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.

Fall Needle Drop by Mary Small

Fall needle drop on Black Hills spruce, photo by Donna Duffy

Spruce trees often get attention in the fall. Their inner needles turn yellow or brown and drop off. To put your mind at ease, it’s not unusual for these conifers to shed interior needles beginning in late summer and continuing well into fall.  This is normal evergreen behavior. 

Colorful and Curious Gourds Provide Fall Interest by Joyce Agostino

Photo by Joyce D'Agostino

Every year when I plan my garden, I try to add a few items such as gourds, pumpkins and ornamental corn that will add some end of the season color and fun. Gourds are easy to grow and can be functional as well as decorative.

Fall Invaders: Insects in the Home by Mary Small

Box Elder Bug Photo clemson.edu

When days shorten and temperatures become chilly, folks often find uninvited guests – insects and their relatives- sharing indoor quarters. Although annoying and even startling, these creatures are just trying to hunker down for winter. They need to find shelter where temperatures hover between 40 and 50 degrees F. The west and south sides of a home can provide warm places to hang out as they search for prime real estate. They don’t need much of an opening on the home exterior to find it, either.  Many can squeeze into quarters using an opening the width of a credit card!

The best way to manage the intruders is to keep them out in the first place.  Look for exterior openings around windows, doors, etc., and caulk them. Examine door sweeps. Can you see light underneath the door? It’s time to replace the sweeps.  These steps will help keep the unwanted critters out and you’ll be increasing energy conservation, too!

The Aster Yellows Blues by Carol King

Echinacea varieties, photo by Donna Duffy

My latest indignity in the garden, (does it never end) is aster yellows in a cone flower, Echinacea purpurea.  A couple of years ago I noticed a Dr. Seussian blossom with funny shaped green things coming out of the flower. My research led me to this condition called aster yellows.

Harvesting Peppers in the Fall by Joyce D'Agostino

Early Jalapeño Pepper, photo by Joyce D'Agostino

If you have grown sweet or hot peppers this season, now is the time to prepare to harvest. Peppers are tender annuals that will not tolerate frost.

Many peppers begin green and then will turn color as they mature or ripen. The taste and heat of the pepper can vary from the green state to when they turn a color. If your peppers are the hot variety, refer to the seed packet information to learn the Scoville units that rates the heat of the pepper. 

PlantTalk: Planting Garlic (Video)

Fall is the best time to plant garlic in Jefferson County. Here are helpful tips from PlantTalk Colorado!