University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

American’s favorite crop to grow at home is the tomato. Few can resist the delicious flavor of a homegrown tomato.

Hard to believe July is already here. The Carson City Fair is quickly approaching and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is reminding fair-goers of some quickly approaching deadlines.

Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno, along with researchers at Utah State University and University of Idaho, are assisting rural communities across the West by applying economic, environmental and social factors to community economic development planning.

I’m a lazy gardener. I try to minimize my work load while maximizing aesthetic appeal and practical function. I avoid plants that are needy, like those that need extra fertilizer or pruning or those that are susceptible to insects or disease. I’m not into planting annuals.

To borrow a phrase, it takes a village to raise a fair. The Carson City Fair, returning this year after hiatus in 2016, is no exception.

My friend Will asked me about the relationship between apples and crabapples. He wondered if apples were hybrids of crabapples. I had thought they were different, but after extensive research, I found that their hybridization goes back thousands of years and crossed many countries and even continents.

A beautiful velvety lawn is the ideal for many homeowners. This is possible with some mowing tips that will help you mow like a pro. There is more to mowing than going back and forth with an old lawnmower.

Carson City Cooperative Extension is looking for youth interested in the the 4-H 2017 Summer Day Camp. The camp is a week of fun and educational activities designed around exploring Carson City and surrounding areas.

During occasional heavy rainstorms, such as the ones that hit western Nevada this winter, stormwater can cause erosion on residential properties. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, in partnership with GreenACTnv, will offer a free presentation in Gardnerville on how to prepare landscapes to reduce erosion hazards and increase the potential for storm runoff to soak into soils.

My friend Paul recently asked me to tell him about Milky Spore. I knew nothing about it, so decided to look it up.

Milky spore is a bacterial disease used as an alternative to chemical insecticides to reduce Japanese beetle populations. This microbial or biological insecticide was one of the first registered in the United States in 1948.

There has been a lot of inaccurate information across social media about a noxious weed known as Poison Hemlock. It grows naturally, mainly in moist areas along rivers, ditches and creeks. Like many noxious plants, all parts of the plant are poisonous upon ingestion.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month.

After an extremely wet winter, you might think that there will be less risk of wildfire this year. Sadly, that is unlikely to be the case.

It is time to get vegetable gardens going. In Northern Nevada, there are three seasons during which we can grow food: early spring, summer and early fall.

A Lakeview community project headed up by a Carson City woman is among five in Northern Nevada to receive funding awards from State Farm in support of activities aimed at reducing potential loss of life, property and natural resources to wildfire in their communities.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is once again coordinating the collaborative efforts of federal, state and local fire services, public safety agencies, community organizations and others to participate in Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month throughout May.

My friend Michael Janik, of Michael’s Apples, is a fruit tree expert. He sent out an April newsletter with tips on pest control and said I could share them.

The VC Silver Bricks FIRST Lego League 4-H club began in the Fall of 2016 under the guidance of FLL Coach and 4-H leader Nicole Frens.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s 4-H's Capital City Farm Days in Carson City is set for April 20-21. There will be 28 presenters teaching elementary-age youth about Nevada agriculture, where food and fiber come from, and environmental issues related to agriculture.

Wendy Hanson Mazet, whose expertise is in horticulture, arboriculture, noxious weeds, vegetable gardening, and low water use gardening offers her expertise if you have any questions about your garden or landscaping. Swing on by if you have questions about any insects, bugs or plants.

With flooding possible in parts of northern Nevada Monday into Tuesday, residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with what to do before, during and after a flood.

Organizers of the Carson City Fair are looking for volunteers and donors to help with this year’s event.

Organizers of the inaugural Carson City Fair are reaching out to the community for sponsors and donors of the mid-summer event making its debut at Fuji Park in July.

The topic of gardening can, at times, appear unchanging. Plant needs are consistent and basic: water, support, nutrients, sunlight and carbon dioxide. Seeds are generally planted in the same way. Maintenance doesn’t change much. How many ways are there to harvest a tomato, an apple or other delectable edible? However, since gardening is one of our most popular hobbies, it is big business.

Registration is open for the Northern Nevada Wildfire Awareness Multi-hour Trail Event hosted by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Living With Fire Program in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and Desert Sky Adventures. All proceeds from the race will be donated to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Office in Carson City will be closed Monday, January 9 due to inclement weather.

I was awakened last week out of a sound sleep by the windows rattling and the bed shaking violently. The wind chimes were going crazy. About 15 minutes later, it happened again.

Earthquake!

With flooding likely in parts of northern Nevada this weekend, residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with what to do before, during and after a flood. The best local resource for information on flooding is the Nevada Floods website. Residents are encouraged to visit the website now, but here is some basic information.

Wendy Hanson Mazet, whose expertise is in horticulture, arboriculture, noxious weeds, vegetable gardening, and low water use gardening offers her expertise if you have any questions about your garden or landscaping. Swing on by if you have questions about any insects, bugs or plants.

If you would like to visit with Wendy or drop off samples she will be in the Carson City Office this Friday January 6th and Friday January 20th.

There has been a lot of talk this week about the 1997 flood. Twenty years ago, on New Year’s Eve Day, 1996, my Dad and I went goose hunting. We had set out our decoys and had a good early morning hunt, however, it started raining so we packed everything up, leaving the bags of decoys in a dry irrigation ditch.

I have often written that I find the world of insects and arachnids fascinating. This comes from the person who as a child was terrified of spiders. However, my fear disappeared and my appreciation grew once I starting studying them. I thought I would finish out the year discussing a new critter, well new to me anyway.