Happy Gardening in 2017!!

Symposium Sneak Peak: Vegetable Garden Planning - Why it Makes a Difference by Bill Orchard

Photo courtesy vegetablegardener.com

As the carpenter says, “measure twice, cut once,” so should the gardener say, “plan twice, avoid goof ups!” Planning ahead is the first way to avoid making costly mistakes when starting a vegetable garden. And now is the time to start planning. We are indoors for the next several months, so armchair gardening is the way to increase your knowledge – it will pay off when it comes time to start outside. It will make your garden a compliment to your existing landscape and provide you with an abundance of healthy vegetables.  Following are five best management practices to make planning go smoothly.

Merry Christmas!

Beginning Vegetable Gardening Symposium January 28, 2017 by Amy Bubar

Jill Knussman Colorado Master Gardener using best practices in our demo garden.

Jefferson County CSU Extension Colorado Master Gardeners announce their 2017 Spring Gardening Symposium to be held on Saturday, January 28, 2017 from 8:45 AM to 4:00 PM at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.  Come join us for a full day of vegetable gardening excitement for beginning and intermediate gardeners in particular.

Morning Session:

Best Management Practices for Planning This Year’s Garden. Where do you start? Lear the basic planning skills to guarantee a great garden this year whether it is your first garden or you are trying to perfect the one you already have. 

The Dirt on Dirt. It is estimated that nearly 80% of all garden problems originate with the soil and lack of appropriate preparation.  Learn how to avoid problems and develop the best soil possible for the biggest and healthiest harvest ever.  

The 10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Colorado. Why not start with the most successful veggies to grow in Colorado?  You will not only get a list of the top 10 best, but we’ll tell you how to do it successfully as well as how to share techniques for succession planting to keep it interesting for three seasons.  

Lunch

Lunch and Learn Class (requires special registration – limited space)

Incorporating Flowers and Herbs into the Vegetable Garden.  Add some interest and variety to your vegetable garden by incorporating aromatic herbs and edible flowers to the mix.  Learn the best options for Colorado gardens and how to do it successfully.

Tomatoes.  The Holy Grail.  If you only grow one vegetable, make it a tomato!  So what are the secrets of growing the best tasting, best producing tomatoes?  Are heirlooms better than hybrids?  What are the most common things people do wron?  Learn this and more to make your tomato crop amazing.  

Starting Seeds or Transplants? What is best? What is easiest?  What’s the difference?  Variety?  Cost?  And the list goes on.  What are the best strategies for planting seeds?  Come get a great tutorial in starting your garden the best way possible for you.  

Container Vegetable Gardening.  Short of space?  No worries.  Almost any vegetable can be successfully grown in a container.  You will learn container planting strategies to maximize pleasure and production from your small space gardens.  

Let us help you step up your vegetable gardening success this year by taking your gardening skills up a notch. No questions unanswered! 

To register visit https://sprgardsymp2017.eventbrite.com. For more information call the Jeffco Extension Office at 303-271-6620.

Garden Gnomes for Christmas by Carol King

Photo fanpop.com

No doubt many a gardener will receive a  garden gnome for Christmas.  They are available at all the garden shops, big box stores, and even the grocery store in the produce section!  So why are gnomes given to gardeners?

Gnomes first appeared in European folklore as benevolent creatures who rewarded the good behavior of farmers, merchants, and housewives with assistance in fields, shops, and gardens at night. They also thought to ward off thieves from stores of grains and vegetables in barns. Why wouldn't any self respecting gardener want one or several?

Ceramic gnomes were first manufactured in rural Germany by Phillip Griebel in the middle of the nineteenth century.  From there they spread to England in 1847 and later to the USA. Garden gnomes have a rich history, but, as we well know, they (and their owners) have occasionally faced persecution from the general public.  The Royal Horticulture Society of Britain even banned the use of "brightly colored creatures" including lawn gnomes in 2006 at the Chelsea Flower Show.

I found another pitfall beside ridicule that might make you reconsider the garden gnome: they can become real pests in the garden. 

Watch this film from our cohorts at Utah State Extension for tips on Gnome Management.

I hope a garden gnome is in every gardener's stocking!

Pamper Your Poinsettias! by Donna Duffy

Photo CSU Co-Horts

Many of us will adorn our homes with poinsettias this holiday season. You’ll have several colors (pink, white, variegated, even hand painted) to choose from in addition to the traditional deep red. Regardless of color, look for dark green foliage, and richly colored bracts (the modified, colorful leaves). Poinsettias are tender plants, and will drop their leaves very quickly if chilled. Be sure to protect the plant with a plastic sleeve as you leave the store or nursery.

Follow these tips to keep your poinsettia healthy and colorful.

Light: Find a location with very bright, indirect light. Don’t put it in a hot, sunny window.

Water: Apply water thoroughly whenever the pot feels light, or the soil is dry to the touch. If the leaves are wilting, water immediately. If your plant came in a basket, discard any standing water. If it is wrapped in foil, cut a hole in the bottom and put a saucer under the pot.

Fertilizer: Use an all-purpose indoor plant fertilizer until the poinsettia is in full color, then cut back and fertilize at ½ strength every third or fourth watering.

Temperature: Poinsettias don’t like cold, but they will appreciate a cool room (60-70°). Avoid hot or cold drafts from heaters, fans, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.

Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America. They came to the U.S. by way of our first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett in 1825. Contrary to popular belief, the poinsettia is not poisonous. Even so, they should be kept out of reach of pets and small children.

For more information check this Poinsettia Fact Sheet.

Battling Fruit Flies by C J Clawson

Photo Counsel & Heal News

Fruit flies are quite common this time of year. The Drosophila (meaning dew-loving) species of the insect world– also called vinegar flies or pomace flies for their characteristic of being found near over ripe or rotting fruit.  If you have a problem with them in your kitchen, here's some strategy:

1. Wash any salvageable fruit and store in the refrigerator, if possible.  This goes for all future fruit purchases too – no need to import fruit flies from the grocery store.
2. If using a kitchen scrap composter place the compost in the counter composting crock and take it outside until temperatures fall sufficiently to kill off larvae.
3. Thoroughly clean kitchen garbage bin and disposal; wipe down counters.  Check floors for juice spills and toss out any questionable sponges or cloths.  Don’t let things like wine glasses sit with residue in them – remember, sweet and/or fermented moisture is what drew the fruit flies in the first place.
4. Throw out all the over ripe fruit on the counter.  This means tight bagging and immediate transfer to the outdoor garbage bin – don’t just toss it in your kitchen garbage can. 
5. Set some traps.  They can be purchased at a hardware store or make your own using cider vinegar or wine, a jar, and either a plastic bag or paper funnel. Place an inch or so of liquid in the bottom of the jar.  Make a funnel with a piece of paper or cut a small hole in one corner of the bag and place over the jar so the small end of the funnel is close to but not touching the fluid.  Replace the trap every seven to ten days.

Here are some interesting facts about fruit flies. The 1933 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Thomas Hunt Morgan whose work with Drosophila led to the identification of chromosomes as the vector for genes in heredity.  Currently, fruit flies feature prominently in research on diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. Fruit fly wings beat around 220 times per second compared to hummingbird wings that beat at about 70 times per second in normal flight. Fruit flies only live eight to ten days but a female will lay approximately 500 eggs during that time. 

Here's a fact sheet with more information: Fruit Flies in the Home

Protecting Trees and Shrubs from Extreme Temperature Drop by Carol King

Image wallpaperscraft.com

Our first round of really cold weather is headed this way.  Although it is in the 70’s today and tomorrow, Thursday and Friday night are predicted to be in the teens and twenties.  What comes to mind is September 2014 when we experienced a dramatic drop in temperature that destroyed many trees and shrubs. Could this weather event be a repeat of that one?

I spoke with Patti O’Neal, CSU Jefferson County Extension and she gave me this advice:

1. We have been watching, and trees have begun their dormancy process now, whereas in 2014, they had not. 
2. The temperature won’t drop like it did overnight in 2014.  This will happen more gradually over a two day period so the element of “sudden-ness” will not hit the way it did previously. 
3. The way things have been predicted lately and the difference between 2014 and what has actually happened have been pretty disparate. Some areas of the metroplex have hit 32 degrees, while Arvada, for instance,  has not been below 39 yet. 

So what to do?

In the event the meteorologists are actually correct this time, make sure you water well; trees in particular if you have not already done so this past week.  Roots go into a freeze much sturdier moist than dry and whatever the plant can take up tonight and tomorrow is just that much better.

Use a hose and sprinkler if your system has been turned off already and make sure you place the sprinkler to the best advantage of the feeder roots of the tree (at the drip line) and not the trunk of the tree.  Then make sure to unhook the hose from the bib after you finish to prevent freezing and damage to your pipes.

It is also predicted that temperatures will go back up again next week.  Stay vigilant and water during the warmest part of the day into next week if you can as the ground will not have frozen yet. 

The fact that the trees have begun their dormancy process should protect them as well.  That was an issue in 2014 when they had not.  Where we expect we might see some further damage is on trees that were damaged in 2014 and are still struggling to recover.  Ornamental pears with bark damage from the 2014 freeze that are still trying to put on new bark, for example, might be candidates for issues.  Wrapping with paper will not help at this point.  Additional protection such as insulation, a campers freeze blanket or a hot water blanket would be a far better choice. 

In summary, the event should not be as brusque as the 2014 event on the whole, but weather is unpredictable and we should prepare as best we can at this point. 

Pines Shedding Needles is Normal by Carol King

Photo by Carol King

Are your pine trees dropping their needles? There is no cause for alarm; they are probably naturally losing their needles. Everyone knows that deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall, but fewer people learn that evergreen trees also lose their old needles in the late summer and  fall. Evergreens normally do shed previous years' needles on a regular basis. Often there can be a "heavy" needle drop on Front Range landscape pines, spruces and firs. The most common causes of excessive needle drop are too-wet and too-dry soils. It has been very dry this summer and fall.

There may be a problem if there is yellowing or dieback on the tips of branches. Consider drought, salts, root damage, spray damage, soil compaction, conifer aphids, mountain pine beetle and other factors. Occasionally, "deciduous conifers" such as bald cypress, larch and dawn redwood are found in Colorado landscapes. These conifers lose all their needles every autumn, to be replaced the following spring.

For more information, check out these articles at Planttalk Colorado™.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/2123.html

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1760.html

Overwinter Your Container Plants by Donna Duffy

Photo courtesy Pinterest

It’s the time of year to start thinking about how to overwinter perennial plants that have been happily growing in containers this summer. Containerized trees, shrubs and perennials are subject to Colorado’s winter temperature fluctuations, drying winds and freeze-thaw cycles. Planttalk Colorado provides the following suggestions to get your plants ready when the first hard freeze arrives.

All Those Leaves! What to Do? by Donna Duffy

Leaves, leaves, leaves!! Photo courtesy Donna Duffy

Special thanks to Alison O'Connor, Larimer County Extension agent,  for sharing the following article.

Ugh. Dealing with leaves in the fall. It’s almost like nature mocks us. We work hard all summer to grow tomatoes, mow the lawn religiously and fend our garden from insects and disease. Just as we want to take a break and watch some football, the trees decide to drop their leaves and landscape maintenance continues.

I’ve been asked this question a lot—What should I do with all the leaves that drop? There’s a lot of great ways to use them, including composting, tucking them around newly planted plants, throwing them in the veggie garden to till in next spring or mulching them into your lawn.

Jefferson County Master Gardener Calendars for Sale by Bill Orchard

Need a calendar for 2017? Want to get a unique and distinctive holiday gift? The Jefferson County Gardeners are conducting a fund raiser with their calendar sale.  The calendars are available at the Extension Office for $12 each or by mail for $15 (quantities of five or more are sent free). The calendar consists of beautiful pictures taken by Jeffco Master Gardeners and Native Plant Masters and features some of their beautiful gardens. Included with the picture of the month are a second complementary garden picture, the monthly garden "to do list", and either a Plant Select or Native Plant selection.  The native plants were selected by the Native Plant Masters as plants they recommend for use in the home landscape. This aligns with the Plant Selects, which are chosen because they are plants that do well in our environment. Both common and botanical names of all plants are provided.

The money raised will go into the Master Gardener Fund which awards scholarships to horticultural students from any Jefferson County High School, Junior College or any State College or University.

For a copy of this beautiful calendar, please visit the CSU Extension Office in Jefferson County, 303-271-6620, 15200 West Sixth Ave, Unit #C, Golden, CO 80401, 8am to 5pm weekdays.  Checks made out to “Master Gardener Fund” can also be mailed to Calendar Sales, c/o Stan Ames, 15855 W Ellsworth Pl, Golden, CO 80401.

Master Gardeners Celebrate 40 years of Service in Jefferson County by Amy Bubar

This year, Jefferson County CSU Extension’s Master Gardeners are proud to be celebrating their 40th anniversary of service to Jefferson County residents. Jefferson County has one of the largest cadres of Master Gardeners in the state. These volunteers utilize research-based information to foster successful gardeners, develop partnerships and build strong communities. 

Happy Halloween!

Photo courtesy Design*Sponge

Gourd Birdhouses by Donna Duffy

Photo courtesy centralmarket.com

It’s gourd harvesting time! There are two basic types of squash that are grown and used decoratively:

1) Cucurbita or soft-skinned gourds – these are the colorful orange, gold and green gourds that look like small squash and come in odd shapes; 2) Lagenaria or hard-skinned gourds – these larger, utilitarian gourds include the familiar Birdhouse, Bottle and Dipper gourds. Hard skinned gourds grow green on the vine and eventually turn shades of tan and brown.

Crow Damage and Control by Joyce D'agostina

American Crow, photo courtesy audubon.org

Attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your garden has always been a great idea. However this year, I have notice a much larger population of the black crow, Corvus corax, in our neighborhood. Crows have been known for many years to be foragers who will eat just about anything, including your favorite garden fruits and vegetables.

About mid-summer, when some of my tomatoes were finally ripening, I heard a commotion in the garden and noticed several of the crows flying out of my garden area. To my disappointment, they had helped themselves to several of the ripe tomatoes and also had done damage to a few others.

Since I am not always available to catch these crows when they are in my garden, I had to think of something to help deter them. The magpies also were very interested in my garden crops so I had to think fast to try to come up with something to deter them without doing harm or damaging my garden. Crows are known to be very clever birds with great memories and tend to travel in groups so that they help protect each other as they forage so I had to find something effective.

Mylar windsock, photo by Joyce D'agostina

One item that I saw in a gardening catalog is a windsock type device that you hang in your garden. This item was made from a Mylar plastic that caused bright hologram type lights as the streamers move in the breeze. This was reported to be annoying and a deterrent to birds but was harmless to bees and butterflies.

I purchased one of these windsocks and hung it in the garden. I noticed almost immediately that the birds stayed away from the garden and no more plucked or pecked tomatoes. It was also hanging close to a Lavender Hyssop which the bees love and it didn’t seem to cause any issues with them continuing to enjoy that plant. This seemed to be a good solution because I didn’t want to use any chemicals or other harmful solutions to keep these hungry birds from my garden.

Scarecrows, photo courtesy Wikipedia

Scarecrows have also been for centuries as a way for farmers to keep these birds from their crops. The idea was to make a large figure that resembled a human that would make the birds think that there were people in the garden, which scared them away. Today Scarecrows are found all around the world and there are scarecrow making contests. Adding a scarecrow to your garden will not only possibly help keep away the bird pests but also add a great seasonal look to your garden. If you google Scarecrows and your city or county name, you may find a local event featuring scarecrows.

http://icwdm.org/handbook/birds/AmericanCrows.asp

http://www.extension.colostate.edu/douglas/agri/wildlife.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarecrow

Planning Your Garden for Next Year by Joyce D’Agostino

Photo by Carol King

As we approach fall, most of us are busy doing cleanup of our summer garden. Since gardening can take time, effort and money to maintain, it is a good idea now to make a list of those vegetables or fruits that you want to plant again and the ones that you will eliminate.

Make two columns for your list, and label one column “keep” and "eliminate" in the other column. Even though you may be well aware now of what you didn’t want to plant again, after a few months of busy fall and winter activities, it might help to have a list to refer to so you remember some key issues.

For example, maybe this year you planted kale only to find that you, your family or friends didn’t like it. There is no point to plant anything that takes up garden space that won’t be eaten or appreciated. So you might want to put kale in the eliminate column. Also, if you like zucchini but don’t need bushels of it, you can make note to have only one plant next season. Anything that was a hit can go into the keep column.

Since many people can have limited time spent in the garden, any plant that was more high maintenance than you could handle should be considered on the cut list. If you had to spend a lot of time and money on certain plants, you can consider that maybe they are not worth trying to repeat them. And since our growing season can be shorter than some areas, having tomatoes for example that don’t produce until September may not be a smart choice either unless you find that they are worth the wait!

Fall Pruning “Dos and Don’ts” by Audrey Stokes

Mild fall weather may have you thinking about pruning shrubs and trees but it's better to wait until winter or at least until after deciduous trees’ leaves have fallen. When it comes to fall pruning, procrastination is the way to go.  One exception to any ‘no-pruning’ advice is that dead, diseased and damaged wood should be removed as soon as possible.  Hire a professional arborist to remove big limbs, high branches, and any other tree job that you’re not prepared to do.

Pruning timetables can be broken down according to the type of plant: trees, shrubs, perennials and roses.

Put Poinsettias in the Dark for Reblooming by Carol King

Photo by Carol King

So you saved your poinsettia from last Christmas. You fed and watered it properly and it’s looking good.  Right now is the time to take action give it some uninterrupted darkness if you want “blooms” by this holiday season.

Photoperiodism is the physiological reaction of organisms to the length of day or night. Poinsettias are short-day photoperiodic plants. They actually sense seasonal changes in night length which they take as signals to flower. This means they set buds and produce flowers as the autumn nights lengthen, blooming naturally during November or December.

Starting about October 1, your poinsettia needs at least 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night at temperatures between 60 and 70F.  Stray light of any kind (street lights, pool lights or lamps) could delay or entirely halt the reflowering process.  From October 1 to December 1, (or for at least 40 days) your poinsettia will need a strict light/dark regimen to produce color. Provide 13 to 16 hours of complete and uninterrupted darkness daily. At dusk, place the plant in a dark room (or closet) or cover with a box or paper bag.  At dawn, move or uncover the plant to allow 8 hours of sunlight. The dark treatment should last until color shows in the bracts (approximately Thanksgiving). Continue fertilizing and watering to encourage good growth.

For more information about the care of poinsettias look here:

Poinsettias. 

Poinsettia Facts.

Try Growing Leafy Greens to Provide Ongoing Winter Nutrition By Joyce D’Agostino

Photo by Joyce D'Agostino

The summer is winding down,and for many that means the end of gardening season.  There is good news, however, for those who want to try to extend  harvests into the cooler weather and to try some new methods.

Many of the vegetables commonly called “greens” such as spinach, kale and collard greens enjoy and even get better tasting with the cooler weather. It’s well known that these leafy greens pack a lot of nutrition, and can be enjoyed in salads, prepared as a side dish or added to smoothies.

With a little protection such as frost blankets, floating row covers or plastic tents, these plants can go well into the colder months and possibly even provide ongoing harvests well into early winter. Planting them now allows them to establish their roots and begin growing their leaves for sturdier plants. Other great vegetables to try that tolerate colder weather and shorter days are root crops such as carrots, beets, kohlrabi and turnips.

For the most part, the fall into the winter gardening is more of a harvesting time rather than seeing plants getting bigger and producing ongoing fruits and vegetables. One good reference book to read on this topic is “Four Seasons Harvest” by Elliot Coleman. Coleman began experimenting growing into the colder seasons on his Vermont farm and has some valuable tips for trying this in your own home garden. He explains that the colder months are more for harvesting what you have sown weeks before and how the proper protection and cultural practices keep the harvests going.

Here are some research based references for spinach and kale that give you tips on starting and growing these delicious greens this fall and winter:

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Whats/spinach1.htm#WINTER HEAD START

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/spinach.htm

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Pests/leafmine.htm

How and When to Harvest Winter Squash and Pumpkins by Carol King

Photo by Carol King

Winter squash and summer squash are two separate vegetables to be handled differently.

Summer squash varieties include zuchinni, yellow squash and patty pan and are harvested and eaten as immature fruit.  Summer squash has soft, thin skin that is edible, can all be eaten raw or cooked, and has a mild flavor that can range from sweet to nutty. 

Winter squash varieties include acorn, butternut, hubbard, spaghetti, turban and of course pumpkins. They are harvested when the seeds within have matured fully and the skin has hardened into a tough rind. Winter squash are picked in September or October, before heavy frosts. Mature fruits can be stored most of the winter if protected from freezing. Immature squash and pumpkins do not store well; therefore, be sure that fruit is mature before harvesting.

To harvest and store winter squash and pumpkins follow these guidelines:

• Pick winter squash when the skin has hardened into a tough rind not easily dented with light fingernail pressure. 
• Harvest the fruit by cutting it off the vine with a sharp knife or a pair of looping shears leaving 3-6 inches of the stem attached to the fruit. 
• Wash the fruit with soapy water containing one part of chlorine bleach to ten parts of water to remove the soil and kill the pathogens on the surface of the fruit. 
• Make sure the fruits are well dried before setting in a shed to cure.
• Winter squash can tolerate light frost that kill the vines.
• Squash are best stored at a temperature between 50 and 55°F. Put the fruits on a single layer on wooden pallets with enough space in between them (the squash should not touch each other) and do not place them on a concrete floor. Store the fruits in a cool dry place.

For more information about harvesting and storing winter squash check these out: 

Cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and melons

Harvesting Pumpkins 

Winter Squash Pumpkin Fun 

Harvesting and storing winter squash and pumpkins 

Is it your time? Become a Master Gardener! by Amy Bubar

Jefferson County Master Gardeners ready to serve!

Do you love planting those first little seeds in the ground each spring, eagerly awaiting their subtle greenery to break the soil surface? Do you have an on-going quest for knowledge? Do you enjoy helping others in your community?  Are you ready for the next step in your own back yard gardening?  If the answer to any of these questions is yes, consider becoming a Master Gardener! 

Don't Put Your Lawn to Bed Yet! by Rebecca Anderson

Photo by Donna Duffy

With fall approaching, everyone is looking forward to a break from the hot weather and summer yard chores of mowing and watering.  It's true that the grass isn't getting tall as quickly as it did in June, but that doesn't mean that it has quit growing.  In the fall, grasses are forming tillers: side shoots that thicken the grass and help it recover from losses that occurred in the more stressful times of summer. This side growth still requires some water, so don't roll up the hoses or blow out your sprinklers yet.  Water application of 0.5 to 0.75 inches per week is recommended by CSU for the months of September and October.  This is significantly less than the recommended 2.25 inches per week in the hottest months of summer, but is still more than our rainfall totals for most weeks. 

For some lawns, fall can be a good time for fertilizer application. Only green, growing lawns of cool season grasses (bluegrass, ryegrass, fescue) will benefit from fall fertilization. Warm season grasses (buffalo grass, blue grama, zoysia grass, Bermuda grass) should not be fertilized after September 1. Fertilizer needs to be watered in with 0.5 inch of water after application, so if your community is implementing a watering cut-off day, make sure the fertilizer is applied before that date. If your lawn has already gone dormant and is brown, fall fertilizer won't help much.  It is better to wait until spring. Check out the fact sheet on Fall Lawn Fertilization of for more information.