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News Briefs
Holiday Events
Many garden centers will be hosting special events this month to kick off the
holiday season. You will find holiday plants, gifts, and holiday
decorations. See our events page for additional information. Please note
that some sites have altered or canceled their usual holiday classes and events
due to Covid-19.
Holiday events at public gardens are also being adapted
to comply with Covid-19 safety regulations. Denver Botanic Gardens,
Chatfield Farms and the Gardens on Spring Creek will hold modified events, but
Hudson Gardens will not be doing A Hudson Christmas, their holiday lights event, this year.
Colorado Proud: A Christmas Tree List and More
Christmas trees will be available at several Colorado farms
in late November.
For a list of tree farms, recipes, a Colorado crop calendar, information on farmer's
markets, and a list of agritourism events (agricultural festivals, fairs, etc.) visit www.coloradoproud.org.
Christmas Trees from Local Forests
If you want to go to
the forest to cut your Christmas tree, several locations allow this provided you
have a permit. There is a small fee for a permit, with a limit on the
number of trees you may cut down. See the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain
Region website in late November for information on where and when to get a
permit, cutting dates and times, tips on caring for your tree including a recipe
for a fireproofing mixture, and other details: www.fs.usda.gov/main/r2/home.
Click on "Recreation" in the menu and scroll down.
Public Gardens
Denver Botanic Gardens, DBG at Chatfield
Farms, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Hudson Gardens and The Gardens on
Spring Creek are open. Some of these gardens are limiting visits to
a capped number of visitors who must purchase timed tickets online. Please
see their websites for important details regarding what features are open/closed, new procedures to be followed, etc.
Western Colorado Botanical Gardens has reopened.
Rose Art Photography Book
Stan Griep, aka Stan the Rose Man, has a new book
available for those who love roses. Stan is a Master Rosarian who has
spent years growing roses, showing roses at rose shows, and answering questions
about roses (including for our Colorado Gardening website visitors).
Please check out his book at
https://www.blurb.com/b/9555678-stans-rose-art-photography-portfolio.
Clearance Sale of Gardening Books
Colorado Gardening is closing out its garden
bookstore and has reduced the price of the gardening books that we offer for
sale. Please see our Garden Books page for some real bargains on some
great books for gardeners.
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.
Gardening Webinars
Can't make it to gardening classes but want
gardening information from a local expert? Check out
the gardening videos
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.
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Plant Select 2020 Selections
The latest plants to earn the Plant
Select designation have been announced. 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 through 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 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.
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.
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 additional information see
www.digsafe.com.
Emerald Ash Borer
The discovery of Emerald Ash Borers in Boulder is
alarming many people, due to the highly destructive nature of this pest. For accurate,
up-to-date information please see
www.eabcolorado.com,
a website set up by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Sadly, this pest has
spread to several parts of Boulder County and nearby areas.
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.extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/mountain-pine-beetle-5-528.
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 for people who live in fire-prone areas. Visit the website at
www.firewise.org.
Seedling
Tree Program
The Colorado State Forest Service seedling nursery program allows landowners to
obtain trees at a nominal cost. To successfully achieve
conservation goals landowners are encouraged to plant new forests,
restore land after natural disasters such as fires or
floods, establish effective
windbreaks that reduce erosion, protect homes, cropland and
livestock, and enhance wildlife habitat.
Trees and shrubs are grown at the CSFS nursery for
conservation benefits only. See
https://csfs.colostate.edu/seedling-tree-nursery. |
