The end of October means that the gardening season almost over for most of us. Yet there are still a few garden chores that remain before you are ready to hang up your shovel for the season. This week I’ve got a checklist of things for you to consider to make sure you are truly […]
In our part of the world cold nights can happen in just about any month of the year. As we move from the warm, sunny days of summer towards winters chill, the National Weather Service will often issue a Frost Warning, Freeze Watch, or Freeze Warning when the temperatures begin to dip. Although in our […]
Although many people know to mulch their gardens in the springtime, most don’t give mulch another thought throughout the growing season, but there is one other time you really should think about making a second application of mulch and that is right now. You apply mulch in the fall for some of the same reasons […]
If you’re feeling a little like you’re a victim of a long, hot summer, you’re not alone. Not only was it hot, but the smoke from the fires contributed to many of us feeling more heat stressed than usual. It’s the same way for your plants and getting them to merely survive, much less thrive, […]
It’s been an ideal summer for bug infestations with the hot, dry weather and many people that are coming into the garden center have been complaining that they’ve been spraying and spraying, but that their chemicals or fertilizers just don’t seem to be working. One of the first things we ask them is, “Are you […]
Right about now you should be finding a bumper crop of squash in your garden. Zucchini, yellow, scalloped, crookneck, spaghetti, butternut and more all make for delicious meals from now through the winter. Unfortunately, there are others who think this summer bounty makes a fine meal as well and those are the squash bugs that […]
Wildfires are nature’s way of taking care of itself. It clears out old underbrush, dead trees, overly dry wood and in some cases acts as a proponent of new growth by allowing the release of seeds from pinecones and the clearing of tree canopy to allow sunlight to reach wildflower areas beneath. Vic and I […]
During the fires of 2002, I spent a day in Durango, at the site of the Missionary Ridge fire and as emotionally draining as that day was, I am more convinced than ever that fire-wise landscaping is an important part of your plans as a homeowner. The houses that were defensible with open space around […]
In 2002, there was a story on the national news about a woman who longed to have a cabin in the woods of Colorado. Her husband located the land, built her this “cabin” at a cost of $7 million and they were very happy with their home. Then the wildfires of 2002 came and well, […]
Although I’ve always had a love affair with cooking, one of the best things for me that has come out of our winter produce program has been more adventures into the world of fresh herbs and spices. And even though I’ve always used fresh herbs on a limited scale, now I’ve come to even further […]