Fruitcake – Will It Really Last Forever? by Vicky Spelman

Photo Credit - Pinterest

Nothing says Christmas like fruitcake!  Is fruitcake part of your holiday traditions?  Using the trifecta of sugar, low moisture ingredients with some high-proof spirits can make fruitcakes some of the longest-lasting foods.  

Fun Plant to Grow: Christmas Cactus by Ed Powers

Pink Holiday cactus courtesy Gardener's path

I have lived in many parts of this country in my lifetime and like many of you, I garden indoor and outdoor.  One of the most beautiful indoor plants I’ve run across is the Christmas Cactus.  It was given that name because it blooms around Christmas.  In a way it is misnamed because many of these plants bloom at times other than Christmas.  I have one that blooms at Thanksgiving and then turns around and blooms at Easter.  

Critters in the garden? by Ed Powers

Raised pots on our Deck.  We used sonic pulse stakes in these pots
Photo: Ed Powers

Some of the critter challenges of growing vegetables and flowers at elevation.

I have had gardens in several states and done well growing both vegetables and flowers.  Until I moved to Colorado, I grew my plants at or below sea level.  Elevation in Colorado is very different because of lower humidity, more direct sun and the mountain weather patterns. Also, the wildlife creates havoc with gardens and vegetables.  I deal with deer, elk, rabbits, voles, mice, pack rats, chipmunks, and ground squirrels to name a few that love my gardens.  My first 3 years gardening were a disaster.

Water-saving Farm under Solar Panels by Nancy Shepard

Photo: Kirk Siegler

With so much gloomy news about climate change and the continuing drought conditions in Colorado, I saw a story on NPR that had positive news about solar power and agriculture that I wanted to share.

Happy Thanksgiving! by Vicky Spelman

Jill Wellington for Pexels

The cornucopia is a symbol of Thanksgiving or the fall harvest and many of us use one to decorate our dining room tables as the centerpiece to our traditional feast.  It refers to a horn-shaped basket or a gourd that has been hollowed out and filled with fruits and vegetables gathered from a good harvest - sometimes it may contain flowers for added beauty.

Winter Care for Houseplants by Vicky Spelman

Photo: Vicky Spelman

Houseplants make us happy – especially in the winter months but winter time can be difficult for houseplants with the drier conditions in the home.  Here are some tips to keep them healthy and looking their best.

Preparing Your Soil for Winter by Nancy Shepard

 

Photo by Lukas. Pexel.com

By November you’ve probably pulled out your dead vegetable plants, pulled out plant stakes, cleaned up your perennial areas, and mulched the leaves over your lawn. But what about your soil? We usually think of our garden soil in the spring when we get ready to plant and want to amend it. But you can do some beneficial things for your soil before winter arrives.

This little-known fruit can be grown at different altitudes by Ed Powers

 

Courtesy:  Baker Creek Seeds

This last summer (2021) was the most amazing and most successful in my Garden to date.  I learned many new things about how to protect my Gardens and some new vegetables that grow in our area.  I would like to focus on one of those vegetables that I grew.  They are Physalis pruinose - common name Ground Cherry Tomato.  They are flowering plants in the Nightshade group and close relatives of tomatoes, Chinese Lanterns and Tomatillos.  They grow in warm temperate and subtropical regions of the world. 

Durango Botanic Gardens by Nancy Shepard

 

All pictures by Nancy Shepard

On a recent trip to southern Colorado, I stopped in to the Durango Botanic Gardens. Despite the late growing season in October, I was pleasantly surprised at what they have created. The first garden, the Library Demonstration Garden, was built in 2011 when a handful of community-minded citizens began reimagining and repurposing an unsightly, weedy area behind the library into a Plant Select® Demonstration Garden.

Autumn Décor from Your Own Backyard by Nancy Shepard

 

With October’s cooler evenings and my garden slowly retreating, I cruised the hobby and craft stores looking for autumn decorations. My grandchildren live far away so pumpkins, ghouls and corn stalks didn’t interest me this year. “Just something that looks natural” I said to myself as I looked over all the fuax flowers and leaves with their neon bright oranges and yellows. The stores even have some made to look nearly dead to convince you it looks like real autumn. I left empty handed.

Tips for recycling Fall leaves by Vicky Spelman

Photo Credit: Jerry Downs

Leaves are starting to turn colors and beginning to fall around our landscapes. 

Leaves contain a blend of nutrients that are beneficial for your yard and shrubs.  Some of the simplest and most economical uses for leaves are: free fertilizer, mulch and nutrient rich compost.  

Getting your Poinsettia Plant ready for the upcoming holidays By Joyce D’Agostino

Photo: Kansas State University

If you have a Poinsettia plant from last year that is still in good condition, you can follow a few tips to get it ready to show its colors for the holiday season.