Imagine all the good things that would happen if kids ran around and played outside every day. Today, the average child spends less than seven minutes a day outside in unstructured play (and three+ hours every day in front of some type of screen). As most of us can attest, that’s a drastic decrease in outdoor time compared to when we were growing up. According to Generation Wild, the benefits of playing outside every day are profound: stress and anxiety decrease,…
Despite the common myth, pine needles do not significantly acidify garden soil. Using pine needles in the garden is not harmful to soil or plants in Colorado. They make for excellent mulch that helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and decompose into beneficial organic matter. Fresh needles are slightly acidic, but they do not lower soil pH to damaging levels in our generally alkaline soils. What pine needles do to the soil Pine needles slowly break down and add organic matter…
Certain hardy, cold-tolerant agave species can grow in Colorado, particularly along the Front Range and in warmer, dry areas. Success in growing Agave in Colorado depends entirely on choosing the right species to plant. While not native to the state, species like Parry’s agave, Utah agave, Havard’s Agave, and New Mexico “Century Plant” Agave can survive Colorado winters if planted in well-drained soil. Parry’s Agave Hardy to about -20°F when dry Compact blue-gray rosettes Excellent for rock gardens and xeriscapes One of the most reliable choices here…
Mountain pine beetle ‘pitch tube’ found on the trunk where beetles tunneled into the bark. Pitch tubes may be brown, pink, or white. Photo credit: Dan West, Colorado State Forest Service New task force designed to protect our forests from the impact of the mountain pine beetle in the coming decade, particularly Front Range Ponderosa forests Governor Jared Polis recently took Executive Action in establishing the creation of a new task force to proactively develop strategies to help protect Colorado’s…
Expect a “classic winter wonderland” in Colorado during the 2025-2026 winter season, with very cold and dramatic temperature swings Some winter reports suggest varying conditions for the west versus the south, but others indicate our entire state can expect widespread wintry weather and a potential early start to winter with snow lasting into April in some areas. Key points from the Farmer’s Almanac forecast for Colorado: Very Cold and Snowy: Colorado is expected to experience a colder-than-normal winter with plenty of…
First, are your ornamental grasses cool-season or warm-season? The best time to cut back ornamental grasses depends on the type of grass you have but in general cut back warm=season grasses in Fall or by mid to late Spring, and cut back cool-season grasses in very early Spring. Leaving some grasses through the winter provides visual interest and ecological benefits for birds and insects. However, there are some specific circumstances when a Fall cut is preferable in our specific area: We live…
Forcing bulbs indoors encourages blooming in time for the holidays. If you want gorgeous amaryllis or the highly fragrant narcissus paperwhites to be blooming for upcoming holidays, now is the best time to start ‘forcing’ them. You might also want to force bulbs like tulips and hyacinths in early December to brighten up the upcoming 2026 pre-Spring months . Select your bulbs: Choose the type of bulbs you want to force. Common choices include tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses in addition…
Here’s how to keep ‘holiday’ cactus healthy and blooming year after year Caring for a Christmas cactus is all about mimicking its native environment (humid, shaded Brazilian forests) so it thrives indoors and rewards you with long-lasting winter blooms in our dry climate. Light & Location Place in bright, indirect light — near a north or east-facing window is perfect. Avoid harsh afternoon sun, which can scorch the pads, but don’t leave it in deep shade either — it needs…
Does it have color, texture, and something interesting to look at or are you just counting the days until Spring? Be honest – is your late Fall (almost) Winter garden starting to looking flat and uninspired now? Late fall is the perfect time to take a good look around your landscape and see what might be missing: textured bark? Winter berries? Perhaps trees with standout branch color? With a few simple touches, your late-fall landscape can stay attractive, structured, and full…
If you garden at high altitude it helps to pick plants known for cold-hardiness, drought tolerance, and the ability to handle intense sun and shorter growing seasons. Here are good freeze-resistant, high-altitude plant recommendations that do well in gardens and landscapes like ours. Penstemon (Beardtongue) Many penstemon species are native to mountainous areas, tolerate poor, rocky soil, and thrive in full sun with well-drained conditions — ideal for high-altitude gardens. Colorado Columbine This wildflower is native to the Rockies, tolerates cold and…
