You don’t have to leave outdoor containers looking sad and empty. Nor do you have to put them in storage until spring. Your dormant landscape might need a pick-me-up for the winter, and that’s where those containers come in handy. If you choose a colorful container, that alone can add a pop of color. Use it to add some interest to your porch or stoop. Follow the same guidelines (thriller, filler, spiller) that you would in summer to combine materials.…
Plant bulbs now for bright and cheery spring color Autumn officially begins on Monday, but it’s a good time of year to plan ahead for your spring bulb garden. Rather than lament the end of summer, use the weekend to get out into your yard to plan some color for next year! Scope out your garden Choose the right location in your landscape, preferably an area that gets full sun—at least six hours each day. Think about which flowers you’d…
Plant perennials this weekend Perennials are a solid, sustainable option for ongoing seasonal color. Late summer and early fall are great times to plant and divide these plants that keep on giving. Three benefits of planting perennials They come back. Plant a perennial once and that same plant can beautify your landscape year after year. Perennials provide great value because, unlike annuals, you need only purchase and plant them once. They should return to bloom again many years, getting larger…
Looking to do some yard work over the long weekend? There’s still time to plant leafy greens, brassica plants like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and root vegetables like beets or carrots. Late summer’s cooling night-time temps and shorter days with less sunshine offer them the right conditions. Don’t give up on the growing season yet – plant fall harvest flavor in your garden this weekend! Root vegetables Since root crops take time to develop, read the seed packets and look…
If you’ve got an herb garden, you’ve probably been enjoying fresh herbs in your meals. But by now, you might be getting a little bored of them or simply have more than you can reasonably use. With a little effort, you can manage your herb garden and boost the flavor in your meals for months to come. If you’ve got more herbs than you need right now, harvest them for later use. Some herbs can be dried Cut a bundle…
Saving seeds from your summer and fall veggie (and flowers) harvest saves you time and money next year when you go to plant anew. It’s easy to harvest seeds from this year’s garden for next year’s crop. We can’t wait to eat that very first ripe tomato that comes off the vine. It’s tough to resist the urge to enjoy it in a salad or BLT. Saving the seeds from your first tomato of the season can benefit next year’s…
Welcome the birds and bees to your landscape! Colorado is growing by leaps and bounds, and with new development we can lose natural habitat for pollinators. But you can provide habitat with your own pollinator-friendly landscape. You may already have some in your garden but planting more can make your mini-habitat more appealing to birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, and more. Next week is Pollinator Week – a good time to think about ways to welcome pollinator bees and butterflies into…
Rocky Mountain Columbine is an easy-to-grow perennial that blooms from late spring to early summer, reaching a mature height of 18” tall by 15” wide. Its flowers attract hummingbirds, and it is somewhat resistant to deer and rabbits. As the name suggests, it is well-suited to Colorado landscapes in the high country and along the Front Range. Though it is a native plant and often grows along hiking trails without irrigation, columbine in your garden will need regular summer water.…
Flowers and plants are traditional Mother’s Day gifts, but consider a plant that offers more than just a pretty look when putting together a hanging basket or container of plants for Mom this weekend Pollinator-friendly flowers Who wouldn’t enjoy looking out at their flowers and seeing adorable little hummingbirds? To attract these pollinators, try salvia greggii Furman’s Red. It has beautiful magenta-red flowers, can bloom from June to October, and can provide food for hummingbirds and other pollinators all summer.…
After three seasons growing in the challenging conditions of the Rocky Mountains, five perennial plants have been named “Top Performers” by researchers at Colorado State University. See them here.…
