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Issue 160 - 11/22/04
CHRISTMAS When you think of Christmas, one of the first things you probably think of is a Christmas tree. In fact, the Christmas tree is one of the most recognizable images of the season. Almost everywhere you go, it is the focal point of people’s holiday decoration. You pile your gifts under the tree. You gather around your tree to sing Christmas carols and drink eggnog. Why is there a small evergreen tree in your living room? This is a German tradition, started as early as 700 A.D. In the 1800s the tradition of a Christmas tree was widespread in Germany, then moved to England and then to America through Pennsylvanian German immigrants. Why have you decorated this evergreen with ornaments, lights, fake snow and plastic tinsel? In Victorian times, people had already started decorating trees with candies and cakes hung with ribbon. In 1880, Woolworths first sold manufactured Christmas tree ornaments, and they caught on very quickly. Martin Luther, in the 16th century, is credited as being the first person to put candles on a tree, and the first electrically lighted Christmas tree appeared in 1882. Calvin Coolidge in 1923 ceremoniously lit the first outdoor tree at the White House, starting that long tradition. Fake snow and tinsel... Who knows? It’s probably related to the song “White Christmas” Why do you have holly draped over the mantel and staircase? Mistletoe has apparently been used as a decoration in houses for thousands of years and is also associated with many pagan rituals. According to the book Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things by Charles Panati: The church forbade the use of mistletoe in any form, mindful of its idolatrous associations. As a substitute, it suggested holly. The sharply pointed leaves were to symbolize the thorns in Christ’s crown and the red berries drops of his blood. Holly became a nativity tradition. The Christian ban on mistletoe was in effect throughout the Middle Ages. Surprisingly, as late as the 20th century, there were churches in England that forbade the wearing of mistletoe sprigs and corsages during services. Why are there oversized socks hanging on your mantel? According to a very old tradition, the original Saint Nicholas left his very first gifts of gold coins in the stockings of three poor girls who needed the money for their wedding dowries. The girls had hung their stockings by the fire to dry. Up until lately, it was traditional to receive small items like fruit, nuts and candy in your stocking, but these have been replaced in the last half-century by more expensive gifts in many homes. The tradition of a lump of coal in the stockings of naughty children comes from Italy. Children all over the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings. In some countries children have similar customs, in France the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes. In Holland the children fill their shoes with hay and a carrot for the horse of Sintirklass. In Hungary children shine their shoes before putting them near the door or a window sill. Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana the good witch. And in Puerto Rico children put greens and flowers in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings. Why are Christmas cards scattered all over the coffee table? Christmas cards started in London in 1843 and in America in 1846. Today, about two billion Christmas cards are exchanged every year in the United States. What ever your traditions are - enjoy a Merry Christmas holiday! Issue 161 - 11/29/04
CARING FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS GREENERY The most common question we hear as a retailer during the Christmas tree season is “ When were these trees cut?” Well, I’ve got news for you folks, it wasn’t last month or the month before - yes, that’s right, most trees are cut in September! Most come from the upper Midwest and Northwest coastal areas. They are then bundled and shipped all over the US and distributed by the beginning of November. The tree lots get them and you, the customer start to purchase and decorate your tree around Thanksgiving. With the warmer temperatures we’ve had we will find ourselves with a lot of our greenery drying out. Different shipments won’t matter - everything was cut the same time, so proper care is in order to maintain good looking greenery throughout the Holiday Season. When Christmas trees are cut, they naturally seal over the injury with sap until it hardens, allowing nothing to penetrate the wound. That is Mother Nature’s way of protecting the tree from any insects or disease. Since Christmas trees are cut all the way through on the bottom, we need to open the cells again to insure the tree drinks water. Cut about two inches cut off the bottom of the tree and place it in a tree stand or bucket of water immediately. Once your tree is securely in a stand, keep the reservoir full of water at all times, checking the water level frequently. There are products available to “preserve” your tree packaged in small bottles labeled Tree Preservative. There is usually enough concentrate in the bottle for preserving the “life” of your cut tree and some folks swear by the stuff. I am somewhat skeptical if there is anything in the bottle to really help preserve your tree or not - after all - the tree is already dying and will continue to do so. Like cut flowers, changing water is most important - so keep an eye on that. Try to position your tree out of the sun, or away from any heating vent. The Colorado sun is strong and the high temperatures created through your window will dry the tree out quickly. It’s the same with all of the other greenery. Wreaths, garland and swags can be misted with water to keep their fresh aroma and feel. We use a spray bottle and try to mist them with some water daily. So follow the basic rules on keeping your holiday season full of supple greens.
High Country Store wishes you a safe and fun Holiday Season! Issue 162 - 12/6/04
WHAT'S IN YOUR FEEDER? I hear people say "There are no birds coming to my birdfeeders". My first response is "What kind of bird seed is in your feeder?" Not all birdseed is the same and the different types of seed can attract many combinations of birds and wildlife if it's the right mixture of seeds. Below are a few tips to draw birds to your feeders with different types of birdseed. One popular seed is black oil sunflowers. It's generally inexpensive, available in large fifty-pound bags and can be fed to the wildlife many ways. Generally, you should have a tube feeder full of sunflowers at all times. Not only will a sunflower feeder attract birds to your feeding station, it will also keep birds like the Chickadee, Titmouse, Finches, Siskins, Jays and Nuthatches happy. During the spring, you're likely to spot the Grosbeak at the sunflower feeder as it migrates towards the high country. If you prefer not to clean up the seed hulls birds leave behind, the sunflower hearts are an alternative seed. They're simply processed out of the hulls, packed with protein and will attract Sparrows, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Juncos, Towhees, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers as well. Niger Thistle is set in a tube feeder also and will attract Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskins and the ever-popular Goldfinch. These birds will add tons of color to your back yard when mating season arrives in early spring, Raw peanuts are put on a platform feeder for the Fox Squirrel and Jays. The Jay will clean you out pretty fast as they fly in, grab a peanut and bury it for later, but they are great entertainment to watch. Shelled peanuts are fed through a small, cylindrical wire cage for the Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Chickadees. Peanut hearts are pieces that can generally be put into a tube feeder or platform. Platform feeders can also house seed mixes and seed blocks. One favorite mixed seed that most birds love is called Songbird Mix. It contains Millet, Sunflower Seed, Peanut pieces, Sunflower hearts, Safflower and Thistle. Songbird Mix is also effective in a tube feeder or spread on the ground near the cover of low-lying shrubs. Another popular blend of seed, called Custom Wild Bird Mix, is less expensive than Songbird Mix, but contains more Millet and Milo which a lot of birds won't eat and throw it out of the feeder. Ground feeding birds like Mourning Doves, Juncos, Towhee and White Throated Sparrow all love to eat what the others throw out. Seed blocks are another blend of seed similar to the Wild Bird Mix. The only difference is manufacturers process it into a firm, twenty-pound block of seed using molasses to keep it intact. It is suggested to set seed block on a platform or low-lying feeder. They're great for attracting the ground feeders, squirrels and deer. Attracting a variety of colorful and interesting birds to the backyard is easy! A successful feeding station should also include a bird bath or water source. Birds do not normally depend on bird feeders for survival, except perhaps in prolonged, sever winter weather. It is safe to feed birds all year-round as long as your feeders are cleaned regularly. High Country Store wishes you a safe and fun Holiday Season! Issue 163 - 12/13/04
WINTER ENTERTAINMENT It’s easy to stir up commotion in the backyard and transform it into a feeding frenzy for the wildlife in your area. At our house, we have several different feeding “stations”. Most stations are within viewing distance of a window and have as few as one feeder, but most are multifaceted and hold two or three feeders. My main feeders are attached to a 4x4 pole I set in the ground for stability. I screwed a couple of 1x2x16” arms perpendicular to the pole at about five feet up from the ground to create a shelf that houses a plastic saucer from the bottom of a pot. Then, I screwed the saucer down to the arms and drilled some 3/4” holes in it for drainage. Near the top, I attached a metal hanger with a hook on the end that extends at an angle about two feet to hold a cage with suet cakes for the Downy and Hairy Woodpecker and the Flicker. I fill the tray with raw peanuts and whole kernel corn and before I can turn my back, Blue Jays, Scrub Jays and Stellar Jays are flying in like bombardiers to grab the prizes out of the tray. They quickly fly off to bury their food in the leaves near the woods, only to return for another and another until they are all gone. Their commotion arouses the Fox Squirrel and he scales the pole effortlessly to get his share of one of his favorites, only he doesn’t leave. He sits up in his “throne” with his tail curled up over his back and munches on a couple of peanuts as the Jays try to brave getting close enough to grab yet another piece so they can bury for later. My wife and I believe other animals find the peanuts that the Jays bury and we consider them helping to feed the creatures in the woods. One of my favorite stations is also my most colorful. Outside a back window that views the morning sun, I hang two thistle feeders. One is a tube feeder that is about two feet long and has six stations with perches and within a couple of feet of that, I hang an eight station octagon thistle feeder that is quite a bit larger. When the Gold Finches and House Finches all gather on the feeders, they’ll fill up every station and others will be waiting on nearby tree branches to take the place when one bird leaves. As spring approaches and the birds go into mating season, the Gold Finches turn vibrant yellow on their breasts and have contrasting black-striped wings. The House Finches turn shades of purple during the same time and fill that feeding station with color. I have two more suet feeders hanging in the back. One is attached to the arbor and another is hanging off of a 36” branch hook. Although the squirrel can get to the one on the arbor most of the time he is satisfied with other areas in and around the yard that have easier access to feed. The suet feeder on the branch hook is outside an office window and it’s common to see a couple of Black-Capped Chickadees on it or have it completely covered in Pine Siskins. The suet feeders are visited frequently by woodpeckers, flickers and nuthatches. In the far back, by the creek bed, we throw whole kernel corn, a wild bird mix and black-oil sunflowers on the ground for the Juncos, Canyon Towhee, Brown Thrasher, squirrels and deer. I am a firm believer that feeding station keeps the destructive deer out of my yard and away from eating my bushes to the ground. It also keeps the pesky and sometimes destructive squirrel off the other feeders. Nearby is a wire sunflower feeder full of black-oil sunflowers and of coarse, fresh water. An occasional fox strolls by for a meal to catch, or a bird of prey may sit in the tree, waiting at their feeding station, too. Wildlife feeding can be an enjoyable and inexpensive solution to winter entertainment. High Country Store wishes you a safe and fun Holiday Season! Issue 164 - 12/20/04
DECEMBER GARDENING TIPS If you have been keeping up with your gardening, you should be able to take it pretty easy this month; (at least in the garden.) There are a few things to keep an eye on, and a few optional things you can do in the garden. Your biggest concern will probably be tending to your inside house plants. Winter rains tend to make you forget about watering your garden. However, plants and shrubs which are growing beneath large evergreens or under the eaves of the house, may be bone dry by this time. Lack of water in the cold winter months can be fatal to many of these plants. A quick check will let you know if you need to do a little winter watering. If there is a sudden drop in the temperature, provide extra protection for your more tender by driving in three of four stakes around the plant, and then simply covering the plant with some type of cloth, like burlap, a sheet or an old blanket. Don't let this material come into direct contact with the leaves of the plant. Remove the cover completely, as soon as the weather moderates. Take care of your feathered friends! Keep your bird feeder filled, especially when there is snow on the ground. Provide water when you can and your birding experience will be rewarded with greater variety and larger number of birds. Don't let your hose freeze and burst. On a warm Colorado day, stretch it out with both ends open, to allow the water to drain completely. Coil it up and put it away. If you live in an older home that may not have frost-proof hose faucets, make sure your outdoor faucets are turned off or covered to protect them from freezing. Inside, glossy leaved house plants such as philodendrons, rubber plants and palms should be sponged off periodically, to allow them to breathe. Plants which have fuzzy, textured, or other non-glossy type leaves should be set in the sink and sprayed gently with room temperature water, until the dust is cleaned away. Be sure that the foliage is allowed to dry completely. Provide your house plants with extra humidity by grouping plants together, or by setting the pots on leak-proof trays filled with moistened pebbles. Be sure to leave plenty of air space around grouped house plants. Check for spider mites every two or three weeks and use a mild soap solution or check your garden center for natural products to control pests. Here are a few tips if you received or purchased a poinsettia plant this season. With the proper care, these Christmas plants will remain beautiful for many weeks.
Issue 165 - 12/27/04
ATTRACTING BIRDS TO YOUR BACKYARD Birds can be attracted to your backyard no matter what size your yard might be. Different species of birds will be attracted to different natural aspects of your yard. No matter the type of yard you have, you can attract birds by providing three essentials: food, water, and shelter. Birds need a variety of food. Offer seeds and nuts such as sunflower, safflower, millet, Milo and peanuts. Different birds also prefer different eating locations. Scatter seeds on the ground or place them in a feeder. Bird seed on the ground or in ground feeders will attract mourning doves, scrub jays, towhees, sparrows, and juncos. Hanging or mounted bird feeders are preferred by the majority of birds. These feeders need to be placed in areas which provide the birds with protection from predators and also provide ample viewing to you. One feeder with one type of food may limit the number of birds you receive. A variety of seed types and feeding locations will bring you many more kinds of birds. You can determine the type of food a bird will eat by the shape of its beak. A thin beak that is pointed such that of a wren is used for collecting insects. The beak of a finch is thick and sturdy revealing that it is a seed eater. The hooked beak of a hawk is used for predatory survival. Our January and February weather gets cold in the Monument region. Don't wait for the weather to turn severe before you offer food for the birds. Supply them with food when birds are scouting out their winter territories. During winter months food is harder to find, insects die off, berries are covered with snow or fall off to the ground. Birds will study their resources before the cold winter hits and if your yard offers them a food source, they will come back later in the winter when food is scarce. Water provides birds with both a drinking source and a bathing source. Water is also helpful in maintaining the good condition of feathers. A suitable water area should be less than two inches deep with sloping sides if possible. Locate the birdbath in an area near a bush or tree which will provide a natural cover for the birds. Birds are very attracted to water and it is necessary in our Colorado dry climate. Birds need a shelter that protects them from predators such as cats, hawks, and harsh weather. Shelters also provide an area for nesting. While dense trees and bushes offer a natural shelter, some birds like wrens and bluebirds will use nesting boxes. Once a bird has chosen a home it will establish a territory around its nesting site. Generally you will attract the most common species of birds to your yard when you provide them with food. Expect to see common birds such as chickadees, house finches, and juncos at your feeders. To attract more birds make sure you offer the essentials of food, water, and shelter. When you create a bird friendly environment you will find that more and more birds will discover your yard and make it their new home. High Country Store Wishes You A Very Happy New Year! Issue 166 - 1/3/05
A SIMPLE BIRD FEEDER Though many birds migrate south for the winter, there are still some around during the cold months. Food is hard to find, especially when there is snow on the ground. By feeding birds near your home, you can help them out and enjoy the benefits of their presence as well. Birds are great entertainers for winter months when you're tired of television. And in the spring and summer, they'll return your favors by eating the grubs and insects in your lawn and garden. Remember, if you start feeding birds, you should do so all winter. They'll become dependent on your feeder in time. Here is an easy-to-make bird feeder for all ages. You need:
Run the thin wire through the top of the pine cone and secure it well. Please don’t use string because squirrels will typically chew through it and steal your feeder. "The Mix" - Mix peanut butter and corn meal to a consistency that is barely sticky, but not crumbly. You can add a small amount of suet during cool weather when it will stay fairly hard. Experiment with the amounts of ingredients, but the idea is to reduce the amount of (expensive!) peanut butter yet leave the mixture gooey enough to stick to the cone. Bird seed can also be added to the mixture but is not necessary. Press the mixture well into the "shelves" of the cone, filling it as full as possible. Fasten the cone to a tree branch or clothesline so that it hangs 1 to 1-1/2 feet down from the branch and away from the trunk or pole. Then wait for chickadees and other small birds to find your treasure! Larger birds like blue jays and grackles will be too heavy for this feeder. If you don't have pine cones, you can purchase a small amount of 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth. The small mesh keeps large beaks out and allows some place for the small birds to hang on to. Make a cylinder of the cloth about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. This can be fastened at the bottom with small nails to an existing bird feeder, or you can put a bottom on the cylinder with a piece of hardware cloth and hang it as you would the pine cone. Fill the cylinder about 2/3 of the way with "The Mix." Put a top on it using another piece of hardware cloth and the little birds will really enjoy your peanut butter treat. Issue 167 - 1/10/05
WINTER ROSE CARE In autumn, roses should be left un-pruned. Leaving the buds to wither and rot may not be too attractive, but the roses will tell their roots to prepare for winter. This process, known as letting the roses harden off, also alerts the rose to stop blooming and conserve energy for the long winter. While you leave the blooms, roses may require some wind pruning during the fall. You don’t really need to worry about cutting at a node, etc. You are just cutting it to prevent the rose from getting blown so hard in the wind. Next comes winter, and roses will need a little more care from you to make it through in good health. It's not extreme cold that kills roses but rather the frequent alternate freezing and thawing that heaves the plant, thus breaking the roots. The winter sun and dry winds take moisture away from the canes and make winter injury more of a problem. Winter mulching with straw, peat moss, or other composted material is advisable in all but the extreme southern sections of the United States. The mulch regulates soil temperatures and tempers the effects of freezing and thawing. The first step is to mulch the roses. This consists of finding good bark mulch or garden compost in most cases and spreading it around the base of your roses. I use the EKO brand compost available at most garden centers. Use a shovel and throw a few scoops around the base of each rose. It doesn’t have to cover the entire plant, but the base should be well insulated. You may want to put some tough gloves on and pat the mulch down. The point is to protect the base and root of the rose from the cold, so be sure to cover it well. That should keep your roses as happy as can be during the winter months. If you do experience damage or burns from wind, ice or extreme cold, don’t cut the problem parts of the plant. Unfortunately, you’ll need to leave the ugly parts of the plant alone and hope for the best. Most plants will pour on new growth when its time, but they need their damaged parts until the new shoots grow. As soon as winter is finished and the days are getting longer and warmer, you should remove the mulch. You can usually just pull it from the base of the roses and spread it in your beds. The mulch will be full of nutrients and a turn will do it some good. You must be sure to get the fist shaped base of the rose uncover. Leaving them covered with mulch could cause suffocation and rot when spring has sprung. This is also a good time to spring-prune your roses. Pick the best stalks and cut them at about knee-level. You should reduce the plant to only four or five of these stalks. The rose, at this point, will look like a hand turned palm up with fingers pointing up. As with all rose pruning, you should encourage outward growth, rather than dense, inward branches. By following the basic advice above, your roses will achieve better survivibility, stronger spring growth patterns that will keep your roses more disease-free with healthier buds and blooms. Issue 168 - 1/17/05
WINDOW SILL HERB GARDENING An indoor kitchen herb garden will add interest to your meals and color to your window sills...and help satisfy that urge to garden during the cold, wintry months ahead. Most culinary herbs require at least five hours of sun per day. You can use a sunny window, provided the reflected heat is not too intense. If you don’t have a window with direct sunlight, put your pots of herbs in a spot with plenty of light, then move them into the sun for a few hours whenever possible. Fluorescent lights or special grow lamps also work if left on about 14 to 16 hours per day. Place the lights 12 to 18 inches above the tops of the plants. If the light source is too far away, insufficient light will reach the plants, and they won’t grow. You must also consider temperature and humidity. Most herbs need daytime temperatures of 68 to 70 degrees F with 30 to 50 percent humidity. To increase humidity, place a dish of water near the plants. Pot your herbs in a potting mix of vermiculite or equal parts peat moss, garden loam, and coarse sand. Any container will do as long as it has good drainage. Sow the seeds according to the package directions, but no deeper than two times the diameter of the seed. Some easy-to-grow annual herbs that can be transplanted to your garden next spring include basil, dill, oregano, chives, coriander, and anise. After planting, soak the bottom of the container in a pan of water until the surface is wet. Or spray with a mister until well-watered. Place each container inside a plastic bag to create a “greenhouse”, leaving the top slightly open to allow some air and moisture to escape. Set in a fairly warm location (65 to 75 degrees F) out of direct sunlight until seeds germinate. Germination should start in two to three weeks. At that time, remove the plastic, and move the container to a cooler area (60 to 70 degrees F) where it will receive good light but not direct sun. Gradually increase the amount of sunlight by moving plants every few days. Turn for even exposure to sunlight. Continue to water, but don’t overdo it or the plants may rot. Thin your herbs when the seedlings have two sets of true leaves. If you started herbs in flats, this is the time to transplant them to individual pots. Use a soil mix that’s richer than the medium used for germination. A good mix is two parts garden loam, one part coarse sand, and one part sifted peat moss. Herbs generally need little fertilizer but will respond to some. Use a soluble fertilizer such as 5-10-10, and apply at half strength, based on label directions. Over-fertilized plants often have a poorer flavor than those grown at a more moderate rate. One of my favorite window sill herbs is Basil. Gardeners are eager to enjoy Basil’s intensely aromatic leaves, so they generally seed too early, with poor results. This heavenly herb originated in Africa and can’t handle life outdoors until evenings are warm. To prevent ‘damping off’, use good-quality starter mix, provide ventilation and water lightly until established. Direct-sow when soil and weather are reliably warm after all danger of frost has passed. Basil prefers rich soil; keep plants producing lushly by frequent trimming and fertilizing. Issue 169 - 1/24/05
BASIL: A WINDOWSILL HERB You can grow herbs indoors this winter and add that just-picked taste to your meals, even when snow is drifting up against the kitchen window. You don't even need special lights—herbs fare just fine in a bright window. Here is one of my favorite herbs for growing on windowsills and some smart techniques you need to keep it happy and healthy until you can plant them outside. Basil: Start basil from seeds and place the pots in a south-facing window—it likes lots of sun and warmth. Below are a few kinds we have tried with great success. Genovese Basil - This tried-and-true basil is the backbone of Italian cuisine. This larger-leaved, (2" or more) Italian basil has spicy-fragrant leaves. It is powerfully aromatic and classically popular for pesto made with pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil and garlic! The sturdy plants grow to 24 tall. Allow 10" between plants to produce a heavy crop. Lemon Basil - Small leaves with a pungent, lemony scent adorn compact, mounding plants growing up to 24" tall. It makes an unusual spicy herb vinegar or may be dried in sachets for your closets. Lemon basil pesto is outstanding: use 1/3 regular basil to 2/3 lemon basil. Purple Sweet Basil - Purple-red leaves on 18", bushy plants create attractive contrast in both salads and in the garden. Purple Sweet has a spicy note: create delicious, purple-tinted basil vinegar: wash and dry leaves, pack in a jar and add white wine vinegar. Cap and store in a cool place for one to two weeks. Remove basil and strain. This purple elixir is marvelous in marinades, smashing in salads. Growing Basil does have a few struggles. Once they've acclimated, move them to an area with lots of sun (south-facing windows are brightest, followed by east or west views). But protect them from heat and dryness. Most basils prefer daytime temperatures of about 65 to 70 degrees F, although they can withstand climbs into the 70s. It's especially important that night temperatures drop at least 10 degrees—down into the 50s would be better—to simulate outdoor conditions. Place them outside on mild days, and give them regular baths to wash off dust. Most herbs like to be well watered but don't like wet feet. That's why good drainage is important. Water when the top of the container feels dry, or learn to judge the moisture in the soil by the weight of the pot. Add sand or vermiculite to the potting soil to ensure good drainage. Learn to juggle water, light, and temperature. An herb in a clay pot in a south-facing window will need more water than one in a plastic pot in an east, or west, facing window. If the light is low, keep the temperature low. If, despite such defenses, your indoor plants do come under insect attack, help the herbs stay healthy by providing the correct mix of light and temperature, and give them regular baths. A plant weakened by hot, dry indoor conditions is even more susceptible to spider mite, whitefly, or aphid damage than a healthy one. Here are a couple of tips from Cathy on how to use Basil. Pesto sauce made with homemade basil is great on spaghetti, but have you ever tried freezing it and then stuffing pieces of it under the skin of a chicken before roasting? Use it in vinaigrette, spread it on a tomato sandwich or on a burger instead of mustard. Put it in omelets, in soups, in Thai curries, in potato salad. Spread it on swordfish steaks before you put them on the grill. Issue 170 - 1/31/05
FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL BIRD FEEDING MONTH In January 1994, Congress declared February as National Bird Feeding Month. The observance was established because it's one of the most difficult months in much of the U.S. for birds to survive in the wild. Consider this:
Backyard bird feeding is an entertaining, educational and inexpensive pastime that can be enjoyed by children and adults. Young children are drawn naturally to the activities involved in feeding wild birds. Parents can challenge an inquisitive child's mind as they explore together these factors in trying to encourage visits by their favorite birds. Different species of birds can be identified with a field guide. And the activity can be expanded, depending on the interest. Chickadees, for example, fly back and forth between a feeder and a nearby tree. On each trip, they take a single seed and fly to a perch. While holding the seed with their feet, they peck it open and eat the kernel. Everyone can enjoy the relaxation and peacefulness of watching birds. Nature serves to relieve the stress and can get one's day going on a tranquil note. Take the northern cardinal, for example, this bird natural habitat has made its’ way to the extreme Northeast part of our state. A fairly common bird in the Midwest, the bright red male and his more camouflaged mate often will be the first ones at the feeder in the morning and the last to leave at night. Mated for life, they will be observed sharing morsels of sunflower and safflower seeds. Feeding wild birds in the backyard is an easy hobby to start. It can be as simple as mounting a single feeder outside a window and filling it with a good-quality birdseed mix or just straight black oil sunflower seeds. This feeder can be a hopper, platform or tubular variety. In most parts of the Colorado, your first visitor is more likely to have four feet and a bushy tail. If you have not taken squirrels into your feeder-placement planning be assured they will find your feeders. For many people, the hobby progresses from there. They discover the relationship between the type and location of feeders, and the seed offered in them, and the number and varieties of birds attracted. For example, suet products often are put out in wire baskets to attract woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and others. You can make your own suet-like treats from recipes that include peanuts, raisins and other items found in the pantry. Please remember to use organic products that contain no salt. If you offer water, particularly if it's dripping or running, you may attract birds that do not visit the feeders. Adding a bird bath warmer to keep the water from freezing in Colorado during winter creates an oasis for bird watching. Many interesting and eye-catching species are not seed eaters, preferring insects or berries to seeds, but they still need water. To round out your backyard birding program, add a few birdhouses also known as nesting boxes. They can provide shelter in winter and breeding sanctuaries during spring for cavity-nesting birds. Feeding backyard songbirds is the most popular wildlife-related recreational activity around the home. A stress-free activity, it brings a welcome flash of color, dash of motion and splash of sound into the backyard throughout year. Issue 171 - 2/7/05
ATTRACTING BIRDS Most of us start watching birds close to home, at a window or in our backyard. One more way to see more birds is to make your home more attractive to them. The key is to provide the basic necessities for birds: food, water, and shelter. FEEDING BIRDS If you want to attract birds to your yard or window, then feeding them will help. Many places sell bird seed and bird feeders, but purchasing fresh seed is a key to your bird feeding success. Black-oil sunflower seed is one of the best choices because it is eaten by so many different birds: jays, chickadees, finches, even woodpeckers. Seed mixes that include hemp, millet, thistle (Niger) seed, or cracked corn also work. Look for premium bird seed that has hulled sunflower, peanut hearts or safflower in them to get more birds to your feeder. The better the seed, the more birds you will attract. Bird feeders come in many shapes and sizes but it’s best to start simply. Birds will come to a raised platform or window shelf, but a tube feeder or hopper feeder need to be replenished less often. During winter you can place suet cakes in wire suet feeders outside. It will attract chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. Try replacing the suet with a sandwich made with peanut butter, especially during warmer months, but be sure to use organic or a no-salt peanut butter. When they find it, your birds will come back to it. Though not recommended as much, even scattering seed on the ground will attract some species. Keep areas raked up and cleaned to prevent disease among your feathered friends. WATER FOR BIRDS Birds need drinking and bathing water just as much as they need food. They are attracted to moving, shallow water. Use a submersible pump to create a trickle of water running into a one-inch pan with gravel on the bottom. A rubber bucket or shallow rubber pan works well in the wintertime by allowing you to get fresh water daily to the birds. Small heaters are also available at most birding and wildlife centers. COVER AND SHELTER Birds need cover for protection against wind, cold, and their enemies. The best kind of cover is shrubs or vines that provide food as well as a place to hide. Make sure that there is some place to hide near your bird feeders. Predators are sometimes attracted to the commotion at a feeder and your birds will need a safe place to fly to.Plants for birds can be added to any garden. These include shrubs, such as sumac and boxwood, and small trees, such as holly or dogwood. Shrubs and trees that produce berries or fruits, such as cherry, crab apple, or hawthorn, are also good, but native plants that retain their fruit in winter are best. Evergreens may be planted for shelter. Annual flowers such as sunflower, marigold, and zinnia produce seed that attract birds, as do perennials such as aster and black-eyed Susan. NESTING BOXES Some birds will take advantage of a nesting box or bird house made by humans. But different boxes will attract different species. For example, a box made for a wren is very different from one made for a flicker. Bird houses and plans for bird houses come in hundreds of different sizes and types. When you have become familiar with the birds in your area, you can choose the right one for those species. Build or buy a box that can be used year after year. Don’t place boxes too close together; three or four nesting boxes to an acre are usually enough. Most birds set up their own territory and will keep other birds away. Issue 172 - 2/14/05
LANDSCAPING IS FOR THE BIRDS When landscaping your backyard or deciding on the flowers to plant this season in your flower beds, think of the birds you want to attract. Bird feeders will not be enough to attract a variety of wonderful birds that frequent your region. Remember that birds eat a variety of foods, even dedicated seed-eaters. Berries, nectar, fruit, nuts, as well as seed heads from flowers can tempt many a bird. Additionally, any landscape full of plants will attract insects, insects that are delicious to many birds. Many birds are not cavity-nesters (ones who use birdhouses or natural holes in trees to nest.) Many birds will build their own nests deep in thickets, vines, trees, and bushes. Listed below are many common backyard birds and some plants that they love for food and shelter. Try to include as many as possible in your landscape, remembering to plant only those that are suited to our climate and gardening zone. AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES Birch trees, spruce, firs, pine trees, oaks, hemlocks, sunflowers, zinnias, asters, maple trees, white ash, box elder, grapes, roses, mulberries, service berries, sweet gum, thistle AMERICAN ROBINS Hackberry trees, hollies, cedars, mulberry trees, sumacs, blackberries, viburnums, grasses, serviceberries, virginia creeper, pyracantha, roses, blackberries, elderberries, crab apples BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES Pine trees, aspen, hemlock trees, viburnums, sunflowers, bayberries BLUE JAYS Oak trees, wild cherries, wild grapes, viburnums, blackberries, blueberries, hollies, sunflowers, dogwoods, sumac, crab apples. DARK-EYED JUNCOS Pine trees, firs, honeysuckle, aspen, sumacs, hemlock trees, roses, millet. DOWNY WOODPECKERS Oak trees, mountain ash, dogwoods, service berries, virginia creeper. MOURNING DOVES Sunflowers, pines, spruce, grasses, millet. NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS Hackberry trees, hollies, cedars, sumacs, viburnums, bayberries, dogwoods, serviceberry, hawthorns, huckleberry, plum, privet, honeysuckle, virginia creeper, cherry laurel, cherry, blueberry, pyracantha. PINE SISKINS Pine trees, spruce, cedar trees, aspen, maples, honeysuckle, sunflowers, American elm. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES Pine trees, spruce, firs. RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEES Hollies, oaks, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, apple trees, pines, blueberries, mulberries, huckleberries, sunflowers, crab apples, millet, grapes. STELLAR’S JAYS Pine trees, oaks, elderberries, dogwoods, wild cherries. TUFTED TITMICE Hackberry trees, pine trees, sunflowers, oaks, wild grapes, crabapples, blackberries, virginia creeper. WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES Oaks, sunflowers, pine trees, maple trees. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS Sunflowers, honeysuckle, viburnums, pine, sumac, cedar, dogwoods, strawberries, American elm, juniper, virginia creeper. Issue 173 - 2/21/05
GARDENING BY WINDOW Most gardeners get the blues at one time or another during the winter. The sky has a little less light, the blooming plants that dominated your gardens for the last six months are just sticks and bones. The cold mornings remind us that spring is still a few months away and yet most of us are itching to get back into the toils of gardening. We’ve already taken care of most of the chores. The pots are all empty and turned upside down (except for the one I missed on the north side of the house). The hose is curled up and is waiting for another succession of warm days to be stretched out and used again. I’m not in the mood to plan anything yet, but I did make some notes and ponder what I am going to change in a couple of the gardens. Mostly I just stare and watch this time of the garden season from a warm spot by a window. I drift over the barren bushes and trees that once held a magnificent layer of leaves or gaze at the perennials that commanded to keep their blooms so long this fall. I don’t didn’t cut back my perennials in the fall and that makes the artistic contrast stunning. The tall clumps of ‘Karl Foerster’ ornamental grasses show off their golden, feather-like plumage and blow softly in the wind as the smaller ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue along the border remain as blue as they were in the fall. The Agastache and Perovskia still hold it’s spherical shape as they shadow the now purple Woolly Thyme and Turkish Veronica ground covers. The rocks along the garden borders are more visible and the paths between the gardens are not as crowded. Flagstone is more apparent along the walkways as the ‘Brilliant’ Dianthus and the ‘Nana’ Potentilla have receded for the season. Tapestries created by the textures, forms and colors are highlighted by the morning sun and stand out more against the Junipers this time of year. The broken sunlight through the arbor warms the small Chickadee and Junco as they pick from the feeder I hung where the honeysuckle and grapevines are planted. The pond is now frozen and the only water available is the birdbath I keep open with a small heater. The wildlife seems more abundant, but I think the leaves from the trees and brush on the nearby hill has kept the birds, deer, fox and raccoon hidden. The tall Blue Spruce offers protection to a variety of small birds and squirrels. They’re enjoyable to watch as they scurry around to gather food. Sitting by that window is one of my favorite spots in the off-season. The view comforts me and prevents me from getting the wintertime blues. Issue 174 - 2/28/05
PLANNING YOUR GARDEN As the month of March comes to a beginning and spring is just around the corner, we turn our focus towards gardening. Your gardens can be a place you use to relax and take time to reflect your everyday life. They help you connect with the earth and all that surrounds you. Use good planning ideas to make gardens that are comfortable and easy to build and easy to maintain. A good plan is an important step in developing your garden areas. It doesn’t have to be professionally drawn or true to scale, but should be somewhat accurate. Start by analyzing your property so you can draw the general layout. Look at the house, the driveway, where the property lines are or maybe a deck or patio. Then draw a general outline of those areas, adding in any existing trees, shrubs or gardens. Get a good bearing on which way north is and be sure to include that on your drawing. Determine what your motives are for the new sections that are about to be created. Privacy, maintenance, recreation, color are all items to consider when planning sizes and shapes. You can create a screen along a patio from your neighbors, bring tranquillity into the yard with a pond or water feature, or build an area for the kids or pets. Every garden has a purpose, whether it is for pleasure (like a viewing or cut flower garden) or need (like an herb or vegetable garden)so give it plenty of thought before starting. Arranging, balancing and setting focal points are important steps in developing a landscape. You have been accomplishing all of these steps in you everyday life by putting pictures on the wall, painting a room with just the right color, or rearranging the furniture in your home. Use those same skills to draw the map to your beautiful yard. Form a curved path towards a favorite cutting garden, build an arbor to enhance an entrance or use the neighbor’s fence to create a shade garden. Remember to plan with caution and use common sense to avoid trouble spots. You wouldn’t want to get out of your car walk directly into a shrub or a mud hole. Use the micro-climates (hot spots, frost pockets, wet spots or shady areas) to bring unusual specimens into your yard. Your plan greatly affects the plants you will choose for your creation. Have fun and get advice when choosing your plants. Most garden centers will be happy to help. Issue 175 - 3/7/05
GARDENING IN MARCH ON THE FRONT RANGE One of the most asked questions this time of year is “When can I start planting?” Although the timing depends on each particular year, our general answer is when the soil warms up enough to start working it sometime between mid-March and mid-April. At lower elevations you may do planting at this time, keep in mind that new plants will require watering and you must have the ability to water them well. At higher elevations you should be able to start planting when most of the snow cover is gone, usually mid-April to mid-May. Mother Nature has everything to do with this, each year will be different. What to do now? Contain yourself! That’s right, use containers you can enjoy inside on cold days and set them out on the patio or deck on the nice days. Many herbs, vegetable and cold hardy annuals are available this time of year. Corsican Violets are an ever-blooming perennial that is also available now. Use containers that are out of the ordinary. Think creatively. Today’s gardeners have moved away from just putting plants in a dish to art. Anything can be a container as long as it drains. Pots don’t have to match; in fact, they probably shouldn’t. Think different sizes, styles and shapes. If you’re not up for the containers yet, give seedlings a head start indoors now. Sow warm season plants inside because they will need warmth for good germination. Once germinated, plants can be acclimated to cooler growing seasons. Uncertain weather in the Rockies often make gardening tricky, with bright sunshine for a week or more, followed by cold, frosty conditions that can be devastating to plants that are not acclimatized. But what the heck, it’s fun to get an early start, and with some planning you can get a longer growing season than you might expect. Here is a short list of gardening things to do during March:
Issue 176 - 3/14/05
ROSE PRUNING IN MARCH The safest and best time to prune roses in the Rockies is spring. Fall pruning is discouraged because it removes stored food reserves that help rose bushes survive the winter. As growth resumes in the spring, pruning wounds will close more easily, and there is less dieback to the canes. We approach this garden chore in a couple of stages; first to remove dead wood and tall canes, followed by a final pruning to shape the bush and direct stem growth. The best time to do the majority of rose pruning is at the time of bud swelling and leaf expansion. Tools You Need Use sharp pruning tools. You should have a pair of hand pruners, loppers for thick canes, and a small hand saw for older, thick, woody growth. To cover pruning cuts, have a bottle of carpenter’s glue; dab this to the top of pruning wounds. This reduces cane desiccation and discourages cane borers from attacking the cut ends. How To Prune Different kinds of roses benefit from different kinds of pruning treatment. When severe winter conditions have killed back the tops of canes (winterkill), prune back to a point below the dead portion to healthy, solid wood. It may be necessary to cut canes back to within a few inches of the bud or graft union. Dead canes should be removed to ground level. In cutting live canes, make the cut just above a bud. Don’t leave long stubs that can invite decay or diseases. Hybrid Teas and Grandifloras Remove crowded canes and old wood near the base of the plant. Keep three to five well-spaced canes trimmed free of small twigs. To guide new growth, make cuts above buds facing in the direction where you want a new branch to grow. Floribundas Thin out some of the older and tall stems to make the bush more symmetrical. Since floribundas are generally hardier than tea roses and grow bushier, you will have less die back. Don’t be afraid to shape and thin the plant for more blooms. Climbers That Bloom in Spring Cut out the oldest and woodiest canes that seem to lack vigor. You can shorten the secondary growth or lateral canes to accommodate trellises, fences, or other supports. When possible, leave three to five buds on each lateral stem for the most prolific bloom. Ramblers Shrub roses benefit from pruning after they finish blooming. They flower on growth produced last growing season. Remove growth that has bloomed or has become old. Neglected, tangled or overgrown bushes can be rejuvenated by cutting back severely. New canes will develop throughout the summer. Check Outdoor Roses for Critter Damage Field mice and voles may nest in heavy mulch around the base of rose bushes. Look for signs of chewed bark and damage to the canes. You can spray canes and the soil around the bush with hot pepper spray to serve as a repellent. If you can find the nesting site, pull the mulch away and destroy it. Winter Watering Rose Beds If you live in an area where snow and other natural moisture has been scarce, be sure to check the rose garden on warm, sunny days. Drag out the hose and give the rose garden a good drink when temperatures are above freezing. This may need to be done every 4 to 5 weeks depending upon weather conditions. Issue 177 - 3/21/05
EASY CARE HOUSEPLANTS Would you like to have a houseplant, but they all seem to die? Here are suggestions for a couple of very easy-care plants, ones that you really have to make an effort to kill. There are tall plants, trailing plants, plants that grow somewhat slowly, fast growing plants, even a few flowering ones. They like different levels of light, so you can find one for just about any place you’d want to put a plant. What they have in common is that you can grow these plants for years and have very few problems with them. They tolerate a wide range of temperatures and require very little water. Choose a plant that has lighting requirements that match the place you want to put it. Once you’ve put the plant there, water and fertilize it occasionally and it ought grow healthy and look beautiful. African Violet (Saintpaulia) This plant likes a fair amount of light. They do fine anywhere good light is except a hot, south –facing window. If it’s too dark for the plant, it will let you know by lifting its leaves up (normally they should be spread straight out). When watering it, try to avoid spilling water on the leaves, as this can make brown spots on the leaves. Watering is best done by letting the plant soak up water from the bottom. It won’t flower unless it’s pot bound, so don’t put it in too large a pot or repot too quickly. This is one plant that needs a special type of potting soil. Use an African Violet mix if you want to keep your plant flowering as much as possible. Devil’s Ivy or Pothos (Scindapsus or Epipremnum) This plant forms a vine that just keeps getting longer and longer, and the leaves at the end end of the vine are larger than the ones near the pot. You can let these vines hang down to make a hanging basket, let them crawl across a windowsill, or wrap them around a moss pole to try to keep the plant in one place. They tolerate quite low light and can be grown in rooms without windows or in a corner of a room away from the window. Put it near some artificial light if you do this, though, as it does need some light. Propagation is easy: cut off part of a vine and stick it in water. When it has enough roots, put it in soil. Emerald Frond (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) Loving neglect’ is the care advice for succulents and Zamioculcas is no exception. The plant demands very little attention, except of course for admiration! Zamioculcas looks as though it was designed for the stylish, contemporary interior with the soul purpose of enlivening its environment. In truth, the plant is perfect in any type of interior: traditional, cozy or modern. Not too cold and not too wet, is the most important advice for the owner of a Zamioculcas. The plant prefers dry to wet and will not be too unhappy if the owner occasionally forgets to water it. Zamioculcas likes plenty of light but direct sunlight should be avoided although it will also thrive in a darker spot. Feeding once a fortnight is more than enough for this plant. Here are general care tips for indoor plants. Always use pots with drain holes in the bottom. Use a good quality indoor potting soil mix, available from any reputable garden center. Put a saucer beneath them to catch the excess water from watering. The way to water most houseplants is to wait until the top of the soil is dry, and then pour water onto the soil slowly until water runs out the bottom of the pot, indicating that the plant has had enough water. If there’s only a little bit of water in the saucer you don’t have to worry about it as it will evaporate. If there is a lot of water at the bottom, however, you should pour it off. If you don’t it could cause the plant’s roots to rot because they have a tendency to draw water from the saucer as well. If you’ve waited too long between watering, the soil can shrink and pull away from the edges of the pot. The water you pour in will go immediately out the bottom. In this case you need to let the plant sit in a pan of water for about a half an hour to allow it to soak up water from the bottom. Re-pot house plants when necessary. Use fresh soil and time-release fertilizer. Issue 178 - 3/28/05
A FEW GARDENING TIPS This time of year, we get asked several questions at our garden center regarding plants, seeds and fertilizers. I’ll cover a few of the most asked questions and some general answers to most of the questions. Q: When can I start planting? A: Spring planting at lower elevations on the Front Range is usually recommended when the soil warms up enough to start working it - sometime between late-March and mid-April. You may do planting at this time, keep in mind that new plants will require watering and you must have the ability to water them well. At our higher elevations in the Tri-Lakes region, you should be able to start planting when most of the snow cover is gone, usually mid-April to mid-May. Mother Nature has everything to do with this, each year will be different. Q: Do I prune all of my shrubs now? A: Selective pruning is always best at any time of year. There is a general rule of thumb: Prune non-flowering or late-flowering shrubs in early spring and prune spring-flowering shrubs just after the bloom. Many gardeners prune the bloom off the lilacs, broom and pyracantha before they even flower! The late-flowering shrubs like potentilla, blue mist spirea and roses should all be pruned now. Lots of evergreens have brown tips from a lack of moisture over the winter, so prune them now as well. Q: Is this a good time to plant grass seed and wildflower seed? A: Absolutely! Now is a great time, especially now that we’re into our wetter months of springtime. Be sure to cover seed with about ¼” of top soil or other loose mix, then water and keep them moist. Germination takes a bit longer this time of year, but results can be astounding. The key to a good stand of grass or wildflowers is the seed. Be sure to use a reputable source that has knowledge of seeds that work well for your area. Q: Should I fertilize my lawn now? And what kind of fertilizer do I use? A: Now is the time for lawns, blooming shrubs and trees. Wait just a bit longer before fertilizing tender perennials that are just emerging from the ground – about mid to late April for them. N.P.K. – what does it all mean? There are a million fertilizers on the market today. Choose one for your specific need. For top growth, add higher nitrogen (the first letter N ), for increased blooms and root growth add higher phosphate (the second letter P) and for more drought and disease resistance add more potash (the third letter K). Be aware there are more organic solutions on the market and we do not have to use as harsh chemicals on our ground surface as we used to. “Think green”. Q: I noticed my bulbs coming up and now suddenly their gone, what happened? A: If no evidence of the plant is left behind, you probably have a critter of some kind eating your plants or carrying them off. Most of us live in the area we do, partly because of the wildlife and like to have them around. If you’re someone who doesn’t want them around, the only sure way to keep them at bay is a fence, for deer it must be a minimum of 6 feet tall. It is extremely difficult to keep ground squirrels and rabbits at bay, even with a fence, however. If you like the animals around but would prefer them to not eat your garden there are a few things you can do. First thing to do is to try to plant things that the animals don’t like or prefer not to eat. Planting larger quantities of a specific plant will give both you and the animals some to enjoy. And last but certainly not least there are many repellents on the market today that truly work, they must be reapplied regularly. Issue 179 - 4/4/05
SPRING GARDENING IN THE TRI-LAKES AREA The Tri-Lakes region is a unique place to garden and landscape. Our challenges include our elevation which produces a short growing season, our weather patterns that vary from cold, snowy conditions in the winter to hot, windy conditions in the summer and our poor soil medium to establish plant growth. Throw in the wildlife factor and you have created one of the toughest regions along the Front Range to grow plants in. If you ask advice on how to garden from some of the experienced gardeners that have lived a long time in the area, a common phrase is “Yes, It’s tough, but with proper technique, anyone can garden here”. I’m going to give you a few tips on how to get started. The first item on the list is to have a good plan. Study your garden area well and observe how much exposure it will get to sun, wind and the elements of nature. Design your sun loving plants to be in the sun and the shade tolerant plants in less sun. Many plants have different water requirements. Make sure you keep the drought tolerant plants away from plants you have to water daily. Plan your watering system to water accurately in both garden and turf areas. Water restrictions will be enforced along the Front Range for many years. Be sure to use water-wise plants from the X-rated program designed by experts in the Green Industry along with the Denver Water Board. A plan should be scaled out so you know how large plants are going to get in the future. A Colorado Blue Spruce looks great up by the house when it’s only five or six feet high, but someday it will be forty to sixty feet high. Will it block a view? Will it grow into the roofline of the house? Plans can be as simple as knowing size of the plot, selection of plants and how large they will get. The single, most important detail you can give your garden or plants is to amend the soil. We have great mineral content in Colorado, but the plant medium is usually lousy. Decomposed granite, clay and sandy gravel are the typical types of soil conditions in our area. Plants need soil, water and air to survive. If the soil is too tight and holds too much water, your plants will drown. By adding composted material and a sandy, gravel mix to the clay, drainage will be made easier and plants will have a chance to breathe. If you water a plant in sandy conditions, the water will drain away quickly offering less to the plant. By adding peat moss and composted material, the soil will retain more moisture for the plant to use. When gardens sit out in the elements of our region they are exposed to a fair amount wind and sun. The result is transpiration or water loss of the plant. Some of this water loss can be reduced by using mulch. What is mulch? Basically a shredded or milled by-product containing scraps from trimming and cutting trees. Some companies are using old pallets and dye to achieve a longer-lasting color effect in mulch. I prefer natural cedar chips to most other kinds of mulch. It has a long life, looks good and is sized consistently. Cedar is offered in large, medium, small and shredded sizes and is usually found in bags at most nurseries and garden centers. I also use another fine, forest mulch around perennials and smaller gardens called Soil Pep. Apply three to four inches of mulch around plants to keep evaporation to a minimum and four to six inches in gardens to keep weeds at bay. Use the plan, the correct plant selection, mulch and some common sense and get advice when needed. Ask you neighbor or local nurseryman to help get you on the right track with gardening in the Tri-Lakes area. Issue 180 - 4/11/05
BUILDING A NEW GARDEN Building a new garden is an exciting and rewarding experience. The success of your new garden is greatly increased by following a few guidelines and basic principals. Plants you choose play a key role in determining how full your garden will appear right now and what it may look like in the near future. Below are a few suggestions to help you along the way. In selecting a site for your new garden, consider the amount of sun or shade exposure your plants will get. Observe the new site by watching the morning, mid-day and evening light. In Colorado, fi ve to six hours of sun is considered full sun, two to five hours is thought of as sun to partial shade and less than two hours, more shade. Most shade loving plants desire less than one hour of our hot, dry climate. Use plants that thrive in proper light conditions to ensure success. The single, most important thing you can give your new garden is good soil to grow in. Plants live in various soil types but will thrive if you amend your soil with a composted material. The type of soil you have will determine which compost you will use. Clay soils need to be broken up to provide more air to the plant roots, sandy and rocky soils need to retain more moisture in the root zone. Consult with your local garden center for information on the many types of soil amendments and which ones are best suited for your location. Consider height and color of flowers or foliage when selecting plants for your new site. Set taller plants towards the rear or off to the sides of the garden if it backs up to a fence or structure. Place tall plants in the center of the garden if the site can be viewed from all directions. Use raised beds to achieve an even greater height or select plants that grow tall such as vines and ornamental grasses. Some variegated foliage mixed in with flowering perennials offer a unique look. Mix wide leaf and slim, narrow leaf plants to achieve texture and depth. Pick colors that compliment one another as you would if decorating in your home. A splash of purple or blue next to yellows and oranges make beautiful combinations. Choose plants that use the same water consumption to help make watering easy. Most succulents and sedums are drought tolerant plants that require little water and should be planted in the same areas. Provide drip lines or efficient sprinklers on timers to avoid over watering and wasting our precious water resources. Simple, battery-operated timers and drip irrigation supplies are available at most garden centers to help you convert sprinkler lines to drip irrigation easily. Use natural bark mulches to help keep moisture levels up and weeds in control. By adding three or four inches of a finer style forest mulch, you will save on the amount of watering needed to maintain plants at the root zone. Use small, medium or larger cedar bark mulches around perennials, shrubs and trees to help control unwanted garden weeds and to make pulling weeds easy. Add flare to your new garden by using a piece of statuary, birdbath, unusual rock or other natural products as a focal point to compliment plants. A small fountain is easy to maintain - the running water is soothing to the ears and it will attract birds and wildlife to your garden. Too many rocks will add more heat to your garden, so be aware of increased evaporation rates. Be sure to think of the future and know how large your plants will grow as they become mature. If you over plant, you can always move those that are crowding others to a new garden and start again. Issue 181 - 4/18/04
SOIL NUTRIENTS Pick a Letter First things first, what do those numbers and letters on the bags and bottles mean? NPK stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – the three “macronutrients” that make up plant food. Nitrogen is responsible for lush leaf growth (the green parts of plants), while phosphorous and potassium are required for root growth, flower and fruit development, stem strength, and overall plant health. They are expressed in percentages on the fertilizer label: For instance, 10-10-10 means 10% each of N, P, and K, in that order. The remaining 70% of what’s in the bag are inert ingredients. Those strange sounding products on the shelves are simply sources of one or more of those macronutrients. Here’s a rundown: FISH EMULSION Don’t tell your pet goldfi sh, but fi sh emulsion is an excellent all-around garden fertilizer for your organic garden. Derived from seafood waste products (fi sh heads, entrails, and so on), it’s a complete fertilizer meaning that it contains N, P, and K. It comes in liquid form that’s water soluble, which means it works quickly and is easy to apply either to the soil or the foliage. And it’s organic. It’s one drawback? It stinks, so you may not want to use it for houseplants, although it works well on those too. COTTONSEED MEAL Another complete organic fertilizer, cottonseed meal is what’s left over after the oil is pressed from cottonseed. The resulting cottonseed cake is used as livestock feed; however, some of it gets moldy, and that’s turned into fertilizer. Unlike fi sh emulsion cottonseed meal is insoluble in water, meaning it has to be mixed into the garden soil. BONE MEAL Bone meal is a byproduct of the slaughterhouse. It is an organic source of phosphorous. It’s not watersoluble and needs to be tilled into the soil – you can’t just sprinkle it over the surface. It’s slow acting, but it’s also long lasting – several years at least. Generally recommended for new landscapes or if your soil has been tested and found to be low in phosphorous. BLOOD MEAL A fantastic source of nitrogen (12%) that just so happens to also come from the slaughterhouses. It’s organic, and it’s fairly water soluble, so it is easy to use and fast-acting in the garden. There is no smell. However, it is not a complete fertilizer, just a source of nitrogen, so its usually used to quickly “green up” turf, plants and shrubs, or in conjunction with sources of phosphorus and potassium to make a complete fertilizer. SUPER PHOSPHATE This is a nonorganic source of phosphorous that works exactly like bone meal. Triple super phosphate is also available; it contains a higher percentage of active ingredient. POTASH Potash is an organic source of potassium that comes from seaweed and kelp. It’s also mined from the Great Salt Lake and deep wells in Michigan. As with phosphorous, you’d use potash with dried blood and bone meal to create your own complete organic fertilizer; or add it to garden soil that is defi cient in potassium. MILORGANITE Maybe it’s the beer and brats, but Milorganite, an organic fertilizer made from Milwaukee sewage sludge, has been a best selling fertilizer for 75 years, after O.J. Noer found that specially treated sewage sludge had the same N, P and K levels as high grade organic fertilizers. It’s popular on golf courses, but it’s great for the entire home landscape, including vegetable gardens. The name comes from MILwaukee ORGAnic NITrogEn. LIME Soil pH is important because plant nutrients are only available to plants when the pH is within a certain range – approximately 5.5 to 6.5. Lime is used to raise the soil pH – sometimes called ‘sweetening’ the soil – by increasing its alkalinity. It comes from either dolomitic limestone of hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide). Dolomitic limestone is much slower to work but much more long lasting than hydrated lime, which is fast acting and short lived. Like adding P and K, you add lime if the soil has been tested and proves too acidic for good plant growth. Issue 182 - 4/25/05
SPRINGTIME IN THE TRI-LAKES AREA The recent spring snows we’ve been getting have helped April turn into perfect growing conditions for wildflower and grass seed. Planting seed under about a quarter inch of top soil will greatly improve the chances of germination. Covering seed not only keeps the seed moist during germination, but it also helps reduce the consumption by birds and rodents. Try to keep the newly planted seed moist throughout the germination process. Grass is turning greener and spring is looking favorable with good moisture content. Ornamental grasses should be cut back right now to promote good growth. At our elevation, night time temperatures are still near freezing, so as you see your perennials pop out of the ground, be sure not uncover them totally. Add a light forest mulch to ensure you keep the moisture and night time heat in the ground. Day time air temperatures were higher the last couple of weeks, making the soil temperatures also a bit warmer. You may notice the lilacs, honeysuckle and more shrubs budding and many trees right behind them. Be sure to start fertilizing lawns, hearty perennials, shrubs and trees to promote healthy growth patterns. When plants are vigorously growing, they are less apt to harbor insects and carry disease. Use bone meal to promote flowers on Iris and Lilac. Boring insects will be flying soon and they will be invading your spruce and evergreen trees. Be sure to use liquid Sevin® for a preventive measure. Mix four tablespoons per gallon and spray to gently wet the tree branches and trunk. Start in early May and repeat this process every two or three week through June. Also, now is the time to mix Volk Oil and Dormant Oil in a spray to help prevent black spot on Aspen trees. You can spray until the buds are swelled, but it’s too late if the buds are turning into leaves. If you want to treat later, use a systemic fungicide made for ornamental trees. Add more composted material to gardens by using a sheep, peat and compost or cow manure. Be sure to use “weed free” bags of compost to ensure you aren’t picking weeds all spring and summer. Dig the compost in and around perennials, shrubs and trees. Add a couple of inches of new top soil and compost to annual planting beds and till in about four to five inches deep. Clean out pots with water and a stiff brush. Buy some new potting soil and be sure to use a time release fertilizer that will last all growing season. Our favorite is Sunshine’s Proven Winners® brand. It work well, is easy to apply and is inexpensive. Combine Proven Winners® fertilizers with Proven Winners® plants and you will have amazing container gardens. Start your perennials, shrubs and trees on a regular watering schedule. Observe your local water restrictions and try to water deep and less often. Your plants will develop more drought tolerance as their root system grows deeper into the soil. Set sprinkler zones to the correct timing, to ensure you are not over watering turf grasses and perennial gardens. If you are unclear on how much you should water, seek advice from your local garden center. Plant onion sets, potatoes, asparagus root and rhubarb root now. Pansies, aspens and most trees and shrubs are available and ready to plant. It’s springtime in the Tri-Lakes region. Be sure to stretch a little before diving into work and using those different muscles. Have a safe and happy planting season Issue 183 - 5/2/05
PLANT FOUR SEASONS OF COLOR Many factors make up the outdoor living room. The choices are almost endless. Here are few things to think about when selecting plant material to enhance your landscape and add value to your home. Does your plant selection suggest a good hardiness for Colorado climate? Challenges include extreme temperature fluctuations, poor soil conditions, low humidity and desiccating, dry winds. However, with Colorado’s high intensity light (sunny days), cool night time temperatures and very few plant diseases, we grow the most beautiful, colorful gardens in the nation. Try to create four seasons of color. The TriLakes area has 6 months of “winter” so planning your landscape for year ‘round color is essential. Look for these characteristics when making your selections: Spring: Spring flowering bulbs (tulips, daffodils, hyacinths) Flowering ornamental trees (crabapple, pear, cherry) Flowering shrubs (lilac, forsythia, broom, grape holly) Perennials (creeping phlox, basket of gold alyssum, rock cress) Cool weather annuals (pansies, flowering kale, and snapdragons) Spring colored vines (silver lace) Summer: Summer fl owering bulbs (gladiolas, dahlias, cannas) Shade trees (maples, ash, and honey locust) Flowering shrubs (rose bushes, spirea, and potentilla) For texture and color (barberry, sumac, viburnums) Perennials (Shasta daisy, daylily, coneflower, salvia) Colorful annuals (petunias, impatiens, geraniums, marigolds) Autumn: Colored trees (aspen, maples, Canada red cherry and ash) Flowering shrubs (Rose of Sharon, butterfly bush) Autumn colored shrubs (burning bush, dogwood, viburnums, and currants) Fall berries (pyracantha, viburnums) Perennials (hardy mums, sedum’s, asters) Cool weather annuals (pansies, dianthus, dusty miller, kale) Autumn colored vines (Virginia creeper) Winter: Evergreen trees (Colorado blue spruce, Austrian pine, Piñon pine) Junipers (groundcover, bush, upright) Specialty conifers (mugho pine, Alberta spruce yew broadleaf evergreens (grape holly, euonymus, pyracantha) Winter highlights (red twig dogwood, yellow twig dogwood, dried plumes of ornamental grasses) Remember to get good advise on what to plant from your local, independent garden center. Issue 184 - 5/9/05
MULCH 101 The advantages of using organic mulch to blanket soil around trees, shrubs, and perennial plants are many: Mulch moderates soil temperature and provides a more favorable environment for roots. It reduces evaporation of moisture, helping to conserve water. It reduces splashing from rain or irrigation water, reduces the spread of disease, and blocks the germination of many weed seeds. Beyond all that, mulch dresses up your garden, giving it a more finished look. This article explores the kinds of bark mulches you can buy and their advantages and disadvantages. Several bark and wood mulches are available--bark nuggets, mini-nuggets, hardwood mulch, and shredded mulch. Some come in bags, some in bulk. A chief advantage of these mulches compared with other organic mulches is that they remain attractive and functional for a couple of years. That’s why gardeners mulching around trees, shrubs, and other long-lived plants are wise to choose a long-lasting bark mulch. There is a difference between wood and bark mulch. According to the National Bark & Soil Producers Association, any mulch with “bark” in the name must be at least 85 percent bark of that named tree. A “mulch” material, on the other hand, need be only 70 percent of the named material, and it may be either bark or wood. In both cases, the remaining 15 or 30 percent can be just about anything, but it is usually wood. The primary difference is how long the mulch will last before breaking down. Wood breaks down quicker and is more susceptible to insect damage and discoloring than bark. Decomposing wood requires nitrogen. If you add a quantity of, say, fresh sawdust to your garden soil, chances are your plants will suffer from a lack of nitrogen. In this case, the soil isn’t necessarily deficient, but the breakdown of the sawdust “induces” nitrogen deficiency in your plants. Wood and bark mulches can also induce nitrogen deficiency, but it isn’t likely because they decompose at such a slow rate. It’s also unlikely because they are on top of the soil, not incorporated at root depth. But if this concerns you, or if your plants show the signs of nitrogen deficiency, add a 2-1-1 ratio fertilizer, such as 20-10-10, before mulching (2 to 5 pounds per 500 square feet). Two good rules of thumb are to mulch with 3 to 4 inches of bark mulch each season and to avoid mulch layer buildup (and potential nutrient deficiency problems) by removing old layers of un-decomposed mulch before adding new layers. Coarse-textured mulches, such as shredded bark, can be applied thicker than fine-textured mulches, such as cocoa hulls. However, there are variations and exceptions related to the type of plants you’re mulching and your landscape situation. Whatever the type of plant, it’s rarely advised to mulch more deeply than 6 inches. Mulch layers thicker than that might reduce air circulation in the soil, which will retard plant growth. Also, don’t pile mulch around the main stem of a plant where it enters the soil. The added moisture and insect haven that results could damage the plant you’re trying to help. Spread the mulch so that it covers the “dripline” of your plant. Issue 185 - 5/16/04
ABOUT ANNUALS Annuals are mostly flowering plants which live one season and then die out completely during winter. Before annuals die they have a tendency to drop seeds. The growth and flower color from these seeds can be unpredictable as most annuals are hybrids with unknown parent colors. Therefore, if you are planning an annual flower bed or border, it’s best to keep in mind that annuals will have to be replanted each year. When selecting a site for your flowers, remember that annuals need a minimum of five or more hours of sunlight per day for successful flowering. Each garden plan as to what type of plants to plant and what color flowers to use is up to the individual gardener. However, traditional advice regarding annual flower borders or beds consists of placing the tallest plants closest to the background or wall and then sizing the plants down to the smallest in front. In addition, massing flower colors together is customary and can create a strong visual effect. Using only a few colors for smaller areas and more colors for larger areas will draw the eye and create a pleasing contrast. The first year we planted annuals, we really did not have a clue as to what we were doing. We chose all different sizes and colors and pretty much planted them everywhere. It actually was quite pretty when everything grew in. However, the next year we followed more traditional lines and only used two colors, yellow and purple and the effect was also quite nice. Our annuals are located mostly in containers on the deck and in the backyard. They seem to do quite well there each year. Soil: Annuals need well-drained soil rich with organic matter. Organic matter will need to be added to the soil every year to enrich it and to help it retain its moisture in our area. Fertilizer: The best fertilizer for annuals is ammonium phosphate which needs to be worked into the soil at the rate of 1 lb per every 100 square feet. However, a complete lawn and garden fertilizer may be used as a substitute. Water: When planting annuals, make sure the soil is moist but not wet. Transplant annuals later in the day so that they will be subject to less heat and water stress. Once the annuals are planted, water them to prevent wilting. After that, water them daily until they are established. Once established, watering can be tapered off to about 3 to 6 day intervals depending on soil and weather. Maintenance: In order for most annuals to look the best, deadheading is needed. This is a process where you remove old flower heads weekly to ensure continuous bloom. If the flowers are not removed, the plants will produce seed and then die. Toward the end of summer, annuals may need to be refreshed by cutting them back. Cutting back produces new growth. Issue 186 - 5/23/05
ABOUT PERENNIALS A perennial is any plant that lives more than one season. A perennial border often has more possibilities than an exclusively annual border. This is because perennials fl ower at different times during the season. Therefore, when planning a perennial border it is important to keep in mind not only plant height, shape, and color, but also fl owering season. Perennial borders are often planned for continuous bloom. The best arrangements are where plants are chosen to flower at different times during the year. However, at all times, plants are fl owering and these blooms are scattered regularly throughout the border with a constancy of color and foliage. SOIL: Good soil is essential to growing healthy perennials. As these plants will live several years, it’s important to select a site that is well drained and where the soil has been prepared with organic matter. We have our perennials planted in raised beds with a combination of 1/3 native soil, and 2/3 amended soil. FERTILIZER: Perennials need to be fertilized regularly, but care should be taken to make sure they do not receive too much fertilizer. A 5-10-5 fertilizer is recommended. Several applications during the spring and once in later summer should be enough. WATER: Perennials need to be watered regularly. The best method is through a drip system or soaker hose. Both of these methods allow the water to fl ow along the ground and into the root system of the plant. The sprinkler or hand held hose method allows surface leaves to become wet. Constantly wet foliage increases the chance of plant mold and disease. Our perennials are on a drip system with bubbler heads. We increase our watering schedule somewhat during summer due to the hot weather and decrease water in winter. MAINTENANCE: Mulching the perennial area is a good idea. It helps retain moisture, keep soil temperatures constant and lower in the summer and helps control weeds. Mulches can also add nutrients to the soil. Bark, pine needles, and shredded leaves are good mulches for perennial beds. Perennials will need to be deadheaded by removing spent blossoms. Deadheading keeps perennials blooming longer and plants fresher. At the end of the summer cut back dead flowers and foliage. This will help control insects and diseases. We trim some of our larger perennials several times during the year. Once after the danger of winter frost has passed, once before the heat of summer and once again during the fall. Issue 187- 5/30/05
GROWING TOMATOES IN COLORADO One of the most popular of all home garden vegetables is the tomato. Originating in Central and South America, the tomato was thought by early American colonists to be poisonous and was not recognized as a useful vegetable until the 1800s. Eaten raw or in innumerable cooked dishes, today the tomato is an almost daily part of the American diet. When grown as staked plants, tomatoes require a relatively small amount of space, yet are capable of producing 8 to 10 pounds or more of fruit per plant. Tomatoes are low in calories and a good source of vitamin C. Tomatoes are warm-season plants and should be planted only after danger of frost has passed. Temperature is an important factor in the production of tomatoes, which are particularly sensitive to low night temperatures. Blossom drop can occur in early spring when daytime temperatures are warm but night temperatures fall below 55 degrees F, as well as in summer when days are above 90 degrees F. Tomatoes can be grown on many different soil types, but a deep, loamy soil, well-drained and supplied with organic matter and nutrients is most suitable. As with most garden vegetables, tomatoes grow best in a slightly acid soil with a pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Tomatoes respond well to fertilizer applications, especially phosphorus. Excess nitrogen fertilizer can result in plants with extremely vigorous vine growth but little fruit production. Apply a complete fertilizer with a high second letter in the NPK ratio, such as 5-10-10, 5-20-20 or or something similar. An additional side dressing of a nitrogen fertilizer may be desirable after the first cluster of flowers have set fruit. There are probably more tomato cultivars available to the home gardener than any other garden vegetable. When choosing cultivars, keep in mind the different ripening periods. Tomatoes are usually categorized as early, mid-season or late. Another consideration is whether the tomato cultivar you choose is determinate or indeterminate in growth habit. Determinate (D) tomato plants grow to a certain height and then stop. They also flower and set all their fruit within a relatively short period of time. This is an advantage if the tomatoes are being grown primarily for canning purposes. Indeterminate tomato plants grow, flower and set fruit over the entire growing season. Due to their long growing season and temperature requirements, tomatoes are set out as transplants in gardens in the West. Tomatoes may be planted anytime after the last spring frost date. When purchasing tomato transplants, choose those with straight, sturdy stems about the thickness of a pencil. They should have 4 to 6 young true leaves, no blossoms or fruit and be free of insect pests and diseases. Plants in individual containers or cell packs experience little or no transplant shock and become established quickly. Tomato plants will develop roots along the stem and may be set deeply at transplanting with the first set of leaves near the soil surface. If transplants are in peat pots, remove the rim of the pot or be sure the rim is below the soil surface so that the soil ball will not dry out. A soluble starter fertilizer high in phosphorus can be applied at planting time. Use according to label directions. Plants to be staked are planted 2 feet apart in rows 3 to 4 feet apart. Plants to be caged are planted 30 to 36 inches apart. Stakes and cages should be placed at planting time or soon after so as to not disturb the roots. Where space is limited or soil conditions poor, tomato plants can be grown in containers using a disease-free planting mix. Any container with adequate drainage is suitable. Pay special attention to water and fertilizer needs of container-grown tomato plants. An even moisture supply is important, especially once the tomato fruits begin to develop. If the soil becomes too dry, blossom-end rot can be a problem. If too much water is applied at one time, ripening fruit may split. Issue 188 - 6/6/05
PERENNIAL GARDEN IDEAS If trees, shrubs, and vines are the main cast in the garden, then perennials are the scene stealers. You can achieve months of long lasting color, with ever changing landscapes that include beautiful cut flowers. Here are a few suggestions to help stimulate your imagination for planning a perennial garden. When choosing perennials for a flower garden, select varieties with medium to long stems with a succession of bloom times. Foliage is equally important as well as flower shapes to maintain interest. Use our favorite colors and include fragrance, to add your own personal touch. Roll your landscape with small hills and boulders. Curve pathways of mulch and flat stone to achieve a relaxing flow through your garden paradise. Get a jump-start with some late spring and early summer bloomers that are sure to get early cuttings from your garden. Oriental Poppy, Bearded Iris, Foxglove, Lupine and Salvia will all combine well with the branches of late spring flowering shrubs and trees. Plant plenty of these “sure bets” too - Columbine, Siberian Iris, Painted Daisy, Allium and Cora Bells. You’ll see a dazzling exhibition in mid summer when garden perennials are at their best. Non stop blooms, and growth patterns are impressive to say the least. Use Agastaches, Liatris, Delphinium, Russian Sage and Penstemon to obtain sharpness and contrast. Shasta Daisy, Purple Coneflower, Monarda, Valarian and Yarrow will soften the bouquet with rounded shaped petals. In your new garden, remember to add fillers like ornamental grasses and boulders for contrast. Garden fillers take your eye away from seeing only flowers and soften the landscape. Use three of the five-foot “Karl Forester” ornamental grasses in a cluster, then border them in a semi-circle with smaller clumps of “Elija Blue” Fescue. The contrast is amazing when the short, blue clumps send their plume up in mid- summer against the green, bushy taller grass. Some medium size perennials to be used in clusters are “Brilliant Red” Dianthus, Soapwort, “Goblin” Gaillardia, Gazania, and Spurge. Use them against boulders or small rock walls and ledges. Plant them in numbers, by each other to achieve the color and effect you want. Remember to use Sedum in your hot, dry areas. They take a lot of neglect and will reward you with yellow, pink and red flowers. Sedum tolerates poor soil condition and a perfect for filling in between rock wall areas and along pathways. Acre, Dragon’s Blood, Bronze Carpet and Autumn Joy are only a few of the common Sedum. They are available in variegated, short and stubby and fern-like shapes that are as bullet proof as the most common of varieties. Eventually summer will blend to autumn and the change in the season will bring the fall colors to your garden. Mums, Fall Asters and Autumn Sedum are great for this elevation and will provide a different crop of flowers and color pallet. Issue 189 - 6/13/05
THE ESSENCE OF MULCHING Summer is the season of mulching. The idea is to apply a protective layer around plants to reduce evaporation, prevent erosion, maintain even soil temperatures, reduce the invasion of weeds, and in the case of organic mulches, enrich the soil. Proper use of organic mulch can help to reduce soil moisture loss by up to 70 percent. Plus, the insulating ability of mulch helps keep the soil cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Mulch helps reduce rain splash and water runoff, and in some cases this quality reduces the spread of plant diseases and pests. A mulch barrier makes it harder for the disease spores of powdery mildew and rust to reach the plant foliage. Cedar and redwood shavings also can discourage slugs in the garden. One of the primary uses of mulch is to suppress weed growth. A 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch prevents sunlight from reaching the soil surface, thereby reducing the chance of weed growth. Any weeds that do sprout are easier to hand-pull. As organic mulches breakdown and decay, they form a rich, dark organic soil amendment called humus. This eventually releases nutrients, enhances the ability for micronutrients to be released, and improves the soil structure. You can enhance the beauty of the landscape using mulches. There is a wide range of materials, colors, and textures available to suit your gardening needs. Bark - Bark can be found in large, medium, and small sizes and is long lasting. It decomposes slowly and may not be of as much value as some other organic sources in improving the soil. It has a tendency to blow away in strong winds and float away if flooding occurs. Slugs find bark a nice haven to hide underneath during the day. Shredded Bark and Shavings - These make excellent materials for mulching around flower beds, trees, and shrubs. Many of the materials stay together well and form a nicely knit barrier for moisture retention and weed prevention. Compost - Besides being a superior soil conditioner, compost makes an excellent mulch. Apply in the spring and summer; then work some into the soil in fall. Leaves - This is probably the least expensive mulch for home gardeners, but it does have disadvantages. Some leaves are difficult to apply evenly; for example, cottonwood and other waxy leaves mat together and take years to decompose. Shredding leaves before using them as mulch is helpful and will expedite their decomposition for soil conditioning later on. Pine Needles - If you have evergreens in your landscape, you can recycle many of the needles that fall around the base of pine and spruce trees. They provide a uniform covering that stays in place. In our Rocky Mountain region, the concern about acidity in dried pine needles is a minor concern since most soils are alkaline in lower elevations. It takes years and years of accumulations and decomposition to appreciably change soil pH by using pine needles alone. Pine needles are not recommended around perennials and other deciduous shrubs. Inorganic Mulches - Gravel, stones, pebbles, crushed volcanic rock, and pea gravel are good mulches to accent the landscape. They are not used to improve soil structure or fertility, but can be aesthetically striking. These materials will not require replenishing as frequently as organic mulches. Issue 190 - 6/20/05
LADY BEETLES Not everything that creeps, crawls, and fl utters into your landscape and garden is an unwelcome pest or enemy. Many creatures that visit help to keep insect populations in check. Now is a great time to learn about the many insects and nature’s other little helpers. Get to know the friendly creatures before reaching for the bug killer. You will soon learn to appreciate their contributions to a healthy yard and garden. One of my favorite insect is lady beetles. Better known as ladybugs, lady beetles are among the most widely recognized beneficial insects. Visit some of your local garden outlets and you will find convergent lady beetles for sale in packets of 500 or more. These are the classic reddish-orange beetles with bright black spots. Lady beetles are voracious eaters and will consume large quantities of soft-bodied insects including aphids, small caterpillars, and scales. Some gardeners bring insect samples to us only to discover that they have mistakenly killed “ugly creatures” after finding them on the foliage and stems of evergreens. Upon closer examination, we learn that the creatures they’ve killed are the larval stages of the lady beetles. The immature or larval stage of the lady beetle looks very different than the adult. One-quarter to one-half inch long, the black and orange larvae resemble miniature orange and black Gila monsters. You’ll want these tiny larvae around because they will eat hundreds of aphids per day. The moral to this scenario: Don’t reach for the bug killer until you’ve identified the creature in your garden. Pesticides kill lots more than you think and will upset the natural balance in your garden. If you purchase lady beetles, open the container and sprinkle a little water over them. Then close the container back up and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to release them. The best time to turn them loose is late evening, preferably after a rainstorm. Find a spot where there is a food source, preferably aphids, but pollen and nectar from flowers will work temporarily. If you follow these steps you can attract beneficial insects to your yard:
Issue 191 - 6/27/05
TIPS ON GROWING GRAPES Whether your goal is the perfect bottle of pinot or simply a refreshing afternoon snack, the advice is the same: success starts from the ground up. You can grow grapes for both wine and fresh fruit in little space. Here are some of techniques.
Soils that are ideal for grapes don’t have to be ultra-fertile. Soil can have only 12 to 18 inches of topsoil; below that anything works. Grapes love this “heirloom soil.” Remove the suckers that grow at the base of the vines. If left on the plant, suckers rob the grapes of nourishment. Most of the time, the suckers can be pulled off, but you may have to use shears. Also prune back the top spindly growth of the grapevine. Topping the grapevines will encourage more vegetation and enhance flavor in the grapes. Whether you buy grapes from a nursery or mail order sources, chances are you’ll probably be buying at least two-year-old rootstock. Then, it may be another two years before you get fruit to set well. If you see fruit setting the first year, remove it. By doing this, you’ll promote root development and a healthier plant. The following year, you can harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Grapevines require support to mature properly and to allow for easy access for ongoing care and harvesting. There are many types of supports that you can use ranging from small trellises to fancy arbors. One common and effective trellis method is to string wires between poles. Sandwich poles in the vineyard with two strands of wires running down the rows. Use three sets of double wires approximately 12 inches apart for the vines. With this trellising system, all you have to do is periodically tuck the vines underneath the wires. Pull them up underneath to hold them up so the sunlight gets to the vines where the main part of the grapes are growing. A source of irrigation is necessary for your vineyard. Give each plant about 45 gallons of water during the growing season--or about four to fi ve gallons every other week. Drip irrigation is the ideal way to water homegrown grapes. Drip irrigation systems are inexpensive and easy to install, and they don’t require a lot of water pressure. You can run lines along the wire trellis, or you can run them on the ground and direct water to the root zone even more. To conserve moisture and suppress weeds, mulch with a light layer of grass clippings or bark mulch. Drip irrigation also helps to prevent fungal diseases; however, as a routine precaution, spray organic sulfur onto the vines every couple of weeks during the growing season. To help guard against mildew, create plenty of space between vines for better air circulation. Whether you are producing grapes in Napa Valley for some of the finest wines in the world or table grapes in El Paso County for munching straight off the vine, the methods for growing grapes are much the same. Issue 192 - 7/4/05
BUILDING A NEW GARDEN Building a new garden is an exciting and rewarding experience. The success of your new garden is greatly increased by following a few guidelines and basic principals. Plants you choose play a key role in determining how full your garden will appear right now and what it may look like in the near future. Below are a few suggestions to help you along the way. In selecting a site for your new garden, consider the amount of sun or shade exposure your plants will get. Observe the new site by watching the morning, mid-day and evening light. In Colorado, five to six hours of sun is considered full sun, two to five hours is thought of as sun to partial shade and less than two hours, more shade. Most shade-loving plants desire less than one hour of our hot, dry climate. Use plants that thrive in proper light conditions to ensure success. The single, most important thing you can give your new garden is good soil to grow in. Plants live in various soil types but will thrive if you amend your soil with a composted material. The type of soil you have will determine which compost you will use. Clay soils need to be broken up to provide more air to the plant roots, sandy and rocky soils need to retain more moisture in the root zone. Consult with your local garden center for information on the many types of soil amendments and which ones are best suited for your location. Consider height and color of flowers or foliage when selecting plants for your new site. Set taller plants towards the rear or off to the sides of the garden if it backs up to a fence or structure. Place tall plants in the center of the garden if the site can be viewed from all directions. Use raised beds to achieve an even greater height or select plants that grow tall such as vines and ornamental grasses. Some variegated foliage mixed in with flowering perennials offer a unique look. Mix wide leaf and slim, narrow leaf plants to achieve texture and depth. Pick colors that compliment one another as you would if decorating in your home. A splash of purple or blue next to yellows and oranges make beautiful combinations. Choose plants that use the same water consumption to help make watering easy. Most succulents and sedums are drought tolerant plants that require little water and should be planted in the same areas. Provide drip lines or efficient sprinklers on timers to avoid over watering and wasting our precious water resources. Simple, battery-operated timers and drip irrigation supplies are available at most garden centers to help you convert sprinkler lines to drip irrigation easily. Use natural bark mulches to help keep moisture levels up and weeds in control. By adding three or four inches of a finer style forest mulch, you will save on the amount of watering needed to maintain plants at the root zone. Use small, medium or larger cedar bark mulches around perennials, shrubs and trees to help control unwanted garden weeds and to make pulling weeds easy. Add flare to your new garden by using a piece of statuary, birdbath, unusual rock or other natural products as a focal point to compliment plants. A small fountain is easy to maintain - the running water is soothing to the ears and it will attract birds and wildlife to your garden. Too many rocks will add more heat to your garden, so be aware of increased evaporation rates. Be sure to think of the future and know how large your plants will grow as they become mature. If you over plant, you can always move those that are crowding others to a new garden and start again. Issue 193 - 7/11/05
XERISCAPE MISCONCEPTIONS Understanding the merits of low water landscaping (called Xeriscape gardening) is not always clear. Besides the obvious monthly water bill reduction and saving our valuable water source on the Front Range, it can provide a beautiful landscape with flourishing flowers. I find myself often dispelling some misconceptions about Xeriscape and I’d like to share the following delusions with you.
Remember, to get a water-wise garden it will take a little work. The benefits are lower water bills, saving a valuable resource and establishing a beautiful garden. Issue 194 - 7/18/05
OH MY, OH DEER Hot, dry, summer weather, especially in the West, has deer heading down the hills, out of the woods, and into backyards where the carefully tended garden becomes a delectable snack for hungry, thirsty animals. This year, deer are moving out of the parched foothills in search of food and water in yards, gardens and decorative ponds. If they’ve found a shady spot with food, they’ll keep coming back. Catching a glimpse of a deer is usually a treat, but when they’re in your garden, it is anything but. The open lawns and gardens of suburbia are perfect for deer, providing ample food and freedom from natural predators as their population continues to grow on the Front Range. There are a variety of safe methods to keep deer from dining and dashing in your garden. Here are some suggestions, with information on products that can help. Unfortunately, a fence is the only way I know to keep deer out of the yard. Some repellents work, but their effectiveness seems to wear off or the deer get used to them. There are now many types of fence available from suppliers that are more or less unobtrusive and can be strung between trees and other wild areas without the necessity, expense and intrusion of a standard fence. We’ve used willow fencing on several occasions and have found them to be quite effective. Willow comes in a five and seven foot high size. Seven foot is usually tall enough to keep the deer out of the yard or away from gardens. It’s natural looking, easy to work with and extremely durable. There are a couple of ways to keep deer from eating the garden. In the short term, plant things they don’t like. Rather than fight the deer, gardeners have simply stopped planting some of the deer favorites, like tulips and delphiniums, because they simply disappear. Tomatoes, related to the toxic nightshade plant, should not appeal to deer, but gardeners have reported their tomato plants clipped and picked clean. Deer love tulips, laurel, forsythia, Japanese yew, crocus and pansies. They are less likely to eat English holly, yucca, daisies, tiger lilies, yarrow, iris, geraniums, narcissus and dahlias. Deer typically stay away from aromatic, fuzzy plants. Use them as a natural fencing. In the long run, protect the individual plants with temporary fencing or cages. Keeping deer out of an established yard is complicated. Some repellents work, yet others don’t seem to much. Remember that deer are going to eat anything if they are hungry enough. Some gardeners swear by feather meal — spread loosely on the ground in generous portions throughout the garden. Feather meal has a very strong aroma for a length of time, so try to keep it away from the neighbors down wind. My favorite, Liquid Fence, comprised mostly of egg solids and garlic, is a nontoxic solution. It is a spray that is applied about once a month and is extremely effective. Most remedies work for a time, but only until the scent wears off or gets washed away with irrigation water or rain. Remember, it’s not so much man invading the animal’s environment as much as it is the deer preferring mans. Be adaptable and have a sense of humor. You can reduce deer damage by using some of the previous suggestions, but having a sense of humor will alleviate the stress when small amounts of deer damage does occur. Issue 195 - 7/25/05
HELP PLANTS BEAT THE HEAT Record setting, high temperatures over the past couple of weeks have left us wiping our brow and hoping for cooler weather. The promised afternoon rain storms have mostly missed us, but have provided us some cloud cover for brief periods of relief. We humans suffer in the heat, making us tired, thirsty, worn-out and less likely able to perform well at our daily tasks. Your plants react the same way. How do you help your plants beat the heat? Here’s a couple of summertime hints: WATER PLANTS EARLY IN THE MORNING If your plants are showing distress in the afternoon from the hot sun, many times a good drink in the morning helps. Saturate and water deep to ensure the plants get adequate water to the root system. By watering early, you avoid added evaporation losses from your sprinkler system and help conserve one of our precious resources. FERTILIZE YOUR PLANTS The heat robs your annuals and perennials of their color as your plants use the energy towards the leaves and stalks to survive the extreme temperatures. They need to be fed to keep up with the demand in able to perform well through the hot months. If you used a good time release fertilizer around the root system when you planted this year or as a top dressing, you may have all of your bases covered. If not, then a quick application of a water soluble bloom booster will help the plants gain some strength and provide the beautiful blooms you expect – even through the hot months. ADD ADDITIONAL MULCH TO YOUR FLOWER BEDS Shrubs and around trees. By adding mulch, you help the plants retain more of the moisture and reduce transpiration from the hot afternoon sun. As a rule, the finer the mulch, the more moisture will be retained. I use Soil pep around most of the perennials and smaller shrubs, but step up to medium-sized cedar bark mulch around most of the larger shrubs and trees. Apply mulch about three or four inches deep around the drip line of the trees and shrubs and about two or three inches deep around most perennials. CLEAN UP IN THE GARDEN You know it’s going to get hot, so start early in the morning and work for short periods of time. Trim dead or dying leaves from perennials. Dead-head the blooms as soon as they are “spent” to ensure the growth energy returns to the plant to make new blossoms. Pluck those nasty weeds that rob the water, fertilizer and space your plants need to use to grow healthy, strong and vigorously. Help your plants beat the heat. Conserve as you garden. Be a part of the “green industry”. Issue 196 - 8/1/05
PLAN A BLOOMING GARDEN In early July your garden begins to look rather drab. By the time fall arrives, autumn foliage provides the only bit of color in the landscape. Don’t despair! Spruce up your dull, dreary garden by designing a long-blooming one. With a bit of planning, you can have eye-catching flowerbeds and borders that are colorful in spring, summer and fall. You can easily remedy a garden that is attractive for only one season by creating a plan that includes plants that bloom at different times, thereby providing a succession of color. Begin by making three lists of plants: ones that bloom in spring, ones that bloom in summer, and ones that bloom in fall. To help you with this task, consult tables that list the bloom dates of common perennials and annuals. You can find these tables in many gardening books or ask your garden center. The next step is to become familiar with the growing needs of the plants you listed. Find out the water requirements of the plants so you can group plants with similar watering needs together. Learn how much sunlight the plants prefer: full sun, partial shade or full shade. Determine which plants are hardy in your area by checking their USDA hardiness zone ratings. Find out the mature size of the plants. You want to avoid the common mistake of underestimating how big a plant will be in two or three years. Check to see if the plants are finicky about soil conditions. Most gardeners find they need to amend the soil with compost because their soil is heavy clay that doesn’t drain well, or perhaps it is sandy and doesn’t retain moisture. The soil’s pH, its alkalinity or acidity, occasionally may make a site unsuitable for specific plants. You will also want to consider the color of the flowers. Some gardeners select a color palette and keep it throughout the seasons, while others shift to different palettes. Pastels are a popular springtime option: pink, lavender, baby blue and pale yellow. Because hot, intense sunlight in Colorado tends to wash out pastel hues, vivid colors are often a better choice for summer. Bright red, deep purple and sunny yellow work well. Rich harvest colors such as gold, rust, orange and bronze generally predominate in fall. Use white flowers and plants with gray or silver foliage to create a smooth transition between color schemes. Armed with the information you have gathered, you are now ready to make some decisions about which plants to use and where to plant them. One approach is to create vignettes. Well-designed groupings of plants, or vignettes, are more appealing than isolated plants scattered around the landscape. Select a spot in your yard where you would like to have a group of spring-blooming plants. Arrange three or five different types of spring-blooming plants that have the same cultural needs in a cluster, as if you were creating a bouquet. Use enough plants of each type to provide impact from a distance. The arrangement will be more attractive if you vary the shapes of plants. You can do this by incorporating mounding plants, trailing plants and tall, narrow plants in the grouping. The shape and foliage of the plants should form an appealing combination both when the plants are in bloom and out of bloom. Select plants whose flowers and leaves contrast in size and shape. Diversity adds interest. It is essential that the colors of the flowers are harmonious together. Create additional spring-blooming vignettes in other spots around the yard using some of the same plants and introducing others. Repeat this process in various locations using summer-blooming plants and then fall-blooming plants. Keep in mind that you don’t need to limit yourself to using only perennials. Annuals, shrub roses, ornamental grasses and flowering shrubs are terrific elements to include in the vignettes. Lastly, while you’re creating your plan you may want to consider adding more flowerbeds and borders or enlarging existing ones. In response to Colorado’s dry climate and periods of drought, many gardeners are looking for ways to reduce the amount of water used in their yards. Replacing sections of thirsty lawn with flowerbeds and borders is one solution. Planning a garden does require time and effort. However, the results make that time and effort worthwhile. You will have created a beautiful, long blooming garden. Issue 197 - 8/8/05
TO DEADHEAD OR NOT TO DEADHEAD: THAT IS THE QUESTION Increase the enjoyment and value of your flowering plants by investigating the potential of deadheading. The process of removing the faded/spent flowers before they set seed with the goal of forcing a plant to re-bloom is called deadheading. Some say deadheading is a way of fooling Mother Nature. In order to decide if deadheading is right for your flowers, consider the normal life cycle of a flowering plant, the goal of deadheading and the proper techniques to follow. If left alone, a flowering plant would put fort a bloom. The blossom would then be fertilized and set seed. In this complete reproduction task, the plant expends its energy and nutrients to set seed instead of producing more flowers. Annuals are intended to grow, flower, set seed and die. The main goal of deadheading is to produce more blooms on a plant. This goal extends the value of your investment on annuals and perennials, and beautifies your flower gardens by removing the dried up flowers. In addition, deadheading your flowering plants conserves the plant energy, and removes hiding places and food for insects which often become pests in our garden. It can also reduce the potential for fungal diseases by permitting minor improvements in air circulation. Not all plants will bloom a second time even after deadheading them (e.g., poppies). You still may want to snap off the spent blooms to save the plant’s energy, to make the plants look neater and to help the plant be stronger and produce nicer blooms the next season. Deadheading plants is not difficult. You’ll want to plan to remove the seed head before the seeds start to develop-before the florets begin to fall. Simply snap off any faded or dead flowers between the fingers and thumb. Make sure the stems are broken cleanly. If the stems are tough or if there is danger of hurting the plant as the dead flowers are removed, you may want to use scissors, pruners or a penknife. For plants that get long and gangly, like the blue salvia, you want to cut the entire plant back in half. While it will look “bald” at first, the new growth will rush right out of the plant and fill it in. Fortunately, some annuals, such as begonias and impatiens are “self-cleaning.” They drop their spent flowers off and continue to bloom for a long season. Impatiens do, however, naturally get leggy when it is hot and wet. These plants benefit by being cut back in half. See the attached chart for information on specific varieties. While deadheading roses, keep in mind that a bloom stem can be no larger in diameter than the stem from which it grows. Thus, the subsequent blooms will be proportionate in size to the stem from which they emerge. This means the further down the stem you cut, the larger the bloom stem and subsequent buds will become. Keep in mind that the larger the bloom stem, the longer it will take for the rose to re-bloom. Make your cut at an angle away from and slightly above the node. No matter what kind of plant you are working on, do not remove any foliage, even if it starts yellowing. The nutrients for next year’s blooms are still being transported to the roots at this stage. While deadheading your flowering plants may be a way of fooling Mother Nature, it is also a way to give your garden a longer blooming season. It does not appear to hurt your plants. In fact, it conserves their energy and often provides stronger more beautiful plants the following season. Issue 198 - 8/15/05
GROWING HERBS FROM CUTTINGS Many herbs—including oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage—are best propagated for indoor growing by taking a cutting from an existing outdoor plant. You’ll need about six weeks for the roots to get established, so soon is a good time to start. To do it, snip off a 4-inch section, measured back from the tip. Strip off the lower leaves and stick the stem into moist, soilless mix, such as perlite and/or vermiculite. To ensure good humidity, cover with glass or clear plastic, and keep the growing medium-moist. Before the first fall frost (while the weather is still on the mild side), start moving your potted herb plants toward their winter home. Instead of bringing them directly inside, put them in a bright, cool “transitional zone,” such as a garage, entryway, or enclosed porch, for a few weeks. Once they’ve acclimated, move them to an area with lots of sun (south-facing windows are brightest, followed by east or west views). But protect them from heat and dryness. Most herbs prefer daytime temperatures of about 65 to 70 degrees F, although they can withstand climbs into the 70s. It’s especially important that night temperatures drop at least 10 degrees—down into the 50's would be better—to simulate outdoor conditions. With the exception of basil, they’ll even do well with occasional dips into the 40's. Place them outside on mild days, and give them regular baths to wash off dust. Most herbs like to be well watered but don’t like wet feet. That’s why good drainage is important. Water when the top of the container feels dry, or learn to judge the moisture in the soil by the weight of the pot. Add sand or vermiculite to the potting soil to ensure good drainage. Learn to juggle water, light, and temperature. An herb in a clay pot in a south facing window will need more water than one in a plastic pot in an east, or west, facing window. If the light is low, keep the temperature low. Choose the soil for your indoor herbs carefully. A good commercial potting soil is fine, or for a deluxe mix, blend one part potting soil with one part compost and one part vermiculite, perlite, or sand (or a mixture of all three). Resist the temptation to use disease- and pest-prone garden soil. And when you pot up garden-grown plants, remove as much of the garden soil as possible without damaging the roots. Keep such transplants separate from your other houseplants while you’re gradually acclimating them to the indoors. If you see insects on a plant during this “quarantine,” leave it outside. If, despite such defenses, your indoor plants do come under insect attack, help the herbs stay healthy by providing the correct mix of light and temperature, and give them regular baths. A plant weakened by hot, dry indoor conditions is even more susceptible to spider mite, whitefl y, or aphid damage than a healthy one. If you choose to use soap sprays to control these pests, remember that the wet spray must come in contact with the insect to be effective. Spray in the evening (and never in bright sunlight) to prevent rapid drying, and wash off residues the next day (or before eating the leaves). Don’t spray very young seedlings with soap! Hold back on the water and fertilizer through December, but when the days start getting longer in mid-January, feed them with liquid seaweed or compost. Even potted soil gets compacted as you water it, so cultivate it with a little fork, then top dress it with compost. February is usually a great month for indoor plants because of all the bright light. By March, they are starting to get buds, and in April, be sure to put them outside on a warm day. Then it won’t be long before the herbs—and you—are ready to move back to the garden. Issue 199 - 8/22/05
HIGH COUNTRY CHILI COOK OFF High Country Home & Garden is accepting entries for the second annual High Country Chili Cook Off to be held on Saturday, September 10. We’re closing the street between Second and Third to accommodate the contestants cooking while the public tastes some of the finest chili in the region. Last year the air was fi lled with amazing aromas as 28 contestants cooked their best chili recipes and delivered samples to a celebrity judge’s panel to determine who made the best chili. Prizes were awarded for fi rst, second and third places and the general public voted for the people’s choice award.
Tasting tickets were sold to the public to raise money for the Tri-Lakes Cares Building Fund, our local food bank. With these ticket sales and the entry fees were able to donate $1000! What is a Chili Cook Off? Picture this …. At 8:00am. Contestants arrive and check in at the judge’s booth. There is a small line under the awning at check in as the early birds shake hands and reacquaint themselves with their competitors. The contestants are anxious to get started, so after they get their space assigned, they pull their vehicle in, unload grills, propane tanks, tables and tents and prepare their site for the day. There is camaraderie between contestants as signs, backdrops and various creative decorating of their 12 x 12 spaces begins. By 9:00 most contestants have started cutting and mixing their secret ingredients in large pots that are waiting to be put on their stoves. Vegetables, sauces, spices line the tables. One booth has something hidden underneath a small tablecloth, perhaps the secret to the winning recipe. Around 10:00, tents of all colors line the street as aromas start filling the air, music is in the background and contestants are intermingling, discussing different recipes and techniques used, but only divulging so much, leaving the secrets lie in the chili, not in conversation. By 11:00 chili is cooking, contestants are settled in, they’ve scoped out the competition and are preparing chili tasting samples to hand out to the anxious ticket holders. The officials are making the rounds to view the contestant’s booth, making sure the rules have been followed in an orderly fashion. The street gets busier and the crowd thickens. The occasional announcement over the speakers “Attention all contestants ... just a reminder …. Make sure you get your peoples choice ballots in to the judges tent.” A small amount of silence, then music and laughter fills the air again. High noon and all is well. The street is packed with people, the contestants are handing out samples for tickets and the general public is voting for the “People’s Choice” award. The fish bowl at the judge’s tent is near the brim already with the votes and one official is pre-counting the tally to stay ahead of the hundreds of voters. Officials review with every contestant the proper order of submitting their samples to the judges. The judges arrive by 12:30 and are introduced to the contestants. At 12:45 the first announcement to get samples ready for the judges is made. “1:00 p.m. has arrived” is heard over the speakers “Contestants #1 through #10 bring your numbered containers of your chili to the judge’s tent by 1:15” Samples are brought up to the tent and the judging begins. The judges pace themselves as they know it will take an entire hour to judge all of the chili. They scrutinize, sniff, taste and evaluate every sample, then mark down their score only to move on to another sample. Yum, it doesn’t get much better than that. The big moment has arrived. The awards are being announced. “Ladies and gentlemen, the judges have their final votes tallied and the 1st Place winner of the 2005 High Country Chili Cook- Off is….” The crowd listens in anticipation. Cheers and congratulations are passed around the contestants as all of the awards are given out. The rest of the afternoon is filled with laughter and joy as the crowd enjoy more chili and mingle with the contestants to congratulate the winners and give their personal view on what chili they thought was best. There was a good crowd – a lot of fun was had by all – and a great fund raiser was a success. Join us this September 10th to experience the day yourself! Issue 200 - 8/29/05
DIVIDING BEARDED IRIS Bearded Iris are tall, elegant additions to the fl ower border, but they are also relatively high maintenance. You can help cut down on the incidence of soft rot and borer damage through regular division of the iris rhizomes every 2-3 years. This will also keep bearded iris performing and blooming at its best. If left undivided, the fl owering will decrease and the rhizome will be subject to more pests and damage. You can divide bearded iris anytime after flowering through August. Using a pitch fork, carefully dig around the bearded iris plant, starting about a foot away from the outer most edge. Try not to pierce the rhizome with the fork. Work the fork around the bearded iris plant and gently lift the rhizomes out of the soil. Since bearded iris are grown at soil level, this is one of the easiest plants to lift. Once you have the bearded iris rhizomes lifted, shake off any loose soil. Rinse off any remaining soil with a garden hose. If you don’t have space to do this in the garden, it is sometimes easier and neater to do it on a tarp. Rising off the soil will allow you to better see the rhizomes and roots, to inspect for damage. Once the rhizomes are cleaned, you can separate the individual rhizomes from one another. Don’t break them apart, just loosen the already separate sections. Once the rhizomes are clean, cut the foliage to about 6 inches. Cutting the fan of leaves connected to a lifted iris rhizome makes the plant easier to work with when dividing and replanting and helps prevent water loss while the plant is becoming re-established. The fan does not need to be cut symmetrically. Some leaves may be damaged and will need to be cut shorter than 6 inches. Now you are ready to divide the rhizomes. You will see natural places to make a split, such as where the rhizome has forked. Study the rhizome and make sure each section you have chosen will wind up being at least 3 inches long and will have healthy roots growing from it. Then go ahead and make a clean cut through the rhizome, using a same sharp, disinfected knife or pruner. The final step is re-planting your bearded iris. Choose a full sun location and start by digging a shallow hole that will be wide enough to spread out the rhizome’s roots. Make the hole about 2-3 inches deep, then create a mound in the center of the hole to just about soil level. Soak the soil in the planting hole. Then take a rhizome division and place it in the center of the mound. Spread the roots around and down the mound. Cover the division with soil, being careful not to bury the rhizome with more than an inch or 2 of soil. Remember, it will probably settle a bit lower and bearded iris will rot and certainly won’t bloom, if buried too deeply. Water well and do so weekly until you start to notice new growth. Then enjoy for another couple of years. TIP: Add phosphate (0-18-0) to your iris in late September and again in late March to increase blooms and color. Issue 201 - 9/5/05
HOW TO GROW GARLIC Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow. You plant the individual cloves within the bulb. Plant the largest cloves you have, to get the largest bulbs. Plant each garlic clove two to three inches below the soil surface and about 6 inches apart. A common novice dilemma is not knowing which end is up. It’s the pointed end. Your garlic will still grow, planted pointed side down, but the shoot will have to curve around you will wind up with a malformed bulb. Garlic is relatively pest free, if you use good seed cloves. It is, however, popular with some rodents, especially gophers. Whether to leave the top sets on or cut them off, is a matter of controversy. Most experts believe the scapes drain energy that would otherwise go into bulb development, resulting in a smaller yield. Cutting them off as soon as the stalks begin to curl would redirect the energy downward. Other garlic growers feel allowing the scapes to remain until they turn woody results in a better storing bulb. A compromise is to cut the top sets while they are young and use them in cooking. September in the Tri-Lakes area is garlic planting time. Once the soil temperature has cooled off to about 60 degrees F., the roots of the garlic clove will start to germinate and begin to take hold and anchor the plant. This is especially important in our climate where the ground freezes. Without suffi cient time to grow good roots, the garlic plants will heave out of the ground. A three to four inch layer of mulch applied after the ground freezes will help prevent heaving. Straw is the mulch of choice because it’s cheap and easy to remove. Your garlic should grow well if given the following conditions: • Well drained soil • Soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 • Minimal weed competition • Plenty of organic matter • An inch of water while the bulb is forming - mid-May to July Harvesting When you harvest, dig, don’t pull garlic out of the ground. You may have planted a small clove, but the bulb is now several inches deep with a strong root system. When to harvest garlic is a judgement call, but basically it’s ready to go when the lower leaves start to brown. About the only way to be sure is to actually dig a few bulbs and slice them in half. If the cloves fi ll out the skins, it’s time. Harvesting too soon will result in smaller cloves that don’t store well. Leave the bulbs in the ground too long and the cloves may be bursting out of their skins, making them unstorable and open to disease. Brush off any soil clinging to the bulbs. Allow the bulbs to cure or dry for three to four weeks in either a well-ventilated room or a dry, shady spot outside. Once the tops and roots have dried they can be cut off. You can also further clean the bulbs by removing the outer skins. Just be careful not to expose any of the cloves. Garlic likes to be on the cool side, 32oF - 40oF. The softneck varieties may last 6 - 8 months. Hardnecks should be used soon after harvesting. Hardneck varieties may dry out, sprouting or go soft within 2-4 months. Keeping hardnecks at 32oF sometimes helps them survive for up to 7 months without deteriorating. If you’re a beginning seed saver, there is nothing easier than saving garlic. Simply put aside a few top quality bulbs to plant next season. Store bulbs for replanting at room temperature. Issue 202 - 9/12/05
TOP FIVE SHRUB PICKS Here is a description of my top five favorite shrubs for the Monument and Tri-Lakes area. These are all tough, reliable and easy-care type shrubs that are readily available. Cornus sericea or red-osier dogwood, also called red-twig dogwood because of its distictive, and attractive deep red branches. It is a beautiful upright shrub that displays white blossoms in late May giving way to bright red berries in the fall. Very handsome and eye appealing in a winter setting especially with a sprinkling of snow to set off the stem color. An excellent plant for massing in large areas, and because of its interesting stem color it makes it suitable for shrub border use in residential landscapes; can be an effective bank cover for it holds soil quite well; beautiful when framed with snow. Has moderate water requirements and has a moderate tolerance to salt and alkali soils. Syringa patula – Miss Kim Lilac is a rare and charming Lilac, growing more compact than the French hybrids (only 6 to 8 feet). Abundant, and beautiful panicles of very fragrant, single blossoms, pink to purple in bud and changing to iceblue when mature, extending the Lilac season by blooming weeks after the French hybrids have fi nished blooming. Miss Kim has the best fall color on any lilac, a beautiful burgundy-red. Miss Kim is easily kept pruned to 4 feet because of its dense, leafy habit and naturally rounded form. This small stature is ideal for smaller grounds and foundation plantings. Hardy and trouble free, it does well in the West, where other Lilacs are not happy. Zones 3-7. The Alpine Currant, Ribes alpinum, is a very hardy hedge plant that can be kept trimmed to any desired height from 18 inches to 4 feet. The abundant green, glossy foliage forms a dense hedge. Grows well in sun or shade and is rarely bothered by insects or plant diseases. The Alpine Currant can survive the coldest of winter climates with annual temperatures as low as -50° Fahrenheit. It does well in dry soils. Alpine currant is drought tolerant and is good in zones 2 – 7. The Purple Leaf Sandcherry, Prunus cistena, is a thick-growing, long-lived shrub that is sometimes called the Purple Leaf Sand Cherry. It produces bright red 3 inch leaves in spring and blushing, white fl owers in May. In autumn it produces purple-black cherries and the foliage turns a magnifi cent reddish purple. This ornamental shrub is especially valued for its hardiness and unique coloring. It is an asset to the landscape and a standout specimen shrub. This deciduous plant makes a wonderful hedge as well. Grows 7-8 feet tall, depending on pruning. Plant 2-3 feet apart for a hedge and best planted in full sun. Froebel Spirea, Spiraea x bumalda ‘Froebelii’ is a deciduous shrub with clusters of bright pink flowers on a fl at bloom in spring. It does best in full sun, but tolerates partial sun or about four hours of light. This spirea is an upright, rounded shrub that grows 36-48” in a brownish red leaf that changes to dark green. Froebel is an attractive dwarf shrub ideal for low borders, hedges or massed plantings. It grows in most garden soil except continually wet soil. Issue 203 - 9/19/05
BULBS 101 In addition to their charm and beauty, the large and diverse group of plants known as bulbs have a lot going for them: They come in neat little packages, are just about 100 percent guaranteed to bloom the first year they are planted, and are surprisingly pest- and disease-free. The biggest challenge for home gardeners seems to be in remembering to plant them in fall so they’ll bloom the following spring--or in the case of summer-flowering bulbs, remembering to plant them in early spring. Some of the best known and loved spring-flowering bulbs include anemone, crocus, freesia, grape hyacinth, hyacinth, iris, lily, lily of the valley, narcissus (which include daffodils), ornamental onion (Allium) ranunculus, and tulips. Planting and enjoying the beauty of bulbs is one of the most straightforward propositions in all of gardendom. Following the tips below should practically guarantee success, even if you’re a fi rst-time bulb planter. Sometime in autumn, spring-fl owering bulbs will arrive at your local nurseries and garden centers by the bushel-load. About the same time, you’ll probably also begin receiving beautiful catalogs offering you spring-fl owering bulbs through the mail. Whether you buy them from a local source or order them from a catalog, buy them early for the best selection and always order or buy from a reputable source that offers top-quality bulbs. Once you have your bulbs in hand, it’s a good idea to plant them as soon as possible. If you have to delay planting, store the bulbs in paper bags (not plastic) in a well-ventilated, cool spot. In the main, all bulbs prefer a sunny location in the garden as well as well-drained soil. If your soil is heavy (or exceptionally sandy), add two or three inches of organic soil amendment (such as compost, or peat moss) and cultivate the soil to a depth of six inches or more, incorporating the organic amendment as you turn the soil. When it comes to accenting gardens with bulbs, more is always more. Don’t skimp! And for some unknown reason, many gardeners become regimented when they plant bulbs, arranging them in precise lines and grids. If you don’t want your garden to look like a display in a municipal garden, gently throw the bulbs on the ground and plant them where they lie. Random clumps and drifts suit bulbs well, resulting in a natural-looking garden. As far as planting depth is concerned, here are the general rules: Plant large bulbs at a depth about twice the height of the bulb; plant small bulbs slightly deeper than twice their height. In regions with extremely cold winters like Monument, err on the side of planting deeper than normal. After planting, lightly apply a complete, dry fertilizer over the bed. Use a fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphate. Bone meal has a 0-10-0 formula and is perfect for bulbs. No further fertilizer will be necessary until the shoots appear from the soil in spring, when one additional application of a complete fertilizer (9-6-6) will see the bulbs through the growing season. Once the bulbs are planted and fertilized, water the bed thoroughly to settle the soil. If desired, cover the bed with a 1-inch layer of organic mulch to deter future weeds and improve the soil. If gophers, mice, squirrels, or chipmunks are prevalent in your area, you might want to protect your bulb investment by planting them in a “cage” fashioned with chicken wire. In spring, after the bulbs have fi nished blooming, remove only the spent fl owers. Allow the foliage to grow for as long as it cares to. Once it has turned completely yellow or brown, simply yank it from the below-ground bulb. Removing the foliage while it is still green will seriously diminish the bulb’s vigor the following year. If necessary, disguise the withering bulb foliage with an over-planting of spring annuals, such as violas, calendulas, or pansies. Issue 204 - 9/26/05
FORCING BULBS Paperwhites, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus and other bulbs can be forced into midwinter bloom. The operation of forcing bulbs begins in the fall with the purchase of top quality bulbs. Inferior or damaged bulbs will be a disappointment when they fail to bloom. The bulbs should be planted in a pot anytime from early October through mid-November, then given a cold treatment and brought into a warmer area to be forced into bloom. In most cases it is best to select a shallow container with drainage holes that will hold several bulbs. When using clay pots, soak them overnight before use to prevent the pot from absorbing moisture from the growing medium. Bulbs will grow in most soil mixes and it isn’t necessary to fertilize the bulbs since they have enough reserves stored for flowering one time. Bulbs should not be buried deeply, but planted so that the noses of the bulbs are slightly exposed. Place them close together in the pot and fill in with soil around the bulbs. Water the bulbs thoroughly immediately after planting by placing the pot in a shallow pan of water and allowing the pot to soak until the surface of the soil is moist. The pot won’t require frequent watering, but must never be allowed to become completely dry. It is best to put several bulbs of a single variety in a pot due to differences in blooming time – you may want to label them. Generally 6 tulips, 3 hyacinths, 6 daffodils or 15 crocus will fit in a 6- or 7-inch pot. After the bulbs are planted they must be given a cold treatment. The temperature for this cold treatment should be maintained as close to 40°F as possible for about 10-15 weeks. There are several options for providing the cold treatment. As long as the pots are in the dark, aren’t allowed to dry out or to freeze, any of the following will work well. Place the pots in the corner of an unheated garage, basement, cold storage room or you might use an extra refrigerator. The main thing is being able to maintain a 40°F temperature. If there is a problem with the pots drying out while they are being cooled, place the pots in perforated plastic bags. Mark a calendar to know when the bulbs should be removed from the cold. If the roots are growing out of the drainage hole or you can see a mass of white roots when you lift them out of the pot, they’re ready. Many bulbs planted October 1 should be ready for forcing right after Christmas. Bring the pots into a cool (50-60°F), bright (not direct sun) room. As the shoots develop, the pots can be moved to a warmer location. When the buds are showing color, once again move the pots to a cooler location, especially at night, to help the flowers last longer. Keep the pots watered throughout the blooming period. On the average, bulbs will flower 3 to 4 weeks after forcing. Best results will be achieved by placing them in a cool location at night, keeping them well-watered, and out of direct sunlight. Shallow pans filled with pebbles are a common base for forcing paperwhite narcissus. The bulbs must be secured in the pebbles to prevent tipping of the bulbs and flowers when they bloom. Care must be taken to maintain the water level to the base of the bulbs, but not too much so that the bulbs will rot. Keep these bulbs in a cool, dark room for several weeks to provide for root growth and then move them to a bright location. Bulbs that have been forced should be discarded after flowering as these bulbs have also used all available reserves for blooming. Issue 205 - 10/3/05
QUICK COLOR IN THE FALL GARDEN October nights are getting cooler. The summer’s heat is over. Most people think the garden season is coming to an end. Far from it! You can still add color to the landscape this fall by planting perennials. Plant shrubs and trees now and they will perform with even more gusto next season. As long as soil temperatures remain above 40˚, plants continue to have positive root growth. There is plenty of time for plants to become established before the ground freezes, and since the above ground growth won’t be stressed by the summer heat, transplanting is much easier. Spruce up dull spots in the garden by adding hardy asters, or garden mums. Add instant gratification by planting cool tolerant pansies and violas. BAM! Instant color! There are asters to fit just about any garden’s color scheme, with flowers of purple, rose, pink, violet-red, or white. The little, brightly lit faces of pansies and violas put on a vivid display through fall and early winter. These two rugged plants are easy to plant, aren’t fussy about soil and are a treat during brisk autumn weather when other blooming things are fading or frosted. Choose a sunny location which allows room for these plants to grow. Be careful not to put them too close to other perennials that would be crowded next summer. You’ll be rewarded with immediate color and many happy returns each August through October. Ornamental grasses add another unique dimension to the landscape. ‘Karl Forester’ reed grass gets about two feet around and sends coffee colored feathers skyward. When the autumn sun hits them and the wind blows slightly, they reflect the true fall colors of Colorado. Dutch bulbs and pansies go together like . . . well, let’s just say they’re a natural! Plant a bed of tulips and/or other Dutch bulbs and then plant over the top with pansies. You’ll have a colorful pansy display well into the fall and, depending on the weather, intermittently through the winter. In the spring, the pansies will be a bed of color topped with prolific tulip flowers. Once the tulip has flowered and you need to leave the foliage until it yellows, it will be partially disguised by the pansies. Perennial gardens beg for attention after several hard freezes turn them brown. Despite my usual compulsive urge to tidy, I vote for leaving the cleanup ‘til spring. Here’s why: Many dried plant remains create some interest in the normally bleak winter landscape. There are shapes, patterns, shadows and, in some cases, color to consider. The garden is also a bird refuge and a place for birds to forage when the snow isn’t obliterating them. Speaking of snow, the dried plants collect and hold snow which insulates the plant crown (transition point from roots to stem) during harsh weather. And, it melts there, thus watering the plants, which is important during the winter. Issue 206 - 10/10/05
THE MIGRATING HUMMINGBIRD Some people worry that feeders left out in the fall prevent birds from migrating, but that is not the case. According to ornithologist Julie Craves, hummingbirds, as well as other bird species, migrate in response to shortened day length, which brings about hormonal changes. The presence of a feeder does not influence the progress of migration, nor does environmental temperature. Remember, they eat lots of protein in their diets too and that doesn’t come from sugar feeders. They need insects! Hummingbirds can find insects even in winter - the same types of foods that kinglets, creepers, and chickadees glean from twigs and clumps of conifer needles, for example. Shortened days, not lack of food, will tell the hummingbirds when to begin their journey. Leave the feeders up at least three weeks after seeing your last bird. This will help migrating birds that pass through your area. It is important to leave your feeders up and full. Migrating birds need all the quick and easy nourishment they can find to sustain the incredible energy demands of migration. It is vital that hummingbirds fatten up for their extended trips, particularly those crossing the Gulf of Mexico. To keep warm at night, hummingbirds roost in a protected area; the birds often use conifers for roosting when deciduous trees have lost their leaves. Hummingbirds consume nectar (and its surrogate, sugar its surrogate, sugar water) for energy. They derive protein and other nutrients by eating insects. Follow a few of the tips if you happen to host a hummingbird in cold weather. Make sure you use the standard syrup concentration of four parts water to one part plain sugar. (Boil the mixture and let it cool before pouring it in your feeder.) More sugar isn’t more helpful, and a higher concentration is not recommended. Don’t use honey or any other sweet concoction, just ordinary table sugar. Experts frequently stress not only that other ingredients or additives are unnecessary, but that they may even be harmful. To keep the sugar syrup from freezing, take the feeder indoors overnight, alternate two feeders, or use a heat lamp. I do not know why or how these little dynamos survive for days in freezing temperatures but they do. I hear from folks every year. We ALL worry when this happens but don’t take your feeder down. The hummingbird may know it needs to fatten up on your feeder for several days before leaving. Eventually, hummingbirds do get sick and too old to make the journey. I don’t know how you would tell the difference between a late migrant and a hummingbird that isn’t going to finish the journey so leave those feeders up. Issue 207 - 10/17/05
FALL LAWN CARE If you’d rather forget about your lawn this fall, don’t feel guilty. You’re in good company. However the small amount of time you invest in lawn care this season will pay back ample dividends next year. Lawns are in the process of recovering from the heat and drought stresses of summer. Cool-season grasses are rejuvenating and beginning a new growth cycle. Root systems are invigorated and growing more actively, and this in turn will promote more growth and a thicker lawn. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescue, continue to grow in the fall and early winter. It is important to capitalize on this growing activity and help the plants build up carbohydrate reserves for winter endurance. The moderating temperatures in the fall also allow you to reduce the frequency of watering. You may be able to cut back on both the frequency as well as the duration of each watering cycle, especially if your lawn is partially shaded or if your soil holds water well. Some turfgrass authorities recommend that if you only have time to fertilize once a year, do it in the fall. They say spring applications encourage heavy growth at a time when grass grows strongly anyway. As a result, more disease problems can occur in spring, thatch buildup is greater, and more watering and mowing is necessary. An exception would be for lawns that were neglected the previous growing season; in this case the lawn would benefi t from proper spring lawn fertilization. Use your judgment. Make fall fertilizer applications as the temperatures cool down. I like to apply the fi rst around September 1 (Labor Day), and then follow up with another around the last of October (Halloween). But adjust this schedule to suit yours. These fall applications will produce great results, helping with earlier spring green-up and reducing disease problems. It is important to read the label and know what’s in a lawn fertilizer. Pay attention to the type of nitrogen. Water-soluble nitrogen gives the fastest results and is lowest in cost, but it releases and leaches rapidly. Water-insoluble nitrogen generally costs more, but it supplies nitrogen longer. You should continue to mow well into the fall, depending upon climatic conditions. But never mow your lawn too short. This will weaken the grass and result in more fall and winter desiccation. This article was written by John Cretti, Colorado gardener and author, and was used with his permission. |
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