Spring Weeds – Puncturevine

Puncturevine, also known as “Goatheads” is an annual that grows fast in dense, flat mats ranging from 2’ to 5’. It is a noxious weed in Nevada. It grows from the tap root on long trailing, highly branched stems. The leaves are 1” to 2” long and hairy. The flowers are tiny and bright yellow. They have 5 petals. Puncturevine grows in a variety of soil types. It can be found in croplands, pastures, roadsides and home landscapes. The plant spreads by seeds. The seed pods are a hard pod with four sharp points that can injury people, pets, horses, and puncture tires of bicycles. The sharp points are arranged so that a spike is usually pointing up. A plant can produce 200 to 5,000 seeds a year.

How to remove:
For homeowners, hand-pulling is best when the vines are sufficiently long, but before the plant flowers and produces seeds. Hoeing can also kill an existing plant. Tilling may bury seeds that will then be favorable for propagation.
For further information, contact the Cooperative Extension at 702.397.2604

Written Resources:
Nevada Noxious Weed Guide
http://nvwma.org/pdfs/publications/nevada_noxious_weed_field_guide.pdf

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet
https://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/nr/2003/FS0334.pdf

University of California Integrated Pest Management
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74128.html

Post written by:

Peggy Raines – Horticulture Instructor

UNCE Northeast Clark County

(702)397-2604 ex.4

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Spring Weeds – Sahara Mustard

Sahara Mustard

Sahara Mustard, also commonly known as wild turnip, African mustard, and Asian mustard, is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae).  It is considered a noxious weed in Nevada.  It is beginning to grow and develop flowers in our area, particularly in disturbed areas.  The basal leaves can be three to twelve inches long. The lower leaves are arranged in a rose-like cluster and have lobes with rounded tips. The stem leaves are much smaller and have bristly, stiff hairs on both sides.  Sahara mustard’s flowers are small, less than one-quarter inch, with four oblong, pale yellow petals arranged in the shape of an ‘X’.

Sahara Mustard plants should be removed as soon as possible, and before flowers form and set.  The flowers can produce 700 to 9,000 seeds and are presumed to remain viable for years.

How to Remove:

Hand-pulling or hoeing – Plants of all ages are easily controlled by hand-pulling, hoeing, or grubbing; but removal is best before flowering and seed set. Always remove as much of the above- and below-ground plant parts as possible, and dispose of debris by bagging and depositing bags in a landfill, or by burning

For further information, contact the Cooperative Extension at 702.397.2604

Written Resources:

Nevada Noxious Weed Guide

http://nvwma.org/pdfs/publications/nevada_noxious_weed_field_guide.pdf

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet

https://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/nr/2005/FS0502.pdf

Post written by:

Peggy Raines – Horticulture Instructor

UNCE Northeast Clark County

(702)397-2604 ex.4

 

 

Build a Bed Workshop

We had a great turnout for our Build a Bed Workshop this year and want to give a HUGE thank you to our three excellent instructors –  Andrea Meckley, John Wilson and Stephen James.

Attendees learned how to build a raised garden bed, what soil amendments to make, some tips on starting a compost bin and how to start seedlings for their vegetable gardens. Here are some pictures of all the fun!

Andrea Meckley (Soil Amendments)

John Wilson (Seed Starting and Compost information)

Stephen James (Carpenter Extraordinaire)

 

 

What can I plant in September?

Are you considering planting a fall garden? You might be surprised at what can be planted during the month of September! Crops including green beans, beets, broccoli, brussells sprouts, cabbage, corn, carrots…the list goes on and on! Autumn season in the Moapa and Mesquite Valleys is a great opportunity for gardeners to grow cool-season crops and the mild weather gives us a distinct advantage in avoiding weeds/insect damage, reduced water requirements and improved quality of produce. (Not to mention being able to garden outdoors during our wonderful autumn weather!).

Dr. Silvan Wittwer states in his publication Vegetable Gardening in Moapa and Virgin Valleys that in this area, “the majority of garden-fresh vegetables are produced from September through June.” For Dr. Wittwer’s publication on vegetable gardening, including his complete planting schedule, check out this link: http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2009/sp0901.pdf

Cooperative Extension is offering a FREE Square Foot Gardening class on Saturdays from 9:00am-11:00am running from Sept. 1 – Oct. 15 at the Logandale office. Please register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/square-foot-gardening-classes-tickets-27097022925 or contact us if you have any additional questions at 702-397-2604 ex.0 or walkerd@unce.unr.edu. See you there!

Post by: Dianna Walker Admin. Assistant II https://plus.google.com/u/0/110117529743029959620/posts

Palo verde root borer

Whether you’ve been cursing the monsoon season or praying for it, one thing’s for certain, the monsoon rains can bring out the most incredible looking creatures.

The monsoon brings out cockroaches, even some huge ones. But it also brings out a huge beetle called the Paloverde Root Borer (Paloverde Beetle) or its scientific name – Derobrachus Geminatus. Oh, you’d know if you crossed paths with a Paloverde beetle. They’re black or brown, are spiny, have unique long antennae, have spikes near their neck and can fly. One more thing – they’re huge, some can be 3 to 4 inches in length.

The Paloverde beetle are one of the largest species of beetles living in North America. For their first three years of their lives they live underground, surviving by eating the roots of the paloverde tree (hence their name). They do eat other types of trees besides paloverde trees. Either way, Paloverde beetle grubs can do a lot of damage to a tree’s root system.

Sometimes you can spot the grubs when you landscape in and around paloverde trees or other afflicted trees. The larvae can be colored anywhere from cream to light green, with brown near their head.

Once they become an adult, they come out from underground at the start of the monsoon season. It isn’t the monsoon rains which flood them out from underground, but rather they emerge to mate. Once they mate – they die.

While they are adults, they live for about a month and may drink fruit nectar or feed on fruit. They are usually more active in the evening, flying from tree to tree. If you think you spotted one, you probably shouldn’t kill it since it won’t harm you. Besides, it doesn’t have long to live. You should expect to see them until the end of August.

Paloverde Beetles do have some predators who love to eat them (if they can get past the hard spine). Skunk and bears like to feed on the grubs, while roadrunners, owls, coyotes and bobcats like to eat the adult beetles.

For the original article please check out this link: http://desertcastlepc.com/its-big-its-scary-its-the-paloverde-beetle/

For more information, please check out this fact sheet from the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension:  http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1429.pdf

Post by: Dianna Walker Admin. Assistant II https://plus.google.com/u/0/110117529743029959620/posts

 

 

Master Preserver Certification Class

Are you or someone you know in Moapa Valley/Mesquite interested in becoming a Certified Master Preserver? If so, Carolyn Washburn, a Master Preserver instructor from Utah State University is offering a two-day Master Preserver Certification class at Cooperative Extension in Northeast Clark County. Her $150 fee includes instruction, supplies AND certification for those willing to donate 20 hours teaching in their community. (For non-volunteers the fee is $200)

This class will cover all methods of food preservation from water bath canning/pressure canning to dehydration/freezing. (The class will also include preserving fruits, veggies, jams/jellies, pie fillings, pickling/relishes and more!)

Here is a link with more class information: http://extension.usu.edu/utah/home_family_food/master_food_preservers

Please let us know if you would like to sign up or have any questions at 702-397-2604 ex.0 or walkerd@unce.unr.edu

Post by: Dianna Walker Admin. Assistant II https://plus.google.com/u/0/110117529743029959620/posts

Southern Area 4-H Leaders Forum

 

The Northeast Clark County Cooperative Extension hosted the first ever Southern Area    4-H Leaders Forum on March 4th and 5th, 2016! There were some great adult leadership workshops, a pulled pork dinner, and lots of fun activities for the kids. This Leaders Forum was such a success, it has inspired other areas to plan/host their own Leaders Forums. 🙂

We would like to express gratitude to our presenters!  We began with Carrie Stark, the Nevada 4-H State Program Director presenting the “Future of 4-H”, “Leaders Council Roles and Expectations/Staff Support” and “Working with Different Personalities”. Then, Karen Best the Clark County 4-H Program Officer, shared some great team building insights. Joy Belonga then spoke with the adult leaders about “Finding the Spark in Youth”.   Marguerite Clark, a Las Vegas Community Based Instructor, continued the forum by giving insights regarding “Youth and Adult Partnerships”. The last day,  Lacey Sproul-Tom the Northeast Clark County 4-H Clark County 4-H Program Officer, presented “Animal Science”, “Citizenship/Leadership”, “Teen Leadership and Adult Volunteerism”. To finish off the Forum our own Carol Bishop, the Northeast Clark County Extension Educator, went through information regarding 4-H Club Legalities.

We would also like to show our appreciation to our Local 4-H Ambassadors! During all of this presenting and learning our Local 4-H Ambassadors were able to volunteer watching the younger children. (This helped to free up our Adult Leaders so that all of the presentations offered could be attended.)

Lastly, a BIG thank you to the Moapa Valley Rotary Club, for their service! They cooked/served breakfast to all of the 4-H Leaders/families who traveled to Logandale for the training. (The breakfast burritos were a huge hit!)

If you have any questions or are interested in 4-H, please contact Lacey Sproul-Tom at 702-397-2604 ex.2 or sproull@unce.unr.edu.

Post by: Dianna Walker Admin. Assistant II https://plus.google.com/u/0/110117529743029959620/posts