Looking for information on growing vegetables in Northern Nevada? You're in the wrong place.

However, I can point you to exactly what you need. The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has an excellent six-part series of articles called "Grow Your Own" on its site.

I learned something I needed to know in part 4, "The Dirt on Dirt." When using newspapers to block weeds, you need to place a third to a half inch of newspapers on the ground before covering them with soil or mulch. OH! No wonder I've never had much luck with newspapers. For some reason I thought there was something magical about newsprint and ink themselves, and I've just laid down one layer of newspaper sections. But apparently it's not the newsprint and ink that block the weeds—it's the physical barrier of a lot of newsprint and ink. OK, now I get it.

One more tip: Don't procrastinate if you're going to plant vegetables this year. It's time to get started on preparing your beds, and it's even time to start planting some crops. But don't listen to me—go to the experts.