It’s that time of year when your mouth waters for a fresh, red, ripe, juicy tomato, but sometimes when you go out to pick one, you find that they aren’t forming the way they should or that they just don’t look right. This could be due to several things and I want to highlight two […]
25
Jul
Jul
If you’re like many people, you may be planning a summer vacation to escape the heat of our Southwest Colorado summer. One of the hardest parts of being away may be leaving your garden to either fare for itself, or be tended by a capable friend or neighbor. Scorching hot temperatures and unpredictable rain make […]
10
Jul
Jul
Grasshoppers are one of the summer pests that cause exasperation in gardeners as they can level your plants in record time. Dating back to the early Triassic period, about 250 million years ago, they’ve been around for ages and have developed quite the survival system so if you have an infestation, they can be tricky […]
If you think the recent rains have suddenly made everything appear greener and fresher, it’s not your imagination. Not only do rains wash off all of the dust that’s accumulated from our dry and very windy spring, but it also provides Mother Nature’s fertilizer for your lawn and garden. A couple of things happen when […]
14
Jun
Jun
Summertime has arrived in our area with temperatures soaring into the 90’s. While some of your plants may be showing signs of stress, there are others that thrive in this hot, sunny environment. In fact some of my favorite summer annuals are those that perform well in the garden under these conditions while putting on […]
25
May
May
The Friday before Memorial Day is designated as National Poppy Day and this year it falls on May 27th. If you’ve ever been out and about on Memorial Day weekend, most likely you’ve seen members of the American Legion at businesses selling small, red poppies that you can tuck in a buttonhole or wear on […]
16
May
May
Strawberries are probably close to being one of the most perfect things to grow. They take up fairly little space and are easy to grow. Many of the new varieties are everbearing which means that they will produce all summer, and are fairly disease and pest resistant. If you haven’t put in a small strawberry […]
02
May
May
A customer came into the garden center the other day with a plant that was clearly struggling. We took one look at the roots and said, “Did you plant this in XYZ potting soil?” His mouth fell open and he said, “How did you know?” Yes, there’s that much of a difference in different potting […]
18
Apr
Apr
If you’re new to gardening, you might have heard the term “hardening off.” As a new plant parent, generally the first thing you are anxious to do when you bring your babies home, is to plant them right away to show them off. However, depending on where you live and when you bring them home, […]
The first spring we lived here, the winds were so strong that I thought half of our backyard was sure to end up in Kansas! I soon learned that if you live in Colorado, spring winds are a fact of life. Living with our high winds can be a challenge and for gardeners they can […]