As I write this article, the weather outside reflects the extreme cold of the Rocky Mountain West. And while our gardens are “dead” and dormant, I’ve learned that this is the best time for pruning and restructuring. I am not only referring to fruit trees, but our gardens as a whole. In fact, we can
The onset of the cold season brings rest, not only for plants, but often for the gardener as well. As for me, however, I just can’t quite stop. I enjoy the care and productivity of plants so much that I always have plenty of them in my house. Tropical plants, herbs, and even small fruit
Autumn has arrived and soon there will be children jumping into leaf piles. (At least I hope, if they are not glued to electronic devices indoors.) Yet there are other purposes for fallen leaves that are too profound not to share here in our October article, as gardeners prepare a crucial rest period for their
The planting season is upon us! Yes, you heard that right. Fall is actually a great time for planting a variety of things. If you have been planning to add new trees, shrubs, and various perennials to your garden, you may not have to wait until Spring. In fact, many plants will benefit from a
If you are a serious local gardener, by now you have seen them – metallic-green Japanese beetles descending on your garden, bringing destruction that few other pests can match. This can be a frustrating dilemma, but perhaps a brief discussion can bring some helpful options to consider. Japanese beetles were accidentally introduced to the Eastern
Many gardeners are bringing new plants and fruit trees into their yards. If you are doing so, I want to share some important advice on plant selection. Experienced gardeners in Colorado know that our high, dry, intense and inconsistent climate presents unique challenges. Here in our area, we are classified as a newly updated USDA
In last month’s article, we discussed the goodness of “no-till” and why working less by ditching the tiller might be your best move yet! However, there is one more layer (pun intended) to this methodology which is inseparable from no-till; and that is mulching. 10 years ago, I adopted deep mulching methods in my permaculture
