National Dog Day is Monday, August 26—time to celebrate our four-legged friends. If you’ve got a canine family member, keep them in mind when maintaining your landscape. Avoid potentially dangerous plants Many dogs dig up or chew bulbs and plants. If your dog is a curious type who likes to dig or taste what’s growing, keep dangerous plants in an area that pups can’t access or avoid them altogether. Some plants that could make your dog sick: Spring flowering bulbs…
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…
We’re dealing with widely fluctuating summer weather temperatures right now, but it’s time to look ahead to fall when it comes to tree care. The greater-than-normal precipitation we’ve seen this year has had quite an effect on our landscapes. Plants—and weeds—grew a lot with all that extra moisture, and so have many of our trees. You may have noticed a growth spurt of branches and leaves on both new and mature trees. That’s a good thing, since we want our…
Hot days and precipitation can create a perfect environment for insects in our gardens and landscapes. Gardeners along the Front Range and higher elevations should be on the lookout for pests that could make a meal of their plants. Let’s talk about two common Colorado pests: Aphids Aphids commonly appear on mixed lettuce greens, radishes, broccoli and kale. Marigolds and lemon thyme planted in your edibles garden can help deter this messy pest. If you have roses of any kind,…
Keep color blooming the rest of summer! By late July, it’s not unusual to have patio containers or flower beds that are a mix of thriving flowers and foliage and some stragglers that are less than lush. If you didn’t set your timer to water while you were on vacation, or you got too busy to fertilize and deadhead flowers, you might have some sad spots in your landscape or container garden. But all is not lost—there are some quick…
The summer heat started later this year, but July is finally earning its reputation as the hottest month of the year. If your plants have been thriving as a result of early summer precipitation, a return to hot, dry weather could be a difficult transition. The best defense is a good offense The best way to help your plants survive Colorado’s altitude, intense sun, cold winters, and hot summers is to select plants that like to live here.We’re not in…
July is Smart Irrigation Month and a peak month for outdoor water use and a good time to make sure you’re using irrigation efficiently. Considering using smart technology to save water and money. By investing in smart irrigation technologies, you can save water, money and time in caring for your landscape. Here are three irrigation technologies worth considering on your next upgrade: Rain/freeze sensors. Irrigating in rain and freezing conditions needlessly wastes water and can damage your landscape. A rain…
Temperatures are rising in Colorado, and our plants will be thirstier. If you got a late start on your garden due to the late-spring storms, you will need to water regularly to be sure plants are established and healthy. The drought is over—for now—but doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still try to conserve water. Give the plants the water they need and don’t waste a drop. One way to save water and dress up the landscape in the process, is to…
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…
