All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Our clocks have sprung forward, longer days are upon us and warmer weather is on the horizon. Of course, we should be prepared to get blasted with more cold days and hopefully some snow, but we are well on our way to the spring gardening season. What does this look like for you and your outdoor spaces? Are you itching to get out and start clearing and cleaning up your garden beds in preparation for things to green up? If so, I can relate, but I'm here to say, don't do it! It's important to know...
What's the buzz about native plants? Find out at the 7th Annual Landscaping with Colorado Native Plants Conference! Experts in horticulture, ecology and landscape design share how to plan, plant and maintain beautiful and biodiverse native landscapes from the ground up. To enable participation statewide, this year's conference is online. Recordings of the speakers' presentations will be available for registrants to view after the event as well. The conference runs from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on...
We have watched the scenes from Colorado Springs (Waldo Canyon Fire in June of 2012) and California where wildfires reached into our towns and cities destroying hundreds of homes in a matter of hours. Most Front Range inhabitants would never have thought that it would happen so close to home. Our idea that wildfires are confined to forested areas and during summer has been challenged and is no longer the norm. We need to be prepared and able to recover should the unthinkable happen. Our...
Along with all the garden bounty that comes this time of year is one of my favorites, the apple. It is a crop that has deep roots here along the Front Range. Young and mature apple trees can be found in backyards, along old ditches, and in managed orchards. Apple orchards took off in the area in the late 1800s and for a time there was a thriving industry here. While those days are gone and the industry has largely moved to the Northwest (Washington state is the largest apple growing region in...
We are already deep into June, but did you know that this month is Colorado Pollinator Month? And June 21-27 is National Pollinator Week? The City of Boulder celebrates Pollinator Appreciation Month in September, and countless other communities have their own festivals and events to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators. What is pollination and why is it important? Simply put, it is the transfer of pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of another...
On a recent sunny afternoon, I was talking with Niwot resident Alicia Livitt about compost for her garden. She was explaining that she would like a compost pile, but didn't really see where one would fit in her landscape and as an amateur gardener, the whole idea of it seems intimidating. This is an understandable and common sentiment. In the October 2020 article Home Composting by Sharon Bokan, she breaks down how to compost your own yard and garden waste in easy to follow steps. For anyone...
One thing that many gardeners have in common is, they pay attention to weather. Especially precipitation levels here in the semi-arid west. So, it may come as no surprise to some of you that according to the U.S. Drought Monitor (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/), here, along the Front Range, we are currently experiencing drought conditions and in fact are in the 'Severe Drought' category. While "drought is a normal part of the climate cycle", it is also characterized as "a slow-moving hazard"...
Gardening with native plants is not a new concept. There are people who have been doing it for a long time, but it's not what I would call, mainstream. It is, however, gaining in popularity as people discover that a native plant garden provides much more than just water savings. Gardeners of all types from patio planters to commercial properties can play an important role in helping to increase pollinator and wildlife habitat and bolster biodiversity. Our urban and suburban landscapes can serve...
Once holiday celebrations wrap up and 2020 comes to a close (hooray), it is time to start thinking about the new year. Are you someone who makes New Year's resolutions? For a lot of people, things like getting more exercise or keeping in better touch with loved ones tend to top the list. What about gardening resolutions? Whether you're new to gardening (welcome!) or a veteran with a proven green thumb, here are a few suggestions for your New Year's resolution list. 1. Try something new. If you...
With Thanksgiving almost upon us, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at the tart, red fruit that is a staple on most Thanksgiving menus. Whether you like to make your sauce from scratch, or you prefer to open a can and let the cylinder of wriggly jelly slide out, the cranberry is something we should all know more about. A member of the Ericaceae family, also known as the heath or heather family, cranberries are related to blueberries, huckleberries, azaleas and rhododendrons....
Earlier this summer I wrote about June being Colorado Pollinator Month. The City of Boulder celebrates Pollinator Appreciation Month in September. More and more people are becoming aware of the important role these insects (and birds and mammals) play in everything from the food we eat, to the clothes we wear. Pollinator gardens are being planted in neighborhoods and researchers spend their careers learning about every facet of these fascinating creatures. Whether you are already immersed in thi...
As the heat sets in and our early spring flowers fade and give way to summer blooms and vegetable gardens, you might have pollination on your mind. If not, maybe you should! Simply put, pollination is the transfer of pollen from one flower to another flower of the same species. Flowers need to be pollinated to complete their life cycle by producing fruit and setting seed. This is particularly important if you're growing fruits and vegetables, but also important at a much larger scale for nuts,...
