University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s certified Master Gardener volunteers and Associate Professors Angela O’Callaghan and ML Robinson are holding online and in-person workshops throughout September, October and November for southern Nevada gardeners. Classes cover gardening in southern Nevada, using native plants to create a lush landscape, using your phone to help you garden and more.

“After so much interest last year, we’re excited to again be offering Gardening on the Surface on the Sun, which is completely virtual and perfect for beginning gardeners,” Lori Leas, Extension program officer, said. “The mixture of virtual and in-person classes has been a wonderful way to extend our reach to existing and potential gardening enthusiasts.”

Gardening on the Surface of the Sun is a an eight-week series of online classes held Tuesday mornings providing good gardening basics. The series is open to all individuals, but serves as the first step for those wanting to work toward becoming a Master Gardener. Growing Under the Stars are Wednesday evening online workshops offered once a month. Gardening in Small Places are four-hour Saturday morning workshops held in person once a month.

Details on the workshops include:

Gardening on the Surface of the Sun – Master Gardener Level 1

This series of classes cost $89. For more information, email Leas.

• Register for classes on Tuesdays, Sept. 14 – Nov. 2, 9 – 11:30 a.m. Learn practical and researched-based horticulture practices for southern Nevada during this eight-week series of virtual yet interactive lectures led by Extension faculty and horticulture specialists. In these lectures, which fulfill the requirements for the first portion of the Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program, participants will learn about basic soil science, botany, desert bio-scape, native plants and other important horticulture topics of the area.

Growing Under the Stars With Master Gardeners Zoom Workshops

These classes are free and held 6- 8 p.m. For more information, email Extension Program Officer Elaine Fagin.

• Register for the Sept. 8, Herbs for healthy skin class. Master Gardener Glenda Bona will discuss growing herbs that can be used to soothe, tone and moisturize skin, and will teach participants how to use them to make infused oils, balms, creams, serums and other products.
• Register for the Oct. 20, Garden apps class. Master Gardener Susan Lloyd will teach participants how to use their cell phones to identify plants that are growing and thriving here, as well as some other tricks their phone can do in the garden.
• Register for the Nov. 10, Pomegranates class. Pahrump Master Gardener Coordinator Heather Freeman will discuss the best practices for caring for and pruning pomegranate trees for peak production. 

Gardening in Small Places Classes

These classes are $10 each, held 8 a.m. – noon. For more information, contact Fagin.

• Register for the Sept. 18, Using native and desert-adapted plants in the landscape class. In this course, Extension Professor ML Robinson focuses on how those living in the desert can still have a lush landscape by using plants that do well in the desert’s soil and weather conditions, and with limited water.
• Register for the Oct. 16, Roses class. Master Gardener and rosarian Judith Kafantaris will teach participants about the attributes to look for in roses that will do well in dry climates, such as in the Mojave Desert. In addition, participants will learn how to care for roses to get the large blooms and maintain healthy plants.
• Register for the Nov. 20, Growing fruit at home class. Extension Professor Angela O’Callaghan will guide participants through growing fruit trees and berries in the desert.

For general horticultural inquiries, contact University of Nevada, Reno Extension at 702-222-3130 or email the master gardeners, or visit the extension website. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should call at least three days prior to the scheduled event.