainty and hardship. It was a means of making something meaningful and sustainable during a time when people had little control.

Although we are not currently experiencing a war, these are absolutely times The first Victory Gardens were born of necessity during the of uncertainty and hardship for many. The Victory Gardens of 2020 have only first World as a planting way to in hinder foodwhen shortages and just begun.

Many ofWar us started the spring consistent industrial ensure that commercial crops would beshoppers. used for American the agriculture struggled to keep up with panic-stricken Not-to-mention sudden increase It of time at home in order to avoid getting sickinoraspreading soldiers. was spent a way for the people to contribute time sickness. Now, as summer reaches its end, we can begin to bring life back into our of great uncertainty and hardship. It was a means of gardens with more knowledge and vigor than some of us had in the spring. We can making something and a time continue to reconnect, learn,meaningful develop within oursustainable communitiesduring and achieve selfwhen people had little control. reliance and sustainability in the comfort of our homes and gardens.

Back in June, we asked our not social media followers to share their Victory Gardening Although we are currently experiencing a war, these experiences and we received so many responses with enthusiastic summaries of are absolutely times of uncertainty and hardship for many. lessons learned, what was planted and how gardening sustained them through these The Victory unprecedented times.Gardens of 2020 have only just begun. Many of us started planting in the spring when consistent industrial agriculture struggled to keep up with panic-stricken shoppers. Not-to-mention the sudden increase of time spent at home in order to avoid getting sick or spreading sickness.

Now, as summer reaches its end, we can begin to bring life back into our gardens with more knowledge and vigor than some of us had in the spring. We can continue to reconnect, learn, develop within our communities and achieve selfreliance and sustainability in the comfort of our homes and gardens.

Back in June, we asked our social media followers to share their Victory Gardening experiences and recieved so many responses with enthusiastic summaries of lessons learned, what was planted and how gardening sustained them through these unprecedented times.

Responses from our customers... @le-femmemetale said, “My victory garden started for both reasons: pass the time and ‘who knows what will even be available.’ I already had many tools, a stack of reclaimed bricks and even bags of soil from previous gardening adventures, but was starting with a clean slate. I built 2 raised beds from the bricks, repurposed MANY items into the garden (rebar ladder into veggie vine support, an old decoration of dowels and fake vines into tomato and cucumber supports, old coffee mugs and teapots into seedling houses, an old computer desk as a workbench) and got to work. I managed to pick up fertilizer, more soil and a few exotic plants and I have some of the most lovely garden areas to be proud of. I have not harvested much, but I learned a lifetime worth of information regarding soil conditions, different garden pests, heat tolerance and now I have a ‘worm house’ that will become a composting bin! I have a new hobby and it is so worthwhile!” Needless to say, she has been busy creating what sounds like an incredibly sustainable garden, ripe with visual interest and fresh produce! @KellyNordwall, found a sense of community and used it as an opportunity for family bonding. Here is what she had to say: “We already had raised beds and had already tried growing tomatoes, no luck for 3 years, we’d get one tomato if we were lucky! This year’s strategy was to plant them in a box that got a little shade. My son and I purchased a few varieties from Star Nursery this spring, and we had success! We’re already picking fruit..along with a few cucumbers and peas. Now we’re anxiously waiting for watermelon! I’m grateful for all the tips I’ve learned from Star as well as many of your followers. Such a great community to be a part of.” We are so happy to have you be apart of our community, Kelly! @Ruthie.ns, a novice gardener learned, by experience, some tried and true tips to successful gardening. Here is her offering, “This is my first time using raised beds and growing veggies. I’ve learned to never trust ‘full sun’, squash and melon grow like crazy, freshly picked beans taste amazing, and there’s no greater feeling than when tomatoes turn red on the vine. Oh yeah and MULCH MULCH MULCH!!!” We couldn’t agree more, Ruthie, the use of mulch is essential.

Now, as summer reaches its end, we can begin to bring life back into our gardens with more knowledge and vigor than some of us had in the spring. We can continue to reconnect, learn and develop a love for growing within our communities. While creating or continuing to cultivate our own modern-day Victory Gardens, we can achieve a sense self-reliance and sustainability as we cultivate some beauty and peace during these chaotic times, in the comfort of our own yards and patios.

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Fall is the best time to plant deciduous fruit trees like apples, apricots, figs, peaches, plums, pomegranates and nut trees in our climate.

Deciduous trees go dormant and lose their leaves in the winter, making them more immune to cold damage. Though the top appears to stop growing, the roots do not. Because our winters are not usually cold enough to freeze the ground, the roots stay warm enough to continue growing and storing nutrients and energy all winter long. With the insulation of the surrounding soil and surface mulching, the roots will continue expanding and becoming more established in order to handle next summer’s heat. This is very important because the hot summer months are the most stressful time for deciduous fruit trees in our area. They are trying to suck up enough moisture to keep all their leaves hydrated as well as trying to produce fruit. They will have a very hard time doing this if they don’t have a wellestablished root system. The root system controls all the growth, so the bigger the root system can grow, the more nutrients and energy it can store up and supply for next year’s growth. Trees planted in the spring only have two or three months to get established before the summer heat. By planting trees in the fall, the roots have five to six more months of expanding before the stressful heat of summer.

You’ll get faster and stronger spring growth from the larger root system and your tree will be more capable of handling next summer’s stress. That’s the benefit of planting deciduous trees in the fall!

In order to get the most out of your fall planting, make sure to follow our “Planting Guide” for proper planting instructions. Always dig a hole that is at least two to three times the width of the container your tree was in. Use a good quality organic mulch like our Paydirt Planting Mix & Mulch and a starter fertilizer like our Gold Dust, mixed into the soil that you put back in around the root ball. Never bury the root ball deeper than it was in the container and add a 1 to 2-inch layer of surface mulch or wood chips after planting. The mulch will help to keep the soil from compacting and to hold moisture around the roots while they get started into the new soil and the surface mulch will help to keep the surface roots insulated from the cold. Make a basin around your tree just above the outside edge of the root ball so that water will soak directly onto the roots and the surrounding soil. Your tree may or may not come with a stake tied to it. If it does have a stake attached to it, it should be removed. This stake is for protection during transporting and should be replaced with two larger stakes placed a short distance on either side of the tree and attached with flexible, non-abrasive ties. This will protect the tree from being blown over by strong winds until the roots get anchored and the trunk develops more.

For more information on fruit tree planting and care, see our StarNote #500.

Remember, plant deciduous trees this fall for better growth and fruit production next spring and summer!

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Safely Canning Vegetables and Vegetable Products

As Fall approaches, there are many different types of vegetable products that will be available to safely can. When done correctly canning is a safe and reliable method used to preserve foods. This method allows us to enjoy our favorite foods year-round. We will first look at how to select the best quality produce and the type of canner we need to use in order to safely process our foods and prevent the growth of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, also known as botulism, a potentially deadly spore that can grow in anaerobic environments, such as our home canned foods.

When selecting vegetables for canning we recommend opting for ripe, bright, even colored and firm produce. These are indicators of a fresh vegetable at its peak and of the best quality. Avoid using over-ripe produce or foods with bruises, cuts, tears, discolored or soft patches, spots or bleached surfaces as these are indicators of damage, deterioration and poor quality.

A pressure canner is the only recommended method of canning because this is the only safe way to process vegetables and vegetable products as they are low-acid foods. Vegetables and vegetable products will require higher temperatures of 240°F to 250°F, to kill any harmful microorganisms that are naturally present in those foods. This level of heat and pressure can only be achieved in a pressure canner. There are two varieties of pressure canners available, the dial gauge pressure canner and the weighted gauge pressure canner. The amount of pressure required will be determined by the altitude at which canning is taking place. You can find your altitude at your local zoning office, on your state’s webpage about your town or city, or by contacting your local Extension office.

Dial Gauge Canner • At altitudes of 1001 – 2000 feet, the pressure is not increased; process at 11 pounds pressure.

• At altitudes of 2001 – 4000 feet, process at 12 pounds of pressure.

• At altitudes of 4001 – 6000 feet, process at 13 pounds of pressure.

• At altitudes of 6001 – 8000 feet, process at 14 pounds of pressure.

Weighted Gauge Canner • At altitudes above 1000 feet, process at 15 pounds pressure.

Before canning foods, you will need a recipe from a verified source such as The National Center for Home Preservation or from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. You will need clean canning jars of the size(s) and qualities designated in your recipe, in addition to lids, bands, jar funnel, jar lifter, ladle, canning mat, headspace/bubble remover tool and a permanent marker.

Canning grade jars must be used to preserve foods as they are created to withstand the pressures and high temperatures foods undergo in the processing phase. All jars used must be washed and kept hot until ready for use as best practice. A mat to place hot jars on is also a must as cold counters and other extreme temperature fluctuations can fracture or otherwise compromise the integrity of the canning jar.

We will go through the canning process for green beans with the option for whole or one-inch pieces. This recipe is from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, guide four page eight.

Green Beans- Whole or pieces For the quantity needed, an average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts and an average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs about 30 pounds and yields about 12 to 20 quarts—an average of 2 pounds per quart.

Select pods that are filled but tender and crisp. Remove and discard any diseased and rusty pods. Wash green beans under cool running water, drain any excess water and trim ends. You have an option of leaving the pods whole or to cut or snap pods into 1-inch pieces. It is recommended that foods are hot packed to prevent foods from floating in canning liquid. To hot pack vegetables cover green beans with boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Fill hot jars with green beans and hot water keeping in mind to leave a 1-inch headspace. The headspace can be measured with the headspace/bubble remover tool. The headspace measures the amount of empty space, starting from the top of the food and liquid present in jars to the rim of the canning jar. Once jars are filled use the other side of this handy tool to remove any air pockets for all jars by going around the perimeter of foods in jars. This will displace any hidden pockets of air that may have been present, then check for correct headspace once more. You may add 1 teaspoon of canning salt per quart to the jar, if desired.

Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel, place lids and twist band on until feeling resistance. As best practice we don’t want to over tighten bands as they can warp. Process green beans.

Processing in Dial Gauge Canner Style Of Pack Hot or Raw

Jar Size

0-2,000 ft

Pints

Process Time 20 min

11 lb.

2,000 4,000 ft 12 lb.

4,001 6,000 ft 13 lb.

6,000 8,000 ft 14 lb.

Quarts

25 min

11 lb.

12lb.

13 lb.

14 lb.

Processing in Weighted Gauge Canner Style of Pack

Jar Size

Process Time

0 - 1,000 ft

Above 1,000 ft

Hot or Raw

Pints

20 min

10 lb.

15 lb.

Quarts

25 min

10 lb.

15 lb.

Fill canner with water to fill point and place rack at the bottom of the canner. Using the jar lifter place jars onto canning rack and fill.

Adjust for altitude and start timer only after canner has reached the correct pressure, process.

After processing allow canner to fully depressurize before opening. Never force a canner to depressurize as it is extremely dangerous.

Using the jar lift once more lift jars onto a mat and let rest for 12 to 24 hours undisturbed. Check seals only after completely cooled, remove bands, label and store.

Written by Elizabeth Mapula Food Preservation Specialist from University of Nevada Reno, Extension Sources USDA, “Complete Guide to Home Canning” (Revised 2015).

USDA, “Complete Guide to Home Canning” (Revised 2015). For Safety Sake. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/for_safety_sake.html USDA, “Complete Guide to Home Canning” (Revised 2015). Ensuring High-Quality Canned Foods. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/ensuring_HQ_canned_ foods.html Andress, E. (2014rev.). Preserving Food: Using Pressure Canners. Athens, GA: University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension. https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/ using_press_canners.html

Over-seeding Your Lawn

T

here’s a secret behind achieving a beautiful, lush lawn. Landscape professionals know what it is, but many homeowners don’t. Over-seeding, as part of a comprehensive and proactive plan, keeps lawns looking great. Whether you’re tending your first lawn or have years of experience, learning how to over-seed your lawn can improve your results.

Over-seeding is spreading grass seed over an existing lawn. Done right, it’s a straight forward process that gets results. As grasses mature, thinning is normal, especially if you enjoy your lawn and use it often. Over-seeding keeps your lawn thick and vigorous, without starting over from scratch.

Fall (September & October) is the best time to over-seed. The cool nights and mild, shorter days provide the ideal conditions for seed germination, and grass seed is better able to retain moisture during the fall. Also, it’s best to over-seed right after aerating the lawn, which is ideally done in the fall.

Before we begin, it’s important to know what kind of grass you have and how it’s affected by our tough desert weather. Most lawns planted here with seed or sod are Fescue or Bermuda grass.

Fescue is a cool-season grass that can be kept green all year with proper watering and fertilizing. Exposure to our severe summer heat and alkaline soil conditions can cause fescue to thin out over time. Over-seeding every year with a good fescue seed, like our Dr. Q’s Emerald Carpet grass seed, will keep your lawn looking its best.

Bermuda is a warm-season grass. It thrives in our summer heat but goes dormant in the winter, resulting in a uniform brown color. Bermuda is a creeping grass that effectively repairs itself in thin areas and small to medium bare spots. For that reason, it is a favorite of pet owners. It also takes much more heavy foot traffic than fescue and needs much less water during the hot months.

Over-seeding with annual (winter) ryegrass or perennial rye keeps a bermuda lawn green in the winter.

Perennial Ryegrass is used to over-seed bermuda lawns and golf courses for rich green color during the winter. It can also provide a quick spruce-up in fall and winter for homes with fescue lawns.

It has finer blades and is more heat tolerant than annual (winter) ryegrass, but eventually succumbs to our severe summer heat. The annual (winter) ryegrass is used to over-seed bermuda lawns for a quick, inexpensive green color in winter. It has a lighter green color than perennial rye and uses more water. It also dies in the heat of late spring when bermuda emerges from dormancy.

Instructions for Over-seeding Your Existing Lawn: • Mow the lawn to 1½ inches for Fescue and ½ inch for Bermuda.

• De-thatch (with a power or hand rake) and aerate.

• Broadcast Dr. Q’s Sod & Seed Starter Fertilizer per bag instructions.

• Broadcast seed at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet.

• Cover the lawn with Steer Manure or Top Dressing at the rate of 125 square feet per bag.

• Water for 3 to 5 minutes, 3 times per day, for 14 days or until new grass is showing.

• Follow the Southern Nevada Water Authority Lawn Watering Guide for best results when lawn is established.

(For more information on this topic, see our StarNote #830)

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Hawk Decoy

Recycling is SMART! Do your part and be rewarded! Bring in your empty black plant pots and receive IN-STORE CREDIT toward future garden purchases.

We accept the following sizes: • 1 Gallon..........................5¢ per pot • 3 Gallon........................10¢ per pot • 5 Gallon........................25¢ per pot • 15 Gallon.......................60¢ per pot

Apple Crumb Cake INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Crumb/Streusel: 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of salt ½ cup melted unsalted butter ½ teaspoon vanilla Cake: 3 cups of your favorite apples (peeled, cored and thinly sliced) 2 tablespoons white sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice per cup of water to prevent browning ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons apple cider 1 ½ tablespoons milk ¼ teaspoon of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your baking pan.

Start with the streusel: Melt your butter but allow to cool slightly before mixing with other ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, butter and vanilla.

Mix with a fork until ingredients are well combined and crumbly.

Make the Cake: In a large mixing bowl, mix your butter and sugar until creamy and fluffed. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. Add the vanilla and Greek yogurt. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Slowly add your dry mixture to the butter mixture.

Stir until combined.

Prep Those Apples: Peel, core and thinly slice your favorite apples. You’ll want about 3 cups in total. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to cold water and submerge your apples to keep them from oxidizing (turning brown). Remove apples from water and toss with apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and sugar.

Put It All Together: Cover the bottom of the baking pan with a thin layer of batter. Next, later your apples on top of batter. Sprinkle one cup of the streusel over the layer of apples. On top of the streusel layer, pour the rest of the batter and finish with the remaining streusel. Bake for approximately 35 minutes and/or until tester comes out clean. If browning occurs too quickly, cover with foil to prevent burning and continue baking.

The Glaze: While the cake is baking, whisk together the powdered sugar, apple cider, milk and salt. Once the cake is ready, evenly drizzle the glaze over top and enjoy!

PREP TIME: 25 MIN COOK TIME: 35 MINS TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

STORE SPOTLIGHT West Charleston Blvd. & Cimarron 8170 W Charleston Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89117

The Star Nursery located on West Charleston Blvd has become one of our most beloved nurseries in the valley. Right before the Charleston store was built, Star Nursery had just closed their location on Jones and Spring Mountain. It was crucial that another store was built in a central location in the Las Vegas valley. After the 3.5 acres of land were purchased, the Charleston store was built and completed by 1999.

With a smaller yard than most locations, it provides the perfect atmosphere for finding all your favorite plants while maintaining an intimate setting. This store embodies all our early western aesthetic designs. The exterior provides a nostalgic feeling of being at an old western general store with hitch posts and large Star Nursery letters. The yard is covered by an oversized pergola that makes any time of year pleasant to shop. The upstairs loft is the perfect space for hosting garden parties and seminars for customers.

Tatiana, the General Manager, started with the company at age 15 and has worked her way up to a General Manager. After asking her why the Charleston store is so special, she said, “Our store has some of the most experienced Star Nursery employees, which means we are able to pass on valuable information to our customers and younger employees.” She also says that, “This location is special because we work together like a family, we help each other, we learn from each other and we grow with each other.” We are excited that after 20 years of serving the community, this store is still one of the most popular. We will continue to provide all of our customers with the best service and products in town.

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tephanie Robinson was the Eastern Stores Administrative Assistant but is now the Accounts Payable Administrator at our corporate office. She has been working for Star Nursery for over four years and has loved every minute of being able to work in such a beautiful environment. In the early stages of her career, she knew little about horticulture but has absorbed ample information over the years. Her coworkers are the most enjoyable part of working at Star Nursery, even the ones with tails.

Yes, she is referring to the kittens that roam the property. She even took one home with her. Stephanie is an extremely hard worker and strives to continue to grow within the company. With only two more years of college left at UNLV, Stephanie will graduate with a degree in marketing and journalism. We look forward to watching Stephanie continue to succeed both personally and professionally.

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hris Clawson is the Assistant Manager at the Sunset location in St. George, Utah. Originally from Salt Lake City, Chris moved south to avoid long, cold winters. His career in the nursery business started later than most because for 17 years he worked in mortgage banking. He threw the tie and desk away to put on gloves and learn more about horticulture. Clawson’s favorite part about his job is building relationships with customers and contractors. One of his most memorable moments was working with a customer who had just lost his wife and was looking to honor her by keeping her favorite rose bush alive. Clawson provided his expert opinion and over a month later, the customer returned to the store to let him know the rose bush was thriving. When Clawson is not at work, you will find him riding motorcycles and UTVs, swimming and hosting BBQ’s.

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tephanie Duckworth is our new Transportation Manager, who just moved to Las Vegas from Anaheim, California. For the past year she has been driving around the United States with her husband in a 53-foot tractor trailer. Her love for travel is indescribable. We know this because she has already visited 42 out of our 50 states. Stephanie said she is looking forward to more traveling in the next year and hopes to make it to Europe. Although Stephanie is new to the Star Nursery team, she has been working in transportation for over 15 years. Her work experience and new insight has made her a perfect addition to the transportation department. Stephanie’s kindness shines through in everything she does. At her past company, she worked with transporting food products, so the holidays were extra busy.

To show her appreciation for her drivers, she would stay up late on Christmas Eve making homemade chili and sweet cornbread. Then on Christmas morning, she would set up tables full of food and holiday décor at her terminal and serve each driver before they started their shift. Star Nursery is lucky to have a team member like Stephanie Duckworth!

Thank you, Star Nursery employees!

We want to say thank you to all the employees that helped keep our stores clean, our customers safe and our inventory restocked during a time of uncertainty. During the mandatory shut down our employees took every precaution to make sure they wore the appropriate personal protective equipment not only for their safety but for the safety of our customers. It took every employee working overtime to make sure we stayed open and we thank them for all their hard work. Being an essential business during such a difficult time put a lot of pressure on employees and they did an outstanding job molding to the new standards. Star Nursery is equipped with a team that handles change and continues to work hard to put customers first.