Preparation for 2018 Planting

     

by Ed Powers
I live in the Evergreen/Conifer area at about 7600 ft.  I have lived on several areas of the Midwest and West and gardened in all of them. But I find this area to be the most challenging and fulfilling.  I have learned that you should buy plants that grow fast and bloom or fruit in a short period of time.  Also, do not put them out too early and make sure they are hardened off when planting them.  I have always had to do this but it is more critical at our elevation.  Also, it is not a good idea to plant before June 1 unless you are planting cool season crops, such as root crops or some types of lettuce, cabbages, or spinach.

So, after 6 years of gardening here, reading and experimental planting this what I have come up with:
·        ·    I clean my 2 raised gardens in late fall or very early spring.
·        - I bring in some tomato plants when the season is over with and grow them inside.
·    I plant beet, rutabaga, turnips and carrots in mid-March.
·    I plant the other seeds I want to put in my gardens indoors in a well-lit area of my basement.
·    I start my smallest flower and vegetable seeds in peat pots with starting soil and my larger seeds in starting sponge inserts.

·    I cover them for at first and when they have sprouted and have the first set of leaves I uncover them.
·    I transplant large plants in bigger peat pots as needed.
·    In early May I will clean my wife’s deck railing pots and ready them for flowers.
·    In mid-May I start putting my plants out to harden the off.  I put them out in dappled shade at first so they don’t get too much sun, and gradually give them more sun. At first, I may bring them inside in the evening or I may choose just to cover them.
·    In late May or early June, I plant my gardens.
·    At this time, I also trim back the tomatoes I overwintered in the house and replant them.
I then water, fertilize and tend them for the summer-hope for a good crop and pretty flowers. 


     

Landscape Planning Concepts

Kurt M. Jones
Chaffee County Extension Director

When water supplies become stretched, many gardeners look upon their large lawns and wonder about converting it to low moisture plantings.   While lawns have their purpose, making them functional (having only what you need) instead of covering large areas of your lot makes good sense.  So, where do you begin?
Related image
Bubble Diagram Example
            First, explore your goals for your landscape.  Do you need an area for your pets or children?  Are there some places in your landscape that are difficult to maintain or keep watered?  Will you need to convert a portion of your existing lawn sprinklers to convert to a perennial bed?
            One trick that landscape designers start with when making a plan is to draw out the existing lot on paper, noting the location of difficult-to-move items like sidewalks, driveways, structures, and established trees.  From there, they draw a “bubble diagram” to note differing effects they wish to make, plant watering requirements, and other desired features such as patios or lawn areas.
            In moving from the bubble diagram to an actual plan, consider other effects that you may wish to accomplish.  If the focal point of your home is the front entrance, then consider plants that enhance that feature instead of blocking the view.  Larger plants like trees can be useful to help “frame” the house features.  When choosing plants for your landscape, be sure to consider not only the size of the juvenile plants, but also mature sizes as well.
One concept that we recommend is the right plant in the right place.  Keep in mind wind exposures, solar heating, and winter conditions when choosing plants.
            In choosing plants, there are several excellent resources available to you.  CSU Extension has many publications available, along with some additional web resources such as http://www.planttalk.org and http://www.answerlink.info which may be helpful.  The SE Colorado Water Conservation District has an extensive demonstration and research garden at their Pueblo location.  Their website, http://www.secwcd.org has many pictures of plants they have on their location, growing characteristics, and other helpful information about maintenance and other items. 
Mid-summer perennial garden
Finally, check with local nurseries to see what they have available and get their advice.  Our local nurseries have plants adapted to our environment and knowledgeable people on staff.  Try to approach them on less-hectic times/days so they have time to assist you!
Getting the right plants is an important step.  Soil preparation, correctly planting transplants, and watering are also very important and often overlooked or not adequately accomplished.  Simply adding 3 cubic yards of compost to every 1000 square feet of bed and incorporating that into the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches will lower your watering requirements, fertilizer requirements, and increase the plant vigor over no soil preparation.  Incorporating organic matter later is much more difficult.
For more information about landscape options, call your Extension office or visit us online at http://extension.colostate.edu/.

Mountain Gardening Tips and Tricks

     


This week on Salida Yard & Garden, a meeting of the minds: guest Gilpin County Extension Director Irene Shonle and host Chaffee County Extension Director Kurt Jonesshare their "Mountain Gardening Tips and Tricks." Also in this episode, an unintentional poem from Irene:
"There is no use
In shooing off a moose."
http://www.khen.org/salida-yard-and-garden

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