Ponderosa pines, spruce may exhibit ‘winter burn’ by Colorado State Forest Service

A frost-damaged tree. (Courtesy of Colorado State Forest Service)

Ponderosa pines, spruce may exhibit ‘winter burn’ by Colo State Forest Service

A cold snap in October, coupled with last week’s extreme temperature fluctuations, injured ponderosa pines, other pine species and spruce trees in the Douglas and Elbert county areas, including Castle Rock, Franktown, Parker, Elizabeth and Kiowa. With warm weather preceding winter last year, the trees did not have the chance to transition into dormancy before freezing occurred. Large shifts in outside temperatures last week exacerbated the damage.

Spinach Time-Lapse - 40 days | Soil cross section

Phenology: Planting for Late Season Now by Nancy Shepard

All Photos by Nancy Shepard

Every year in my excitement to get new plants, I am always drawn to what looks good right now in the stores and plant sales which usually means choosing spring-summer flowering specimens. 

As I start preparing for planting this year, I’m giving special attention to plant phenology or plant blooming time. I was looking through my 2019 garden photos taken in late August and saw how sad and wiped out my garden looked by that time. But I also stumbled on pictures of a mini-vacation we had taken to Steamboat Springs late last fall. We had visited their Yampa River Park botanic gardens and what a wonderful place to get late-blooming ideas. Built in 1995, the park is at 6,880 feet with an average of 158 inches of snowfall each year. The park contains over 50 small gardens donated and tended by organizations and individuals and uses no tax dollars. 

Knock Out Roses (Rosa radrazz) by Quinn Wicken

Courtesy Tagawa Gardens

Knock Out Roses (Rosa radrazz) are an immensely popular, no fuss, beautiful blooming shrub here in Golden, Colorado.   These hardy plants are easy to grow and drought tolerant, come in many colors, and are naturally disease and insect resistant.  One of my favorite characteristics of these hardy bloomers is their self-cleaning abilities, knocking off their own expired blooms to make way for new blooms during the growing season. 

2020 Victory Garden - Becoming radish!

Earth Day is April 22nd by Vicky Spelman

Courtesy Verizon

Earth Day is April 22 of every year, and this year will mark 50 years of Earth Day.  A lot of things are closed or canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic, but Earth Day is not one of them. 

Square Foot Gardening for your 2020 Victory Garden by Vicky Spelman

University of Florida - Gardening Solutions

Square foot gardening is the practice of dividing the growing area into small square sections (typically 12" (30 cm) on a side, hence the name). The aim is to assist the planning and creating of a small but intensively planted vegetable garden. It results in a simple and orderly gardening system, from which it draws much of its appeal. Since the beds are typically small, making covers or cages to protect plants from pests, cold, or sun is more practical than with larger gardens. 

Backyard Botany: Daffodil

What is crop rotation by Vicky Spelman

Courtesy Wisconsin Horticultural Division of Extension

Crop rotation is one of agriculture’s oldest beneficial practices.  In the home vegetable garden, crop rotation involves changing the planting location of vegetables each season within the garden.  It is used to reduce damage from insect pests, to limit the development of vegetable diseases, and to manage the soil fertility.

Want to extend your growing season? by Vicky Spelman

Oregon State University Extension

Want to extend your growing season? Build a raised bed cloche.  

Cloche (pronounced klōsh) is a bell or dome-shaped cover used to protect small or delicate outdoor plants from frost and cold weather.  This definition has expanded and includes the many types of portable and permanent structures used for sheltering plants from wind and cold – and serve as mini-green houses.

Easter Lily Lore and Care by Vicky Spelman

Pixabay

The popular Easter lily we use today to celebrate the holiday is referred to as ‘the white-robed apostles of hope.’  These snow-white flowers symbolize new life and hope.

Vegetable Miracles in the Snow by Nancy Shepard

Photo: Nancy Shepard

With such nice weather last week, I cleared a space in my garden for planting some cool-season veggies:

·      Arugula (Eruca vesicaria ‘Rocket’)

·      Spinach (Sinacia oleracea ‘Lavewa’)

·      Snap Peas (Pisum sativum ‘Sugar Snap’)

·      Snow Peas (Pisum sativum ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’)

Spring Planted 'Bulbs' for Summer Color by Barb Kett

SPRING PLANTED “BULBS” FOR SUMMER COLOR

“Bulb” generally covers true bulbs and other structures such as corms, tubers, tuberous roots and stems, and rhizomes that store food for the plants.  Buy bulbs early to get the biggest selection and healthiest bulbs - usually, the bigger, firmer the bulb, the better the flowers.

There are many spring planted bulbs that provide great color, foliage, and flowers for the summer season.  Dahlias, caladium, canna, gladiolus, allium, tuberous begonia, and lilies are some of the easiest to find summer blooming bulbs.

Urban Farming by Vicky Spelman

 Graphic - Vicky Spelman

Urban:  An urban area is the region surrounding a city. Most inhabitants of urban areas have nonagricultural jobs. Urban areas are very developed, meaning there is a density of human structures such as houses, commercial buildings, roads, bridges, and railways. "Urban area" can also refer to towns, cities, and suburbs.