Author: Brook E. Mark
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Looking for gardening gifts? Here are some ideas sure to grow a smile
Poinsettias or amaryllis plants often come to mind as holiday gifts for our gardener friends, but what about something more interesting or practical? Independently owned, local nurseries are a great resource for unique garden treasures. There are several outstanding garden centers in town that carry gift items to delight the gardener. Here are some ideas…
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Ornamental grasses provide winter interest to gardensaround townaround townA new identity, a familiar missionHalloween treat just for the grown-ups
In the Pikes Peak region, autumn brings striking displays of large ornamental grasses, which “flower” late in the growing season. Such grasses are a useful tool for xeriscape gardens – their slender leaves offer a pleasing complement to perennial flowers. Local gardeners tend to use them successfully in a dry corner of the yard, and…
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Year-Round Gardening: Ornamental grasses add interest to yard
In the Pikes Peak region, autumn brings striking displays of large ornamental grasses, which “flower” late in the growing season. Such grasses are a useful tool for xeriscape gardens – their slender leaves offer a pleasing complement to perennial flowers. Local gardeners tend to use them successfully in a dry corner of the yard, and…
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For plants to thrive, you’ll need to learn when and how to prune
You’ve amended the soil, planted flowers and bushes you carefully selected for your location and then faithfully watered them. Now they are flourishing! This is the first great joy of gardening. But for your plants to continue to survive and thrive, you will need to learn the art of fine-tuning by trimming. It’s important to…
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DIG IT: Pick the right places so your plants may thrive
“Location, location, location” is the rule of real estate. The gardening mantra is almost the same: “Right plant, right place.” So, your choice of location for your plant is as important as what plant you chose. Your time and money are tapped when you decide where to place your new plant or vegetable garden. Ideally,…
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Warm weather brings out elm leaf beetles
Recent warm weather has brought out strange behavior in local inhabitants: invasions of elm leaf beetles.Adult beetles thought they were done hibernating, and came out of their cozy over-wintering nooks. In search of juicy elm leaves, they detoured into area houses, causing alarm, but no damage. El Paso County Extension Agent Catherine Moravec reports several…
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Key words define water-wise landscaping
With a nod to our climate, here are a few terms you may see or hear more often. Semiarid Climate A climate that receives 10 to 20 inches of annual precipitation. Colorado Springs is classified as semiarid, or half-desert, because it normally get 16 inches of precipitation each year. Xeriscape A water-efficient landscape adapted to…
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DIG IT: Pay attention to city code when gardening
Wondering what to do with your shrub that hangs over the sidewalk? Colorado Springs City Code dictates that property owners are required to keep their sidewalks clear of obstructions, debris and dangerous conditions. This means we need to trim shrubs from encroaching over sidewalks. Time to get out the pruners! The city has set out…
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Warm weather encourages damaging grass mites
El Paso County Extension agent Catherine Moravec recently issued a warning about Kentucky bluegrass. It is starting to turn green with the recent warm weather and this is the time when lawns can be killed by grass mites. The Extension office received many calls last spring about turf damage caused by winter desiccation and mite…
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Book details first 74 Plant Select plants
Published in January, “Durable Plants for the Garden” features each of the first 74 Plant Select plants. Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens penned the book, which describes the Plant Select plants and showing how they look in different seasons.Plants that are listed as Plant Select were chosen for beauty, resilience, low maintenance and…