I’ve been thinking about why I love to grow plants. After all, it takes some work. If I care for them and nurture them along, what do I get back? After some reflection, here’s what I’ve come up with. What do you get out of caring for your landscape?
Don’t Get Behind on Watering
It finally happened. The Seattle weather became Arizona weather practically overnight. Yesterday I noticed my lawn developing brown patches and my grape vines leaves were drooping. You gotta love Colorado. My key message for today is to be proactive in watering your landscape during the weather transition. With such bountiful rainfall this summer, it can take […]
Here’s Why a Flower Pot Needs Holes
On Friday, I was visiting a beautiful property in Black Forest when I glimpsed a pot of annual flowers. At first glance, I noticed that the flowers didn’t look so great. They weren’t terrible, but they were definitely not thriving. What could be wrong? When I looked closer, the plants looked like they were really struggling. […]
Cheatgrass, Also Known as Downy Brome: Pull It!
Here’s a weed that you should really get rid of soon, if you have it. It’s called cheatgrass or downy brome. I’m seeing all over the place in Colorado Springs both in landscapes and natural areas. Here’s a three-minute video to show you what cheatgrass looks like. Time is of the essence. With the transition […]
Don’t Forget the Power of the Garden Hoe
I have to admit that I get stuck using the three tools I carry around with me when I garden. Sometimes I forget there are some very effective tools that work wonders in the right situation. One such tool is the simple garden hoe. Even though it’s one of the most widely used weeding tools […]
Russian Thistle: Pull It!
Now that we’ve covered two easy weeds, let’s move on to one of the bad boys on the block. Meet Russian thistle. This is one you definitely want to get rid of if you have it. Here’s what it looks like. As a small seedling, it has thin, string-like leaves that are succulent and soft. […]
Prickly Lettuce: Pull It!
Alright, on to the next weed in the series! Here’s another easy one to identify and control. Meet prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola). Prickly lettuce is a very common weed in Colorado landscapes. It’s called prickly lettuce because it’s a close relative to the lettuce that you and I often eat, plus each leaf has prickles […]
Horseweed: Pull it!
With all the rain, the weeds are growing like crazy. Many of them are little tikes right now, but there’s potential for weeds to create big problems down the road. Just like a toddler with a “behavior issue,” it’s a good idea to get control of them right now before they get out of hand. […]
Love Your Tree…with a Mulch Ring
It’s a great time of year to plant a tree. If the tree planting is on your list of things to do this summer, be sure to channel some of your enthusiasm towards caring for your new tree after it’s planted. If you’re planting a tree in a lawn area, it’s really important to install […]
How to Care for Annual Flower Pots
They’re so seductively beautiful, just hanging out in the garden center waiting for someone to take them home. Their impressive color combinations and gorgeous flowers cause thousands of shoppers to grab them purely on impulse and buy them before they even think the purchase through. But how do you keep that container of annual flowers […]
Why Is Your Lawn Yellow?
With all the rain, we’re seeing some lawn issues that we don’t observe very often. One such problem is yellow areas in normally green lawns. The Extension Turfgrass Specialist with Colorado State University, Dr. Tony Koski, wrote a wonderful article on the topic titled, “Does Your Bluegrass Have the Yellows?” It summarizes all the possible […]