Chefs’ market opens to the public

An indoors farmers market, previously open only to chefs in Las Vegas, has opened to the general public. The organizer of this market is Molto Vegas, which some of you might associate with Mario Batali's restaurants. There are some very high-quality foods being produced and showcased at the farmers market. The public is invited to attend from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday at 7485 Dean Martin Drive, Suite 106, located about 1/2 mile north of Blue Diamond Road. This market is cash only, so come prepared.

Did you know sweet corn can be planted again in late summer for a fall crop? The planting date can be between July 20 and Aug. 20. The corn will not be as tall as a spring crop due to the shortening length of the days and the number of days to maturity will be off due to the fall's cooling temperatures. Make sure you prepare the soil to a depth of 12 inches with good compost and apply a 16-16-16 fertilizer during the last pass of soil preparation.

Follow label directions when planting. When the corn reaches about knee height, give it an application of a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as ammonium sulfate or the organic equivalent. Keep the irrigation water well-supplied, particularly during ear formation.

For a list of other vegetables you can plant in late summer or fall, please e-mail me at morrisr@unce.unr.edu or call 257-5555 and leave your mailing address.

Q: Our many pine trees have been growing for almost five years now and have been doing very well until recently. They are turning somewhat brown this summer. I believe they are getting sufficient water and we do fertilize them a couple of times a year. Any ideas what might be the problem?

A: Browning of the pine needles is usually due to a lack of water or to some problem that is preventing the tree from taking up enough water through its roots. As these trees get larger their requirement for water will increase so you must adjust your irrigation amounts accordingly.

A lack of water also causes needle drop or poor growth, which, from a distance, makes the trees have a very thin canopy and easy to see through. If the canopy of your pine trees is not dense and thick and you see that you are not getting a lot of new growth on the tips, then you are not giving the plants enough water.

Each tree at about five years of age should be receiving somewhere between 15-30 gallons of water or enough water to penetrate the root area around 18-24 inches deep. Drip irrigation is deceiving because very long periods of time are required to deliver enough water. When plants are irrigated with bubblers, which flood the area, only a few minutes are required to deliver enough water.

When drip irrigation is used it is much more precise so we have to be cognizant of how much water the total number of drip emitters are providing for the plant. This may require many hours of running time to deliver enough water.

This length of time has no bearing on your water bill. Your water bill is measuring the gallons of water you are applying, not the length of time so don't be afraid that hours of water are required.

Look at your drip emitters, determine how much water they apply per hour, count the number of emitters per tree and determine how many gallons you are applying for each tree per each hour. In short, make sure you are applying enough water.

Q: I have irises and they have multiplied considerably. Since they are not flowering at this time, can I separate them and replant now?

Secondly, I have boulders that are getting covered by hanging rosemary plants. Can I cut them off just under the top of the boulders (about 12 inches) at this time and let them regrow down?

A: Normally, iris isn't separated until it becomes cooler outside, some time around late August to mid-September or when you start to see the leaves begin to die back. Leave as much living or green leaf surface as possible. This green leafy surface is responsible for rebuilding the rhizomes and store plant nutrients for next year's blooms.

When digging them out, separate the rhizomes with a sterile, clean knife and allow the rhizomes to heal in a protected area for 24 hours before replanting. Some people apply a fungicide to the cuts before planting.

You can cut back rosemary any time and it will regrow, provided it is in good health and has water. When recutting them, try to cut at a place where there are side shoots to take over the new growth or hide the cuts behind other growth. Aesthetically, I would avoid cutting them in a straight line since they will not stay like this for very long. Irregular or shaggy lines are easier to maintain.

Q: I have a beautiful gardenia in a pot outside. It gets morning sun and its foliage is good, with new growth daily. My problem is that I get a lot of blossoms but they dry up, drop off and do not open.

A: It sounds as though the soil in the pot is not staying moist. Smaller pots are harder to keep moist than larger ones.

You might try repotting into a larger container or placing the container in a larger container that is buried into the soil to help keep the root ball of the plant cooler. But I believe the problem is irregular watering.

Bob Morris is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Direct gardening questions to the master gardener hot line at 257-5555 or contact Morris by e-mail at morrisr@unce.unr.edu.