7 Foolproof Ways To Prepare For Summer

1. Reset sprinkler clocks to increase watering length due to increased temperatures. The best time to water is between the hours of 3 and 6 AM. Check with any Star Nursery for a copy of the Southern Nevada Water Authority Watering Guide or Drought Watering Restrictions Guide. Inspect your irrigation system for correct water delivery to all plants.

2. Control wild unwanted Bermuda by fertilizing and watering it until it is lush (this will make the plant more vulnerable), then treat with a non-selective grass killer like Remuda® or Round-up®. Several treatments may be necessary for effective control. An alternative is to cultivate Bermuda. It makes a dense, water efficient turf when properly contained and cared for. Treated areas can be replanted or re-seeded after dead turf is removed. These herbicides are also effective in treating tree wells and shrub beds without harm to desirable plants. Remember – keep herbicide off of desirable plant foliage!

3. Aggressively manage insect pests with insecticides or organic controls. Paint fruit tree trunks with white, water-base paint or use tree wrap to protect from sunburn and help prevent borer infestation.

4. Refresh potted plants by adding new potting soil or shifting overgrown house and patio plants into larger containers with fresh soil. Use a long slow outdoor watering to leach buildup of fertilizer and water-soluble salts. Apply a mild fertilizer like Dr. Q’s® Gold Dust (5-10-5) or Dr. Q’s Houseplant Tonic (5-3-1). Use cache-pots to surround patio plants and keep them from overheating. Increase watering frequency as needed.

5. Prune desert plants.  Now is a good time to do light pruning on low-water-use plants and reduce stress from overgrown foliage and seedpods. Be careful not to expose tender trunks to full sun if they’ve been well shaded previously.

6. Be picky about fertilizer.  Most ornamentals will benefit from a mild feeding of a complete, packaged fertilizer like Dr. Q’s® Tree, Shrub & Vine Food (16-8-4). Fertilize lawns before the end of the month to get them through the first heat wave. Renew mulches as necessary.

7. Plant heat-loving flowers like Texas Bluebells, Star Flowers, Vinca, Marigold, Moss Rose, and Zinnias. Amend soil thoroughly and use surface mulches to make them more water efficient. Continue to plant summer flowers like Dahlias and Cannas.

For more information on what to do in the garden throughout the year, check out Star Note #100. 

6 Things You Can Check Off Your Garden To-Do List

Spring is closer than you think and February is a great month to do some preparation, clean-up, and planning. Here are a few items to check off the garden to-do list and get your yard ready for spring!

Watch out for strong winds. 

Spring often comes early to the Desert Southwest. Winds can stress new plantings and burn young leaves. 

Water deeply and make sure all new trees are STAKED PROPERLY. Use multiple poles and soft ties to keep trees from breaking or blowing over.

Finish planting Dormant Pot Roses and Fruit Trees.  

All planting should be completed by Valentine’s Day or the plants may not survive the coming summer heat.

“Wake up” Established roses.  

About 3 weeks after pruning, get roses ready for the spring blooming period with the “Star Potion” discussed in StarNote 605, Fertilizer Mixture for Established Roses. 

Fertilize fruit trees and grapes early in the month.  

The greatest need for nitrogen is about 6 weeks before and after bloom. Proper feeding during this period helps ensure the highest quality fruit. The use of a soil alkalinity modifier like Con-Gro can substantially enhance your plant's uptake of nutrients. The “Star Potion” for fruit trees is discussed in StarNote 610, Fertilizer Mixture for Established Fruit Trees. 

Frost-damaged plants.  

If damaged by a freeze or hard frost, leave plants unpruned and undisturbed until later in spring. Pruning or transplanting after such damage may further weaken or kill the plant. When new growth emerges, you’ll see where to prune it.

Prevent spring lawn weeds 

An application of a granular pre-emergent weed control product, like Amaze® or Bonide Crabgrass and Broadleaf Weed Preventer, give excellent pre-emergent control in tree wells, shrub and flower beds.

5 Easy Maintenance Tips To Transition Into Fall

Summer's coming to an end and there's a to be done in the garden in preparation for the

cooler days ahead. 

These few basic chores will help you to maximize the time you spend outdoors whether you're planning on adding some trees and shrubs to your landscape or simply planning on dining and entertaining on the patio in the cool evenings. 

Reset sprinkler clocks to match requirements of the Southern Nevada Watering Authority Drought Watering Restrictions Guide if drought conditions are in effect. Get a copy from any Star Nursery. Inspect your irrigation system for correct water delivery to all plants.

Cool season vegetables.  Turn your vegetable beds and amend with organic material like Paydirt™ Planting Mix. Begin to plant cool season vegetables from transplants available at any of our stores. Sow seed directly in the ground to start carrots, radishes, lettuce, peas, onions or spinach. Feed monthly with Dr. Q’s® Tomato & Vegetable Food (6-10-6).

For More on Cool Weather Vegetables, Check Out Star Note #200.

Kill unwanted Bermuda grass that has appeared this summer. Use Remuda® or Round-up® for effective control. It’s your last chance to control before the dormant period sets in. Once dormant, Bermuda is unaffected by herbicides.

For More Information on Weed Identification and Control, Check Out Star Note #625.

Give fruit trees a final feeding with low nitrogen, high phosphorus fertilizer to stimulate fruit buds for next spring. Feed shrubs and trees with complete, organic-based fertilizers from the Dr. Q’s®fertilizer line to help them recover from summer stress and get ready for the winter.

For More On Fruit Trees, Check Out Star Note #500.

Clean and feed roses to bring them from the summer blahs to the fall color show. Prune dead wood, spindly twigs and lightly shape the bush. Remove and discard all old leaves and other debris to prevent insect and disease problems. Feed with Dr. Q’s® Rose & Flower Food (6-12-4) and enjoy the blooms. 

For More On Roses, Check Out Star Note #520.

For More Seasonal Gardening Information, Check Out Our Star Notes!

One Step To Healthier Plants, Better Soil And Less Water!

Would you like to have healthier plants, better soil and use less water? Regular use of mulches can give you all this and more.

What, exactly, is mulch? Mulch is organic or inorganic material that is used as a protective covering placed around plants to prevent evaporation of moisture, insulate roots, and prevent weed growth. It can be coarse or fine and even consist of rocks in some landscapes. “Compost” is mulch that had completed the composting (or decomposition) process. Mulch is for surface applications only, while compost can be used as a mulch or planting mix.

Regular use of mulch also helps drainage and improves the soil. Most mulches release natural humic acids when broken down by soil microbes. These acids neutralize alkali deposits frequently found in our native soils and make nutrients more readily available to plants. Mulch also cools the soil while reducing water use during the hot summer months. Some mulches like bark and rock are highly decorative in the landscape. Others can also be used as amendments to improve soil at planting time. Here are examples of the most common mulches normally used in our area:

Dr. Q’s®Paydirt™ Premium Planting Mix and Mulch is a peat moss based, a fully composted product with a small charge of long-lasting organic fertilizer added. It is free of sewer sludge and adds to soil structure, over time, when used as surface mulch. Best when applied as a 1 or 2-inch layer twice a year in spring and fall. Specially formulated for our tough desert soils, Paydirt™ is also the best soil amendment available! Mix it with landscape soil to get all your plants, flowers and vegetables off to the best possible start.

Humus Gro and Top Dressing are fully composted, humus-based products that give a rich color to the soil surface when used as mulch. They also break down naturally when used as surface mulches and release beneficial humic acids. These products can also be used as seed covers and soil amendments. Apply 1 or 2-inch layer in spring and fall to provide maximum benefit to plants.

Bark mulches insulate the soil from heat and cold as well as control evaporation. Coarse, medium and large bark mulches are especially useful in high-wind areas since they aren’t likely to blow around like fine-grained products. Apply a 2-inch layer around plants and in shrub beds. Do not mix bark mulches into the soil. They remove nitrogen during the composting process and can cause plant stress if used incorrectly. Scatter fertilizer on top of the bark when feeding your plants. It will speed composting while providing proper plant nutrition.

Bulk or bagged rock is a decorative landscape product that doubles as mulch by reducing evaporation from the soil in covered areas around desert shrubs, trees and cactus. Rock is normally applied in 1 to 2-inch layers. Since it is highly heat-reflective, be careful when using it around traditional plants. Leave a 2 or 3-foot circle around those plants and use bark or humus-based mulch instead. If using rock over a large surface area, keep in mind that sandstone rock decomposes into the soil rather quickly, while quartz rock does not.

Grass clippings and leaves are frequently used as mulches by the home gardener. If using these materials, do not mix them into the soil as they remove nitrogen while undergoing the natural composting process. This can cause severe plant stress. Consider building a composting bin (wire fencing works well). Add the leaves and clippings, sprinkle with a high nitrogen fertilizer like Ammonium Sulfate (21-0-0) or a commercial compost starter product. Water and turn the pile over every 2 weeks or so. You’ll have a fully composted mulch in about 6 weeks which will be fine to use around your flowers, trees, and shrubs.

For more information on keeping your plants healthy, check out Star Note 900A!

The Ultimate Guide For A Fuss-Free Summer Yard!

Second application of Pre-emergent weed control.  Depending on the amount and timing of your first application, it may have become ineffective by now. Weeds will continue to start from seed throughout the warm season (especially with the summer rains).

Do NOT fertilize your regular (non-Palm) plants with high nitrogen (over 7%) now!

Fertilize palms 2-3 times during this period with Dr. Q’s® Palm Tree Food (14-4-14) to provide the special nutrients needed for vigorous growth and rich, green color.

More is not always better! Resist the temptation to water everything to death in the heat. Just because a plant “looks dry” does not mean it needs more water. If the soil is too often watered, the plant can not breathe, and can not take up the water in its soil.

Consult your watering guides. Check out Star Note #900A and Star Note #900B.

Prevent and control Spider Mites on evergreens like cypress and juniper by using a high pressure hose to wash the foliage every 2-3 weeks. Symptoms include a dusty, off color or rust colored appearance and fine webbing on the foliage. Apply a miticide like Malathion, Bug-b-Gon or Insect, Mite & Disease Control if infestation becomes severe.

Keep your lawn healthy without excessive growth by using a balanced, high iron fertilizer like Dr. Q’s Triple Play (7-7-7) or Super Iron Plant Food (9-9-9). Watch for summer weeds like dandelions and spurge. Pull by hand or spot spray with a broadleaf weed killer. Don’t spray your whole lawn. Herbicide-temperature interaction could cause severe damage.

Control insect pests like roaches, ants, black widows, earwigs and so (roly-poly) bugs with chemical or pyrethrin based insecticides. When using any pesticide, read complete instructions and follow package directions exactly! (top)

For more information on the Gardener's Calendar, check out Star Note #100.

Three More Weeks Until School? Or Three More Weeks Of Fun?

Join us this Saturday, Aug 13th!

We'll be recycling a milk Jug into a handy watering can!

Please Bring Your Own Milk Jug.

Register Here!

The Simplest Way To Save Water. We Promise.

Here in the desert southwest we all know that we need to conserve as much water as we can. We follow the watering schedules, we convert to a xeriscape yard and install drip emitters.

 Still so many of us are missing the water saving boat by not doing this one simple trick.

The Most Common Desert Gardening Question

How much should I water my shrubs and trees?

The answer may surprise you!

Can Your Landscape Take The Heat?

Seminars Just In Time For Summer

Dear Earth, We Love You.

In the spirit of celebration, we've rounded up a list of ways you can honor this place we call home. Feel free to try one or all of them.

The Upgrade Your Lawn Is Drooling Over

We all know that upgrading to HE (High Efficiency) appliances in our homes saves water, energy and best of all, MONEY.

So why not opt for an upgrade in your yard?

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.

This Saturday, March 21st!

If you're looking to tackle a new or existing irrigation project before the heat turns up, then you won't want to miss our Saturday seminar on Understanding Irrigation Systems. 

Join us at all Star Nursery locations this Saturday, March 21st at 10am or 2pm for this free and informative seminar.