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Congrats to the lucky Facebook contest winner!

We're going to keep this summer love momentum going over on Twitter this week!

Follow us and tell us what you're loving about Summer in the Desert.

Check it out!

Crestwood's Garden Summer Camp

This summer, Crestwood Elementary is piloting a summer program designed to teach students about Permaculture design, gardening, art, cooking, and nutrition. They are working with scientists, teachers, and permaculture gardeners with a three week curriculum. This curriculum will be available free of charge to other Nevada schools so that they can use it when designing their own summer programs.

The students participating are exploring topics from:

hands on science learning
 art projects
 Permaculture
 responsible living
nutrition exploration

With the help of groups like Green our Planet, Garden Farms, The American Heart Association, and lots of enthusiastic parents, teachers and community partners like Star Nursery, this summer camp is thriving. 

The students are beaming and can't wait to give us a tour of the garden.

Our host and tour guide, Luisa, will be starting the 4th grade after this Summer.

She stops at every garden bed to tell us what's growing in them.

Lavender, tomatoes, marigolds, pumpkins are all just a few of the overflowing garden varieties that Luisa recalls by name just by looking at the plants.

She explains that they created the outdoor classroom bench out of mud and then painted it to look like a very long caterpillar. That caterpillar is where students sit and take notes under a large mulberry tree while the teacher writes on an outdoor white board.

After the tour we followed Luisa back into the classroom where a fresh from the garden lunch was well on it's way to being prepared. Students circled a table where a local chef was delegating food prep tasks to each of the children.

There's a definite excitement in the air to taste what they've been growing.

Thanks for inviting us Crestwood! We're happy to help!

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A Worm's World - Club Read

We've partnered with the Clark County Library District to sponsor a summer reading program that's all about Worms!

Kids will learn what worms can do for the garden soil and for our plants!

They will also get to make their very own Wiggling Worm bookmark to keep them company through their Summer reads!

Visit Club Read to find out what's going on and see if A Worm's World
is coming to a library near you!
#starsummerlovin

Summer Zucchini Salad

It's finally salad season!

And if your garden is overflowing with sweet sweet summer veggie goodness, then you'll appreciate a creative way to get those beauties from the garden into your belly.

It's only natural for us to crave fresh and light meals when the temperatures rise.

Vegetables and fruits are made up of mostly water. As the heat turns up, our bodies are in desperate need of additional hydration.

Enter the hydrating, but not too filling, salad.

Summer Zucchini Salad

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 dices zucchini

1 diced tomato

1/4 diced red onion

Generous handful fresh dill chopped

1/2 red bell pepper

1/2 cup vinaigrette dressing of your choice

pinch of salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.

Dice all the veggies to the desired size.

Toss everything with the vinaigrette of your choice (We used Brianna's Home Style Real French Vinaigrette) and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

How convenient that most of these ingredients are in season at the same time!

Thank you Summer!

#starsummerlovin

The Facebook contest in underway! Like our page for a chance to win a $25

Star Nursery Gift Card!

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June 21st - July 21st

Join us in celebrating Summer with 30 days of inspiration 

and a chance to win a Star Nursery Gift Card every week!

Visit us on Facebook this Sunday to find out how to win!

This Saturday, June 20th!

Join us for a comprehensive understanding of the drip system! 

Making sure that you're irrigation is functioning properly is vital to the survival of you landscape, especially in the summer.

Learn what each piece of the puzzle does and how best to maintain it.

Bring your questions!

Every Star Nursery Location at 10am and 2pm.

Embrace the Cactus

Rainbow Giant Cactus

Well, not literally, because that's a bad idea. 

Seriously though, the beauty of cactus and succulents are underestimated and underused in the landscape.
 Their prickly charm can add interest and depth and are about as drought tolerant
as you can possibly get.
These plants have undergone some pretty amazing transformations to be able to not only survive in this inhospitable home, but thrive here.
 The truth is, we have a lot in common with these masters of resource.

Rainbow Giant Cactus

If you think about it, their strategies for getting through the extremes are not unlike our own.

Succulence: Cactus, agave, and succulents have the ability to store water in special cells in their stems, leaves, or roots.
We also store water; only we do it in water bottles and coolers to get us though the dry periods.

Fire Barrel Cactus

Skin: Most of these plants have a thin and delicate skin with a layer of waxy coating for protection.

We tend to cover our skin with lightweight clothing and hats when we need protection from the sun.

Roots: The root systems of cactus and succulents are shallow and wide-spreading so that they can collect every drop of rainwater around them.

As residents of the desert southwest we are happy to accept every bottle of water when offered.

Beavertail Cactus

If you're new to the desert and need some advice; always accept the bottle of water when offered!

Considerations for Container Gardening

Planting in a container is the easiest way to get your I-need-something-green-in-my-life, fix.

You don't have to worry about sun exposure because your garden is mobile.

You don't have to worry about breaking your back while digging in the native soil because your garden is above ground.
And the creative opportunities for turning that old piece of junk into a beautiful planter are endless!

Once you add drip emitters to your pretty pots you've really mastered the lazy man's way of gardening, and that's a wonderful feeling.

Warning; Container gardening is addictive!

One of the most important things to look for when choosing a container to plant in is a hole for water to drain from. It's crucial that your plant's roots have air as well as water.

Roots cannot live in standing water without air. Even water plants require aeration to survive.

If there's no hole in your container then you can mimic an air space by adding a few inches of gravel to the bottom of your pot before adding soil. This will create a separation between the bottom of the pot and the bottom layer of soil and allow for air to flow to the roots.

Next, you'll want to make sure that you have the appropriate soil for what you're planting.

Not all soils and planting mixes are created equal.

Garden soil, planting mixes, and mulch are created for planing in the ground and shouldn't be used in containers.

Always use a potting mix when planting in pots!

Some potting mixes come with fertilizer mixed in already so bear that in mind when you do to fertilize your plants again after planting.

If you're potting up succulents or cactus, make sure to use a soil specific to those plants. Succulents and cactus require a sandy, well-draining soil for survival. Placing them in a regular potting mix can equal accidental over watering and root rot.

Adding the plants is the fun part.

Pick things that you like and that will work well for where you plan on your pot being most of the time.

You'll want to take a trip to your local Star Nursery and ask a sales associate for help with picking out the right plants.

Don't forget to research how big your plants will grow to maturity. You want to make sure that you give each one a chance to shine.

Go ahead and give it a try!

This Saturday, June 13th!

Join us this Saturday at all Star Nursery locations at 2pm!

We'll be learning how to respect the desert outdoors.

Hope to see you there!

Here Comes the Rain Again

We had a great time this past First Friday in the Kids Zone!

We spent the evening making, decorating and shaking our very own rain sticks! 

Traditionally these sticks were made by the Aztecs out of pieces of fallen dried cactus and pebbles or dried beans.

When you shake the stick it makes the sound of falling rain and it is said that these sticks were used to bring about rainstorms in South America.

We made our sticks out of recycled PVC pipe, two PVC end caps and some pea gravel!

You'll thank us when the rain comes to the Desert Southwest!

Happy First Friday!

Join us tonight at First Friday, downtown Las Vegas.

You'll find us in the Kids Zone off Main St. and Coolidge (different from our usual spot) from 5-9pm.

We'll be recycling irrigation materials into our own beautiful music makers!

Hope to see you there!

This Saturday, June 6th!

They're Back!

Star Summer Seminars are here and this Saturday, June 6th we'll be addressing 

Summer Lawn Care & Maintenance.

Come armed with your questions and concerns for our experts and don't forget to bring a photo of your very own trouble spots!

10am and 2pm at all Star Nursery Locations!

Bring on the Heat!

Early Sunrise Coreopsis

Looking to add some color to your yard but worried about the approaching 100+ degree temperatures?

Fear not.

We have you covered.

There are plenty of heat and sun loving flowers that can stand the stress of summer when we can't even stand to walk to the mailbox.

Here are a few beauties that can sunbathe all season:

Vinca

Vinca is a showy, glossy green, heat-loving plant with flowers in unusual shades of grape, raspberry, blue, red, rose, white and bicolor. Excellent in masses, as borders or spot accents. Avoid overhead sprinkling. It may return from seed next year.

Daybreak Gazania

Gazania is a bright, cheery, heat-loving plant available in trailing or clumping varieties. Trailing types make excellent ground covers while clumping plants are perfect for spot accents, masses or borders. Colors range from white to burgundy, yellow, orange, red and bicolor. Don’t over water this one!

Moss Rose

Moss Rose is a heat loving trailing succulent with a variety of brightly colored flowers. Great for containers or beds. Full sun: any soil.

Drought tolerant, water thoroughly and infrequently. Feed lightly with Dr, Q's Rose & Flower Food every 6 weeks.

Angelface

Angelface is a compact tropical heat lover highlights a new series of snapdragons. Its large-flowered variety with shades of blue, violet and white, is ideal for our hot desert climate. Give it full to part sun, well drained garden soil, and moderate water.

There's more where these came from, so visit your local Star Nursery to learn more!

For more warm weather flower gardening tips check out Star Note 310.

Fore The Horses

We are proud to sponsor the 7th annual FFWH Golf Tournament returns! All net proceeds donated to the L.E.A.N. horse rescue program in Las Vegas - "Fore The Horses!" 

**NEW VENUE - the gorgeous TPC LAS VEGAS ** From the stunning backdrop of Red Rock Canyon to the rugged natural landscape, TPC Las Vegas is the premier PGA TOUR property in Las Vegas making it a destination for celebrities and PGA TOUR players alike. It’s no wonder the golf course has been heralded by Golf Digest as one of the “Best Places to Play.”

TOURNAMENT is FULL!