The Intrepid Gardener
I
It's feeding time in the garden
by Patti Babcock
Our gardens are awakening from their winter hiberna-
tion. Dormant browns are turning pristine green. It's time
for sleeping plants to live, to grow and to eat. Like the
bear emerging from his winter den, the renewing plants
have voracious appetites.
As their caretakers, we need to assure their health and
happiness by feeding them a nutritionally balanced diet.
We don't need a horticulture degree to select the right
fertilizer, but knowing how to read the package labels is
essential.
A 16-20-0 fertilizer was suggested for our area by Linn
Mills, horticulturalist for the University of Nevada Reno,
when he spoke at the February meeting of the PV Garden
Club. Great, but what does that mean? The first number
always refers to nitrogen (N), the second to phosphorus
(P) and the third to Potassium (K).
Nitrogen is called "the building block of life." It is
essential to the plant's life, produces rapid vegetative
growth and colors the leaves green. The new spring
growth is dependent on a good supply of nitrogen
available to the root tips where the plant feeds. Caution.
Overfeeding can be hazardous to your plant and will
result in fewer flowers, poor root growth and foliage that
is susceptible to disease.
Phosphorous is the "fuel" It promotes strong roots and
stores and transfers energy within the plant. It also allows
the plant to absorb other vital nutrients. Too much
phosphorous will give you abundant roots and sparse
shoots.
Potassium promotes health. It helps plants cope with
stress caused by desert winds, cold, heat, drought and
pests. An overdose can interfere with the plant's ability to
utilize calcium and magnesium. Mother Nature has
blessed our desert soils with an abundance of potassium.
That's why you see the zero in Mill's recommended
fertilizer. I do add some to my plants in the form of diced
banana peels. My roses appreciate it.
In addition to the three nutrients above, plants need
sulphur, magnesium, iron, calcium, and micro nutrients,
chlorine, manganese, boron, zinc, copper and molybde-
num.
I add sulphur, purchased by the bag from local nurseries,
to help combat our alkaline soil and reduce the pH. I
apply Epsom Salt to provide magnesium, about + cup per
rose bush in spring and fall. I also add it to my planting/
fertilizing mix.
Iron is also purchased locally by the bag and added to
my mix. When I need faster results, I apply a liquid iron-
zinc chelate. The chickens contribute to the calcium in
the form of egg shells added to the compost. I also add
crushed oyster shells, the same stuff I give the chickens,
directly to my beds especially where I plan to raise
tomatoes. Adding the calcium eliminated the tomato
blossom-end rot that plagued my fruit the first year.
During the growing season, I feed selected plants
periodically with Miracle-Gro. It is a 15-30-15 and also
contains all of the micro nutrients. You may have your
own preference or ask any of the local nursery people for
recommendations. In addition, I use generous amounts of
compost which also contains required nutrients.
One current source of fertilizer is manure. The PV
Kiwanis, Pahrump Dairy, and Valley Sand and Gravel are
jointly sponsoring "March Manure Madness Month" The
manure is available just west of Blagg and Basin. You can
Smoke
Signals
Indian
Trading Post
Authentic Indian Jewelry
and Home Decor.
Watch Batteries Replaced
Open 7 Days a Week 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(Near 160 & Basin)
I i
Bishop Veterinary Hospital
Tonopah Clinic L
Dr. Lind will be in Tonopah l
March 19 J''r
I1 Front downstairs office-42 Belmont St. II
I Appointments/Info, Call 482-6453 after 5 p.m, I
I Dr. Linda will be in every other Wednesday ][
I 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.: Dogs, cats and other small animals, [I
[ including spays, neutering, dentistry, minor surgery, etc. II
I 1:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.: Horses, cows, e...tc. II
"ltNi
]' M m,,- "''Tonopah5:30p.mto7:30p.m. , 1
[ Round Mountain: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. I|
[ Same dates as Tonopah Clinic ]1
pick it up or have it delivered. A donation is appreciated
as this is a fund raiser for the PV Kiwanis' community
projects. Local garden guru, Phil Richards, says manure
should be used sparingly and always composted first both
to prevent it from burning the plants and to leach the
salts. Desert soils are salty so Richards questions the
advisability of adding more. Composting where plenty of
water is used will help eliminate the salt.
Soil tests will provide detailed information about your
dirt's nutritional needs. Our Agriculture Extension Office
does not offer soil testing, but can provide you with the
address of h California firm. There are also numerous do-
it-yourself kits available at nurseries and through mail
order catalogs.
Start feeding your ravenous plant family balanced
meals today, and you'll delight in a garden of rainbow
colored flowers, bountiful shrubs and tasty fruit and
vegetables from spring through fall.
For more desert gardening tips, look for our special
"Spring Gardening Section" next week, March 13.
I
Home Tips
READER RESPONDS - Re: using those cylinderical
potato chip containers to store spaghetti: Following the first
time you printed this idea, I covered two of them with a nice
kitchen pattern on contact paper and gave one to a friend.
Then I put the spaghetti in and found it just long enough
that the lid wouldn't stay on. My friend and I had a good
laugh over that! A nice idea, but no bananas[
P.S. I've found that when using my food dehydrator to
do fruit, if I move it into my home/work area, it takes the
chill off the room and gives off a pleasant aroma at the same
time. Bernard H., Ketchikan, Alaska
BAG STORAGE - Using an attractive empty tissue box,
stuff the bottom of a plastic grocery bag into the box leav-
ing one "handle" out to loop the next bag through.
Stuff each bag in the box, leaving one handle out, and
repeat the same way until the box is full. Leave the last han-
dle out to grab like a tissue.
The next bag handle will come up ready to use the next
time. I have cute bag containers in the laundry room,
kitchen, bath and in the car (for yard sales). Frieda C.,
Crawfordsville, Ind.
QUALITY FURNITURE- LOWEST PRICES/
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TABLES TVNCR STANDS PIER GROUPS
CHINAS ENT. CENTERS BOOKCASES
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ROCKERS PICTURES DESKS
BAR STOOLS DRESSERS SOFA/LOVES
LAMPS HEADBOARDS MATTRESSES
MIRRORS NITE STANDS ANTIQUE REPRODUCTIONS
EASTER HOME DECOR ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE
PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE! • I.AS VEGAS PRICES!
1201 S. HWY 160, PAHRUMP, NV 89048 ° 1-701-751-2760,1-888-2-OAKBARN
O
Amateur radio
club meets
Free classes from 7 p.m.
to 9 p.m. Mondays at the
Pahrump Senior Citizen
Center every week. For fur-
ther information call 727-
6399.
Pahrump Demo
Club meets
There is a meeting of thf [
Pahrump Valley Democratic
Club on the second Monday
of each month at the Bob
Ruud Community Center.
Contact Ray Langford at
(702) 727-9694 for more in-
formation.
Nature field trip
Desert Springs Na-
ture Club will conduct
a field trip to Ash
Meadows, primarily to
observe ducks, this
Monday, March 3. For
further information
contact Beth St. George
at (702) 727-4346.
