Ripening Green Tomatoes Before First Frost by Carol King

Photo by Carol King

Tomato season is almost over and there are only a few weeks left before frost. (Average first freeze date in Denver is October 7).  Now is the time to start thinking about dealing with green tomatoes. 

Here are a few tips to speed-ripen on the vine:

• Stop watering. This encourages ripening.
• Root prune the plant. Dig into the soil 6-8” deep and cut around a circle 12” from the stem. Shake the plant but don’t dig it up. This will stress the plant and the fruit will ripen faster.
• Pinch off any flowers, small fruit, new shoots, and suckers. Newly setting blossoms, small and very green fruit won’t mature in the remaining growing season and are best pruned off. It’s too late for them to become anything. Do this now and all the plants energy will go toward ripening.
• When the fruit set is heavy, try removing some of the mature green fruit to ripen what’s left on the vine. Ripening numerous fruit takes a lot of energy from the leaves and tends to delay the whole crop turning red.

When frost is expected, try these:

• Cover the plant completely and anchor so the wind doesn’t blow it off. Use old blankets, thick plastic, or anything similar and make sure it goes all the way to the ground providing the plant with trapped warmth.
• Harvest the tomatoes by pulling the plant from the ground and hanging it upside down in a garage or other shelter. Check often for ripe ones.
• Pick the pink ones and put them on the counter to ripen
• Pick the green tomatoes and store them in a shallow tray lined with newspaper. They need 60-70 degrees and no light. The warmth ripens them not light.    
• For more information, try these Fact Sheets:  http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1832.html, http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/ripening.htm, http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1831.html. 

Photo by Carol King

Plant Pansies in the Fall! by Carol King

Photo Carol King

Fall is the perfect time to plant pansies again. In fact, pansies and violas or Johnny jump-ups can be staples of the fall garden. These plants, both from the genus Viola, prefer cooler weather and struggle in the heat of summer. 

Pansies have a colorful past with lots of folklore about them.  One of my favorites is this one about why they have no odor: “A German fable tells of how the pansy lost its perfume. Originally pansies would have been very fragrant, growing wild in fields and forests.  It was said that people would trample the grass completely in eagerness to pick pansies. Unfortunately, the people’s cows were starving due to the ruined fields, so the pansy prayed to give up her perfume. Her prayer was answered, and without her perfumed scent, the fields grew tall, and the cows grew fat on the fresh green grass.”  {from Wikipedia).

Pansies are easy to grow in both pots (in potting soil medium) and in the ground. With some luck and judicious mulching, they can last clear through the winter into Spring!

Fall: The Best Time to Sow Native Plant Seeds by Donna Duffy

Tradescantia occidentalis, Western Spiderwort, photo by Donna Duffy

There are many benefits to using native plants for Colorado home landscapes. They are naturally adapted to our various climates, soils and environmental conditions. When correctly sited, they make ideal plants for sustainable landscape. Native perennials require less maintenance such as watering and fertilizing when the planting site mimics the plant’s native habitat.

Early September in Your Garden by Donna Duffy

Photo courtesy brockfarms.com

It’s September, and Colorado gardeners are busy harvesting their vegetables and enjoying the last blooms of summer. Before all the fall gardening chores kick in, here are some simple September tasks to tackle.

How to Store Fruits And Vegetables for Winter by Carol King

Photo CSU Extension

If you have had a successful year in your garden or purchased an abundant amount of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Farmers’ Markets, farm stands, or from your CSA membership, it’s time to put that food away for the winter!

There are several choices for over wintering produce. Your main objectives should be safety and preservation of flavor and nutrition. These fact sheets from Colorado State University Extension will give you careful advice and processes for the best food storage systems.

Debunking Gardening Myths By Joyce D’Agostino

Photo by Carol King

Most of us have limited time and money to spend on gardening. Any tip or advice that is correct and timely is valuable so that we can enjoy the best success each gardening season.

We read information in publications or online, and know that there are many sources that post gardening and growing information that is based on information handed down, "old wives tales", made up, or advice from  books, magazines or "so called" garden gurus on television. Sometimes applying that information to your own garden can prove to be disappointing.

To bypass spending your efforts on the wrong information, a wise tip is to always seek out research based information. Even people well known in the gardening world may be passing along information that is partially or sometimes totally incorrect. Research based information which comes from institutions like Colorado State University, are based on proving or disproving information using scientific methods. This helps you know the information is based on fact.

The Giants of Summer by Donna Duffy

Photo courtesy Donna Duffy and Cassie Wilborn

One of the more fun aspects of gardening is growing something that is really big! This time of summer, the garden giants are in their prime, adding exceptional size and wonder to the landscape. Following are four easy “giants” to grow in your gardens.

Celebrate the Games of the XXXI Olympiad Rio 2016 With Roses by Carol King

"Olympiad" photo emeraldstudiophoto.com

The first Olympics is dated to 776 BC; similarly, ornamental roses have been cultivated, dating to 500 BC in Mediterranean countries, Persia, and China. Since the 1950’s roses have taken their names from many sources, from well-known public figures to seasonal occurrences and even the Olympics.

Colorado Cicadas by Rebecca Anderson

Dog Day Cicada (Tibicen dorsatus), photo courtesy CSU Extension

I've seen some news articles lately about 2016 being the year of the cicada in parts of the eastern United States.  Brood V of the 17-year cicada, made up of the species Magicicada cassini, M. septendecim and M. septendecula will emerge when the soil temperature reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit and grace a six-state region with their song.  The emergence is expected to occur in May.  The last time this particular group of cicadas emerged was in 1999. 

Transpiration-Vegetables Wilting in the Sun by Joyce D'Agostino

Photo by Carol King

Have you ever hurried home after work, looking forward to some quality gardening time only to find some of your pumpkins and squash look like they have died?

If the wilt is not caused by insects, then chances are what you are observing is called Transpiration. This process is normal and your plants will likely bounce back later to their former healthy appearance once the temperatures cool down. 

Transpiration is the loss of water vapor through the stomata of the leaves. The stomata is the outer layer of the leaf’s outer “skin” layer. 

Plants that often show dramatic transpiration are ones like pumpkins, squash and gourds which may develop very large leaves. Transpiration actually is a very effective process for the plant to move minerals up from the root, to help cool the plant and for the “turgor pressure” which helps non-woody plants have their form and shape. 

Help your plants handle their transpiration efficiently by keeping them well hydrated, watering in the cool time of the morning. Once your hot day cools down, you can recheck your plant and the soil area. Chances are that your plant has sprung back up to its normal shape and will continue on with healthy growth and production. If your area seems especially hot and dry, using some light shade cloth may help protect your plant from sunburn as well.

For more information on transpiration and other related processes, refer to this GardenNotes publication:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/141.pdf 

Do Plants Repel Mosquitos? by Donna Duffy

Photo courtesy cdc.gov

 Ask any gardener – they will tell you that it’s a buggy year. The mosquitos seem especially ferocious this summer, which made me wonder if there are any plants that will repel mosquitos. Here’s what I learned from CSU’s research.

Photo courtesy everydayhealth.com

Rumors and misinformation abound regarding plants that will repel mosquitoes in home landscapes. Common plants purported to repel mosquitoes include catnip, peppermint, rosemary, marigolds, Eucalyptus and Artemisia species, to name a few. None of them will repel mosquitoes by merely growing in a landscape. The volatile oils purported to have repellent properties are released when plants are crushed or burned. No data exists to support their effectiveness as repellents. Check out Plantalk’s publication Do Plants Repel Mosquitos for more information. 

Since we can’t depend on landscape plantings to repel mosquitos, the next best thing is to try to repel them by other means. To keep mosquitoes away during outdoor gatherings, burn Citronella candles. Lemon grass, Cymbopogan nardus, a course grass-like plant, contains Citronella oils. Burning candles with wicks saturated with the herb, myrrh is also quite effective at keeping many insects away. In fact, ancient Egyptians used myrrh as a fumigant.

If insects such as mosquitoes have already become a problem, many herbs can be used directly on the skin as repellents. Infusions of 50% Chamomile and 50% Elder leaves dubbed on skin are effective for up to 20 minutes. Infusions are much like making tea, boiling water is poured over the herb and the herb/water mixture is then left to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. The remaining liquid is strained and used as the repellant.

As well as infusion, other properties of herbs such as their essential oils can be used as repellents. Essential oils such as Lavender, Tea tree oil and Citronella from the stone root, Collinsonia canadensis can be worn on the skin and in hair to effectively keep mosquitoes away. It is best to dilute these powerful essential oils in a little olive oil and test this new mixture on a patch of skin before applying to ones entire body. More information can be found in CSU’s publication Plants Help Keep Mosquitos Away.

Don’t let the mosquitos chase you indoors – grab a repellant and make your stand!

Deadhead Flowers for More Blooms by Carol King

July can be an exciting month in the garden. The results of all the hard labor in the spring are beginning to be evident: lots of blooms, especially monarda, black eyed susan, shasta daisy, day lilies, lavender, Russian sage and yarrow; the annuals are looking great and the grass is still green enough!

I spent Sunday deadheading, pinching, cutting back, and disbudding. I know this sounds like torture techniques performed on some poor wretch in a medieval novel, but these actions are just what most blooming flowers need. These methods will increase and provide continuous blooms throughout the season. They also help to keep the garden tidy; flowers compact and help you get that special blossom you want to win the prize in the county fair!