Tag: gardening
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Year-round gardening: August tasks for Colorado gardeners to consider
August has arrived in Colorado. And while it might feel like summer is winding down, gardens still have plenty of life, beauty and even a few surprises left to offer. With bright blue skies, sudden storms and that high-altitude sunshine, Front Range landscapes are buzzing — literally and figuratively. Here are a few garden tasks…
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Year-round gardening: Common mullein getting way too common in Colorado
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Recently, common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) seems to be ubiquitous: on roadsides, abandoned lots and even popping up in manicured landscapes. I get why gardeners might find it attractive; with fuzzy leaves and a tall spike…
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Year-round gardening: With most of the work done, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor
“America the Beautiful” were the words penned by poet Katharine Lee Bates on July 22, 1893. Bates taught English at Wellesley College and loved to travel. Her home was filled with souvenirs from faraway lands. But her most important travels came in the U.S. Bates took a train from Boston to Colorado in 1893 to…
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Year-round gardening: Annual tour to highlight Old Farm, Briargate gardens in Colorado Springs
Back for its 14th year, the highly acclaimed Colorado Springs Garden Tour will highlight nine gardens in the Old Farm and Briargate neighborhoods. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend this popular event where there is something of interest for everyone. The nine gardens on the tour tell stories about differing garden “genres.” For…
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Year-round gardening: Lamb’s ear wonderful or weedy, cultivars might help
The plant commonly identified as lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) can be a controversial choice for your garden. This native of Turkey is treasured for it silver, gray wooly foliage and tall stalks of pink-purple blooms. The reason for the controversy is its ability to spread by seed, perhaps a bit more vigorously than your neighbors…
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Year-round gardening: Zinnias are the flower of choice for abundant blooms
“The Language of Flowers is indeed as old as the hills; yet it can never become old, for every Spring reproduces its characters anew.” — Robert Tyas, Floral Emblems of Thoughts, Feelings, and Sentiments (1875) The Victorian language of flowers assigned feelings and emotions to various flowers. Most commonly, red roses represent love. Less well-known…
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Year-round gardening: Final tasks for Colorado gardeners before winter arrives
”November comes and November goes, with the last red berries and the first white snows.” — Clyde Watson Colorado winters are exceptionally beautiful. The snow-covered peaks are visible from almost everywhere. The bright blue sky shimmers high above our heads. Gardens are resting, ever so quietly. Here in Colorado Springs the snow melts fast and…
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Getting ahead of the hoppers: Experts educate on how to combat overwintering pests
After a summer filled with swarms of grasshoppers, experts are working proactively to educate gardeners ahead of next year’s growing season. Why? Because what gardeners do in winter can impact next year’s pest population. The Colorado State University El Paso County Extension Office is highlighting overwintering pests, like grasshoppers, in its educational outreach in hopes…
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Year-round gardening: Add color around your Colorado home with holiday cactus
Once gardens become dormant, Coloradans could long for flowers to brighten their homes during the holiday season. Holiday cactus (Schlumbergera sp.) is a great choice. These natives of Brazil grow in the crotches of trees but are not parasitic. Because they’re understory rain forest plants, they will get enough light near a sunny window. Holiday…
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Year-round gardening: Autumn is an ideal time to examine deciduous trees in your yard
Once leaves have dropped in autumn, there is a great opportunity to examine the deciduous trees in your garden and determine if some pruning is needed. November through March is an ideal time to get that work done. Evergreen tree pruning should be deferred until early spring. The reasons for pruning include: • Managing damage…