Hardy Succulents: Tough Plants for every Climate; Book Review by Pam Macy

 “Succulents are the drama queens of contemporary gardens,” states the back cover of this compelling book.  Hardy Succulents: Tough Plants for every Climate, by Gwen Moore Kelaidis, Storey Publishing, 2008, is a stunningly beautiful paperback, containing an abundance of close-up color photos and descriptions of succulents of every kind. After recently viewing Ms. Kelaidis’ garden during the 2012 Colorado Master Gardeners’ tour in Denver, and gradually realizing I was witnessing an experienced garden talent in action; there was no doubt I needed to purchase her book.  The array of succulents in her garden, both in-ground and in countless containers, was a visual feast.

This book is particularly useful for Colorado gardeners, since Ms. Keladis resides and gardens here (zone 5b). It references what will grow elsewhere but offers specific recommendations about what is most suitable for our western conditions. Reading the text often feels like talking to a good friend who is sharing her knowledge because she wants her friend to enjoy these plants just as much as she does, and to insure her success in growing them.  Ms. Kelaidis was a joy to meet; when I asked her about propagating hens and chicks, before I knew it, she had retrieved several starter pots of hens and chicks, and gave them to my companions and I!

Aphids by Gail Wilson

One of the most common insect problems we suffer here on the Front Range is Aphids.  They are so very common they are sometimes called plant lice.  These small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects are generally less than 1/8" long.  Green or black is the most common color but they can also be found in a variety of other colors as well. 

The insects survive by sucking the sap and juices from the soft, new growth, causing injury to plants.  These injuries damage the plant's ability to properly process food and causes the plant to lose vigor, wilt, distort or show spots.  Aphids can also transmit viral diseases from unhealthy plants to healthy plants.

Garden Tool Care at Its Finest: Oiled Sand by Gail Wilson

I have spent a fair amount of money on my garden tools and I work hard at keeping them in good shape.  One of the ways I do that is oiled sand and I would like to share that secret with you.

I use a 3-gallon plastic bucket because I found it at a thrift store but you can use a 5-gallon bucket or even a large trash can filled only about a third full.

To create the oiled sand I used general all-purpose sand and the most inexpensive motor oil I could find at the local big box store.  You can use mineral oil or vegetable oil but for me the motor oil was less expensive.   The success of the project is not dependent on the quality of the oil.    A 5-gallon bucket requires approximately ½ gallon of oil so for my 3-gallon bucket I used a total of about 1 and 1/3 quarts.  That is enough oil to moisten the sand but not enough to create a drippy mess.

Will my Green Bell Peppers turn Yellow? by Gail Wilson

Have trouble figuring out when peppers are ripe and ready for harvest? Here's a few tips to help.

First things first, different pepper plants produce different colored peppers so it is imperative that you know what type of peppers you’ve planted.

You can harvest peppers at any size desired, however, green bell varieties are usually harvested when they are fully grown, about 3-4 inches.  When fruit is mature, they break easily from the plant but less damage occurs if the fruit is cut from the plant.

Crops in Pots: Lessons from the Demonstration Garden by Patti O'Neal

Space – or the lack of it – often prevents people from even considering growing their own food.  But that need not be the case.  What you may perceive as a lack of space may be an opportunity to “think outside of the box” and enable you to grow at the very least, your two or three favorite edibles to use in your kitchen.  And it is not too late to begin even this year!

Container gardening with edibles is not only easy, but brings gardening to apartment dwellers, or those living in patio homes, condos or on small lots or even in community living situations.  About the only limiting factor is the orientation to the sun.  Vegetables, with very few exceptions, require minimum of 6 hours of full sun a day.  Obviously, some will plants will perform better with the optimum 8 hours, but 6 are doable and spring and fall crops of greens can even perform well with 4.

Grafted Tomatoes – REALLY? by Barb Klett

So why graft a plant that has only one season?  Isn’t that a lot of work for a little pay off? And expensive to boot?  Huh?

Grafted Tomatoes

REALLY, there are reasons for grafting tomatoes – the same reasons we graft other plants.  The rootstock is sturdy, disease resistant, stress tolerant, and/or they increase productivity.  The grafted part is said to have better qualities than the original rootstock, such as flavor or size.

Tomato grafting has been used in Asia and Europe for some time (since the 1960s) and is currently used in Mediterranean areas, while it is gaining popularity in the US too.  There are several reasons the grafted tomatoes are becoming so popular.  The rootstock is chosen to help deal with many kinds of abiotic issues including salinity, drought/flood and temperature extremes.  The rootstock selection can be effective against many fungus, bacteria, virus, and even nematodes and may help reduce use of soil fumigants.

Beckon the Butterflies! by Donna Duffy

A couple of days ago, I was standing in the yard with my 6-year old neighbor, watching a butterfly flit around the garden. She was thoroughly entranced until the butterfly flew away. With a heavy sigh, she shook her head and said, “I just wish they would stay a little longer.”

It’s true, butterflies often seem to be just passing through our yards. You can prolong their visit by changing some of your gardening practices to provide them the food and shelter they are seeking.

Water Vegetables Properly by Carol King

Drip Systems are best for watering vegetables. Photo courtesy of University of Mississippi

As if growing vegetables in Colorado weren't hard enough, did you know each vegetable has different water needs?  Watering your vegetables properly during the growing season is directly related to produce quality and yields.  Most vegetables use around quarter-inch of water per day during typical summer weather.  If the garden is watered every four days, apply one inch of water per irrigation.  Hot, windy weather will increase water demand significantly.   Many vegetables become strong-flavored or stringy with water stress.

CSU provides this list of  some critical watering needs for selected vegetables:

• Asparagus needs water most critically during spear production and fern (foliage) development.  Less water is needed after ferns reach full size.


• Cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, Brussels sprouts, kale, and kohlrabi) need consistent moisture during their entire life span.  The quality of cole crops is significantly reduced if the plants get dry anytime during the growing season. Water use is highest and most critical during head development.

Buffalo Grass Lawn by Carol King

plantinggrassseed.org

Have you been considering a buffalo grass lawn? As drought rears its ugly head again and again  and water costs increase, more individuals and businesses are looking for alternatives to water-guzzling turf. Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss) is an attractive, fine-textured, low-water-use native grass that grows throughout the Great Plains from Minnesota to Montana and south into Mexico. This warm-season perennial establishes itself as a short (three to six inches tall) sod grass and spreads by means of runners called stolons. The runners form a turf that is solid, yet can accommodate wildflowers and native bunch grasses. Buffalograss is exceptionally cold- and drought-tolerant, and has no known disease or insect problems. It is ideal for large landscaped areas such as businesses, parks, and schools. (University of Texas at Austin)


Here's the complete how to for planting an attractive buffalo grass lawn.

Water, Accurately Applied When and Where You Want It by Dave Moland

Let’s face it folks – the era of our trying to simulate summer rainstorms when we water our landscapes is over. The “New Age of Aquarius” is upon us, and I’m not referring to astrological eras or meanings here. Aquarius in mythology was “the cup-bearer to the gods”, or the sign of the “water carrier”. We don’t have to water our gardens by carrying water in cups, but now it’s time for us all to apply our water much more wisely and accurately!

Having experienced a very dry March, and seeing the TV news regarding the relatively low mountain snow pack in our watershed areas, coupled with the fast spring melt and a very possible hot, dry summer, I believe that all forms of Water Wise Gardening – including drip watering, use of soaker hoses and minimizing our turf areas, will soon be “mandatory” in many areas of Colorado. Our prolific use of city-system water for overhead sprinkling of large lawns and gardens may soon be priced out of most of our budgets, even if not severely rationed.

Upside Down Tomatoes by Carol King

The next couple of weeks is tomato planting time along the Front Range.  Day and night time temperatures are still too low to support tomato growth so "wall of waters"  is a good idea until night time temps reach 50+.

Planting "upside down" tomatoes appears to be a big fad right now. While the practice is nationwide, there are some Colorado-specific concerns from Planttalk Colorado.

organicgardeningfarming.com

"Plants know up from down!  Auxins (hormones produced in the growing tips) turn stem growth upwards. When tomato plants are hung, new stem growth makes a U-turn upwards. In Colorado’s windy weather, the weight of the stems in windy weather can pull or break off the stem. The new growth will make another U-turn upward.

Online Resourses for Front Range Gardens by Carol King

The garden centers are buzzing; the big box stores are starting to burst at the seams!  Yes, planting season has arrived!  Are you confused about what to select for your garden?  So many plants, so little time.  Here are some online tools that focus on plants that do well in the Front Range in our semi-arid climate. 

Plant Select® is a cooperative program administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University in concert with horticulturists and nurseries throughout the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. The purpose of Plant Select® is to seek out, identify and distribute the best plants for landscapes and gardens from the intermountain region to the high plains. Plants are chosen each year that thrive in the unique and variable conditions of Rocky Mountain gardens. Many nurseries now carry plants with the Plant Select tag.  www.plantselect.org