What is an Insectary? By Joyce D’Agostino

Photo by Joyce D'Agostino

We are all aware now that some benefical insects like the honeybee are endangered and need to be protected and nurtured. Some areas are dedicating space to growing plants that attract beneficial insects but for the home gardener, we may not have large spaces of land just to dedicate to this effort. Some may also feel they want less bugs, not more in their garden but the key is finding the right plant for the right place in your garden to bring in the ones that are helpful rather than harmful.

 The good news is that you can do a smaller scale insectary in your own garden and landscape by following a few guidelines. You will first need to select seeds and plants that will bring these insects into your garden. One step would be to research native plants for your area. This helps you attract the insects that are also native to your area. These garden notes publications will help you choose some of these plants: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/582.html http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/wildflowers-in-colorado-7-233/ 

Growing Grapes for Wine? It's Time to Prune! by Donna Duffy

John Crawford, photo by Donna Duffy

My neighbor, John Crawford, is a fourth generation vintner. I recently asked him to share some advice on pruning vines for maximum grape production. Here’s what I learned.

Celebrate the Super Bowl! by Donna Duffy

Look no further than the world of plants to boost your 
Super Bowl fever!

Victory Rose

Photo courtesy direct gardening.com

Solving Low Humidity Problems in Houseplants by Carol King

Prayer Plant (Maranta leucoreura) photo by Carol King

This time of year, we Colorado gardeners turn to indoor plants to soothe our gardening souls.  However the indoor environment in our homes can be very harsh for many plants. Many of our house plants are native to humid, tropical rain forests and require special consideration when they reside in our Colorado homes. While lighting and temperatures need to be monitored for successful indoor gardening, humidity is the big issue during colder months.  Heating systems common in Colorado circulate dry, warm air throughout the house. Our indoor environment often has less than 10 percent humidity. This is a drastic reduction from the 70 to 90 percent relative humidity levels found in the native climates of most tropical plants.

JeffCo Colorado Master Gardener Speakers Bureau: Master Gardeners in Service by Sally Berriman

Master Gardener show proper planting techniques

Need a great speaker for your next meeting?  Colorado State University Extension in Jefferson County may have just the person that you are looking for.  The Speakers Bureau is a group of CSU Extension certified Colorado Master Gardener volunteers who have received additional training to talk to groups on various horticultural/gardening topics.  Master Gardeners are available to give talks to garden clubs, neighborhood associations, fraternal organizations, schools, businesses or church groups. 

All of our speakers provide scientific, fact-based information on the best horticultural practices for Front Range gardeners.  There are various speaker styles available; we give lectures with or without slide presentations, demonstrations, hands-on classes as well as panel discussions.  We speak in classrooms, living rooms or backyards.