Category: Articles

One of the first crops we get to seed in the ground early spring!

Pre-soaking the seeds overnight (or several nights) helps the seed take up water and break the seed coat.

From years of experience we find this ensures 70-80% success in germination. Some use an inoculant to try to stimulate better germination, but its success varies.

Take into consideration that they don’t like the heat, so choose a site where the temperature won’t spike early in the summer.

Peas like rich soil with consistent moisture. Be careful early in the season to not overwater the young plants!

When the heat hits, they slow in production. Sowing again in mid-July can produce a healthy fall crop.

Garlic is a bulb that usually is planted late summer/early fall and harvested the following summer or fall depending on the variety.

Ideally when they are planted they will have time to root in sufficiently to endure the winter and late enough in the season to avoid tall green shoots that could freeze. They can be planted early spring and harvested late fall- but may not reach their full potential.

Garlic is grown all around the world!

Hardneck varieties are hardier and best for this region.

Soil should be rich in organic matter but should drain easily (especially if there’s consistent moisture during the winter).

During the summer a light mulch layer of leaves or clean grass clippings on the soil can prevent the soil from moisture extremes.

The bulb or cloves need to be broken into individual segments. The tip of the clove goes just slightly under the soil level, green sprout (or pointed side) up.

Sunset Greenhouse:  1023 Sunset Road * 80909    (719) 634-6232

PLANTING FOR THE GOOD GUYS!!

In a world laden with synthetic and even organic pesticides, wouldn’t it be nice to return to a harmony with the way things are supposed to be, where the good bugs eat the bad bugs? If we provide the right plants, they will come…

Alyssum: flowers attract hoverflies whose larva devour aphids; draws bees to pollinate early blooming fruit trees
Borage:  deters tomato hornworms and cabbage worms; one of the best bee and wasp attracting plants.
Carrots: blooms attract hoverflies and predatory wasps
Calendula: attracts bees and hoverflies
Catnip/Catmint: deters flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, ants and weevils.
Chamomile, German:  host to hoverflies and wasps.
Centaurea: attracts bees, lacewings, hoverflies and parasitic wasps.
Chives: attract hoverflies, bees and parasitic mini-wasps; keep aphids away from tomatoes,
Chervil: keeps aphids off lettuce
Cilantro: repels harmful insects such as aphids, spider mites and potato beetle. A tea from this can be used as a spray for spider mites
Cosmos: attracts lacewings, hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Dill: flower umbel attracts ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies and parasitic mini-wasps but also the tomato horn worm so it would be wise to plant it somewhere away from your tomato plants.
Fennel: foliage and flowers attract hoverflies, ladybugs, tachninid flies, beneficial parasitoid wasps. It can retard the growth of some nearby plants.
Garlic: systemic in action as it is taken up by the plants through their pores and when garlic tea is used as a soil drench it is also taken up by the plant roots. It has value in offending codling moths, Japanese beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly
Golden Rod: one of the best; attracts assassin bugs, big-eyed bugs, ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, praying mantis and parasitic wasps.
Lavender:  repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Lavenders can protect nearby plants from insects such as whitefly, and lavender planted under and near fruit trees can deter codling moth.
Marigold: has roots that exude a substance which spreads in their immediate vicinity killing harmful nematodes.
Mint: the menthol content in mints that acts as an insect repellant and tiny flowers attract Braconid and Icheumonid wasps, and Tachnid and Syrid flies; bees and other good guys love it; deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, aphids. Earthworms are quite attracted to mint plantings, and it may deter ground squirrels and mice from tunneling in the area.
Morning Glory: attracts syrphid flies and ladybugs
Nasturtium: deter aphids, squash bugs, and striped pumpkin beetles.
Oregano:  plant near broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower to repel cabbage butterfly and near cucumbers to repel cucumber beetle.
Parsley: flowers attract parasitic wasps and hoverflies.
Thyme: deters cabbage worms.
Yarrow:  attracts predatory wasps and ladybugs; good accelerant to the compost pile.

Plants that attract Lacewings:
Achillea filipendulina Fern-leaf yarrow
Anethum graveolens Dill
Angelica gigas Angelica
Anthemis tinctoria Golden marguerite
Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush
Callirhoe involucrata Purple poppy mallow
Carum Carvi CarawayCoriandrum sativum Coriander
Cosmos bipinnatus Cosmos white sensation
Daucus Carota Queen Anne’s lace
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Helianthus maximilianii Prairie sunflower
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion

Plants that attract Hoverflies:
Achillea filipendulina Fern-leaf yarrow
Achillea millefolium Common yarrow
Ajuga reptans Carpet bugleweed
Alyssum saxatilis Basket of Gold
Anethum graveolens Dill
Anthemis tinctoria Golden marguerite
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed
Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush
Coriandrum sativum Coriander
Daucus Carota Queen Anne’s lace
Fagopyrum esculentum Buckwheat
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Helianthus maximilianii Prairie sunflower
Penstemon strictus Rocky Mt. penstemon
Potentilla recta ‘warrenii’ Sulfur cinquefoil
Potentilla villosa Alpine cinquefoil
Tagetes tenuifolia Marigold – lemon gem
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion
Veronica spicata Spike speedwell
Vicia villosa Hairy vetch

Plants that attract Ladybugs:
Achillea filipendulina Fern-leaf yarrow
Achillea millefolium Common yarrow
Ajuga reptans Carpet bugleweed
Alyssum saxatilis Basket of Gold
Anethum graveolens Dill
Anthemis tinctoria Golden marguerite
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed
Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush
Coriandrum sativum Coriander
Daucus Carota Queen Anne’s lace
Fagopyrum esculentum Buckwheat
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Helianthus maximilianii Prairie sunflower
Penstemon strictus Rocky Mt. penstemon
Potentilla recta ‘warrenii’ Sulfur cinquefoil
Potentilla villosa Alpine cinquefoil
Tagetes tenuifolia Marigold – lemon gem
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion
Veronica spicata Spike speedwell
Vicia villosa Hairy vetch

Plants that attract Parasitic Mini-Wasps:
Achillea filipendulina Fern-leaf yarrow
Achillea millefolium Common yarrow
Allium tanguticum Lavender globe lily
Anethum graveolens Dill
Anthemis tinctoria Golden marguerite
Astrantia major Masterwort
Callirhoe involucrata Purple poppy mallow
Carum Carvi Caraway
Coriandrum sativum Coriander
Cosmos bipinnatus Cosmos white sensation
Daucus Carota Queen Anne’s lace
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Limonium latifolium Statice
Linaria vulgaris Butter and eggs
Lobelia erinus Edging lobelia
Lobularia maritima Sweet alyssum – white
Melissa officinalis Lemon balm
Mentha pulegium Pennyroyal
Petroselinum crispum Parsley
Potentilla recta ‘warrenii’ Sulfur cinquefoil
Potentilla villosa Alpine cinquefoil
Sedum kamtschaticum Orange stonecrop
Tagetes tenuifolia Marigold – lemon gem
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy
Thymus serpylum coccineus Crimson thyme
Zinnia elegans Zinnia – liliput

Plants that attract Minute Pirate Bugs, Damsel Bugs and Big Eyed Bugs:
Caraway Carum Carvi
Cosmos – white sensation Cosmos bipinnatus
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare
Alfalfa Medicago sativa
Spearmint Mentha spicata
Peter Pan goldenrod Solidago virgaurea
Marigold – lemon gem Tagetes tenuifolia

Our region has a wide diversity of growing climates and micro niches. Most long-timers go with short season crops, foregoing the big tomatoes and watermelons finding those at the Farmer’s Markets!

At first, experience success with the short season crops before moving onto the bigger challenges.

On the seed packet it will give “Days to Harvest”. In Colorado Springs, estimate June 1 as day one. Our first killing frost is approximately Oct 1. So let’s say 120 good growing days without hail or rogue frosts.

Crop time needs to fit in there or add protection at the beginning or end of the season. If it’s short harvest times, plant succession rows to keep the harvest coming!

Seasoned gardeners know that a bountiful garden isn’t an accident- it takes planning. It can be as simple as generating a row of lettuce to pulling off Beefsteak tomatoes, a 300# pumpkin or the 3rd rotation of broccoli- it just all depends on what your ambitions are! Don’t be scared…start simple and you’ll be successful!

Plants are categorized by many definitions but for now, let’s first address “cold crops” including the Brassica group (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.) lettuce, spinach, chard and other plants that are not adversely affected by low temps and snow. Direct sown crops could include carrots, peas and radishes. We gauge start times looking at our average last frost date of May 15. Many of the cold crops we grow are ready for planting around April 15 and later. Sowing seed for cold crops can be done around the same time and they will sprout when the temperatures are warm enough. Potatoes fall into this category too because their leafy sprouts will clear the soil around the last frost date.

If cucumbers, peppers, squash, tomatoes are the sort of plants you want to grow- wait until around mid-May, they don’t like freezing temps. Some folks wait until Memorial Day just to make sure. Some just can’t wait, planting tomatoes in April, putting protection around their investments until June. Yep, those gardeners often have the advantage, because although you can’t see it, the plants are developing strong roots. Once the warm weather hits, they are ready to roll!

Colorado has rogue weather- keep an eye to the sky and protect the tender plants from freezing. Cover with cloth because plastic can conduct the cold if it touches the leaves. Or make sure the plastic is suspended over the plants. Keep in mind snow cover will keep plants at 32*; ambient air temps can go lower! Uncover plants when the temperatures will hold above freezing.

How does that neighbor get the prettiest blooming yard? If ever you catch gardeners in their yard, ask! Most gardeners would love to talk (on and on) about their yards. Once they start, the information turns to Latin and it’s all over! You’ve just encountered a plant nerd. It feels safest to retreat to the store and buy one or two packs of petunias. Then, as the summer goes on you find it’s just not the same impact! Chalk it up to another year of gardening over!

Too much information can make flower gardening daunting.

Let’s see if we can break it down so you can find your level of interest and enjoy it! The term “wildflower” can be deceiving. Blooming natives may come to mind. By some standards it defines annuals that bloom all summer and generate plants by seed the following years; examples: alyssum or California poppies. Blends of wildflower seed may contain “fillers” including clover. Unless you know the difference between flowers and weeds, this endeavor can become a nightmare! Individual seed packets solve that problem. Read the packets for ideal growing conditions. This route can be disappointing: initially you water more; the water brings weed and grass seeds as well, leading to more weeding; not all the varieties do well.

Buying plants gets costly but there’s immediate gratification. Here’s a guide to some types.
Annuals: are least expensive and generally will bloom all summer but will not come back the following year.
Bi-ennials: bloom all summer and will perform for two years, example: pansy, viola and dianthus. Perennials: should come back from the root each year but may bloom only a portion of the summer. Perennials can be native, which is indigenous, but may not be as showy, example: pussytoes and delphinium. Other varieties are hardy to the region, introduced from elsewhere or a hybrid that can survive here. Some perennials are less tasty to deer (daylilies) and some thrive in the shade (hosta). Many can survive with less water than annuals once they have been established. Providing mulch and good soil amending can also reduce watering.

Colorado based publications narrow the scope into our region- bringing the selections into a more manageable data base. Colorado Nurseryman and Greenhouse Association has booklets for sale at reputable Garden centers, CSU offers publications on line that are very specific. Start by finding the website http://www.ext.colostate.edu. There you’ll find information on:

Wildflowers- publication #7233
Perennials- publication # 7405
Natives- publication #7242
Mountain flowers- publication #7406
Xeriscape- publication #7231
For yards with deer scroll down to Wildlife for publication #6520

Some rules of thumb:

Full Sun = 6-8 hours of direct sun
Partial Shade = filtered light all day or approximately three to five hours direct sun
Shade = less than three hours sun.

Zone:  We are USDA Zone 3 or 4 depending on your location.  (Click here for more info from the USDA)  Altitude does make a difference! One season doesn’t make a garden. It’s a lot of effort and some money. Easiest start is grab a cup of tea or coffee, peruse the publications and highlight what suits you. That makes you a smarter shopper and better gardener!

Living in the mountains is beautiful and gardening is even more so (to the gardener). Like any location there will be things to learn to succeed and errors made in the learning process. Dedicated gardeners expect to put time, energy and money into their project. Determining which plants are suitable starts off with observation, education, and some trial and error.

Observations

The best way to quickly find out what might grow in your yard is to look at what others have established in your area. All due diligence has been done in a successful yard; climate, exposure, soil, moisture, etc. If the neighbors can grow it, you might be able to also. (Neighboring gardeners have discussed among themselves of why someone can grow one thing and the other cannot.) Local vendors and growers are also savvy to what successfully lives and can advise you and/or troubleshoot about what to plant.

Research

If you browse catalogs or books for plants(s) and ideas, know the USDA Zones. Plants are classified by their hardiness to minimum cold temperatures. Using the USDA Hardiness zone map, assume we live in Zone 4 (Zone 3 for higher elevations. Some information sources that are not Colorado based use their own standards and can be confusing. It’s best to stick with Colorado based information and a few great resources are Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association booklets and Colorado State University Extension websites.

In your search for information make sure you know what you have to work with; i.e., know your site. Knowing the site helps guide the plant selection. Specifications that matter are: elevation, hours of sun exposure, micro niches, source of irrigation (if any) and soil condition (porosity, water retention, nutritional yield). Trees that thrive back east may not like the elevation where you live. If the soil is to be unaltered, then the selection will be geared more towards natives from a similar habitat. (Native willows would not thrive on an exposed mountain top, unless there’s a natural spring.)

Trial and Error

Once the right plants are in place they require maintenance. Even native installs need a little nurture to establish, especially in drought years. Exact matches for the site may be dug under by ground voles or suffer snow rot. Foraging deer are a serious threat to newly installed landscapes. If they have a browse habit through your proposed area, you might try some deterrents before investing in the ornamental fodder. There are many lists of plants that the deer don’t like, but they’ll taste what they want when you’re not looking.

There’s a difference between thrive and survive! Just because the plant is listed for your area, may not mean it likes your yard. Some things may have to change and the last thing to change may be choices. Every garden is an ongoing project and initially it’s driven by trial and error. Once you’ve found selections that do well, add more!