Gardening is the most popular hobby in the world, and one that many Nevadans enjoy. It’s still a little chilly out, but it is already time to start planting your favorite garden vegetables and plants.
Horticulture experts Norm Schilling, owner of Schilling Horticulture and co-host of our Desert Bloom, and Lauren McGue, botanic garden manager for the University of Nevada Reno Extension in Clark County, answered audience questions about getting their gardens ready for spring.
What is the effect of cold weather on trees?
NORM: Some varieties of trees need chill hours, below 40 degrees, to produce fruit. If it doesn’t get cold enough, then they won’t produce fruit. You shouldn’t be planting apples and pears anyway, because they’re challenged in this climate. Citrus, pomegranates, and figs are the fruit trees that do well here. The chances of losing citrus – freezing and dying – are lower than they used to be because of warming temperatures.
Is watering fruit trees the best use of water in a desert?
NORM: Yes. If you’re going to eat plums, peaches, and apricots anyway, whether they’re grown here or not, then you might as well grow them yourself. Locavorism is more eco-friendly than eating imported fruit. And they’re organic.
Can you recommend sustainable edible landscape plants?
LAUREN: People don’t think of prickly pear as an edible landscape plant, but they are. Prickly pear is delicious if you prepare it well. You can make it into jams and drinks. It’s included in the edible demonstration area of the botanic gardens. I also recently got a jujube tree in the botanic garden. And, as NORM was saying, citrus is a go-to here.
NORM: Peruvian apple cactus is a beautiful, upright, bold, structural plant. They produce a fruit that’s 2.5 x 2 inches and it’s thornless and absolutely delicious when they’re ripe.
What are best practices for reducing water use in my garden?
NORM: One approach is asking, what do you plant to create a truly drought-tolerant landscape? Once desert ornamentals– Texas Rangers, mesquites, desert willows, butterfly bush, fairy duster – are established, you can water it seven-10 times a year. Not when you first plant it. So, you can build. Another way to think about it is how to make the landscape you’ve got more water-responsible. It’s been a learning process for me to be surprised by plants that I think need more water than they do. The plants will teach you.
LAUREN: At the botanic garden, I emphasize proper irrigation management. As people remove their lawns due to recent ordinances, there’s a lot of interest in drought-tolerant landscape, xeriscaping. We need to focus on irrigation management. Plants aren’t the problem, water management is. We offer classes. Visit us at 8050 Paradise Road to see the demonstration garden. Make sure the irrigation you apply to the plant is adequate to the plant and not one-size-fits-all.
What are some drought-tolerant flowers I can plant?
LAUREN: For annuals, Osteospermum and carnations are available this time of year. As for native plants, I like globe mallow, which comes in various colors and can tolerate full sun. And we have seeds for it in our seed bank. Penstemon is another option.
NORM: There’s a Penstemon society of America, and their members are called penstemaniacs. There’s so many different varieties, and some reseed themselves. I also recommend golden dyssodia, shrubby dog weed, black foot daisy, bush morning-glory, gopher plant.
How can i fill a “blank canvas” back yard with something that’s dog-friendly (and not lawn)?
LAUREN: I understand not wanting turf grass, but I do recommend some type of ground cover to keep the yeard cool. Carapia is one that can withstand light treading. Micro-clover can withstand even more tread. I recommend installing proper irrigation for plants before putting the ground cover in. Bermuda grass is drought resistant. It is an option if you do want a lawn, but it’s very hard to get rid of if you don’t want it.
NORM: You can shut off water to Bermuda, and it won’t die. It uses only about 70 percent of the water of fescue. But you can’t dig it out. There are underground runners called stolens that produce plants. About every inch or two there’s a node where rootlets come out, and if you leave a tiny bit behind and it gets water, it comes back. It’s not practical at all.
Can a Joshua Tree be planted and survive in Summerlin?
NORM: Yes, they can do well here and are drought-tolerant. It’s an indicator plant of the Mojave and is gorgeous, but they’re all wild harvested, and we’ve been in drought for 15 years, so they’re pretty drought-stressed out there in the wild. When you transplant a stressed plant, it’s less likely to succeed. So make sure you get one that’s already well-rooted and cared for from a good contractor.
How do you grow microgreens in a garage?
LAUREN: I’m assuming there’s a light source. There are hydroponic systems that are pretty affordable and people can purchase them and grow microgreens that way. But you need adequate light, water, and nutrients.
NORM: There’s a ton of information on the web about how to do that. The burgeoning marijuana industry has made it a lot more accessible.
Guests: Norm Schilling, owner, Schilling Horticulture ; Lauren McGue, botanic garden manager,
UNR Extension
