Seeding native grasses in landscapes
Native grasses can be used in a landscape either as specimen plants or for a bluegrass lawn alternative or to create a native prairie landscape.
Colorado garden gazing ball predicts busy 2021
Gardeners always want to peek into the future to see if their flowers will bloom, vegetables thrive, or rain is on the way. We check almanacs, weather reports, fuzz on caterpillar’s backs, and moon charts to get an edge on Mother Nature. We have many reasons for wanting to know how 2021 will shape up, especially in the garden.
A backyard chicken coop is a rewarding experience
These uncertain times have inspired some to become more self-sufficient. Gardening, for example, has experienced an upsurge. What about raising your own backyard chickens?
Farmer winter reflections in the time of COVID-19
Winter is the dream time for crops farmers. The frozen soil here is a welcomed time for rest, recuperation from the struggles of the growing season and reflection on what needs adjustment and what new to implement as they soil thaws next year.
Protecting your plants from larger mammals
I have written about the damage rodents and small mammals cause to your landscape plants, but larger mammals such as deer, elk and bobcats can damage landscape plants too.
Gifts for gardeners
From simple pleasures to outright splurges, the season for giving is upon us. As you rush to buy gifts for your gardeners, stop to consider what type of green thumb they have. This will help you narrow down your choices in making that small purchase go a long way to...
Gardeners with generous hearts
Many people turned to gardening this year as a means of keeping busy, getting fresh air, and finding distraction from the pandemic.
Rubies of the Pine (a.k.a. Cranberries)
With Thanksgiving almost upon us, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at the tart, red fruit that is a staple on most Thanksgiving menus.
Sustaining Agriculture in the Urban Interface
As an early 1990s arrival to the state, I’ve seen a slow but steady conversion of prime agricultural farmland into houses, commercial real estate, parking lots, golf courses and more. It makes sense, right? Cities form first near prime agriculture lands and then...
Fall Rodent Visitors
As the weather cools and bears are headed to hibernation, mice may be seeking the warmth of your home and voles may be setting up their homes in your landscaping. How do you keep these unwanted visitors out of your house and protect your landscape plants?
Lawn and Garden: Compost Those Dead Plants
Gardeners, gear up for our own version of Days of the Dead. Like the three days devoted to remembering and honoring departed loved ones, we focus on remembering the garden by clearing out and cleaning it up. So grab a rake, pick up those rotting vegetables, and pull...
5th Annual Colorado Pollinator Summit Goes Virtual for 2020
More and more people are becoming aware of the important role pollinators play in everything from the food we eat, to the clothes we wear. Pollinator gardens are being planted in neighborhoods and researchers spend their careers learning about every facet of these...
Home composting
Trees are beginning to lose their leaves, your garden plants are done and if you don’t have access to commercial composting pickup, you may want to try composting in your yard. Composting is not as difficult or as time consuming as you think. Composting provides...
Pumpkin Patches are Perfect for Outdoor Fall Fun
October is arriving, and it brings a chance for outdoor fun for the family. At this time in fall, we make the annual pilgrimage to pumpkin patches.
Ornamental Grasses Dazzle in Late-Summer Gardens
To everything there is a season, and right now we are in the ornamental grass season in Colorado.
Final Call for 2020 Local Colorado Produce
If you’ve been on the fence, waiting to visit the farmers market, place an online order, or patronize a farm stand, this is your final call.
Colorado Natural Disasters: Ready, Set, Evacuate
It doesn’t matter if you live in the foothills, mountains or plains or even in the middle of Denver, we need to be prepared for disasters.
Fall garden tasks
It’s hard to believe but September is upon us. Nighttime temperatures are dropping, and leaves are slowly beginning to change.
Share Garden Harvests to Help Others
Kind hearted people see need in their communities and want to help, but a handful move into action to help solve problems too great for one act to overcome. The folks at Fresh Food Connect and Boulder Food Rescue felt the pull to take action years ago to combat hunger locally and throughout the state of Colorado.
Agriculture Drought taking a toll on Colorado agriculture “in all corners of the state”
The hot, dry weather that’s fanning fires on tens of thousands of acres across Colorado is also battering the state’s agriculture industry as it stunts crops, dries up the flow of water to farms and shrivels grazing land.
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Garden Award for demonstration garden is a bright spot during tough times
By all accounts, these are trying times. So last week when the CSU Extension Boulder County Demonstration Garden received a Plant Select ™ Showcase Garden Award, it felt extra sweet.
Celebrate Colorado Proud Month with local produce
August is Colorado Proud month. Colorado farmers have been preparing this bountiful harvest of produce for us since February and now is the time to enjoy it!
A Confusion of Summer Squash Problems
Every year there is always one thing that I could depend on, and that’s a plethora of squash. But not this year.
Getting Produce from the Field to Your Table Needs Attention
How do we continue to enjoy Colorado produce in 2040? COVID-19 has highlighted for Americans that farm workers are essential.
Who is Eating My Garden?
You planted and cared for your garden but before you harvest the produce, someone else has been enjoying the fruits of your labor. In addition to insects, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, deer and elk find our gardens a great banquet.
