2019 Parade of Spring Flowers

     
by Vicky Barney

After the long winter, flowers are a welcome sight. The parade of blooming flowers in Routt County started in mid-April with a few native blooming wildflowers, then a variety of bulbs, continuing with flowering shrubs and fruit trees.  The view down Lincoln Avenue with crabapple trees in bloom is spectacular!

Spring blooming bulbs in my garden have put on quite a show as well, thanks to a previous owner.  Appearing first were native glacier lilies and pretty blue glory-of-the-snow, then crocus.  Next came the daffodils, along with grape hyacinth.  Last to appear were the tulips.  Miraculously, the tall tulips have remained largely intact, overlooked by hungry moose and impervious to more than one snowstorm. 

Seeing color in the landscape as the snow melts is a cheerful sight. CSU Extension Fact Sheet No. 7.410 Fall-Planted Bulbs and Corms (https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-planted-bulbs-and-corms-7-410/, https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/07410.pdf) provides instruction on how to select and plant bulbs. It also reminds gardeners to remove the withered flowers but do NOT cut the foliage until it completely dies back.  Until then, photosynthesis continues and energy is stored in the bulb for next season.

Bulbs are easy to plant but have a couple of requirements that might be tough for the Routt County gardener.  First, the bulbs must not be eaten by critters. Mice, squirrels, chipmunks, voles, and pocket gophers will happily make a meal of certain bulbs.  In some parts of the county, gardeners will have no success growing tulips or crocus and will have better luck with less tasty daffodils, alliums and hyacinths.  If the bulbs survive, though, they may not actually bloom. Moose have been known to eat the tulip buds in my neighbor’s yard, leaving beds of healthy but flowerless plants.  Other critters enjoy the buds as well.

I get tripped up by the requirement that spring blooming bulbs must be planted in the fall. At that time of the year, my love of gardening is waning, the open spots for bulbs have disappeared beneath the foliage of other plants, and digging is harder. But I have a plan: 1) Take photos now of the available spots.  2) Have Fact Sheet No. 7.410 ready to follow and calendars marked for September planting.  3) Cross fingers the neighborhood critters will not eat the bulbs or buds. 

Fortunately, if our efforts fail, we can count on Nature to provide next year’s Parade of Spring Flowers.

Vicky Barney gardens for wildlife and is a member of the Master Gardener Class of 2011.

Post Holiday bulb care

     
by Irene Shonle, revisiting an old favorite
The holidays are winding down and many of us now have pots of withering Amaryllis and paperwhites.  While it’s harder than I consider worth it to get paperwhites to re-bloom again in our climate (they are not hardy for planting outdoors), don't throw out your Amaryllis.  With a little care, it can bloom again next year - even better than it did this year!

Spent Amaryllis & Paperwhites
 The secret is to keep the plant actively growing after it blooms to recharge the bulb; it takes a lot of energy to produce such big flowers. If the bulb does not produce a flowering stalk the next blooming period, it is likely that has not stored enough nutrients during the post-blooming period.

After the flowers have faded, cut the flowers off to prevent seed set. Only cut the flowering stalk after it turns yellow, a green stalk continues to produce energy for the bulb.  In order to feed the bulb for next year's show, water and feed the plant regularly with an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer. Put the plant in the sunniest possible location for the rest of the winter to encourage strong leaf development. I have found that putting the pot outside during the summer after all danger of frost helps maximize photosynthesis and gives the best results. Make sure to slowly acclimate the plant to full sun to avoid sunburn (gradually increase the time spent in the sun each day for about a week).  I have also noticed that critters don't seem to bother either the leaves or the bulb - a bonus around here.  Remember to feed the plant a few times during the summer in addition to regularly watering.

Red Amaryllis
For blooms in time for the holidays, stop watering in mid-August and bring the pot inside. Let the foliage die back naturally as the soil dries out completely. When the leaves have withered, store the dormant bulb in a cool, dark and dry place for a minimum of eight to twelve weeks. Then, about six to eight weeks before you want the Amaryllis to flower again, place it in bright light and begin watering again - sparingly at first, so the bulb is not sitting in water.


If you don’t care when it blooms, there is no need to do the fall dormancy protocol. Continue watering and fertilizing the plant, and bring it inside before frost. Keep it in a sunny window, and it will usually bloom sometime in spring. The flowering stalk should emerge with or before the leaves if you have taken proper care of the plant. Watch as the number of flowers on the stalk increases in both number and size as the bulb increases in size.  Over time, the bulb may produce a new bulb, which you can remove and pot up separately. Amaryllis plants bloom best when they are somewhat pot-bound (crowded roots). They require re-potting only every 3 or 4 years. The best time to re-pot them is after they have gone through a dormant period in the fall.
Paperwhites in Winter
Irene is the County Extension Director in Gilpin County

FOUR SEASONS OF GARDEN ENJOYMENT by Sharon Faircloth

     





Growing in high altitude certainly has its challenges and everyone who has made an effort to enhance the beauty of their property has experienced them!  Some years I’ve been so thankful anything grew that I didn’t really envision a comprehensive plan.  If it grew, yahoo and if no critters ate it, woohooo and if it came up the next year, OMG!

As a reminder, or for new residents, there are some great resources for help in picking plants more suitable for our environment.  Your best resource website is www.ext.colostate.edu.  Colorado Mountain Gardening Basics can be found within Fact Sheet 7.244.    For perennial flower choices, see Fact Sheet 7.406called Flowers for Mountain Communities.  These will give you the basics on selecting the right plant for the right spot, taking into consideration sunlight, microclimates, year round moisture, soil quality and amendments.

Once you determine plants that work in your environment, make notes.  Keep track of what worked and what didn’t in a diary.  It’s also helpful to make a wish list of what you would like to try for next season.   Our summers are brief but spectacular and most plants are geared toward late spring and early summer.  But what about the other seasons?

With a little planning, we can create visual interest in our landscape throughout the year.   There are several ways to do that.  One of my favorite choices is bulbs.   Those planted in the fall, bring the first hope of spring.  It’s so satisfying to find lovely little flowers coming out while there’s still snow coming in late spring.  They are such an encouragement!  There are many varieties that suit our alpine environment.  Alliums do well, the Allium giganteum and Allium azureum as well as Muscari or grape hyacinth.  There are many varieties of crocus and iris.
Iris reticulata
 
Snowdrops
Bulbs can also be chosen for summer blooms.  Containers can be useful for these bulbs because they can be moved and protected more easily than planting in the ground.  The Asiatic lilies are nice for color, butterflies and cut flowers but tend to be also attractive to deer and elk.  This way you can enjoy them anyway!  Crocus can also be planted for bloom in the fall.  Look for Crocus speciosus and as well as other unique choices at your garden center or online.  For planting and selection details, look at Fact Sheet 7.410.



Summer color in Vail



Another way to add to year round color is with non-native trees and shrubs.  Fact Sheet 7.423 will give you details on several ideas depending on terrain, elevation and moisture requirements.  Many have beautiful color in the fall giving interest after the summer blooms have faded.  Crataegus ambigua or Russian Hawthorn and, Amelanchier alnifolia or Common Serviceberry both have flowers in the summer and turn orange-red in the fall.
Barberry turns a beautiful shade in the fall; try Berberis thunbergii or Japanese barberry if you’re at a lower altitude.  Cotonoeaster lucidius varieties will do better at higher altitude and provide flowers, fruit to attract birds and orange-red color in the fall.
 
Barberry
With a little thought, you can also plant for winter interest.  We have our beautiful evergreens but for an addition of texture, try ground covers like Arctostaphylos uva-ursi or kinnickinnick or their cousins the manzanitas.   If you have an area for ornamental grass, there are a couple of PlantSelect versions that will grow in zones 3 and 4.  Look at Calamagrostis brachytricha or Korean feather reed grass and Schizachyrium scoparium or Standing Ovation little bluestem.   The grasses can be cleaned up in the spring so will give some winter interest.

For continuous blooming and landscaping interest, choose appropriate plants; combine perennials and annuals; utilize containers for multi season interest; and try those bulbs.  Just as you rotate your vegetables, do the same in your flower garden.  Plants can get pricey in a hurry so hold back your enthusiasm until you have thought out how you can maximize your enjoyment throughout the year.  Make a plan; you’ll be happy you did!
Kinnickinnick looks good even in the middle of winter