Merry Christmas!

Denver Botanic Gardens photo by PRWEB

Happy Holidays from your Jefferson County Colorado Master Gardener team!

Spring Blooming Bulbs Leafing in December by Mary Small

Tulips Leafing in December Photo by Mary Small

Last time I checked the calendar it was December.  So why are some of my spring blooming bulbs leafing?  And what will happen to them following this recent cold snap?

Fortunately my plants (and maybe yours) don’t “think” it is spring! It seems that when fall weather is mild, some bulb plants send up a bit of green foliage. (Some bulb species produce green foliage whether or not the fall has been mild!) In most cases, leaves stay just a few inches above the soil  throughout the rest of the cold period. If the weather is really cold, foliage may freeze and turn yellow or brown and shrivel.  But generally new leaves appear in the spring followed by flowering.

Plants native to cooler climates have a mechanism to keep them from blooming or growing at the “wrong” time, called “chilling requirement”.  This is the number of hours a plant has to be exposed to temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees F before the plant can break dormancy.  Spring flowering bulbs, perennials and trees all have a chilling requirement, although it varies among plant species. Once a plant has met its chilling requirement, it “waits” until conditions are favorable for growth before leafing and flowering.  In our area, the chilling requirements can be met by around February.

Soil temperatures are one of the triggers that tell flowering bulbs that conditions are favorable and its “good to grow”. So we can help slow the progress of spring flowering by adding a mulch layer over the soil where bulbs are planted.  This helps keep soil temperatures cooler and slow the spring leaf and flower development.  If you haven’t applied mulch, go ahead and do it now.
Otherwise Mother Nature has things well in hand.  Enjoy your holidays!

Poinsettia Care by Carol King

Photo Lowes.com

With proper care, the poinsettias that decorate your home during the Christmas season can retain their beauty for many weeks.

Follow these steps for best results:

Photo CSU

• Choose plants with deep, dark green foliage and full, undamaged colored leaves, also called bracts. The actual flower is yellow and is located at the base of the bracts. Plants with tightly-closed flowers that have not yet shed pollen will last the longest in your home.

• Place plants in the sunniest part of the home to ensure proper growth. Avoid placing a poinsettia near cold drafts, radiators and heat vents. To keep the color of the bracts bright, maintain your poinsettia between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler temperature prolongs bract color, but don't allow it to dip below 50 degrees.

• Water poinsettias thoroughly as needed. If your poinsettia is wrapped in a decorative foil, punch holes in the bottom of the foil to ensure proper drainage and removal of excess water.

Contrary to popular belief, the flowers and leaves of poinsettia plants aren't poisonous, nor are they edible.     Here’s a great web site for “All Things Poinsettia” .

(Poinsettia care information from Planttalk Colorado.)

Urban and Community Forestry: Improving Our Quality of Life by Lindon Wiebe

Urban and Community Forestry: Improving Our Quality of LifeBy Lindon Wiebe

Political Yard Signs as Plant Supports by Stan Ames

If your candidate won and you’re “wired” or if you candidate lost and you’re droopy you can still have fun and do something practical with the remnants of the campaign.

Remnants? Yes, the left over yard signs are a valuable source of materials.  If your candidate had a lots of funds and used the plastic corrugated signs you can make a fairly decent tomato, bean  or pea plant cage out of three of the wire supports and six plastic wire ties. 

Growing Broccoli in the Fall by Jennifer Verprauskus

Photo from Urbana Extension

After a mid-summer move into our new house, I realized I had missed my opportunity for growing some of my favorite vegetables. It was far too late to start growing eggplant, tomatoes or peppers so I kept with the excellent produce from my Community Supported Agriculture. I had many conversations with my husband about transforming our front and back yards into xeric wonders hydro-zoned with abundant vegetables but I knew it wasn't going to happen this season. Adding a new landscape wasn't our summer/fall priority. As I was getting the mail one day it dawned on my I could still grow a hardy vegetable crop. Broccoli and cauliflower love cooler temperatures, 40-70 degrees, and can withstand a light frost. They are an excellent Colorado early spring crop but can be grown in the fall as well.  

Simple Structures Can Change Your Garden's Appearance by Keith Hamlyn

How about adding a vertical element without planting a tree?  Do you need a visual divider to change the look of your garden?  Try one of these relatively simple structures – an Espalier frame for your fruit trees or a permanent structure for your vertical plants. 

And What a Great Year it Has Been! by Steve Sherwood

On October 12^th, five members of the Jefferson County CMG program took part in a Health and Wellness Fair at Lockheed Martin.  Over the course of the day we talked with an estimated 500 to 600 employees about gardening and the CMG program.  What made our booth special was the way we actively engaged people.  While many of the people staffing booths sat behind their table and waited to be approached, we waded right into the crowd and asked people if they had any gardening questions. 

Needle Drop in Evergreens by Mary Small

Spruce trees are getting a lot of attention this fall. Their inner needles are turning yellow or brown and dropping off. 

To put your mind at ease, it’s not unusual for these conifers to shed interior needles beginning in late summer and continuing well into fall.  This is normal evergreen behavior.

In fact, all conifers (“evergreens”) including spruce, pine, fir, juniper and arborvitae lose their oldest needles every year. Contrary to what the name implies, “evergreens” are not really green forever. Their needles generally have a 2–4 year life span, although spruce tree needles live about 5-7 years. 

BIRDS, BEES AND BUTTERFLIES… OH MY!! Attracting These Beautiful Creatures to Your Yard by Janet Merriweather

Photo by Tina Ligon

BIRDS: Be careful what you wish for when it comes to calling all birds to your yard! The type of seed you supply can somewhat determine what kind of birds you will attract to your feeders. Just remember, you cannot discriminate against your little feathered friends! When you call them, they will come, all of them! So, when you see all of the black birds and sparrows eating up your seed don’t cringe, rejoice in the fact that you are one with the bird world! Don’t hit the bargain table when buying your seed. You want the best food for the health of your little feathered friends. Things to consider: Suet can go rancid in the high heat, sunflower seeds and peanuts in the shell leave a mess, cracked and whole corn attract unpopular birds and squirrels. Just remember, the more natural the better. Try planting flowers and vines in your yard with birds in mind. Some good resources on the web are: National Audubon Society; www.audubon.org and Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program; www.nwf.org.

A Case for Cover Crops and Green Manuring by Sally Berriman

Crimson Clover and Annual Rye Photo by Peg Tillery

A cover crop is simply a high number of plants, not grown for food but as plant material which is used to improve the soil.   When the cover crop is tilled into the soil, it is referred to as a green manure crop or green manuring.  The terms are often used interchangeably.  While cover crops have been used extensively in commercial agriculture, recently more home and community gardeners are starting to use cover crops on a smaller scale.

Cover crops are beneficial because they build soil structure, add organic materials, replenish soil nutrients, fix atmospheric nitrogen, protect the soil from wind and water erosion, suppress weeds and reduce insect pests.  Additionally, cover crops can provide a green and much more attractive alternative to an expanse of dry dirt during the off-season.  

Fantastic Foliage Plants by Gardener Dave

If you are considering reducing maintenance in your annual garden next year, consider having fewer flowers and adding more foliage plants. When you find a “happy spot” for them, they will increase in size and become even more colorful throughout the summer. Most like more shade than sun, but many will enjoy several hours of morning sunlight if they are watered adequately. They require no deadheading and most take trimming and shaping well. They are available in many contrasting colors, all the way from greens to browns, maroons and reds - many are variegated interestingly and can make striking color combinations with other annuals or even some perennials. 

Consider mixing them in with other plants that like partial sun or shade, such as hostas, caladium, or begonias. Or, plant them in pots as “specimens”. They will grow and reward you with evolving, sun-dappled colors from spring up until frost with minimal care. They are colorful without being overbearingly bright or “in your face” and have the best effect where you can see them up close as you pass by.