Summer Solstice by Vicky Spelman

Courtesy Pixabay

Hello Summer and the longest day of the year! 

Summer Solstice 2022 in the Northern Hemisphere arrives at at 3:13 AM on Tuesday, June 21st in Denver.  In terms of daylight, this day is 5 hours, 38 minutes longer than the December solstice.   

I'll take that house by the Native Mason Bees & Vicky Spelman

Mason bee moving in May 27, 2022
All Photos: Vicky Spelman

Recently, I found an abandoned mud dauber’s nest that I sat down on a work/storage table under the covered patio. A few days later, I noticed a lot of activity around this mud nest.  The mason bees were moving in – ready made housing for them.  

Building Berms: Lessons Learned by Nancy Shepard

2022 front yard with berm, four years after installation. Photo by Nancy Shepard

When we replaced our front yard landscape in 2018, I wanted to make our yard a little more private. We live on a corner and even though the traffic is minimal, it made sense to not only create a bit of privacy, but also give the yard a bit of visual dynamic. 

Organic Gardening in a Nutshell by Amy Norwood

Organic lawn fertilizer with an OMRI logo, Photo: Amy Norwood

Gardening season is here. If you're reading this blog post, chances are that you're a gardener who cares about the impact your garden has on nature and you want to minimize the impact. Learning about organic gardening practices and including them in your gardening routine can move you toward that goal. But what exactly are organic gardening practices?

My Winter-Time Master Gardener Work by Ed Powers

One of the African Violets grown in the winter enclosure.
We did lose some of the violets due to the moisture level
but most of them made it.

Every late fall and winter are an interesting time for me as a Master Gardener at 8,000 feet.  I enjoy gardening during the late spring and summer.  My question after summer is what is next.  

Hardening Off and Transplanting Seedlings

 

Photo by Brooke Coburn

It is time to begin to transplant tender seedlings outdoors, and seedlings that have grown indoors up to this point need special treatment before being planted outdoors. These seedlings are used to lower light levels, protection from the elements, and ample water. So they will need to adjust gradually to the outdoor environment, a process called hardening off.

Drip Watering Pots and Plant Containers by Gardener Dave

Some years ago I swore off clay pots in my landscaping layout. My reason for this is:  In our dry climate, small clay pots dry out “before you can put the hose away” – especially the unglazed ones.  Glazed pots fare a little better, but beware of the darker colors as they absorb radiant heat and can cook plant roots if they are in full sun all day.

I still like the look of unglazed clay pots, especially in groups with the largest in the center, or large-to-small arrangement. The “Italian style” pots with the thicker rounded rims are my favorites.  Hmmmm… now I’m talking about “my favorite unglazed pots”!  What convinced me to use them again after I had sworn off?

Watch Out for Hail Season! by Joyce D'Agostino

 

Photo: Joyce D'Agostino

For many of us, having to deal with hailstorms is a reality. In this area of Colorado, we are in a hail zone meaning that we can experience more than the average hail events, and some of them can wipe out your garden in minutes.

Earth Day 2022 by Vicky Spelman

“This is the moment to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods.”

“For Earth Day 2022, we need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It’s going to take all of us. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.” ~EarthDay.org

Cheap Versus Expensive Seeds by Nancy Shepard

Seeds can cost from $1.00 to $5.00 a packet or more. Are expensive seeds that much better? Turns out that less expensive seed must meet the same minimum germination standard as expensive seed, but that’s not the whole story. Federal and state laws ensure that all commercially available farm and garden seeds are properly tested for purity, noxious weed seeds, and germination rates. The 2017 Colorado Seed Act “prevents the distribution and use of poor quality seed through the regulation of labeling, labelers, and the sellers of seed for propagation.”  https://ag.colorado.gov/plants/seed

April Fools' Day gardening... by Vicky Spelman

 Some fun April Fools' Day gardening pranks...

image courtesy of Mr. Plant Geek 

Power-flower – the USB sunflower

A press release issued by Thompson & Morgan’s horticultural innovators in 2014 was about the amazing FlowerPower product, which could charge an iPad or mobile phone and had a waterproof USB port in its stem.  Of course, it was a prank, but would have been neat and useful if real.

A Different Approach to Growing Basil by Amy Norwood

 

Photo: Amy Norwood

Basil is a wonderful herb for the summer garden because it pairs so well with tomatoes and other summer garden veggies!  Left to its own devices, the basil plant will produce a spike of small flowers on the end of each stem.  The flowers eventually become seeds.  The conventional wisdom for growing basil is to pinch off the flower spikes when they appear.  If you want to eat the basil, by pinching the flowers you encourage the plant to put its energy into growing leaves, not making seeds.