Dying, off-color pine needles normal in autumn by Colorado State Forest Service

Courtesy of Colorado State Forest Service

Although thousands of evergreen trees in Colorado’s high country, foothills and communities are beginning to display dying yellow or brown needles, most are simply going through a natural shedding process – they are not being damaged by bark beetles or any specific tree insect or disease. (Courtesy of Colorado State Forest Service) 

Protecting your Pumpkin Masterpieces by Vicky Spelman

Pexels

Getting ready to carve your pumpkins?  Here are some tips to help your pumpkin masterpieces last for Halloween or your special event.    

Fall Maintenance of Garden Tools

 

Photo: Pexels: Buntysmum

While making plans to build a garden shed and taking inventory of what we want to put into it, I realized that in the twenty-plus years we’ve been in this house, I’ve always stored my garden tools outside. They have a bit of rust and the wooden handles have taken a heavy beating. Time to rescue them!

Introducing New Staff Members by Vicky Spelman

We would like to introduce two of our new staff members. 

Hania Oleszak

Please welcome Hania Oleszak as our new CSU Extension Agent for Horticulture, Plant Pathology and Food Systems. Hania has her Bachelors in biology from Boston College and her Masters in Soil Science from CSU. While she has previous experience working at Cornell Extension on vegetable pathology and plant breeding research, she's excited to delve deeper into the horticultural field in this position. Hania’s also passionate about sustainable food systems and regenerative agriculture, so she's especially looking forward to exploring and contributing to Jefferson County's food system. When Hania’s not at work, you're likely to find her skiing or rock climbing, tending her house plants or her cat, or cooking something up in the kitchen!

Garden Successes and Failures by Sue Zirbes

Photo:  Sue Zirbes

We asked our Master Gardeners to share what successes and failures they’ve experienced in their gardens this year....

Garden Successes and Failures by Sally Blanchard

Scarlet Runner Beans
Baker Creek Seeds

We asked our Master Gardeners to share what successes and failures they’ve experienced in their gardens this year....

Extending Your Tomatoes at the End of the Season

Photo taken October 25, 2014 by E.J. Bennet

We’ve had several Master Gardeners in the past few years give us tips on extending and preserving the last crops of tomatoes. Their advice is still sound and worth trying. Thanks to E.J. Bennet, Joyce D’Agostino, and Carol King.

Speed Ripening

If you want to maximize your tomato output through the first frost, follow these steps in late August or early September to speed-ripen them on the vine:

Time to Divide Your Iris by Vicky Spelman

Photo:  Pixabay

It’s hard to beat Iris in your landscape with the numerous species and cultivars in almost every shade of color imaginable.  Plus, the foliage adds texture and interest to garden spaces even when the flowers aren’t in bloom.  

Growing Your “Third Season” Crops By Joyce D’Agostino

Leafy Greens Photo: Colorado State University

By now, many gardeners are enjoying the bounty of their warm season vegetables such as tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers. However we do know that these vegetables do not tolerate frosts well and their production will be done in the fall.

If you would like to continue to harvest into the fall, there is still time to plant a few hardy garden crops. Many of these vegetables are very nutritious and will help extend your garden harvests even after some frosts.

My Vegetables Are Too Hot! by Nancy Shepard

Shade screen over vegie garden. Photo by Nancy Shepard

With recent hot weather hitting 96 degrees before 10 am, I knew my vegetable garden would struggle. I remembered a presentation on growing vegetables in Colorado by Darrin Parmenter with CSU Extension in La Plata County several years ago. I was surprised to learn that tomato plants fail to produce if daytime temperatures get above 90 degrees by 10 am. He said the blossoms would abort their attempt to produce fruit. He also said that peppers were similar to tomatoes with mild peppers' optimal temperatures between 65-90 degrees and hot peppers' optimal temperatures between 75-90 degrees. And even my heat-tolerant lettuces will start to bolt and become bitter when temperatures are above 80 degrees.

What’s Eating my Potted Flowers? By Vicky Spelman

A favorite morning ritual is to head outdoors with my coffee and check on the garden and the potted flowers.  It’s comforting to look at the plants and see everything growing.  What’s not comforting is to find part of the garden or potted flowers have been munched on.  

Slow the Flow by Nancy Shepard

Photo: Peggychouair Pixabay

Last year when I was researching how homeowners could get help replacing their thirsty lawns, I came across Resource Central located in Boulder. They have several conservation programs for residential homeowners: Garden in a Box, Lawn Replacement Service, Slow the Flow and more.