Winter Green Pages 2017

Garden Centers

Improve Your

CURB APPEAL • Decorative Rock • Flagstone • Pavestone • 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)216-7837

4140 Stockton Hill Road (928) 757-3701

1335 South Dixie Dr. (435)628-8004

Fort Mohave

St. George

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

1145 West Sunset Blvd.

(435)688-STAR(7827)

5380 Blue Diamond Rd. (702) 444-7837 8725 South Eastern Ave. (702) 216- 7852 Pahrump 911 Buol Rd. (775)727-5300

Lake Havasu 1141 N. Lake Havasu Ave. (928) 505-5255

DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE

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

Las Vegas, NV 89117 (702) 360-STAR (7827) West Tropicana & Fort Apache 9480 West Tropicana Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89147 (702)278-STAR (7827) Boulder Hwy & East Tropicana 5340 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV 89122 (702) 435-STAR (7827) South Eastern & Pebble 8725 S. Eastern Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89123 (702) 333-STAR (7827)

Star Nursery has been privately owned and operated for over 34 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 15 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 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 to 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

St. George, UT

Blue Diamond & Lindell 5380 Blue Diamond Road Las Vegas, NV 89139 (702) 444-STAR (7827)

Lake Havasu Ave& College Dr 4140 Stockton Hill Road Kingman, AZ 86409-2444 (928) 757-3701

1145 W. Sunset Blvd.

St. George, UT 84770 (435) 688-STAR (7827)

Pahrump, NV

Kingman, AZ

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

Stockton Hill Rd & Gordon Dr 4140 Stockton Hill Road Kingman, AZ 86409-2444 (928) 757-3701

Dixie Dr. & Gubler Ln. 1335 S. Dixie Drive St. George, UT 84770 (435) 628-8004

Mesquite, NV

Fort Mohave, AZ

Washington, UT

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

Mohave Valley Hwy & Boundary Cone Rd 6325 HWY 95 Fort Mohave, AZ 86426-6029 (928) 788-STAR (7827)

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

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Our Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Nina Gallagher

Art/Design Taylor White Doug Ryan Contributing Writers Crystal Gwaltney Terry Newcomb Paul Noe

Editor’s

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Baby, it’s cold outside

– That’s a phrase from one of my most favorite holiday songs. Winter is a great season for snuggling and wearing all of the fun outerwear. This is always a second opportunity for me to do some clean-up in both my house and garage. My brain kicks into organization mode and I then prepare things before the new year kicks off. We get rid of the old and make room for the new.

This season, take a long hard look at your current garden situation.

Revamp your thinking when it comes to re-inventing your outdoor space.

I plan to incorporate fresh flowers into my empty pots with pansies, vintage stock and ornamental cabbage. Maybe even add some cool season edibles for an added twist to the theme. There are plenty of colorful options you can use to add some pizazz to your winter garden.

Gift-giving is just another reason I love this time of the year. There are so many things that you can give straight from your own garden. Edibles and fragrant flowers are just a couple of gift ideas for that gardener on your holiday list. Bundle up and enjoy this cool season with your family and friends.

Nina Gallagher

Email:________________________________________ (optional) Bring to any Star Nursery location or mail to:

Green Pages

125 Cassia Way Henderson, NV 89014

It’s a New Year and for many of us that means new health commitments.

Here’s one that doesn’t require a membership, tight clothes or counting reps. Get a Houseplant. The health benefits are at the top of the list for reasons to add houseplants to your living or work space. Studies indicate that indoor air quality can be up to 5 times worse than our outdoor air. Since most of us spend an average of 90% of our day indoors, the health risks associated with indoor air pollution are significant.

Research shows that plants can:

• Purify the air and help get rid of harmful organic compounds like Trichloroethylene, Formaldehyde, and Ammonia.

• Reduce stress and lower blood pressure by creating a calming effect.

• Improve memory and focus while increasing productivity.

• Contribute to an overall sense of well-being • Increase and regulate humidity in the air.

Think you don’t have a green thumb? We’ve all been there. You finally commit to buying a beautiful houseplant and put it in the prettiest pot and it makes you so very happy. Then, almost as quickly as it came, that happiness fades with the wilting and eventual death of your cute little green friend. ::play sad violin tune::

Here are some fool-proof tips to get you off to a good start.

1. Drainage: Pick pots or containers with drainage holes.

Roots need air to live and planting them into a pot without holes is condemning them to a slow death by drowning.

Make sure there are holes in the pot and a drain plate to catch the draining water. Empty that drain plate a few minutes after watering.

2. Light: Check the plant’s needs.

Even the most low-light tolerant plants need light to live.

Photosynthesis is a plant’s well balanced diet. There should be enough light to read a book by for most of the day.

3. Soil: Not all are created equal.

Succulents and cactus are a trendy option for bright indoor spaces. Remember that their needs are different than those of a traditional houseplant. Traditional houseplants need a good water absorbing potting soil. Cactus and succulents need the opposite. They need a sandy well-draining soil and need to dry out between watering. Some tropical plants would also do well with a regular misting of the leaves. It’s important to know what type of plant you’re considering and weigh out how much time you can dedicate to the care.

Here are some eye-catching low maintenance options: • Snake Plant – Very Low Water & Very Low Light • Ponytail Palm – Very Low Water & Bright Light • Pothos – Low Water & Medium Light • Zeezee Plant – Very Low Water & Very Low Light • Dracaena – Low Water & Bright Light • Jade Plant – Very Low Water & Bright Light • Heatleaf Philodendron – Low Water & Medium Light • English Ivy – Medium Water & Low Light • Arrowhead Vine – Low Water & Low Light

Just in case you were not already aware – all of the trees that Star Nursery purchases in order to provide customers with trees for the holiday season are farm grown, which means that each tree that is cut down is then replaced with a newly planted tree. Nowadays trees that are cut down for the Christmas season are grown on tree farms, and the sole purpose of the tree farms is to plant, cultivate and harvest evergreen trees for the Christmas season. The process is very similar to any other tree farm where there is a continual rotation of plants - from seedlings to ready-for-the-season trees. This process can sometimes take seven or more years, and during this time the trees do their part to reduce carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. It is a tradition for many families that come into Star Nursery each Christmas season to select their tree, and we do our best to provide trees that are luscious, healthy and freshly cut in order to ensure optimal water intake. Now that you are versed on the ecological purpose of Christmas tree buying, here are some steps as to how you can select the right tree: 1. When selecting a space for your tree, try and avoid an area where there is a lot of air movement, such as near an air conditioning vent – this will cause your tree to dry out faster than you’d like.

2. Avoid a high traffic area where people are likely to constantly brush up against the tree.

3. Measure the height and width of the space you have selected – this will allow for a smooth tree selection.

4. If you plan on hanging large ornaments, select a tree with more spacing between the branches.

5. Compare your tree selection with your spatial measurements to ensure a good fit.

Once you have picked out your tree, you can ensure its freshness by running your fingers through the branches. Do not be concerned with brown needles that are often found in the inner areas, simply shake the tree to remove the dead needles.

The remaining needles ought to be flexible and will not easily break off, you can then raise the tree a few inches off of the ground and drop it on its stem end – you will find that few green needles will fall off. If the branches feel too stiff and the green needles continuously fall off it may be best to choose a different tree.

Post-tree selection steps: 1 Place your tree in water immediately after returning from making your purchase – most tree species can go 6 hours after the trunk has been cut.

2. Keep the cut surface clean and avoid bruising.

3. Always keep an adequate water supply in the tree stand – Dr. Q’s Plant Tonic or other tree preservatives can help keep the pores of the trunk open, but the solution will not do the tree any good if an adequate water supply is not kept in the tree stand at all times.

4. For prolonged life avoid warm locations such as south or west-facing windows and any space that is near a fireplace.

Once the holiday season comes to end, people are often prone to tossing trees out with the rest of the trash. In order to be more conservative and caring towards the environment, consider giving your old tree a new life by recycling it. In doing so, your choice to recycle will contribute to both the life cycle of a tree and to the cycle of holiday joy.

IDEAL PARA: Plantación – trasplante y mantillo orgánico Árboles – arbustos – cítricos – rosas – enredaderas – plantas de cobertura del suelo (Groundcovers) – plantas ornamentales exteriores y jardines de flores.

La mezcla para plantación y mantillo Dr. Q’s® PayDirt™ es una mezcla para plantación y abono orgánico desarrollada especialmente para el uso en los jardines del sudoeste. Conteniendo solamente los mejores ingredientes orgánicos, esta mezcla especialmente formulada, da vida a la tierra pobre.

Pasos para tener éxito en la plantación y el trasplante: Cave un hoyo para plantación. Cave su hoyo al menos dos o tres veces más ancho y tan profundo como la bola de raíces de la planta. Retire las piedras y escombros.

Revise el drenaje. El hoyo se debería drenar en tres a cuatro horas o menos.

Haga una mezcla de relleno. Use dos partes de tierra nativa para una parte de mezcla para plantación y mantillo Dr. Q’s® PayDirt™. Para dar a sus plantas el mejor comienzo, agregue el fertilizante de inicio Dr. Q’s Gold Dust® o el tónico para plantas Dr. Q’s®. Siga las instrucciones de la etiqueta. ¿Cuánta mezcla para plantación y mantillo Dr. Q’s® PayDirt™ se debe usar?

20 - Plantas de 1 galón = 1 - bolsa de 2 pies cúbicos 4 - Plantas de 5 galones = 1 - bolsa de 2 pies cúbicos 2 - Plantas de 15 galones = 1 - bolsa de 2 pies cúbicos 1 - Caja de 24 pulgadas = 2 - bolsas de 2 pies cúbicos Coloque la planta en el sitio y rellene. Coloque la planta con la parte superior de la bola de raíces a la misma altura o ligeramente más arriba que la parte superior del hoyo. Rodee la raíz con la mezcla de relleno. Presione la mezcla firmemente alrededor de la planta.

Forme un aro y riegue la planta. Use la tierra sobrante y forme un aro en torno a la planta justo fuera del hoyo. Sature completamente toda el área dentro del aro de tierra. Espere media hora y repita.

When Mulching: Mulching helps protect your plants from soil erosion and temperature extremes. Mulching also helps conserve water and retain moisture. Cover the soil surface under the plants 1”-3” deep, extending from near the trunk to the drip line.

Be sure to select the appropriate Dr. Q’s® fertilizer and use when recommended. For questions or more details contact our plant specialists.

This product is sold only at quality garden centers.

Ingredients: This product is a blend of compost, Canadian Sphagnum peat moss and composted softwood bark.

29.25”

Este producto se vende por volumen. Peso neto 36 libras (16,3 kg).

This product is sold by volume. Net weight is 36 lbs (16.3 kg).

Steps To Success for Planting and Transplanting: Dig a planting hole. Dig your hole at least two to three times as wide, and just as deep as the rootball of the plant. Remove rocks and debris.

Check Drainage. The hole should drain in three to four hours or less.

Make a Backfill Mixture. Use two parts native soil to one part Dr. Q’s® PayDirt™ Planting Mix & Mulch. To give your plants the best start, add Dr. Q’s Gold Dust® starter fertilizer or Dr. Q’s® Plant Tonic. Follow label instructions.

How much Dr. Q’s PayDirt™ Planting Mix & Mulch to use?

20 - One gallon plants = 1 - two cubic foot bag 4 - Five gallon plants = 1 - two cubic foot bag 2 - Fifteen gallon plants = 1 - two cubic foot bag 1 - Twenty four inch box = 2 - two cubic foot bags Set the plant in place and backfill. Place the plant with the top of the rootball even or slightly higher than the top of the hole. Surround the root ball with your backfill mixture.

Gently pat the mix firmly around the plants.

Build a ring and water the plant. Use leftover soil and build a ring around the plant just outside of the hole. Thoroughly saturate the entire area inside the soil ring. Wait ½ hour and repeat.

Cuándo cubrir con abono orgánico: El abono orgánico ayuda a proteger sus plantas de la erosión del suelo y las temperaturas extremas. El abono orgánico también ayuda a conservar el agua y retener la humedad. Cubra la superficie del suelo debajo de las plantas con 1” a 3” de profundidad, extendiendo desde cerca del tronco hacia la línea de goteo.

Asegúrese de elegir el fertilizante Dr. Q’s® apropiado y úselo cuando se recomiende. Para preguntas o mayores detalles, póngase en contacto con nuestros especialistas en plantas.

Este producto se vende solamente en los centros de jardinería de calidad.

Ingredientes: Este producto es una mezcla de fertilizante orgánico, musgo esfagnáceo canadiense y compostaje de corteza de madera suave.

PRECAUCIÓN: No se debe tragar. Evite crear polvo. Evite el contacto con los ojos, heridas abiertas, o cortes. Lave a fondo la piel expuesta después del uso. Mantenga fuera del alcance de los niños y las mascotas.

CAUTION: Do not swallow. Avoid creating dust. Avoid contact with eyes, open sores, or cuts.

Wash exposed skin thoroughly after use. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

DESCARGO Y GARANTÍA LIMITADA: SUN GRO HORTICULTURE CANADA LTD. GARANTIZA EXPRESAMENTE QUE LA COMPOSICIÓN DE ESTE PRODUCTO CUMPLE CON LA DESCRIPCIÓN EN LA ETIQUETA. INDEPEDIENTEMENTE DE CUALQUIER OTRO DATO EN LA ETIQUETA, SUN GRO HORTICULTURE CANADA LTD., SUN GRO HORTICULTURE DISTRIBUTION INC., SUN GRO HORTICULTURE PROCESSING INC., Y CUALQUIERA DE SUS EMPRESAS AFILIADAS Y REPRESENTANTES (INDIVIDUAL Y COLECTIVAMENTE DENOMINADAS “SUN GRO”) VENDEN ESTE PRODUCTO EN EL ESTADO EN EL QUE SE ENCUENTRA Y NO OTORGAN OTRA GARANTÍA, ESCRITA U ORAL, O IMPLÍCIDA, INCLUYENDO TODA GARANTÍA DE DESEMPEÑO, CALIDAD, COMERCIABILIDAD O APTITUD PARA UN OBJETIVO EN PARTICULAR. DADO QUE LOS RESULTADOS PUEDEN VARIAR CON LAS DIFERENTES CONDICIONES, LA TIERRA Y LAS PLANTAS, SUN GRO NO PUEDE GARANTIZAR NINGÚN RESULTADO ESPECÍFICO. RECURSOS LIMITADOS: EL RECURSO EXCLUSIVO DISPONIBLE PARA UN COMPRADOR O USUARIO POR DAÑOS, PÉRDIDAS O LESIONES SERÁ EL REEMPLAZO DEL PRODUCTO O EL REEMBOLSO DEL PRECIO DE COMPRA Y SUN GRO NO SE RESPONSABILIZARÁ POR NINGUNA OTRA CIRCUNSTANCIA, INCLUYENDO, DAÑOS ESPECIALES O EMERGENTES. PROHIBICIÓN DE REEMBALAJE O REVENTA: Queda estrictamente prohibido reembalar este producto para su reventa, con o sin identificación del fabricante original, sin el previo permiso de Sun Gro Horticulture Canada Ltd.

® Dr. Q’s es una marca registrada de Southwest Landscape Supply, Inc., Las Vegas, NV. © 2014 Southwest Landscape Supply, Inc., Las Vegas, NV. Derechos reservados. ® Gold Dust is registered trademark of Southwest Landscape Supply, Inc., Las Vegas, NV.

PRODUCTO DE LOS EE.UU.

PRODUCT OF U.S.A.

Sun Gro Horticulture Distribution Inc. 770 Silver Street Agawam, MA 01001 U.S.A. Customer Service 1-800-732-8667

0.25” Back Lip

IDEAL FOR: Planting – Transplanting – Mulching Trees – Shrubs – Citrus – Roses – Vines – Groundcovers – Bedding Plants & Flower Gardens.

Dr. Q’s® PayDirt™ Planting Mix & Mulch is a premium planting mix and mulch developed especially for use in southwestern landscapes. Containing only the finest organic ingredients, this specially formulated soil amendment brings poor soils to life.

COMPROMISO DE SATISFACCIÓN: Este producto está dirigido a los consumidores y no está destinado para utilizarse como medio de cultivo comercial. Si por alguna razón usted, un consumidor personal, familiar o cualquier persona de su hogar, no quedan satisfechos con los resultados del uso de este producto, simplemente envíenos el comprobante de compra a la dirección indicada en esta bolsa en un plazo de seis meses a partir de la fecha de compra y le reembolsaremos de inmediato el precio que haya pagado.

SATISFACTION PLEDGE: This product is intended for consumers and not for use as a commercial growing medium. If for any reason you, a personal, family or household consumer, are not satisfied with the results of using this product simply send us proof of purchase to the address listed on this bag within six months of purchase and we will promptly refund your purchase price.

DISCLAIMER AND LIMITED WARRANTY: SUN GRO HORTICULTURE CANADA LTD. EXPRESSLY WARRANTS THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THIS PRODUCT CONFORMS TO THE DESCRIPTION ON THE LABEL. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS LABEL, SUN GRO HORTICULTURE CANADA LTD., SUN GRO HORTICULTURE DISTRIBUTION INC., SUN GRO HORTICULTURE PROCESSING INC., AND ANY AND ALL OTHER AFFILIATES AND REPRESENTATIVES (HEREIN COLLECTIVELY AND SEVERALLY “SUN GRO”) SELL THIS PRODUCT AS IS AND MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF PERFORMANCE, QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. BECAUSE RESULTS MAY VARY WITH DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, SOIL AND PLANTS, SUN GRO CANNOT WARRANT ANY SPECIFIC OUTCOMES. LIMITED REMEDIES: A PURCHASER’S OR A USER’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY DAMAGES, LOSSES OR INJURIES SHALL BE REPLACEMENT OF THE PRODUCT OR REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE AND SUN GRO SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANYTHING ELSE, INCLUDING SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. REPACKAGE OR RESALE PROHIBITION: It is strictly prohibited to repackage this product for resale, with or without identification of the original manufacturer, without the advanced written permission of Sun Gro Horticulture Canada Ltd.

® Dr. Q’s is a registered trademark of Southwest Landscape Supply, Inc., Las Vegas, NV. © 2014 Southwest Landscape Supply, Inc., Las Vegas, NV. All rights reserved. ® Gold Dust is registered trademark of Southwest Landscape Supply, Inc., Las Vegas, NV.

0814

Por favor recicle

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Sun Gro Horticulture Distribution Inc. 770 Silver Street Agawam, MA 01001 U.S.A. Customer Service 1-800-732-8667

200%

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In-Store Credit know someone is watching out for restaurants, take in a headliner show keeping the place 5-star clean. Our

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• 1 Gallon ...................................................................................5¢ per pot • 3 Gallon .................................................................................10¢ per pot • 5 Gallon .................................................................................20¢ per pot • 15 Gallon ...............................................................................50¢ per pot We accept the following sizes:

Join THE CLUB today. your environment. or try your luck in the casino, you to enjoy dinner at one of our 8 great Montana plains. Whether you’re here floor layout is as spacious as the South Point, our staff prides itself in had trouble negotiating your way through a maze of tightly packed slot machines? Here at the

How many casinos have you walked into where the carpet reeks of beer? Have you ever Do your part and be rewarded! Bring in your empty black plant pots and receive IN-STORE CREDIT toward future garden purchases.

is SMART RECYCLING

• Your Environment’s Our Priority

ECO FRIENDLY

5”

63.25”

2 cu ft (56.6 L)

10-0194P EcoFriendly Star Nursery SM:Layout 1

5/6/10

3:50 PM

Page 1

2 cu ft (56.6 L)

Formulated for tough Southwestern soils 29”

2 cu ft (56.6 L) 1/16” 1/8”

23.875” C

Prepressed and sent to Supplier:

Contact: Adorée

Designer: Ben

Project: Dr. Q’s Paydirt 2cf Bag

File Name: DrQ_PlantMulch_2cf_08.05.14.ai

Date: Aug 5, 2014

Job#: 1196-176

Client: Sun Gro

LINE BLACK

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OVER LACQUER

Preparing the Soil for a Spring Garden What you can do to be ready when the season comes

Soil preparation plays a significant role in crop production – and functional soil is not native to the desert as it is an extensive ecosystem that consists of minerals, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods and earthworms.

Each element interacts and holds a specific function that contributes to allowing the soil to be ‘functional.’ Functional soil has the ability to transport nutrients to the plant, protect the roots from disease and parasites, produce hormones in order to help plant growth, break down pollutants and retain and improve structure. In the southwest desert environment, this soil helps organic matter decompose in order to maintain pH at levels that are tolerable. A balance of sand, silt, clay and organic material is also vital for optimal plant health.

Here are few simple tips for prepping soil for the spring season: 1. Avoid gardening in caliche or hard-pack clay – if you have an impermeable layer of soil near the surface, build raised beds and fill them with a mixture of native soil and bagged organic material such as Dr. Q’s Paydirt Planting Mix, or Vegetable & Herb Mix 2. Pick a spot for your garden that will have some shade in the afternoon hours when the hot summer months come around.

3. It is recommended that a depth of 12-18 inches of organically enriched soil is used when amending vegetable beds – a mixture of one half organic material to native soil will suffice.

4. Soil sulfur and starter fertilizer such as Dr. Q’s Gold Dust is recommended to help with high alkaline counts.

After mixing all recommended elements into your soil bed, level it all out then add an extra layer of mulch to the surface, then wet it down and let nature create the functional soil. The soil beds will likely be completed approximately one month before planning season – this will allow you to have an adequate amount of time to plan when to plant.

The harsh desert weather oftentimes cuts down on timing for proper planting conditions. This will also give you time to put in a good drip irrigation system before the warm weather returns.

If you plan to grow your own seedlings instead of utilizing transplants, give yourself a 6-10 week lead depending on the variety of seedlings that you choose. Early spring crops can be started indoors from seed stage in mid-December or early January in order to be prepared for planting in February. Warm season vegetables require planting in the springtime – StarNote 205 provides tips on warm weather vegetable gardening.

Don’t Forget Your

Planting Partners

Groundwater Safe!

The many Benefits of Dr Q’s Fertilizers

If you have noticed the fertilizer sections in the various Star Nursery stores that you’ve shopped, you noticed that we stock a large variety of Dr Q’s fertilizers.

Dr. Q’s fertilizers are formulated specifically for desert soils and water to efficiently transfer nutrients into plants with a minimum of loss of nutrients into the ground water. This results in smaller application rates, longer lasting results and much less leaching. Our fertilizers are designed to succeed in harsh desert soils where the pH is high and drainage is often poor. Soils that are often described as “sterile”, we found out how to bring them to life!

Environmentally friendly no longer needs to mean “poor performance”; With Dr. Q’s fertilizers you can have the best of both worlds. Safe and effective!

Our fertilizers are designed and tested to be so safe that most of them are registered for sale as “ground water safe”.

With increasing concerns about high levels of nitrogen in our drinking water we engineered a fertilizer line that helps keep our drinking water pure. Unique in the Desert Southwest!

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY Misuse and over-application of lawn and garden fertilizers is a leading cause of environmental contamination. Extensive testing beginning in the early 1950’s by the National Fertilizer Institute concluded that 60% of synthetically derived nutrients, i.e. N. P. K, leach away before plants can use it. The result has been contamination of nitrates and phosphates in underground water supplies, lakes and coastal eco-systems.

A major cause of ground water contamination is a fertilizers’ heavy metal content. Many sources of mined nutrients i.e., phosphates, potash, calcium, iron, sulfur, zinc, etc., contain quantities of toxic heavy metals that will eventually accumulate in ground water. The manufacturers of Dr. Q’s fertilizers restrict their ingredients to materials that are extremely low or completely free of heavy metals.

Our manufacturer has been instrumental in lobbying for new state laws that restrict all fertilizers’ heavy metal content.

Through their efforts, and along with other industry partners, many state regulators are now testing for the following metals in an effort to insure cleaner fertilizer products:

Molybdenum, Nickel, Zinc, Arsenic, Selenium, Cadmium, Mercury, Lead and Cobalt

Many so called “Organic” fertilizers are made using “natural” materials that are primarily water insoluble. The slow availability of these materials leads some customers to believe that they are always ground water safe. But are they?

It’s true that organic nutrients leach out of the soil many times slower than synthetic nutrients, but it is important to check all organic materials for biological contaminations (salmonella, E-coli, Listeria, etc.) and animal drug residue.

Read our labels! What you will discover is that you are about to purchase a product that truly has been produced to be safe. When you have tried them on your trees and shrubs, on your vines and your veggies, then you’ll also discover how effective they are.

Audubon Society’s Annual Christmas Bird Count “The nation’s longest running citizen science project – 1900 to 2017”

Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas "Side Hunt." They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won. Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a "Christmas Bird Census" that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.

So began the Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to the inspiration of Chapman and the enthusiasm of 27 dedicated birders, 25 Christmas Bird Counts were held that day. The locations ranged from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California with most counts in or near the population centers of northeastern North America. Those original 27 Christmas Bird Counters tallied around 90 species on all the counts combined.

Each November, birders interesting in participating in the CBC can sign up and join in through the Audubon website.

In southern Nevada, citizens can participate in five different CBC located in Ash Meadow National Wildlife Refuge, Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, Desert National Wildlife Refuge at Corn Creek, City of Henderson and Muddy River Moapa. The counts are scheduled from December 14 through January 5. Detailed information and sign-up instructions will be posted on Red Rock Audubon Society’s web page (redrockaudubon.com). Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.

The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent's bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years.

The long term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.

Douglas Chang, Red Rock Audubon Society

Dormancy Your Plants Need a Break!

Like hibernating desert tortoises, many plants are dormant in the winter, dropping leaves, ceasing growth and slowing their metabolic processes. This resting period allows plants to conserve resources and minimize damage in extreme weather. Environmental conditions including day length, temperature and precipitation, are external factors that can trigger dormancy in many plants.

In the low desert, plants are often dormant either in winter or summer or both to some extent, actively growing in spring and/or fall. As plants enter dormancy, they cease to add new growth and many drop their leaves after a sometimes colorful, fall display. Many plants reveal incredible pigments of yellow, orange, red and purple as chlorophyll production stops. However, some plants, including many succulents, remain visibly unchanged, so it is crucial to know when your plants are dormant to avoid overwatering. Prior to and during dormancy, most plants will require less irrigation and should not be fertilized as this stimulates tender new growth and can make plants more susceptible to damage from extreme heat or cold.

Some plants, like boojum trees (Fouquieria columnaris) and many Aloes are “winter growers�, and others like Desert Rose (Adenium spp.), grow in the heat of summer, so it is worth doing a little research to know when your plants are actively growing, particularly if you grow a variety of succulents. This helps determine watering and fertilization schedules, and how to recognize what a healthy plant should look like in any season. Winter frosts and summer heat can be too intense for many tender succulents and some nonnative plants. These can be treated as spring and fall annuals, planted in a protected microclimate, or used in containers and brought indoors to protect from temperature extremes.

While not actively growing, the roots use minimal water and soil can remain saturated. Succulents will rarely tolerate being too wet during their dormant period and should be kept mostly dry to completely dry, requirements vary by species. Leafy plants will require some moisture, even during dormancy.

To determine if dormant stems are alive, test plants by bending or scratching a stem’s surface. If a small diameter stem is bent, living tissue will be pliable and bounce back or split revealing damp tissue inside. Dead limbs will break easily and be visibly dry inside. Use a sharp, clean blade or fingernail to scratch the outer bark on younger twigs that will reveal live (often green) tissue within. Dead twigs are hard to scrape and will be dry below the surface layer.

This is a useful trick when pruning prior to spring growth.

Continue to test down a stem if tips are dead, the plant may have living tissue closer to the base. Resist the urge to prune until the danger of frost has passed. Even if the bulk of stems are dead, they provide insulation to the lower stems and base of plants throughout winter. Once the weather warms, leaves will emerge from living tissue and may make pruning out dead material an easier task.

A winter garden is uniquely beautiful, with understated charm. Colors are soft and muted, and the stark structures of plants are on display, no longer cloaked in foliage. This is a quiet time in the landscape as plants rest in preparation for another year of growth. Despite this calm period for most plants, many gardeners always have something to do whether it be providing frost protection, preparing for spring, adding mulch or compost to beds or starting seeds indoors for spring planting when the cycle begins again.

Brandi Eide, Springs Preserve

Roasted Vegetables with Lentils & Spices Ingredients • 7 tbsp. Olive oil, divided • 1 Arbol chile or other small dried hot red chile • 1 large Celery Stalk, diced • 2 small Carrots, diced • 1 large Onion, half finely chopped, half cut into 1-in. chunks.

• 41/2 tsp. Garam Masala, divided • 1 tsp. chopped fresh Thyme leaves • 2 tsp. Dijon Mustard, divided • 1 cup Black Beluga or French Green Lentils*, sorted of debris and rinsed • About 3 cups reduced-sodium Vegetable broth • About 1 tsp. Salt, divided • 1 tbsp. Honey • 1 Butternut Squash (about 2 lbs.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-to11/2 in. chunks • 1/2 lb. small Brussels Sprouts, ends trimmed • 1/4 cup Orange Juice • Creme Fraiche

How to Make It Step 1 Preheat oven to 425°. In a 5- to 6-qt. pot, heat 3 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add chile, celery, carrots, and chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp. garam masala and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add thyme and 1 tsp. mustard; cook 1 minute.

Step 2 Stir in lentils, 3 cups broth, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are just tender, about 40 minutes, checking occasionally and adding more broth if needed so they’re covered in liquid.

Step 3 Meanwhile, in a 9- by 13-in. baking dish, whisk together honey; 1/2 tsp. salt; and remaining 4 tbsp. oil, 2 1/2 tsp. garam masala, and 1 tsp. mustard. Add squash and toss until well coated.

Step 4 Roast squash 15 minutes. Stir in onion chunks and brussels sprouts and cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 more minutes.

Step 5 Drain any excess liquid from lentils and discard chile. Stir in orange juice and transfer lentils to a shallow bowl.

Spoon roasted vegetables on top, serve with crème fraîche, and season to taste with more salt.

Step 6 *Find black beluga and French green lentils at well-stocked grocery stores and online. myrecipes.com

Dr.Q’s Winter gardening CALENDAR

DECEMBER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

• To maintain good color in your lawn, use Dr. Q’s Winter Gem fertilizer.

• Want winter color? Plant Pansies, Snapdragons and Stock. These are cold hardy and will bloom through April.

• Start your watering cycles between 9 am and 10 am to avoid icy sidewalks and lawns.

• Protect sensitive and frost tender plants by wrapping or covering with burlap or N-Sulate when frost is predicted.

• Winterize irrigation systems, pipes and pool components with insulation.

• When selecting a Christmas tree it can be fun. Be sure you get a fresh cut at the base. Place in a water stand as soon as you can. Check your water level daily to prevent the tree from drying out.

• Recycle your holiday tree! Check www.StarNursery.com for a complete listing of drop-off locations.

• Start warm season vegetable seeds indoors. The seedlings will be ready for spring.

• Prune your dormant fruit trees and roses! For bigger blooms and tastier crops use “Star Potions” see Star Notes #605 and #610 for instructions.

• Protect deciduous fruit trees from disease and insects by using Liqui-Cop and Horticultural Oil sprays, keep old leaves, twigs and debris cleaned up.

• It’s not the time to prune citrus trees, but you can remove sucker growth.

• Some leaf drop is normal for citrus, particularly in the late winter or early spring as new leaves are pushing out. Extra heavy leaf drop could be due to a variety of circumstances: from over watering to improper fertilization.

• Pep up your houseplants by re-potting them into larger containers. Use a high quality potting soil like Dr. Q’s Filthy Rich Gold Potting Soil.

• Its time to prepare your vegetable and flower beds for spring gardens.

• Sow your early spring flower seeds after the last frost.

• Powdery mildew may appear on new growth. Prevent it by keeping overspray off your plants and treat infected ones with fungicide.

• Warmer weather of an early false spring can be expected, but this doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods for a freeze. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and cover those frost-tender plants when the warnings come.

• February is fertilizing time for deciduous fruit, nut and shade trees. Use Dr. Q’s Fruit & Nut Tree Fertilizer or Tree, Shrub & Vine Food.

• Pecan trees and grape vines need extra zinc to help them produce their best.

Use Dr. Q’s Plant Tonic.

Water Conservation & Plant Health Proper watering is vital in the summer for saving water.

What many may not realize; this is critical in the winter as well. Frequent watering during the winter is a major cause of plant loss as well as creating unnecessary water use.

If we are to have healthy plants in winter or summer they need to have deep roots, not shallow ones. This is especially true in order to conserve water. Soil moisture at the surface quickly evaporates in summer and encourages shallow roots. During the cold season there is an added problem from shallow roots. Surface roots are much colder and so very often dormant. Dormant roots can not supply the needed water and nutrients to the plant, so winter drought stress is much more likely. Plants will suffer frost damage in these cases where, if they had a deep root system, they would be just fine. It’s not just the temperature – it is the plants state of health.

Ever wonder why you see certain varieties of plants do well throughout the winter in some yards while they look totally stressed in others? It’s not that one landscape is warmer then the other, it is healthy, deep roots, properly fed and watered.

Deep watering conserves water all year round, and adds greatly to plant health. I’ve seen plant varieties normally frost tender quite healthy during the winter because they were properly deep watered, while others stressed. With a well established deep root system many drought tolerant plant species only need to be watered once every two weeks in the winter. They are less likely to freeze and the water savings is double. Frequent winter watering is a common problem when we fail to understand these issues.

When a normally cold hardy plant has shallow roots during the winter the plant will struggle to get enough water to support health. The result is often leaf curl then complete drought stress and loss of foliage.

Most often the plant does not completely die, but by the time the warm season arrives it will look like heck, and may struggle through the heat.

During the summer months we are constantly reminded about being careful how we water our lawns. The method we use to water our shrubs or trees is equally important, but different. Often the proper concept for watering trees and shrubs is confused with how we need to water our grass. The SNWA issues watering restrictions for lawn watering and their literature attempts to clarify the difference between drips for trees and shrubs with sprinklers for grass. To many homeowners proper watering is 5 minutes three times a day, whether it’s lawn or shrubs.

Five-minute watering is shallow and great for grass, but bad for shrubs and trees. Shallow watering – shallow roots!

How to Deep Water? Runs times need to be long; an hour is a good starting point. Obviously if we are using shrubblers designed to flow at 13 gallons per hour, we can’t have them running for an hour. We’d have a flood and waste lots of water. The pressure compensated drip is what the doctor ordered. With these emitters you’ll not be putting too much water onto your landscape when the timer runs for an hour, and because it’s running this long the water will penetrate deeply encouraging deep roots.

Fast Flow Rate

Slow Rate “Drip”

Fast flow rate, 13 gallons per hour can not run more than 15 minutes.Slow rate “drip” can be run for an hour or more without causing flooding. Often with drip irrigation systems I see the adjustable 0 to 13 gallons per hour sprayers used. These sprayers have their place with shallower rooted plants like annual flowers, but because they can not run for an hour or two without creating a flood, they can not help promote deep roots. Slow watering is what it takes for deep roots, and that generally will mean a one or two gallon per hour emitter running for an hour or so.

Especially during the winter, when evaporation and plant water use (transpiration) is low, a deep root system will have water many days, often for a couple weeks after watering. The deep roots are warmer and won’t go dormant in the same way that the surface roots do. That deep reservoir of water will greatly help sustain plant health and save our precious water and its expense at the same time.

Mulch! The insulation for the roots that an organic compost mulch provides adds to the vigor of those roots during our winters. Make sure that you have applied a fresh two-inch layer around your shrubs and trees during the fall. Mulches provide an excellent insulation for root systems, keeping them warmer and functioning properly. Remember though that when we get to the warmer spring weather that these mulches should be pulled back from the base or trunk in order to prevent fungus and other forms of rot from damaging the bark and causing disease.

Water conservation is an all year project, as is keeping our landscape healthy. The winter with it’s extremes is challenging to both. We need to routinely take a look at our landscapes and their irrigation, and take care of those little challenges before they become large problems. Wet soggy soils not only indicate a waste, but they are dangerous for plants.

Infrequent deep watering is the key to doing the right thing.

How To

Winterize Your Garden With proper preparation, you can protect your plants and landscape against winter damage while also keeping your yard looking dapper. Prevention is simple if you follow a few easy steps.

Most landscape plants in the Southwest Region are not adapted to frigid winter temperatures, which can cause them to feel the harsh effects of the cold from a one-week cold snap. Your plants will have the best chance of survival with minimal damage if you ensure that they are watered adequately.

Watering is an important component of maintaining healthy plants, and when the temperature drops, it is best to reduce your watering cycle. Frost can begin to form as early as November, and the last frost is typically in early March before the onset of spring. It is recommended that you water weekly for most traditional plants, whereas succulents and cactus only require watering once a month.

Plant roots that do not have access to water are often damaged by cold, dry winds, which can cause the water within the cells of succulents to rupture internally.

In order to keep your fescue lawn green through the winter, it is recommended that you apply Dr. Q’s Winter Gem (23-3-7) fertilizer before your lawn goes dormant, and then again throughout the winter. Without adequate nitrogen, lawns oftentimes go dormant after the first hard frost and tend to be difficult to green up again until the spring season comes around. In order to make sure your fertilizer and water get to the root zone of your lawn, it is recommended that you de-thatch and rake thoroughly.

Avoiding Irrigation System Damage – Since the ground rarely freezes in desert environments, irrigation systems are often installed incorrectly. Proper installation would entail that all pipes are buried 6-8 inches deep or permanently covered with a drain valve installed at the low end of each line. Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB) valves that are exposed to the elements ought to be protected in order to avoid messy and pricey repairs. Products like Insulated Foam Pipe Wrap for exposed pipes, or FROSTBITE custom covers for PVB’s are excellent for helping to prevent a winter irrigation nightmare. Products such as prefabricated Tube Pipe Insulation by FrostKing can protect exposed lengths of PVC pipe.

If a hard freeze is expected, close the valve of your irrigation system, then drain your drip system by removing the end cap, in doing so you will prevent damage to the soft pipes from the expansion of frozen water.

Proper Shrub Care – It is important to give soft, green summer growth shrubs the chance to harden up in the cold season - new growth that is easily damaged by frost. You can help harden up your plants for the winter in two ways – (1) water infrequently and (2) avoid late fertilization any time after mid November.

Covering the tender shrubs in a landscape is often done using burlap, but it can also be quite time consuming when it comes to putting it on and taking it off, and trying to get it to stay put is a whole other struggle.

We recommend plant protector bags to minimize the challenge and make the process more manageable to provide coldprotection for those “special” plants that require additional care.

Another important step in preparing your landscape for the winter season is to protect the base of your plants with mulch. Surface mulch that is put over the root zone of plants will keep the ground from freezing and allow root growth to continue throughout the winter.

The only plants that should be pruned in the winter are deciduous trees and shrubs. It is recommended that these plants be pruned around NYE or shortly after when solid dormancy is likely to have occurred. Evergreens and desert plants do not need to be pruned until early spring.

Most desert plants grow whenever water is available to them, and since new growth sensitive to frost it is important to limit the water and fertilizer that is fed to these plants, especially cactus during the winter. Most desertadapted species can survive a cold winter with one good watering at the end of October or mid-November; no more water is required until late February.

Your cactus may look shriveled, but it will survive the severe cold more successfully when it is a bit dehydrated. Spring watering will resurrect cactus quite nicely!

If this winter turns out to be warmer than usual, you will need to adjust your watering schedule accordingly.

Warm winter watering should be about 2-3 times per month, and there is no need to prune desert plants in the winter, since doing so can induce soft new growth that can then be damaged by cold weather.

In early spring, apply a specialty fertilizer like Dr. Q’s Desert Plant and Cactus Food in order to form showy blossoms.

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