Ash Coating on Leaves From Forest Fire in Boulder

Gardeners residing in north Jefferson County might be experiencing ash deposits on your garden as a result of the big fire in Boulder County.  If you are wondering if this will hurt the plants, here's what Dr. Jim Klett, Professor of Horticulture at CSU has to say: “This late in the season – September 7 – a lot of the trees and shrubs are starting to be ready to shed those leaves, they’re prepared for winter and a little ash won’t harm them.  They’ve already set buds for next year.”

Read the whole story here:

Ash coating on leaves from fire « Gardening after five

Got Cracks in your Tomatoes? Here's Why

 We had question at the Belmar Farmers' Market about cracked tomatoes.  I was unsure as to the cause but Carol O'Meara from Boulder County explained all our summer tomato woes.  Seems it's weather, weather, and weather! 

Gardening after five

Late Season Gardening Tips

 Here's some late season gardening tips from Larimer County master gardener.


Gardening tips | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

Heirloom Tomato Tart by Janet Shangraw

Finally! It's time to harvest the heirloom tomatoes that I've been patiently waiting for all summer. I am so excited by the harvest of these beautiful varieties that I wanted to make a dish that would be just as interesting as the tomatoes. I have been experimenting for a couple of weeks with this tomato tart!

I planted Cherokee Purple, Green Zebras, and heirloom Roma tomatoes this spring. All three of these varieties are indeterminant tomato plants. Indeterminant plants have vines that keep growing through the growing season, extending fruit production until frost kills the vine. Plant size is typically large.
The Cherokee Purple tomatoes are a deep reddish purple color with a crown of green around the top when ripe. Be prepared for a pleasant surprise when cutting into a Cherokee Purple. When sliced, the flesh of the tomato is a very striking brick red color. This tomato has a very rich tomato flavor and is a little sweet. I am pretty pleased with this one.

God and Grass

Jerry Peterson shared this funny observation about suburbanites and their lawns.  It is from a now defunct web newspaper called The San Francisco Call.  Have a good laugh!


 "We must really perplex God: he made us a perfect world and we have to change it. Imagine the conversation The Creator might have had with St. Francis on the subject of lawns."

 Read the complete article here:  god grass 8.16.02

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