Introduction

There’s no doubt about it. Successful garden and lawn care in Nevada requires special skills and knowledge. The Desert Bioscape program shows you how to create attractive and healthy yards by working with Nevada’s environment, rather than against it.

We hope this guide will help you through an evaluation of your yard and yard care practices. This can help to develop an environmentally sound and sustainable yard. The payoff is a yard that saves you money, meets your needs, enhances your neighborhood, adds to property values, improves your community’s forests, and helps protect Nevada’s natural beauty and natural resources.

This workbook will help you develop a sustainable yard. The ultimate goal is to become cities of the desert instead of just cities in the desert. The Horticulture staff and Master Gardener volunteers at your county’s Extension office can provide you with more information and answer questions. They can also tell you about additional services they may provide such as diagnostic tests, workshops, and on-site resources. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a Nevada yard. Take this adventure a step at a time and enjoy!

For the complete guide use the link below to download the PDF version of this special report.

Robinson, M.L., Johnson, W.S., Post, R.L., and Carlos, W.J. 2004, A Guide to Desert Bioscape, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, SP-04-12

Printable Version (PDF)

Extension Associated Contacts

Martha Barajas

M.L. Robinson

Also of Interest:


Growing Hops in Southern Nevada Hops are mainly used for brewing beer. The perceived bitterness in an Indian Pale Ale is derived from the hops themselves. Hops can also impart other flavors into beers, such as fruity, citrusy, or spicy notes. However, hops can serve other purposes as well. Wynne, T., O’Callaghan, A., Robinson, M. L. and Anderson, J. 2017, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-17-05
Small Farm Hoop House Production of Vegetables in Desert Climates Costs & Returns, 2010 This publication presents sample costs and returns to produce vegetables using hoop house protection and drip irrigation in Southeastern Nevada. It is intended to be a guide, used to make production decisions, determine potential returns and prepare business and marketing plans. Bishop, C., Gatzke, H., and Curtis, K. 2010, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, SP-10-11
Climate Modification Using High Tunnels in Western Nevada Farmers in the Great Basin are investing in inexpensive low-tech greenhouses, known as high tunnels, but little is known about how high tunnels alter the climate conditions that crops experience inside of high tunnels. Heckler, S., McAfee, S.A., Kratsch, H.A. 2020, Extension Special Publication
Hard Pruning Tomatoes- Hoop House/ Greenhouse Neversink Farm explains their methods of growing tomatoes inside a hoop house and why they prune the way they do to get maximum production. Neversink Farm 2023, Youtube

Associated Programs

Pesticide Safety Education Program

Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program provides web-based training for pesticide applicators seeking to apply restricted and general use pesticides safely, properly and according to the law. Pesticide licensure and certification is administered by the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

Master Gardeners of Nevada

Program trains local gardeners to provide research-based horticulture information to Nevadans.

Master Gardeners of Washoe County

Master Gardeners provide free, research-based horticulture information to Nevadans.

A Guide to Desert Bioscape

Introduction

For the complete guide use the link below to download the PDF version of this special report.

Published by: Robinson, M.L., Johnson, W.S., Post, R.L., and Carlos, W.J., 2004, A Guide to Desert Bioscape, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, SP-04-12