Gerbera Daisies by Gardener Dave

With their large, bright, color-crayon-colorful “Daisy” flowers, wide “spinachy” leaves and upright attitude, healthy Gerberas, Gerbera jamesonii (hybrids) are an asset to the garden in beds or in pots.  They are rated by some nurseries as “Impulse Buys”, due to their showy nature.  Ooookay!  Sure, I can grow those – they look so healthy and easy!  I can accept that they are an annual here!

Impact of Soil on Veggie Gardening by Gardener Cumax

Applewood Community Garden (32nd Ave. and I-70 in background)

It's been a week since the start of Fall weather, which started Saturday, August 14 with the cool weather. It was cool enough to start turning my tomatoes red. The recent warm up hasn't altered the rate of ripening.I've been the busiest I've ever been gardening this year. The seedlings kept me busy from March to June. Then gardening and yardwork kept me busier from June to even now. I've wanted to stop and write down my observations, some things I've learned this season as it happened but decided that each time I watered I would spend that time observing and memorizing what I've learned and see if those still apply throughout the season.

Edible flowers Give Meals Zest

I've blogged about eating weeds; why not flowers?  The same caution however:  Know What You Are Eating!  Read here:

Colorado State University Extension - Edible flowers give meals zest

The World's 18 Strangest Gardens

 Cool article about strange gardens!  I want one.



Print - The World's 18 Strangest Gardens - Popular Mechanics

Cicadas Sing for Love

 Don't you just love the sound of the cicadas singing this time of year?  They are such fascinating insects.  Here's an article by Boulder Extension Agent Carol O'Meara.  Seems it's all about sex. But then most things in the garden are!!


Colorado State University Extension - Cicadas sing for love

Ripening Tomatoes

 Are you concerned that your tomatoes are not ripening quickly enough?  Mine seem to be stuck in a "green tomato" time warp!  Here's some tips from master gardener in Larimer County. I'm heading out to pinch my tomatoes right now.


Master gardener tips: Gently pinch off flower growth to let tomatoes fully ripen | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

In the garden: To pick or not to pick, now that is a pickle | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

Do you know when you should harvest? "Harvesting at the right time is just as important as growing your produce. Harvesting too early and you are left with a vegetable that hasn't developed its full flavor. Or if harvesting too late, you are often left with something that has a pithy interior or a very starchy or sharp flavor, creating a poor imitation of the glorious summer taste. Either would be a waste of you time, money, and hard work."  Read here for the best time to harvest.



In the garden: To pick or not to pick, now that is a pickle | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

Community Garden Target of Bugs, Beetles ... Burglars

The folks into community gardening in Grand Junction, Colorado are not having the perfect summer.  Let's hope the thieves are merely hungry and not malicious!!

Community garden target of bugs, beetles ... burglars | GJSentinel.com

Iris, Iris Everywhere! Rejuvenating the Iris Garden

How's your iris looking?  Mine are pretty sad right now.  This article from a sister Master Gardener in Larimer County if filled with good advice on rejuvenating your iris garden.

Colorado State University Extension - Iris, Iris Everywhere!

Colorado Public Radio:Deep Freeze Seed Storage in Fort Collins

Here's CPR's continuing series. "Vats of liquid nitrogen and a tornado-proof vault protect the contents at the Seed Bank in Ft. Collins. In our Backyard Farmers series, guarding a genetic legacy for future farmers."  Listen here:

Deep Freeze Seed Storage in Fort Collins:

Give Your Garden Some Summer Love

Has your garden hit the mid-summer gardening “blooms and blahs”  as described in this article from CSU Extension?  "The high temperatures and long days have not only had an effect on our lives, they have encouraged some plants to strive and other plants to take a dive. "  Read here on tips to perk up the garden blahs!



Give your garden some summer love | Greeley Tribune

Shopping at Colorado Farmers’ Markets

CSU Extension has a new fact sheet with good advice on making the most of Colorado's many wonderful Farmers' Market.  Learn best practices here:

Shopping at Colorado Farmers’ Markets

Poisonous Weeds

Water Hemlock

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about eating the weeds in your garden.  Here's a cautionary article about being sure those weeds are the edible varieties.  There's poison in them there woods!! Be very careful when eating anything wild.


Horticulture - Poisonous Weeds

Colorado Public Radio Series: Backyard Farmer

 Colorado Public Radio is doing a weekly series "Backyard Farmers," about people who are bringing a little of the farm to the city.    This one is about people who don’t want to just eat what they grow, they want to sell it, too. But Zachary Barr finds that it’s nearly impossible to make a living as an urban farmer.

Click here to listen in:

The  City Farmer's Struggle

Hot Weather Garden Problems by Carol King and Donna Duffy

The Dog Days of summer are here. The Greeks and Romans believed the dog star Sirius, a prominent star in the August heavens,  was the cause of the hot, sultry weather. They considered this to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" according to Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813.

It’s also the time in the garden when hot weather causes all sorts of calamities as well and gives gardeners fevers, hysterics and phrensies!  Be on the lookout for these problems.

Crocosmia by Gardener Dave

Occasionally when I find a plant I like and am curious about, I like to research it for more information. Many years ago on a trip to the British Isles, I saw a plant in a garden that attracted my attention because of its bright color and unique bloom shape. I saw a name on a label, and determined to find out more about it when I returned home.  I found that most of its cultivars are not really hardy hereon the Front Range, but wanted to try it anyway.
Crocosmia – a perennial in the iris-gladiola family – is a South African native.

Colorado Gardener Summer Edition

Click on this link for the most current edition of the Colorado Gardener!
Colorado Gardener Summer Edition