In This Edition
- About This Newsletter
- A Note From the Editors
- Gratitude
- What's Happening This Summer
- The Benefits of Organic Mulch
- Why Are My Tulips So Short?
- What's Cooking in My Garden?
- Garden Reflections
- Master Gardener Photos
About This Newsletter
Welcome to our newsletter dedicated to gardening enthusiasts in Nevada! Here, the Master Gardener Volunteers of Washoe County are committed to fostering a community of gardening knowledge and education. Through this publication, we aim to provide research-based horticulture insights for our readers. Each quarter, we offer a wealth of information covering various aspects of gardening, from upcoming garden events to advice on topics ranging from pest control to sustainable gardening practices. Join us as we explore the science and artistry of gardening together!
A Note From the Editors
A shallow dish with pebbles even attracts a lizard on a hot day.
Photo by Becky Colwell
Welcome to our summer edition!
Don’t forget our beneficial insects this summer. Not only do they need plenty of flowers for their food source, they also need a source for water. A shallow dish filled with pebbles makes a great water source. Not only do bees and other insects need drinking water but some native bees also use water to make their nests. Mason bees use water to make mud for their nests while digger bees collect water in their crops to soften the ground where they dig their nest.
Early summer is when you should prune your spring flowering shrubs to ensure a great bloom next spring. The flower buds for next year form on old wood. Spring blooming shrubs create their flower buds for next year shortly after they finish blooming the current year.
Deadheading is another summer garden chore that will benefit your perennials. Cutting off the spent flowers directs the plants energy toward root development instead of making seeds. Deadheading also benefits the pollinators as they spend less energy finding flowers with food.
As the temperatures rise make sure you are changing your watering to meet the needs of your landscape, many plant issues arise from not getting enough water during the hottest parts of summer. Keeping your plants healthy and stress free helps them to ward off living and non-living pest problems.
Vegetable info
It’s best to get even warm-weather plants like tomatoes and melons in the ground by Memorial Day weekend or early June at the latest. There’s still a slight risk of late frosts, but waiting any longer also poses the risk that an early frost in the fall will cut your gardening season short before the harvest is in.
Be sure your plants are acclimated to outdoor conditions before transplanting them. If the days turn hot suddenly, put your last spring transplants in the ground in the cooler evening hours and keep them evenly moist. Suspending a light shade cloth – garden mesh or even cheesecloth – over the plants can help them get through a hot spell until they are established.
Don’t forget the Master Gardener help desk is available to answer your gardening questions. Located inside the Extension Office at 4955 Energy Way, Reno, the desk is staffed on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You may also email questions to mastergardeners@unce.unr.edu or phone us at 775-784-4848.
Happy Summer Gardening,
Becky and Chris
Gratitude
Article by Rachel McClure
Washoe County Master Gardener Coordinator
Nothing else comes close to the feeling we have for our community. We are so grateful for the enormous support Washoe County residents show us on a regular basis, but the turnout for this year’s Seedling Sale was incredible! Thank you so much!
Proceeds from the seedling sale go toward all our programming needs and community outreach. Gardening talks at Bartley Ranch, Rancho San Rafael and more, along with programs like supporting The Ronald McDonald House, Lemelson Elementary STEM program and school garden, and the Northern Nevada Veterans Home gardens all are possible because of you.
We are grateful!
What's Happening This Summer?
Master Gardeners will continue to give short presentations on a wide range of gardening topics at various locations this summer. A mobile Master Gardener help desk will be available at some locations as well. See locations, dates, and times below.
Garden Talks at the Library
Where: Spanish Springs Library, 7100A Pyramid Way, Sparks
Talks will be held monthly on the fourth Sunday from 1:30 to 3 p.m., and the mobile help desk will be available from 1 to 4 p.m..
June 22, 2025
1:30 p.m. - Harvesting and Curing Garlic: Did you plant garlic last fall and now are wondering when you should harvest it? Master Gardener Gary Garrett will teach you all about the right time to harvest your garlic and how to cure and store your garlic.
2:00 p.m. - Plants for Clay Soils: Much of the Truckee Meadows has clay-rich soils, which can be a real gardening challenge! Join Master Gardener Melinda Gustin to learn about plants that will grow well in clay soils.
2:30 p.m. – Pruning Spring-Blooming Shrubs: Spring-blooming shrubs, such as lilacs, forsythias, and flowering almonds should be pruned after they bloom in the late spring. Join Master Gardeners Shari Elena Quinn and Linda Fulton to learn proper pruning techniques for these beautiful shrubs.
July 27, 2025
1:30 p.m. - Common Tomato Problems: Are your tomatoes not producing as well as you’d like? Are you wondering if something is wrong with your tomatoes? Join Master Gardener Jeff Curtis as he discusses common tomato problems and strategies to improve your tomato plants.
2:00 p.m. – Edible Flowers: Did you know that some garden flowers can be enjoyed in food preparations, both cooked and raw? Join Master Gardeners Bryn Lapenta and Linda Van Citters to learn about adding edible flowers to your table.
2:30 p.m. – Beating the Heat in the Summer Garden: Come join us and learn strategies and tips to help your garden thrive during the extreme heat of the season with Master Gardener Liz Morrow.
Aug. 24, 2025
1:30 p.m. - How to End the Grass Season Well (Fall Grass Care): Caring for your grass at the end of the growing season can help your lawn survive and thrive the next growing season. Come and learn valuable lawn care tips from Master Gardener Judi Kleidon.
2:00 p.m. – Get to Know Your Soil: Have you been wanting to understand the soil in your yard but didn't know where to begin? Join Master Gardener Colleen Kohlsaat to discuss the nuts and bolts of soil and ways to improve it for growing healthy plants.
2:30 p.m. – Lifting and Dividing Iris: Are your irises crowded? Were this year’s blooms not as spectacular as usual? Irises need to be lifted and divided to improve their health and to increase their blooms. Join Master Gardener Dawn Detton to learn about this important step in iris care.
Sept. 28, 2025
1:30 p.m. Planting Garlic: The best time to plant garlic is in the fall. Learn how to prepare and plant your garden to ensure a great garlic harvest next year from Master Gardener Gary Garrett.
2:00 p.m. Equip Yourself for Gardening: Join Master Gardener Janet Owens to explore basic garden tools and match them to garden tasks. Some tips will be provided for selecting, purchasing, and caring for tools. In addition, get a few ideas on tools that make gardening easier on your body.
2:30 p.m. Planting Spring Bulbs in Containers: Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, and other spring bulbs need to be planted in the fall. Did you know you can plant these bulbs in containers? Learn tips and tricks for successful spring bulb planting in containers with Master Gardener Diane Miniel.
Third Thursday Evening Garden Talks
Where: Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St., Reno
Join Washoe County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners on the third Thursdays in June, July, August, and September for evening garden talks. Talks will be held in the park’s community garden, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending by 7:30 p.m. A help desk will also be available during the talks.
Thursday, June 19, 2025
6 p.m.: Square Foot Gardening presented by Suzanne Arney
6:30 p.m.: Straw Bale Gardening presented by Maxine Weiss
7 p.m.: Microgreens presented by Suki Lee
Thursday, July 17, 2025
6 p.m.: What’s Eating My Plants presented by Mary Eklund
6:30 p.m.: Growing an Herb Garden presented by Elsa De Jong
7 p.m.: Common Tomato Problems presented by Jeff Curtis
Thursday, August. 21, 2025
6 p.m.: Preservation Techniques presented by Doreen Spires
6:30 p.m.: Native Pollinators for Your Garden presented by Sonya Campbell
7 p.m.: Cover Crops presented by Frances Munoz
Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025
6 p.m.: Edible Perennials presented by Victoria Dexter
6:30 p.m.: Saving Seeds presented by Rod Haulenbeek
The Benefits of Organic Mulch
Article and photos by Becky Colwell
The soil under our feet is a living food web, made up of billions of small organisms, called microbes, each working hard to break down inorganic and organic material to nourish Earth’s plants. Some produce secretions that dissolve rocks; others break down organic matter and aerate the soil.
Nature doesn’t have leaf blowers to get rid of all the dead leaves or have someone cleaning up fallen branches or other residue of once-living plants. In nature this plant detritus feeds the soil life, which in turn very slowly recycles the nutrients back into forms accessible by living plants. Thus the saying “feed the soil, not the plant.”
New wood chip mulch laid over my drip system on my hill. My neighbor cut down a tree and shared
his wood chips. Notice that I didn’t mulch around the trunk of the apple tree. Mulch should be kept eight
to 12 inches away from mature tree trunks to allow the inner bark at the flare of the trunk to
breathe and keep dry, which is very important for the survival of the tree.
One way we can feed our soil is by using organic mulch. Wood chips make a great organic mulch and can last two to three years. It is also a great way to recycle yard waste such as fallen leaves, pruned woody plant material, and herbicide-free grass clippings. This is what I use as I have an abundance of all three and it has many other landscape benefits in our hot, dry climate.
Here I have used a three-inch layer of leaves with cut-up
pruned limbs on top so the leaves won’t blow away.
Mulch shades the soil.
Blocking direct sun from the soil prevents surface evaporation and helps maintain soil moisture. This reduces the need to irrigate as often and also reduces soil surface temperatures, which helps soil microbe populations stay active. Plant roots grow better when the soil temperature remains cooler. If the soil becomes too warm plants stop growing new roots and their absorption of nutrients is reduced.
Mulch discourages weeds.
A three-inch layer of mulch will inhibit the growth of annual weeds by not allowing light to reach the seeds and trigger germination. New seeds from nearby weeds tend to be pushed down through the mulch where they will not germinate. Another factor is that microbes are taking nitrogen from the surface of the soil to decompose the mulch, thus starving the germinating weed seeds.
Mulch helps prevent crusting.
Soil crusting occurs when a heavy rain strikes unprotected soil surfaces. This breaks down soil aggregates, turning the top layer of soil into a crust that can prevent water infiltration, resulting in runoff. A layer of mulch allows the rain water to slowly percolate into the soil and be absorbed.
Mulch improves soil structure and fertility.
As it decomposes, mulch feeds soil microorganisms, which in turn add nutrients back into the soil. The result is a healthier soil with a higher fraction of organic matter and the elements that plants need to thrive.
In the fall I save my raked leaves from my lawn. First I fill my worm box to feed my worms. They turn the leaves into soil that I use in my flower beds and pots. I save my remaining leaves in a big drain pipe my brother gave me and in leaf and garden bags. I let these leaves break down through the winter and use them the following summer to re-cover areas where the mulch has broken down. I don’t mow my leaves to chop them up, but that is often recommended as it helps break them down faster.
Leaves stored in my big drain pipe as well as leaf and garden bags. They may
also be stored in cylinder-shaped holders made from wire mesh or old trash cans.
Another method of recycling leaves is turning them into leaf mold, which is decayed leaves. The leaves may be put in a pile or in a wood or wire bin. The bin should be three to six feet in diameter and at least three feet in height. The leaves also may be put in large plastic bags. If done this way, the leaves need to be moistened and the bags closed loosely to allow air flow. It takes a couple of years to produce leaf mold before it can be used as mulch.
The leaves that fall into my flower beds stay there over the winter as they provide hibernation spots for beneficial insects and protect my perennials from the cold. When it warms up, my perennials grow up through the leaves, which now serve as a nice layer of mulch to feed the soil microbes while also helping retain moisture and keep my flower roots cool.
Comfrey, Symphytum grandiflorum ‘Hidcote Blue,’
coming up through leaves left from the previous fall.
Be careful not to have more than a three-to four-inch layer of mulch at any time. Too much mulch can reduce soil oxygen, causing plant roots to suffocate. My wood chip mulch lasted three years before it broke down enough for me to add more. Leaves break down faster and I usually have to re-mulch areas after two years. I have a large area on my hill to keep mulched, so usually I’m adding to it every year in various places.
I start reapplying the leaves I stored over the winter when I mow my lawn. First, I put down a three-inch layer of leaves, walk on the leaves to crunch them down, then sprinkle a thin layer of grass over the leaves so they don’t blow away.
A layer of leaves I have crunched down on a
pathway, getting ready to be covered with lawn clippings.
This is the finished process on the pathway, where I have sprinkled a thin layer
of lawn clippings on top of the leaves to hold them in place when the wind blows.
If you want to get started mulching this summer but don’t have any leaves, lawn clippings may also be used. Use dry clippings and apply only one to two inches at one time. You may have to spread the clippings out so the sun can dry them before applying. Don’t use clippings if your lawn has recently been treated with an herbicide for dandelions or other broadleaf weeds, as the herbicide residue may harm your plants. If you are hand-watering any of the mulched areas make sure you water long enough for the water to percolate through the mulch into the soil.
Besides its many other benefits to your landscape, mulching is a simple way to “feed the soil, not the plant.” If done consistently over time, mulching can save you the need to buy and add fertilizer.
References:
• Pavlis, Robert; “Soil Science for Gardeners Working with Nature to Build Soil Health,” New Society Publishers, 2020.
• Clement, David and Malinoski, Mary Kay; “Excess Mulch Problems,” University of Maryland Extension, Revised 2019.
• MaCoy, Annette; “Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash,” Penn State Extension, updated January, 2025.
• Bauer, Sam, Weisenhorn, Julie, Mugass, Bob and Pedersen, Brad; “What to Do With Lawn Clippings,” University of Minnesota Extension, reviewed 2024.
Why Are My Tulips So Short?
Article and Photos by Joanne McClain
In the fall, I like to layer tulips and other spring bulbs in a pot that sits in my front driveway. The driveway faces southeast so it receives the first rays of warming sun in the winter and the radiant heat from the wall behind it. I top the pot with violas or pansies, which are freeze-resistant. Depending on the type of winter we get, the pansies can manage to survive the winter and revive once again in spring.
This year has been a disappointment. My tulip stems are exceptionally short and about half of the violets and pansies had to be replaced.
.
This year’s layered pot in March, showing the blooming tulip
with a less than one-inch stem.
.
April, 2024, spring pot showing tulips with normal stem height.
I have had much better results in the past, so I realized that I needed to do some research to determine what was different this year.
.
April, 2024, spring pot with pansies, violets (both Viola spp.), and daffodils (Narcissus spp.).
Listed below are all the reasons I learned could be the cause of my short stems this year. I knew about most of these, but not all of them.
1. Insufficient chilling time (not enough cold temperatures during dormancy). Tulip bulbs, like many other fall-planted bulbs, require a “chilling period” of consistent temperatures below 55 degrees to release growth hormones that promote stem elongation. If the bulbs don't get enough chilling time, the stems may remain short.
2. Planting too late for your area may result in poor root development that will stunt growth.
3. Planting in heavy soil can result in poor root development or rotting.
4. Some varieties have shorter stems naturally.
5. Tulips need ample moisture, especially three to four weeks before flowering.
6. Overwatering, however, can cause waterlogged roots and poor growth.
7. Insufficient sunlight can result in shorter and weaker tulips.
8. Nutrient deficiency. If the soil lacks essential nutrients, tulips may not be able to grow to their full potential.
9. Poor-quality or undersized bulbs may not grow to potential, either. Larger bulbs have more stored energy.
10. Overcrowding can hamper the vigor and growth of tulip bulbs. Tulips should be planted two to five inches apart.
I was able to eliminate most of these reasons as the cause of my problem. I bought top-sized bulbs and planted them at the usual time, using the same potting soil and fertilizer that has brought me success in the past.
But as I reviewed the list, I remembered selecting shorter tulips this year, hoping that they would be more resistant to our Northern Nevada winds. I also selected early bloomers, so I should have been careful to keep the pot well watered earlier than usual, starting in late February when the weather was warming. The picture of the short tulip was taken at the end of March.
Inadequate chilling time could have been a factor, given our mild winter and early spring, especially since the pot gets maximum winter sun as well as radiant heat from the wall behind it.
If anyone else had shorter bulbs this year or in the past, I hope this list helps. I am already planning my spring pot for next year and will keep this list in mind so that I can show off my spring pot with taller tulips with the group next year.
What's Cooking in My Garden?
Article and photo by Beth Heggeness
Because our newsletter gets published in June, we have some ways to go until ripe tomato season in late July/August. We can only dream about wonderful garden tomatoes. Meanwhile, thin your greens and use the seedlings for a delicious “micro-green” salad. Pluck some leaves from your growing lettuce plants; harvest some radishes for punch. Clip some tender returning chive shoots to spice up other delicious salads. Be patient. The tomatoes are coming.
Depending on what you planted and when, tomatoes can suddenly “bring it on!” Determinate or “bush” varieties may suddenly ripen all at one time. Indeterminate or vining tomatoes may be ripe at the bottom, green near the top. If you properly support, water, fertilize, and harvest, in the future you could be wondering, “What do I do with all these tomatoes?”
Besides fresh salsa, requested by the gallon by my family, (see previous newsletter recipe), I am also overly fond of Greek salad, or horiatiki salata (horio means village in Greek). This Mediterranean staple is found throughout the region. I have sampled versions in Athens, Hydra, Santorini, and Crete, as well as in Romania and in many West Coast restaurants. When I make it for myself and my family, I take my favorite flavors from the mélange of versions I have eaten, but I learned from my Greek friend Evelyn that traditional horiatiki requires only the acidic juice from the tomato and added olive oil to dress the salad.
Beth’s Horiatiki Salad
Use your freshest garden ingredients.
- About 2 pounds of juicy ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1 large cucumber, chopped
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced and chopped
- 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- ½ cup fresh minced Greek oregano
- ½ cup. fresh chopped parsley
Mix all the chopped ingredients, add a splash (about ¼ cup) of red wine vinegar if you like, about ¼ cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste (remember the olives and feta are both salty). Toss again. The tomato juice is supposed to become part of the dressing.
Top with about 1 cup good-quality feta cheese, chopped (although the Greeks sometimes leave it in a block, allowing diners to cut off and serve themselves the portion they want.
Garden Reflections
Paintings by Rene Lazare
People who get excited by purple flowers and purple vegetables are my people!
I forgot all my housework this month, but yay me, I am
managing 12 different vegetable plantings this season.
There’s no one more focused than me emerging from
my messy house straight out to my organized garden!
Master Gardener Photos
Cheerful flowers of Callifornia poppies
by Becky Colwell
Emerging spotted Joe Pye Weed
by Becky Colwell
Flower buds on native sulphur flower buckwheat
by Becky Colwell
Western sundancer daisies welcoming summer
by Becky Colwell
Questions or comments?
Reach out to us!
Help Desk Hours: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays
Phone: 775-784-4848
Email: ExtensionWashoeMG@unr.edu
Rachel McClure Master Gardener Coordinator
Phone: 775-336-0274
Email: rmcclure@unr.edu
How to become a Master Gardener
WASHOE COUNTY MASTER GARDENER EVENTS
MASTER GARDENER HELP DESK
