Star Nursery's Green Pages Spring 2018

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ars 35 Ye g n ti ra eb

Garden Centers 1983 - 2018

GREEN pages Spring 2018

We’ve Gone Totally Tomatoes

Try growing some of the amazing varieties that we have available at our Star Nursery Garden Centers.

Improve Your

CURB APPEAL • Decorative Rock • Flagstone • Pavestone • River Rock • Boulders • Bulk Soil • Bulk Sand

•Create a Maintainable and Drought Tolerant Landscape •Use Flagstone for a Beautiful and Unique Walkway

Decorative Rock Yards Nevada

Arizona

Utah

Las Vegas

Kingman

Dixie

2600 West Ann Rd. (702)216-7837

4140 Stockton Hill Road (928) 757-3701

1335 South Dixie Dr. (435)628-8004

Fort Mohave

St. George

6325 Hwy 95 (928)788-STAR(7827)

1145 West Sunset Blvd.

(435)688-STAR(7827)

5380 Blue Diamond Rd. (702) 444-7837 8725 South Eastern Ave. (702) 216- 7852 Pahrump 911 Buol Rd. (775)727-5300

Lake Havasu 1141 N. Lake Havasu Ave. (928) 505-5255

DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE

Garden Centers Las Vegas, NV Ann Road & Simmons 2600 W. Ann Rd. North Las Vegas, NV 89031 (702) 216-STAR (7827)

Star Nursery has been privately owned and operated for 35 years. We are proud to be the premier garden center for all your landscaping needs. Currently, we operate in Southern Nevada, Southern Utah and Northern Arizona with a total of 16 Garden Centers and 9 Decorative Rock Yards. We cater to both residential and commercial clientele.

West Cheyenne & Tenaya 7330 W. Cheyenne Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89129 (702) 253-STAR (7827)

Star Nursery offers the best in garden supplies. From a large assortment of trees to shrubbery, drought tolerant plants, succulents and houseplants, we have landscape material to suit anyone’s lifestyle. We offer the largest and most complete line of products that include irrigation supplies, gardening accessories, yard tools and our very own exclusive line of Dr. Q’s Garden Products. This line of products consists of soils and fertilizers that are specifically formulated to help you succeed with your gardening efforts in the Southwest Region. We also carry a selection of hardscape products ranging from flagstone to pavers to decorative rock and bulk soils.

W. Charleston Blvd. & Cimarron 8170 W. Charleston Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89117 (702) 360-STAR (7827) W. Tropicana & Fort Apache 9480 W. Tropicana Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89147 (702) 278-STAR (7827) Boulder Hwy. & E. Tropicana 5340 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV 89122 (702) 435-STAR (7827) S. Eastern & Pebble 8725 S. Eastern Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89123 (702) 333-STAR (7827) Blue Diamond & Lindell 5380 Blue Diamond Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89139 (702) 444-STAR (7827)

Pahrump, NV Buol Rd. & Hwy. 372 911 Buol Rd. Pahrump, NV 89048 (775) 727-5300

Find everything you need to maintain a beautiful landscape or garden space. We pride ourselves in giving our customers the right price and best advice.

Star Nursery -Your Garden’s Partner for Every Bloomin’ Thing Since 1983.

Lake Havasu, AZ Lake Havasu Ave. & College Dr. 1141 N. Lake Havasu Ave. Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 (928) 505-5255

Kingman, AZ Stockton Hill Rd. & Gordon Dr. 4140 Stockton Hill Rd. Kingman, AZ 86409 (928) 757-3701

Fort Mohave, AZ Hwy. 95 & Boundary Cone Rd. 6325 Hwy. 95 Fort Mohave, AZ 86426 (702) 444-STAR (7827)

Mesquite, NV

Bullhead City, AZ

Commerce Cir. & Pioneer 549 Commerce Cir. Mesquite, NV 89027 (702) 613-4770

Mohave Dr. & Miracle Mile 1579 Mohave Dr. Bullhead City, AZ 86442 OPENING SPRING 2018

St. George, UT Sunset Blvd. & Bluff St. 1145 W. Sunset Blvd.

St. George, UT 84770 (435) 688-STAR (7827) Dixie Dr. & Gubler Ln. 1335 S. Dixie Dr. St. George, UT 84770 (435) 628-8004

Washington, UT Telegraph Rd. & 500 W. 385 W. Telegraph Rd. Washington, UT 84780 (435) 986-0820

Don’t Forget Your

Planting Partners

Our Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Nina Gallagher

Art/Design

Taylor White Doug Ryan

Contributing Writers

Crystal Gwaltney Terry Newcomb Paul Noe

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Editors Note

Spring is in the air. And, what surrounds us in the garden will start to bloom.

Personally, I love this season. For me, it’s about a fresh start. It’s an opportunity to get a new perspective on your outdoor space. We’re fortunate in that we live in the southwest and most days are fairly nice.

There are a plethora of ways to add beauty and an element of surprise to your very own garden space. My entryway is adorned by my favorite containers and bloomers. I plan to create a triple threat for spring in a few of the containers – thriller, filler and an everlasting spiller. With the combination of all three, you can definitely create some interest and an entryway that will speak volumes to all your guests.

If nothing else this season, spend more time outdoors with family and friends.

Have a picnic in your own backyard. Plant something you’ve never tried before.

Dig in and get your garden gloves dirty.

Nina Gallagher

(optional) Bring to any Star Nursery location or mail to:

Green Pages

125 Cassia Way Henderson, NV 89014

Employee Spotlight Star Nursery is celebrating our 35th birthday throughout 2018 and we’re spotlighting a few of our employees as part of the fun.

Cristy Carrasco

Meet Cristy Carrassco, general manager of the Cheyenne Road store in North West Las Vegas and a “people-person” extraordinaire. Cristy, 33, has been with Star since August, 2005, and notes, “As a store manager I’m responsible for overseeing and reviewing the daily operations but the best part of my work is the interaction I have with each of my employees and customers.”

An El Paso, TX, transplant, Cristy came to Southern Nevada in 2004 looking for better job opportunities.

After a brief time at a turf specialty company learning irrigation, she was tapped by Star Nursery as a specialist in irrigation sales and has never looked back. She had help along the way, primarily from another long-time employee, Frank Rauscher. “He was a big mentor for me and I learned a lot from him about the horticulture side of our business, “ Carrassco states.

Her greatest challenge, initially, was learning the botanical identification of all the plants—Star’s preferred method used for purchasing and special orders. Cristy laughs when she remembers walking with the owner in her early days as a manager while he called out botanical plant names and purchasing numbers. She would write as much down as possible and go back through the rows later to match up, and memorize, the hundreds of botanical names. Carrassco says, “The palms of my hands would be sweating while I tried to write and remember everything Craig (Keough) was saying!”

Fortunately, those nerve-wracking days are behind her and she can now enjoy the freedom of walking with customers, educating them and enjoying the beauty of the vast selection of plants and flowers. Her reward—return customers, whose landscaping have been transformed, that say “Thank you, my yard looks amazing, thanks to your help.”

Ted Johnston

Utah born and raised, Ted Johnston sunk his roots in St. George back 1982, migrating south by way of Salt Lake City. He’s a relative newcomer to the Star family, working in dry sales and irrigation, for the past five years. (Many employees have been with Star Nursery 25-30 years!). His plant, soil, fertilizer and pest management knowledge, however, is extensive and he’s a welcome and valued team member at our Cottonmill store in Washington, UT. Ted recalls his first introduction to gardening at age eight, by a neighbor in Salt Lake City who showed him how to grow a variety of vegetables on his farm. Johnston, now 53, says, “Ralph Tolman taught me how to grow tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, squash, potatoes—it was really enjoyable and I looked up to him for a lot of different reasons.”

From these experiences, Ted planted his own vegetable garden in his backyard, while still very young, and did what we all do—asking Mr. Tolman question after question—while learning what to do and not do.

His early experiences growing food in the diverse Southern Utah climate makes Ted one of our “go to” employees when tricky or tough garden and landscaping question arise. Ted’s early gardening experiences, with Mr. Tolman watchful guidance, and life-long garden industry work, helped him earn his stripes long ago.

Johnston says that although he has many memorable customer experiences, his most meaningful one happened just last spring when a woman asked him to recommend a product to green up her lawn quickly. He suggested a 21-0-0 fertilizer, with heavy watering, and watched her leave, bag in hand. She returned within days and excitedly told Ted how beautifully her lawn looked and only then explained it had been done just in time for her daughter’s wedding and what it meant to have a lush, dark green lawn for the celebration. Low key as always, Ted simply says, “That felt really, really good!”

Keri Quinn

Keri, originally from Washington state, recently moved to Needles, CA and bought a house with zero landscape. She found herself shopping at Star Nursery quite often tying to

landscape her new desert yard. “Learning to plant here was a little like learning to plant things on Mars,” Keri joked. She decided one day, upon seeing a “Now Hiring” poster at our store in Fort Mohave, AZ, to apply for a job at the place she found herself spending most of her time.

After a year of working in the nursery, she’s excited to keep learning. “I love the customers and am grateful to work with such knowledgeable people,” she said. Before coming to work for the nursery, Keri had dabbled a little into gardening, saying “In Washington, you can just throw seeds in the ground and things just grew, you didn’t really have to try, now I’m learning new things every day and I love it.” She admitted that before she moved to the desert, she thought that it was going to be horticulturally really bland. “I was surprised at how much color there can be and that it’s so much more than just cactus,” she exclaimed. “I have a thing for hummingbirds so I love the colorful plants that attract them.”

Most people that work for a nursery would have a hard time pinning down a favorite plant, for Keri, she narrowed it down to the Cape Honeysuckle or Tecoma capensis, saying “The vibrant orange against the dark green leaves is so pretty, plus it blooms profusely and the hummingbirds love them! We love them too, Keri, welcome to the team.

Growing Herbs

in the desert

Herbs are grown here and used for many different reasons.

Culinary varieties add zest and flavor to hundreds of dishes. Medicinal herbs play a large role in healing and preventing disorders.

Nearly all bring fragrance and beauty to the home and garden. From the cooking pot to the medicine chest, to potpourri and sachets, herbs are good for everyone! These versatile plants can be grown nearly anywhere—in movable patio gardens, window boxes, desert or traditional gardens. Due to the extreme heat of summer in Southern Nevada and Arizona, locating your garden where there is afternoon shade will allow the greatest variety and best results.

Selection A great selection of herbs can be found at all Star Nursery Garden Centers during the spring and fall season. Annual varieties may be grown nearly year-round in portable containers or the yard. Perennial varieties, due to their ultimate size will do best when planted in the landscape or large raised planters. During times of exceptionally hot or cold weather, bring your portable herb gardens indoors to extend the life and productivity of your plants.

Become A Successful Gardener Except as noted, plant your herbs in rich, welldrained soil and give them regular water. Paydirt™ Planting Mix is an excellent soil amendment for ground level gardens and larger raised planters. For smaller planters and pots use Dr. Q’s Herb & Vegetable Mix or Filthy Rich™ potting soil.

Be sure to add Dr. Q’s™ Gold Dust Starter Fertilizer at planting time. Fertilize regularly with Dr. Q’s™ Tomato & Vegetable Food throughout the growing season for continuous, controlled production. For more information on herbs and their uses, check out the selection of books available at your favorite Star Nursery.

Spring Garden Tips • Reset sprinkler clocks to match requirements of your local Watering Authority. Be sure to inspect your irrigation system for correct water delivery to all plants.

• Fertilize your trees and shrubs. Your plants are stirring and will benefit from a feeding of balanced or complete fertilizer like 15-15-15. An organic-based fertilizer like Dr. Q’s® Tree, Shrub & Vine Food will condition your soil while getting the plants ready for tough weather ahead.

• For Legumes; fertilize with little to no nitrogen. These will require more phosphorus and potassium. Dr. Q’s® Desert Plant and Cactus Food is a good choice.

• Flowering plants should be given more phosphorus because it enhances the quantity and quality of blooms. Dr. Q’s® Rose & Flower Food is a good choice here.

• Feed desert plants and cacti with Dr. Q’s® Desert Plant and Cactus Food to greatly improve spring flowering and promote vigorous growth in the coming months.

• Survey your yard. Clean up debris, tune your irrigation system and replace parts as necessary. Fertilize lawns with a complete spring fertilizer like Dr. Q’s Straight Flush (16-8-4), Royal Flush (16-4-8) or Turf Supreme® (16-6-8).

Consider replacements for unattractive, ugly, nonproductive or diseased plants.

• Thin fruit on trees when it’s the size of peas. You’ll have better fruit and protect the tree from breakage due to overproduction.

• Over seed existing lawns or plant new lawns. See StarNote 800, Planting a New Lawn from Seed, and StarNote 810, Fertilizing and Maintaining Your Lawn for details. If you recently used a pre-emergent weed preventer, you will need to wait before seeding. When over seeding existing lawns, make an application of Dr. Q’s® Sod & Seed Starter, and cover seeds with a light mulch like Top Dressing or Steer Manure immediately after seeding, to get your new grass off to a quick, healthy start.

• Aphids, Leaf Hoppers and Cabbage Loopers. These are major pests on vegetables, bedding plants and grapes. There are many chemical and organic insecticides that provide effective control. Bayer and Ortho make a variety of effective and reasonably safe insecticide products. For the organic gardener, pick off by hand, wash off with the hose, use Safer Brand Insecticidal Soap, Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bio Worm Killer or Thuricide), Neem Oil or beneficial insects like Lady Bugs or Praying Mantis.

• Plant tomato starts. An early start ensures a good crop since most varieties won’t set fruit in the heat of summer. Plant different types for a continuous supply since harvest dates vary. Some good choices are Early Girl, Patio, Cherry, Champion and Celebrity. Heat tolerant varieties like Heatwave or Hawaiian continue to produce well into the summer and can be planted through April with excellent results.

• Prepare herb gardens in containers or the yard. See StarNote 215, Growing Herbs in the Desert, for a selection of popular varieties successfully grown here. To reduce and control insects, try Cedar Mulch. This will provide control without pesticides. *All Star Notes are available at StarNusery.com.

Ask Dr. Q

Q: How often do I fertilize my lawn?

A: Most seasonal lawn fertilizers call for feeding every 4-6 weeks. Slow release types are usually effective for 8-12 weeks. Some publications and garden gurus call for feeding on every 3-day weekend. Factors like soil condition and frequency of irrigation also affect fertilization. Hard, crusty soil or heavy thatch prevents nutrients from effectively reaching the lawn’s root system while over watering leaches the nutrients away before they can be absorbed. Most people tend to over fertilize. Use good cultural practices, i.e., proper mowing, raking and watering, then let your grass tell you when it needs food. Look at your lawn critically every few days. If the color is nice and green, don’t fertilize. If the color is a little bit off, or light, feed the lawn. Many people using this method find that they only fertilize about 3-4 times a year.

Q: How can I get my Tomato plants to produce more fruit?

A: First of all, don’t try to grow giant size varieties if you want a lot of production! Stick with the proven varieties of medium and smaller sizes. Next, make sure to plant in good, well drained soil. Don’t water too much, especially when the weather is still cool.

Most tomato varieties will not set fruit well when they are too wet. Protect them from high winds that can blow their flowers off before they can set fruit, and get them afternoon shade in the summer to keep them cool. Most varieties don’t set fruit well over 90° temperatures. Finally, don’t fertilize with high nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen will produce new leaf growth but slows down flower production. To aid in flower setting fruit, spray with Bonide Tomato & Blossom Set. Always use a fertilizer with higher phosphorus and lower nitrogen, like our Dr. Q’s Tomato & Vegetable Food (6-10-6) to produce more flowers and fruit!

REMEMBERING RUSS STOWELL An Inventive Entrepreneurial Spirit

On November 10th 2017, we lost an extraordinary man, Russell Stowell.

goes into a bag of Dr. Q’s fertilizer is absorbed by the plant which causes minimal waste.

He was not a quintessential famous figure – you wouldn’t find him in magazines or see him on TV, but to people in the fertilizer industry he was a well-recognized, influential figure. Russ had a brilliant business mind and an inventive entrepreneurial spirit.

He graduated with a degree in business from the University of Utah and went on to work in the stock market where he also wrote and published an investment advice column called the Frugal Forecaster, which was purchased and syndicated by a number of newspapers throughout the United States. His love and talent for writing landed him a job that allowed him to work and travel at the same time. He had the opportunity to visit some of his favorite countries including New Zealand and Australia, which is where he discovered a new passion for plant nutrients. In the late 1980’s, Russ returned to the United States and chose to start his own company - Seasource Inc.

When Star Nursery launched the signature fertilizers in the mid-90’s, bags sold by the truck load. This contributed to the idea to create an entire line of Dr. Q fertilizers for all categories – trees, roses, citrus, etc. After some time passed, we decided that it was time to create Dr. Q’s Organic Fertilizer and we consulted with Russ who we knew could deliver a quality product. Surprisingly, Russ and Sherry had already created the organic fertilizer and had it ready to go. Organic products are not usually strong in the NPK area due to element derivation issues. Russ and Sherry knew that competitors would take the cheap, easy route to cut costs and avoid buying raw materials, resulting in low NPK. A majority of organic fertilizer bags have the ingredients on the back, and it is often found that the nitrogen is derived from poultry manure or other animal droppings. The low nitrogen number indicates weakness and customers likely won’t see plant growth, since all that’s been added is ultimately just manure.

In 1993, Star Nursery decided to produce a private label brand fertilizer – a unique blend that was unlike any competitors.

After conducting extensive research and delving deep into the world of fertilizer, Seasource was discovered at a landscape expo. We had many productive meetings with Russ and his business partner and wife, Sherry Daniels. Russ was very knowledgeable, and we knew immediately that he was the right person to take on the task of creating a private label brand fertilizer for Star Nursery. We made our request and he went to work – the first product to come out of the collaboration was Dr. Q’s Gold Dust Starter Fertilizer, a fertilizer that could be added to the soil of any new plant to make it grow faster while improving the soil at the same time. What added to the uniqueness of Russ’s technique was that he would source the purist raw materials for each bag, and to tie it all together he would add his own proprietary ingredient and produce – Bio Start. Bio Start is a signaling molecule that tells the plant to grow. This ingredient is present in all of Dr. Q’s fertilizers and is classified as ground water safe. Almost every ingredient that

The spring of 2018 will mark the 35th birthday of Star Nursery, and in honor of our dear friend, Russell Stowell, we will be launching three new Dr. Q Organic products – Vegetable, Tomato and Herb, Fruit Tree and Nut, and Citrus tree.

These organic products were Russell’s last project before he passed on. We believe that they are the best fertilizers to come out of Russell’s dedication to his craft of such products, and we are positive that they will yield only incredible results for your plants.

I, personally will never be able to sell or use another bag of Dr. Q’s fertilizer without thinking about my friend Russell Stowell. His friendship, kindness and advice will always be remembered and valued.

-Shawn Watt

The spring of 2018 will mark the 35th birthday of Star Nursery and in honor of our dear friend, Russell Stowell, we will be launching three new Dr. Q Organic products - Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Food, Fruit & Nut Tree Food, and Citrus Food. These organic products were Russell’s last project before he passed on. We believe that they are the best fertilizers to come out of Russell’s dedication to his craft of such products and we are positive that they will yield only incredible results for your plants.

N Available O W In Stores

e f i L s to r

e o l o m C o C h t i rt

e s e D e Th

Springtime in the desert is usually brought to life with the blooming of the Texas Mountain Laurel, in purple and the Cassias (Sennas) in bright yellow. These two plants are among the first bloomers and a sure sign that spring has arrived! The Texas Mountain Laurel can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree. It is an evergreen plant, with bright glossy green leaves. The clusters of purple flowers that appear, have a distinct aroma of grape kool-aid or grape bubble gum.

The Cassias (or Sennas as known to some) include the Green Cassia, Feathery Cassia and Sickle Leaf Cassia. These desert shrubs are hardy to 15°F-20°F depending on the variety. The bright yellow blooms are quite showy. Not to be out done, a couple of trees will also be blooming early.

The Flowering Plum, a small tree, will be decorated with pink flowers right before the purple leaves emerge. The Flowering Pears (Aristocrat, Bradford, and Chanticleer) are the ornamental type, not bearing fruit, will be covered in white flowers. Fruit trees are also prolific bloomers. Different varieties will have different flowers. Some are simple and delicate looking, where others are full and vividly colorful. There will be the whites of apple trees, pale pinks of apricots, and the darker pinks of some of the peaches.

W

Redbud Trees (Eastern, Mexican, and Western) will be showing their delicate magenta blooms too. They will flower before leaves appear. Gaining in popularity, these trees prefer some afternoon shade in our climate, best planted with north or east exposure.

A few other plants that will be amongst the first to show off will be the Valentine Bush, in bright red tubular flowers, and the Bush Morning Glory, a mounding silvery-gray leaved bush that will be covered in white flowers.

The Creeping Rosemary will be adding hints of blue with its flowers. Don’t forget the Gopher Plant, with its spiky gray-green foliage and yellow clusters of flowers. The Indian Hawthorns (Pink Lady, Pinkie and White) will display their colors usually through the end of April to mid-May. The deciduous lilacs, spiraea and forsythia exhibit their colors about the same time, but may vary by climate zone. Varieties of lavender push up their purple spikes early and last all season.

As it starts to warm up a little more, and the days get a little longer, the wildflowers will start popping. These will include the Parry’s Penstemon (pink), Firecracker Penstemon (Red), Globe Mallow (peachy-salmon), and the Desert Marigold (yellow). A few more plants that will be blooming soon: lavender, irises, sages, cacti, ocotillos, Palo Verde trees, plus many more.

All of this early spring color is an added benefit of living in the desert!

we've gone

SATURDAY - MARCH 10TH We're giving Favorite -- 4” 4" potted potted Early Early Girl GirlTomato.

Tomato.

We’re giving away away aa Star Star Favorite All Garden Center Center Locations.

Locations. No Nopurchase purchasenecessary. necessary.

All Garden Limitedtostock Limited stockon onhand. hand.

Did you know that tomatoes are actually a fruit?

True fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower and contain the seeds of the plant. This fruit when planted properly will produce many health benefits. Try growing some of the amazing varieties we have readily available at our Star Nursery Garden Centers.

Cue the Tomatoes

Try growing medium to large varieties Beefstake

Better Boy

Celebrity

Champion

Early Girl

Hawaiian Tropic

Heatmaster

Heatwave II

Patio

Phoenix

This plant has flavorful, extralarge, red fruit. Prefer the morning sun, rich soil, good drainage and regular watering. Protect young plants from frost, freezing and strong wind. *80 days to harvest.

A popular variety that grows into a medium-sized, red fruit once ripe.

Great for slicing or salads. Give rich soil good drainage regular water. Use Tomato Bloom Spray to set flowers and increase yield. *70 days to harvest.

Early ripening variety with medium-sized, flavorful red fruit.

Fantastic for slicing or tossing into a salad. Likes amended soil, good drainage, regular water, and fertilizer. *54 days to harvest

Disease resistant hybrid variety produces exceptional yields of large fruit; excellent in the heat.

Likes morning sun, amended soil, good drainage, and regular water. *75 days to harvest

Compact plants are heavy producers of 2-inch fruit; excellent in containers. Likes full to part sun, rich well-drained soil and regular water. *60 days to harvest.

A Star Favorite! This variety has large, red fruit. Better boys are great for slicing. They welcome morning sun, rich soil, good drainage and regular water. Use mulch to keep your soil cool, prevent weeds and retain moisture. *75 days to harvest.

Disease resistant variety with a highquality medium, red fruit. Champions are great for slicing. They grow best in the morning sun, rich well-drained soil with regular watering. *65 days to harvest.

A heat tolerant variety that is known to produce sweet, medium-sized fruit. Flowers will set well into the summer season. It does well with morning sun, amended soil, good drainage, regular watering, and fertilizer. *65 days to harvest.

Disease resistant variety has greattasting medium size fruit; excellent in the heat. Likes morning sun, amended soil, good drainage, and regular water. *68 days to harvest.

Plants bear loads of heavy, globe-shaped, heat-tolerant fruit.

This variety is disease and crack resistant, with blooms and fruit that develop on the vine at the same time. *75 days to harvest.

Create Your Own Paste

Two varieties that will surely tantalize your taste buds Roma

Reliable and an old favorite Disease resistant plant has egg or pear-shaped red fruit with few seeds; excellent sauce tomato. Likes morning sun, amended soil, good drainage, regular water and fertilizer. *75 days to harvest.

Super Marzano Italian

Disease resistant plant produces richly flavored, very sweet tomatoes. Best in the morning sun, rich soil with good drainage and regular water. *78 days to harvest.

Straight off the Vine

Cherry tomatoes you can really sink your teeth into...

Cherry

Small fruit is perfect for salads or eating fresh. Spherical to slightly oblong red fruit. Give rich welldrained soil, regular water, and fertilizer. *70 days to harvest.

Red Grape

Red Grape tomatoes have a firm, smooth, crack resistant skin. Like cherry tomatoes, Grape tomatoes are small and sweet. They grow in grapelike bunches on indeterminate plants, which continue to grow, set fruit, and ripen until a frost arrives. *62 days to harvest.

Sugar Rush

Sungold

Sweet 100

Yellow Pear

Super-sweet, one of the sweetest of its type. Plants grow to 6 ft. tall and produce long trusses of elongated, ¾” to 1 ¼”, firm fruits that have a real crunch. Early maturing and very productive. Full sun. *55 days to harvest.

This variety produces scarlet cherry-sized fruits in long clusters right up to frost. Plant in full sun, rich well-drained soil and give regular water and fertilizer. *65 days to harvest.

Small, round, golden fruit.

Plant keeps producing heavily throughout the warmer months.

Best in morning sun good drainage with regular water and fertilizer. *60 days to harvest.

Heavy bearer of small yellow pear shaped fruit. Low-acid and ideal for salads canning or relish.

Give rich well-drained soil, regular water, and fertilizer. *75 days until harvest.

Hungry for Heirloom & Hybrids We have a few to choose from...

Amy’s Sugar Gem

Chocolate Sprinkles, Cherry

Fourth of July

Fruit Punch, Cherry

Indigo Rose

Japanese Black Trifele

Juliet Grape

Jutland

Summer Girl

Sunrise Bumblebee

An heirloom/cherry cross, this indeterminate variety has loads of super sweet, golf ball size fruit.

Plant in full to part sun, rich, welldrained soil and give regular water. *70 days to harvest.

This hybrid tomato variety grows to a height of 4’ or more, producing loads of fruit that begin ripening earlier than many other varieties. This relatively compact, variety is ideal for growing in containers or in the ground. *50 days to harvest The high levels of anthocyanin (anti-oxidant) in this tomato creates a vibrant indigo on 2” round fruits.

The purple coloring occurs on the portion of the fruit exposed to direct sun, while the shaded portion is green and turns deep red when mature. *80 days to harvest.

Bright red tomatoes sized and shaped like grapes appear off and on all season. Plant in full to part sun, rich well-drained soil and give regular water. *70 days to harvest.

When it comes to tomatoes, we say the earlier the better! Multi-talented variety has it all: earliness (five days earlier than standard varieties, two weeks earlier than tomatoes of equal size), flavor, size, and yield. Round 5-6 oz. fruit. Plants feature exceptional disease tolerance (verticillium and fusarium). *52 days to harvest.

Beautiful 1-11/2-inch, elongated cherries are deep coppery-red, striped with dark forest green.

Fruits have a rich sweet flavor and grow in trusses of 5 to 7.

Very productive and early, crackresistant fruit. *70 days to harvest.

The plant produces loads of tiny red tomatoes bursting with flavor and antioxidants all season! Plant in full to part sun, in rich, welldrained soil and give regular water. *50 days to harvest.

This short, potato-leaf Russian Heirloom variety yields prolific quantities of 6 oz. fruit that looks like a beautiful mahoganycolored Bartlett pear with greenish shoulders. Very tasty flesh with a meaty core that produces fruit all summer long. *85 days to harvest.

A perfect 3 - 5-ounce, thinskinned, plum-shaped tomato.

Juicy, sweet, tangy, delicious, old-fashioned tomato flavor make this a must-grow for the most dedicated heirloom tomato fans. *70 days to harvest

Another stunning cherry tomato in the “Bumble Bee” collection, this one is round and deep yellow with red stripes on the outside and pink marbling inside. Their flavor is delicious, sweet yet tangy. Great for salads or eating fresh. *70 days to harvest.

Remember to fertilize monthly with Dr. Q’s Vegetable & Tomato Food. Use mulch to keep your soil cool, prevent weeds and retain moisture. And, don’t forget to support your edible investment with a tomato cage or garden stakes.

Amazing Bruschetta Ingredients: • 6 cups diced tomatoes (remove liquid and seeds) • 1/2 cup diced red onion • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 1 teaspoon sea salt (garlic salt is very good also) • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Key things to remember…

Simply place all of the ingredients into a bowl (preferably non-metallic). Gently stir to combine.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Loosely cover the bowl and allow it to sit out at room temperature for 2-3 hours prior to serving. Before serving, stir the bruschetta. Select a variety of tomatoes. This will create a more complex flavor (which is great) and the contrast of colors will create a dish that not only tastes great but looks beautiful! Always, always, always remove and discard the liquid/seeds from the tomatoes. This is easy to do. Simply cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon or your fingers. Skipping this step will completely ruin the bruschetta. You will be left with a watery bowl of flavorless tomatoes. No good. Never refrigerate your bruschetta. Tomatoes simply do not do well in the refrigerator. Make enough bruschetta for the day and finish it. Allow 2-3 hours for your bruschetta to sit before serving. This step is critical.

Time allows for all of the flavors to marry. You will be thankful that you waited. Season to taste.

While the recipe is a great jumping off point, you may need to add a bit more salt or vinegar to compensate for less than flavorful tomatoes. Do not use dried herbs. Fresh basil is a must.

Recipe from theglutenfreegathering.com

Celebrating 35 Years...

The 80’s in Las Vegas, Nevada was filled with some memorable events. Fires erupted at prominent strip hotels. The first National Finals Rodeo was held. Notorious mobsters still roamed the streets. In the midst of all the changes and events happening in the valley, a new star was born just a few miles from the strip itself – Star Nursery. One man. One dream. One goal. A goal that turned into a grand vision. A vision that became the reality of our humble beginnings in a dirt lot filled with landscaping supplies and large specimens of trees and shrubs. This is where our story began.

Soon after, Star Nursery laid down roots in several areas of the valley and planted new locations in southern Utah and northern Arizona. We grew from one location to 16 in what seemed to be a matter of minutes. Over the years we’ve become the premier garden center for Nevada, Southern Utah, and Northern Arizona with a total of 16 Garden Centers and 9 Decorative Rock Yards.

We’re proud to support and give back to the same communities that have helped us grow for the past 35 years. From youth sports to professional sports sponsorships, outreach and education, we’ve helped our communities thrive. Our programs have helped teach the importance of gardening and have helped to bring success to the cities we love.

From a large assortment of trees, shrubs, drought tolerant plants, succulents and houseplants, we have landscape material to suit anyone’s lifestyle. We offer the largest and most complete line of products that include irrigation supplies, gardening accessories, yard tools and our very own exclusive line of Dr. Q’s Garden Products. This line of products consists of soils and fertilizers that are specifically formulated to help you succeed with your gardening efforts in the Southwest Region. We also carry a selection of hardscape products ranging from flagstone to pavers to decorative rock and bulk soils.

You’ll find everything to maintain a beautiful landscape or garden space at Star Nursery. We pride ourselves in giving our customers the right price and best advice.

We thank you for partnering with us for the past 35 years.

Happy Birthday Star Nursery!

Succulents

A gardeners’ dream collection Succulents are booming in popularity for two simple reasons: they are beautiful and nearly indestructible. Technically, a succulent is any plant with thick, fleshy (succulent) water storage organs. Succulents store water in their leaves, their stems or their roots. These plants have adapted to survive arid conditions throughout the world, from Africa to the deserts of North America. Fortunately for us, this adaptive mechanism has resulted in an incredible variety of interesting leaf forms and plant shapes, including paddle leaves, tight rosettes, and bushy or trailing columns of teardrop leaves. As a group, succulents include some of the most well-known plants, such as the aloe and agave, and many almost unknown plants.

Cacti are a unique subset of the succulent group. Succulents make excellent display plants in dish gardens. No matter what kind of succulent you’re growing, the rules are pretty similar between the different species. Here are the general rules for growing topquality succulents: Light: Succulents prefer bright light, such as found on a south-facing window. Watch the leaves for indications that the light level is correct. Some species will scorch if suddenly exposed to direct sunlight. The leaves will turn brown or white as the plant bleaches out and the soft tissues are destroyed. Alternatively, an under-lit succulent will begin to stretch, with an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves. This condition is known as etiolation. The solution is to provide better light and prune the plant back to its original shape. Many kinds of succulents will thrive outdoors in the summer.

Temperature: Succulents are much more cold-tolerant than many people assume. As in the desert, where there is often a marked contrast between night and day, succulents thrive in colder nights, down to even 40ºF. Ideally, succulents prefer daytime temperatures between 70ºF and about 85ºF and nighttime temperatures between 50ºF and 55ºF Water: Succulents should be watered generously in the summer.

The potting mix should be allowed to dry between waterings, but do not underwater. During the winter, when the plants go dormant, cut watering back to once every other month. Over-watering and ensuing plant rot is the single most common cause of plant failure.

Be aware, though, that an over-watered succulent might at first plump up and look very healthy. However, the cause of death may have already set in underground, with rot spreading upward from the root system. A succulent should never be allowed to sit in water. These plants are easy to care for and maintain. Succulents are worth adding to any gardener’s collection of special plants.

Fertilize Your Garden Most seasoned vegetable gardeners have their own special recipes for fertilizing their gardens.

Some even have secret formulas passed down through their families for many years! However, the majority of us have to take advice from others or hit the books to study up on what a garden needs.

So, let’s take a closer look at what fruits and vegetables need for healthy growth and production, along with what basic fertilizers do for plants.

All plants benefit from the nutrients that fertilizers provide. These nutrients are naturally occurring in most soil, but can be depleted by the plants using them up or by water leaching them out of the plants root zone. Different nutrients help plants grow in different ways. By replenishing more of one kind of nutrient than another, you can get the plant to grow or produce in slightly different ways.

Nitrogen helps plants to produce lush leafy growth.

Phosphorus helps plants to produce flowers and fruit that comes from the flowers, and is also used for root development. Potassium helps plants to produce stronger stems and develop disease resistance. These three nutrients are called the macro-nutrients that all plants need, and they are always displayed, in numerical form, on the front of all packaged fertilizers. If you see the numbers 5-10-3 on the front of a bag of fertilizer, it means that there is 5% Nitrogen, 10% Phosphorus and 3% Potassium in the total volume of that product. It is

always displayed in this order with the numbers separated by a dash and is called the N-P-K ratio. By knowing that Nitrogen produces leaf growth, you can expect that element to be something you want more of for leafy crops, like lettuce, cabbage, mustard, parsley and many of the herb varieties.

Knowing that Phosphorus is needed more for flower and fruit production, you would want more of this element for things like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and berry plants that all produce from their flowers.

Potassium, of course, will help stem crops like celery and Swiss chard, but is needed by all plants to stay healthy and strong.

Remember, all plants need some of all these elements to stay healthy. Also remember that too much of a good thing is not always a good thing! Don’t get carried away with using too much fertilizer. It is safest for your garden to use fertilizers that are 10% or less in Nitrogen content as this is the element that can easily burn plants. A good balanced fertilizer is best for most gardens, and because there is usually an assortment of varieties within an average garden, we recommend our Dr. Q’s Tomato & Vegetable Food (6-10-6) for regular use in your home vegetable gardens, and our Dr. Q’s Rose & Flower Food (6-12-4) for your flower gardens. Fertilize every 4 to 6 weeks for continued fruit and flower production.

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BEST SOLUTIONS

Family Owned Since 1986!

Ladybug

Launch

Your One Stop Source for “Good Bugs”

It’s our first Ladybug Launch at all Star Nursery Garden Centers. This is your opportunity to receive a

FREE packet of these beneficial bugs.

Praying Mantis

Live Red Worms

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Aphids, Mealybugs, Spider Mites, Thrips and other Soft bodied insects.

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Red Wigglers consume organic material and burrow 24 hours a day, while excreting a natural soil nutrient called “Worm Castings”.  

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These beautiful insects have a voracious appetite.

Each hatching habitat contains 2 egg pods, each containing 50-200 babies!

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Did you know that ladybugs are capable of consuming 50 - 60 aphids per day? It’s true. Ladybugs are the most popular and widely used beneficial insect for both commercial and residential use. They eat a variety of scales, mealy bugs, leaf hoppers, mites and various types of soft-bodied insects. These little garden helpers are also called lady beetles or ladybird beetles.

Simple instructions to keep the ladybugs in your garden - Keep in a cool place till evening. Irrigate the area before releasing, so the ladybugs can have a drink after their journey. Gently scatter them out where they can find food immediately. And, let them do their best work.