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News Briefs
Garden Tours
June is the BIG
month for garden tours. Proceeds from these tours benefit many worthwhile
organizations. Treat yourself and help a worthy cause this month by
participating in one of the many garden tours being offered. See our
Calendar of Events for more information.
Colorado Proud
For recipes, a Colorado crop calendar, information on farmer's
markets, and a list of agritourism events (agricultural festivals, fairs, etc.) visit www.coloradoproud.org.
Feed the Needy
As
you prepare to plant your vegetable
garden this year, you are encouraged to plant a bit extra and then donate the
vegetables to local food banks.
Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
Visitors to Denver Botanic Gardens
can view an exhibit of Mike Whiting's sculpture which will be on display
throughout the gardens until September 23rd. The playful, colorful
works were inspired by vintage video games such as "Pac-Man."
2018 Bonfils-Stanton Series
During the months April through September Denver
Botanic Gardens will offer the Bonfils-Stanton Series featuring lectures by
noted guest speakers, hands-on workshops, tours and trips. This year's
theme is "The Edge of Art and Gardens." For details see
www.botanicgardens.org.
Garden-in-a-Box Kits
The Center for Resource conservation, a non-profit
organization dedicated to empowering people to conserve natural resources, has a variety of Garden-in-a-Box kits available for sale.
Kits include plant-by-number designs, water-wise plants, and planting and care
instructions. You may even qualify for a discount through your city or water
district. For details please see
www.conservationcenter.org/gardens.
Butterflies at Chatfield
Through early fall visitors to DBG at
Chatfield can view native butterflies in the butterfly house for an additional
fee. The
exhibit is in partnership with the Butterfly Pavilion.
Butterflies Are Coming
The Gardens on Spring Creek, City of Fort
Collins and Butterfly Pavilion have announced a partnership to build a butterfly
house. The 1700 square foot conservatory, which is scheduled to open in
2019, will be located at the Gardens on Spring Creek Visitor Center. It
will feature numerous plants as well as free-flying butterflies.
NoCo Bloom
Gardeners in
Northern Colorado have a resource for gardening information. Colorado
State University, Larimer County CSU Extension and the Gardens on Spring Creek
are working collaboratively to publish NoCo Bloom. Four issues will
be published annually: March, May, July and September. You will find this
free publication at garden centers, community centers, public gardens and the
Larimer County Extension office. See it online at
www.fcgov.com/gardens.
Emerald Ash Borer
The discovery of Emerald Ash Borers in Boulder is
alarming many people, due to the highly destructive nature of this pest.
Sadly, there is much misinformation floating around. For accurate,
up-to-date information please see
www.eabcolorado.com,
a website set up by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
CSU Extension Gardening Blog
Get expert
gardening information at
http://www.csuhort.blogspot.com. You will
find articles on a wide variety of topics by Colorado State
University Extension horticulture agents and specialists.
Resource for Gardeners
The Denver
Post has published a free iPad Ebook, Garden Colorado, filled with
helpful gardening information. You'll find gardening advice and tips from many
of Colorado's leading gardening experts and organizations. Download it at
www.DenverPost.com/gardencolorado.
Gardening Webinars
Can't make it to gardening classes but want
gardening information from a local expert? Check out
the gardening webinars by Carole Kastler of Camelot Design
on Tagawa Gardens' webinar page at
www.tagawagardens.com.
Beekeeping Classes
Hudson Gardens offers a comprehensive series of
classes on beekeeping that cover topics such as pollination, harvesting honey,
pests and diseases, etc. For more information see
www.hudsongardens.org.
Dig In
Featuring gardening advice, tips, and local
garden-to-kitchen recipes, Dig In can be seen on KBDI (Ch. 12) on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. See
http://digincolorado.com
for more information.
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Plant Select 2018 Selections
The latest plants to earn the Plant
Select designation will be announced soon. Plant Select is a cooperative program
administered by Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, and landscape
and nursery professionals throughout the region. It annually recommends
plants that have been tested and found to be especially suited to gardens in the
Rocky Mountain and Plains states. For detailed descriptions and photos of
the plants please see
www.plantselect.org.
An additional feature is the
Plant Select Petites program which
showcases plants of smaller stature. The program also promotes
innovative ways to utilize these plants, such as in troughs, rock
gardens, patio gardens, fairy gardens and containers. See
www.plantselectpetites.org
for additional information and to see photos of the plants.
Gardening Problems or
Questions???
Answers for Gardeners
CSU Extension Service answers gardening questions
by e-mail.
Go to
www.ext.colostate.edu and click on "Ask an Expert" in the
menu. You may also call your county's CSU Extension Service
office with questions.
Most garden centers have expert, experienced staff who can provide
gardening advice. Some garden centers also offer diagnostic centers where
you can bring in samples of unhealthy plants.
Master Gardeners are available at Denver Botanic
Gardens to answer questions. From November through March you can contact
them from 12 - 4 p.m. on Tuesdays. From April through October you can contact
them on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 12 - 4 p.m. You
may reach them in person at the Helen Fowler Library at DBG, by phone at
720-865-3575, or by e-mail at
gardeninghelp@botanicgardens.org.
Jeffco Plant Clinic
Bring plant and turf samples M - F, 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. for help with diagnosis of
disease, identification of insects, plant identification and plant and pest
management recommendations. The clinic is located at the Jefferson County
Fairgrounds in Golden. Call 303-271-6620 for directions or information.
Some services and tests have a small fee.
Call Before You Dig
Are you planting trees, building fences or doing
other landscape projects that require digging or excavating? Call 811
before you dig. Pipeline companies and other utilities will mark the
location of their lines at no cost to you. For more information visit
www.digsafely.com.
Mountain Pine Beetle
The Mountain Pine Beetle is gaining
additional attention now that it is invading populated areas along the Front
Range. "Catastrophic" damage is predicted.
For information on this pest, including tips on how to prevent and control it,
please see the article "Mountain Pine Beetle" at
www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05528.html.
Do Your Part to Corral Tree
Pests/Diseases
Firewood
often harbors pests and diseases. You can do your part to limit their
spread to new areas by using only local firewood. Do not transport
firewood across state lines.
FireWise Communities
Homeowners are reminded of the need to
take special caution with landscapes in areas that are likely to be threatened
by fire. FireWise Communities is a highly informative website with lots of
helpful information, including plant lists and landscaping advice for people who live in fire-prone areas. Visit the website at
www.firewise.org.
Seedling
Tree Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (www.csfs.colostate.edu) seedling tree
nursery program allows farmers, ranchers and rural landowners to
obtain trees at a nominal cost. Their goal is to encourage
landowners to plant new forests; to establish effective
windbreaks that reduce erosion; to protect homes, cropland,
livestock and highways; and to enhance wildlife habitat.
Trees and shrubs are grown at the CSFS nursery for
conservation benefits only. Seedling sales are restricted.
To qualify you must:
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