It’s the most popular hobby in the world, even in the heat of Nevada.
Gardening is bound to become even more popular, especially as tariffs will increase vegetable prices from Mexico and Canada. In 2022, the USDA said the two countries provide well over 50% of the country’s fruit and vegetables.
And while many gardeners are starting to put plants in the ground, Angela O’Callaghan with the Nevada Extension services said it’s way too late in the year to try growing leafy greens.
“It's way too late to grow things like any of those leafy greens unless you want to grow them under lights indoors. I would say, get peppers in the ground. Tomatoes are okay until the temperatures are regularly up to 90 degrees.”
O’Callaghan recommends planting tomatoes under shade cloth that provides no more than 30 percent protection. She also recommends using larger pots for vegetables so they can retain more water.
“The bigger the pot, the bigger the root ball,” she said. “There's a bigger root ball that's holding water. The other thing to remember is, if you want to use those beautiful clay pots that we all love. You know this lovely terra cotta pot, they don't last. They dry out much faster than plastic pots.”
It also may be too late in the year to prune many bushes. Norm Schilling with Schilling Horticulture said it’s best to wait until after the bushes flower.
“If you prune at the wrong time of the year, you can actually be taking all the flowers away,” said Schilling. “So, you wait until after it flowers, then you prune, and then it produces flowers again for next year. A lot of plants you can prune once a year or not at all.”
Guests: Norm Schilling, horticulturist , Schilling Horticulture; Angela O'Callaghan, associate professor, Nevada Cooperative Extension
