State tree nursery opens Thursday

Although many people think that landscaping is only about making their home look better, plants serve other important purposes. Choosing the right plants and planting them in the right places can resolve a number of site challenges such as water conservation, erosion control, wind amelioration, weed control or wildlife habitat. Solving these site issues requires hardy plants adapted to northern Nevada's tough conditions. Each year, the Nevada State Nursery in Washoe Valley sells plants at affordable prices that thrive in the harshest landscape conditions.

The Nevada Division of Forestry's State Nursery will open May 14. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday until mid-October. The nursery is located in Washoe Valley at 885 Eastlake Boulevard.

The purpose of the state nursery is to provide locally adapted, affordable trees and shrubs to conserve and enhance Nevada's natural resources. Plants are available only for conservation purposes such as greenbelts, mine reclamation, post fire-rehabilitation, reforestation, soil erosion control, water conservation, wildlife habitat, woodlots, windbreaks and wetland and riparian restoration. The program is not for general home landscaping, although neighbors with adjoining lots who can combine their lots to equal a minimum of 1 acre are welcome to buy plants for conservation plantings.

The plants are all grown and maintained at the nursery and are acclimated to survive northern Nevada's cold winters and hot summers. Plants are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Shrub choices include: sumac, peashrub, chokecherry, Wood's rose, golden currant, serviceberry, lilac and sand cherry. There are deciduous and evergreen trees such as green ash, bur oak, honey locust, Jeffrey pine, Austrian pine, Colorado blue spruce and incense cedar among others. For a complete plant list, call the nursery at 849-0213 or visit www.forestry.nv.gov. Plant prices begin at $2 for a quart-size container and go up to $4.25 for a 2-gallon size.

The nursery will be offering workshops on the following subjects:

Pest and disease identification and soil analysis: 9 a.m. to noon May 14

Drip irrigation: 9 a.m. to noon May 22

Fire Safe Landscaping: 9 a.m. to noon May 30

Windbreak Construction: 9 a.m. to noon June 6

If you have a conservation project in mind, check out the plants at the state nursery. Even though they come in small sizes, their growth rapidly exceeds that of most retail nursery stock in the first few years after planting.

JoAnne Skelly, Carson City/Storey County Extension educator for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, may be reached at skellyj@unce.unr.edu or (775) 887-2252.