One of My Favorite Native Plants- Coneflower

by Ed Powers

As a child growing up in the Dakota’s, Nebraska, and as an adult, in Michigan, we grew coneflower in our gardens.  They were tall, extremely beautiful, easy to grow and they really set off our gardens. The scientific name for the coneflower is Echinacea.  I have tried to grow them at 8,000 feet, where we live now, with a great degree of difficulty.  But, after 3 years of trying, we are finally seeing results.

Echinacea is a group of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. The genus Echinacea has ten species, which are commonly called coneflowers. They are found only in eastern states to the eastern plains of central North America, where they grow in moist to dry prairies as well as open wooded areas. They have large, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming from early to late summer. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἐχῖνος (echinos), meaning "hedgehog", due to the spiny central disk, referencing the spiky appearance and feel of the flower heads.  



These flowering plants and their parts have different uses. Some species are cultivated in gardens for their showy flowers. Echinacea purpurea is used in folk medicine. Two of the species, E. tennesseensis and E. laevigata, are listed in the United States as endangered species.

White Coneflower- Courtesy of American Meadows.com

Echinacea species are herbaceous, drought-tolerant perennial plants growing up to 140 cm, or 4 feet, in height. They grow from taproots, except E. purpurea, which grows from a short caudexwith fibrous roots. They have erect stems that, in most species, are unbranched. Both the basaland cauline (stem) leaves are arranged alternately. The flowers are collected together into single rounded heads at the ends of long peduncles. Like all members of the sunflower family, the flowering structure is a composite inflorescence, with rose-colored (rarely yellow or white) florets arranged in a prominent, somewhat cone-shaped head – "cone-shaped" because the petals of the outer ray florets tend to point downward (are reflexed) once the flower headopens, thus forming a cone. Plants are generally long lived.

Research concluded that of the 40 genetically diverse populations of Echinacea studied, there were ten distinct species.  Only Echinacea angustifolia is native to Colorado.

·         Echinacea angustifolia – Narrow-leaf coneflower

·         Echinacea atrorubens– Topeka purple coneflower

·         Echinacea laevigata– Smooth coneflower, smooth purple coneflower

·         Echinacea pallida – Pale purple coneflower

·         Echinacea paradoxa– Yellow coneflower, Bush's purple coneflower

·         Echinacea purpurea– Purple coneflower, eastern purple coneflower

·         Echinacea sanguinea– Sanguine purple coneflower

·         Echinacea serotina– Narrow-leaved purple coneflower

·         Echinacea simulata– Wavyleaf purple coneflower

·         Echinacea tennesseensis – Tennessee coneflower

Purple Coneflower- Courtesy of American Meadows.com  

Echinacea, as a medicinal plant, has a long and intriguing history of use. For hundreds of years, the Plains Indians used it as an antiseptic, an analgesic, and to treat poisonous insect and snake bites, toothaches, sore throat, wounds and communicable diseases such as mumps, smallpox, and measles. It was also used by the Cheyenne, Choctaw, Comanche, Dakota, Meskwaki Fox, Pawnee, Sioux, and Omaha tribes. Early settlers then adopted the therapeutic uses of Echinacea root, and it has been used as an herbal remedy in the United States ever since.

In 1762, it was used as a treatment for saddle sores on horses.  Dr. H.C.F. Meyer learned of the uses of Echinacea from the native Indians of Nebraska around 1870, and later introduced it to a doctor in Europe. Dr. J. S. Leachman of Sharon, Oklahoma wrote in the October 1914 issue of "The Gleaner," that Echinacea root was used for nearly every sickness with good results. It was also found to be the secret ingredient in many tonics and blood purifiers of the era.

Red Coneflower- Courtesy of American Meadows.com

Chemists and pharmacologists became interested in Echinacea and many constituents are now known, such as polysaccharides, echinacoside, cichoric acid, keto alkene and alkylamide. The extracts exhibit immunostimulant properties and are mainly used in the prophylaxis and therapy of colds, flu and septic complaints. Although there are over 400 publications concerning the plant and dozens of preparations of Echinacea on the market, the true identity of the active principles still remains open.

Echinacea was included in the U. S. National Formulary from 1916 to 1950, although papers published by the Journal of the American Medical Association described it as a useless quack remedy.  Echinacea became known in Europe around 1895. Many research studies done by doctors in Germany indicated that Echinacea is largely effective mostly by increasing the number of white blood cells, thus boosting the immune system and thereby increasing the body's ability to fight infections.

I have enjoyed growing and cultivating Echinacea, and, next to Columbine and Roses, it has become one of my favorites.

Resources
PubMed.gov US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
The Spruce
Colorado State University/ Garden Notes
Sunset magazine/ Your guide to growing Coneflowers
University of Pittsburgh
USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

Creating Native Bee Habitat in your Backyard

by Abi Saeed, Garfield County Agri/Horticulture and Natural Resources Extension Agent

Just like us, pollinators need two main things in order to survive: food (floral resources) and shelter (nesting materials and habitat).

Bee on Black-eyed Susan (Photo by Abi Saeed)

Pollinators, like bees, butterflies, birds, bats, etc., play an enormous role in our lives, affecting agriculture, the economy, wildlife and plant diversity in the region. Of the plethora of animals referred to as pollinators, bees are the most important because of a key part of their anatomy: their fuzziness (aka: the tiny hairs that they have all over their bodies). Bees are covered with these branched hairs specialized for collecting pollen, and different bees have hairs on different parts of their bodies. These hairs allow them to be the incredible pollen-carrying critters that we know and love.

Colorado is home to 946 different bee species. The majority of these bees rely on floral resources in the natural environment. Most of the bee species are solitary insects, and live in individual nests, as opposed to their social counterparts, honey bees and bumble bees. This means that most wild bees need a place to build a nest either in the ground, or in existing cavities.

Due to increased development, these nesting resources are fewer and farther between. Although it is always a good idea to incorporate pollinator-friendly plants, encouraging the beneficial insects into your landscape involves more than just flowers. The nesting habitat is especially critical for our wild native bee communities to survive, and thrive, in our landscapes.

Native bee habitat in your gardens-

Ground-nesting Bees:

Roughly 70 percent of bees nest in the ground. By leaving some bare patches of undisturbed soil - it does not need to be large area, and can be tucked out of the way - you are creating safe ground-nesting bee habitat for these extremely important native pollinators. Although mulch is a useful tool for your garden beds, it creates an obstacle for a ground-nesting bee to find the proper spot to make a home. Mulch can still be used in your garden, but leave some areas uncovered to allow direct soil access for bees.

Ground-nesting Bee (Photo by Abi Saeed)

Cavity-nesting Bees:

Cavity nesting bees, which include 30 percent of the species, can be just as simple to accommodate. Welcome them in your gardens by creating “mason bee houses,” which are made from wood, reeds, cardboard tubes, and a container to house these elements in. Mason bee houses can be as simple or complicated as you like, but make sure that you follow some simple guidelines concerning the correct materials if you are building your own bee hotels. These can easily be found online with a quick search for “bee homes.” Placement can be just as important as the materials that you use for these nesting boxes. Opt for a sturdy spot on a wall or shed in an out-of-the-way area. Make sure that the structure is 3-5 feet above the ground, and away from bird feeders and water spouts that will drain excess moisture. South and/or southeast facing bee hotels do best - they have access to early morning sun and warmth throughout the spring season.

Cavity-nesting Bee Hotel (Photo by Abi Saeed)

And, as with any pollinator habitat, make sure that there are plenty of flowering plants nearby for the bees to access nectar and pollen.

For more Information:

http://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/insect/05616.pdf

http://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/insect/05615.pdf

https://pollinators.msu.edu/publications/building-and-managing-bee-hotels-for-wild-bees/

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/Pollinator_habitat.pdf

SO, YOU WANT TO DO SOME LANDSCAPING DESIGN, NOW WHAT?

by Sharon Faircloth

We have all been told that adding landscaping can significantly increase the value of our properties.  A beautiful environment contributes to our overall well-being and it’s one of the reasons we live where we live.  Landscaping can be very daunting.  It seems the more natural you want it, the more complicated and expensive it can become.  Whether you want to enhance a problem area, attract wildlife or make it look like you live in a field of wildflowers, all it takes is some planning!  One consideration is to hire a professional to work with you on your vision, budget and timeline.  Another is to do all or parts of it yourself.

There are literally a zillion ideas on doing your own landscaping.   Use the internet for ideas but stay on the 'edu' sites for science-based information on everything else.  To create your vision, begin by taking photos of your site.   Consider what you have vs. what you want.  What can be changed by adding rocks, landscaping timbers or water features, and what do you have to work around driveways, rock outcroppings, slopes, mailboxes?  Look at the big picture.  How does the sunlight move across your property?   Do you have soil issues?  Micro-climates? Gaps where nothing much grows? Perhaps you’d like a little more privacy? Use your photos to observe and then draw out the area to scale.  Even if you’re not an artist or an engineer, it doesn’t have to be perfect.  You just need to have a good sense of space to begin the next phase.

Courtesy CMG Garden Notes
 #411 Water Wise Lands

Consider what you see in the winter time.  Would you like to incorporate more visual interest throughout the year?  A special area to attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies near your kitchen window?  Do you want an area where the flowers are all one color? How can colors be combined for the maximum impact and continuous blooming?  Consider form and texture and what can be added to enhance what you already have or create a whole new area.  Perhaps a new path to your entryway or a rock garden.  What about a challenging area where nothing much is growing? 

Building a rock garden and water feature 

Courtesy of Sharon Faircloth

Other major considerations are how much water you have available and how much time do you want to devote.  Picking the right plant for the right place, amending your soil if necessary, mulching and establishing new plants will improve your chances of success.  Breaking down your plan is a great idea.  Gardening can be hard work, not to mention expensive, so doing a bit at time is totally fine.  Making it a family project gives everyone a sense of ownership and pride!  Remember to keep a diary and note what worked and what didn’t and what you’d like to add or never do again.

The http://www.cmg.colostate.edu/website has organized a wide variety of landscape design subjects for you, from choosing a landscape professional to design elements, the basics of building retaining walls, and conserving energy.  Go to the website, enter landscape design and you will find fact sheets and Planttalk ideas on these subjects, and many more.

Another great resource is the http://plantselect.org website.  Plant Select is a collaboration between Colorado State University, the Denver Botanical Gardens and local horticulturists.

Courtesy of PlanttalkColorado©
#1110 Using Color in Landscape

The group chooses to test plants for the Rocky Mountain region considering uniqueness, low water requirements, disease resistance, and habitat friendliness (although many of these are not suitable for higher elevations- check for hardiness).  Look for the PlantSelect© designation on plants at your local greenhouse.  Another great resource on their website are downloadable design ideas from professionals.  The designs provide scale, which you can adapt to your space.  You can also just use the designs for an idea of what plants go together and then you can research them for personal choice.

Take advantage of all the resources at your fingertips for landscape design and jump in! 

Photo courtesy of Sharon Faircloth, Vail, CO

https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/FourSeason.pdf https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ButterHummer-FULL-sheet.pdf 

https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Plant-Select-Phenology-report-by-Ann-Frazier-2012-2017.pdf

https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/RockGarden.pdf

Soil Prep is Key to a Good Garden

by Sandy Hollingsworth, Gilpin County Master Gardener

“N, P, K, Fe, Ca, Mg, pH…” Listening to gardeners talk about their soil can make you wonder if you need a science degree to understand it all!  Since soil health is the foundation of a successful garden, amending it to its best before planting will help your garden grow.  Spring is a good time to test the soil and see what minerals and nutrients it needs. CSU offers reduced cost soil tests which give you a detailed report of information about what is too high, too low and just right in your garden soil. Too much of a good thing like compost will interfere with your plants’ ability to take up nutrients needed for growth. I was surprised to learn from my vegetable garden soil test last year that I did not need to, and should not, add any more compost in the spring or manure in the fall as that was my annual routine in my home garden. Yet in the Gilpin County community garden where I volunteer the test recommended adding more compost for 2-3 years, plus certain minerals and nutrients in each garden.

pH and soil type chart

In Colorado, the soil is generally high pH (although this rule of thumb does not always hold in the mountains), and the goal is to build the soil to 6 to 7.2 pH for growing vegetables. The overall organic content is best in the 4-5% range which is ideal for the release of nitrogen from the soil. That is why I do not need to add yet more compost since mine was over 5%. You may find that you need to continue to slowly build your organic matter an inch or two at a time over several years, like in the community garden, which was at 4.4%. “Organic matter is also an important energy source for bacteria, fungi and earthworms that live in the soil.” (CSU Fact Sheet #7.235)

Compost and aged manure well mixed into your garden help improve the soil texture, tilth, aeration, drainage, and water retention so is well worth the work. Organic soil amendments and compost tea can be used to increase minerals and micronutrients. Gardeners can avoid chemical fertilizers or choose synthetics as preferred.

Soil Nutrients (credit Lumen Learning)

Primary nutrients for plants include Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Aside from carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) these are used by plants in the greatest amounts. C, O, H are generally gained from air and water aided by potassium in the plant. N/P/K help with foliage, root, flower, and fruit growth, plus disease protection. Packaged fertilizers list these 3 on labels to help you pick what you need in higher or lower percentages. Nitrogen helps green growth while phosphorus promotes fruits and flowers so you give the veggies or flowers what they need throughout their growth stages.

Secondary nutrients, needed in lesser amounts, include Magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). They are just as important to the overall health of the plant.

Micronutrients are needed in even smaller amounts and most soil amendments will contain some amount of them. Micronutrients include zinc (Zn) iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), boron (B) as listed on my CSU soil test reports, plus molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), Chlorine (Cl) and cobalt (Co).

Locally we can readily find amendments for minerals and micronutrients which include:

Alfalfa pellets (S. Hollinsworth)

• Alfalfa Meal pellets for readily available nitrogen; they also feed soil organisms. It’s better to get ones that only contain alfalfa pellets.
• Ammonium Sulfate to add nitrogen. Can also be used for side dressing after plants are up and growing.
• Bio char which may increase soil fertility, help plants use nitrogen and sequester carbon. (CSU Fact sheet 0.509 details the research: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/agriculture/biochar-in-colorado-0-509/)
• Blood meal as a fast release nitrogen which purportedly also may repel deer if you need that benefit.
• Bone meal or bone char to add phosphorus and calcium.
• Fish emulsion or fish meal as a source of nitrogen and potassium. It is a byproduct of fish farming and has an odor, which may attract certain animals until it settles in.
• Kelp Meal from dried, ground up seaweed provides trace minerals, amino acids, and enzymes.
• Mycorrhiza stimulate plant and root growth and are beneficial to soil life.
• Phosphate and superphosphate which promote flowering and fruiting. Best incorporated into the soil in spring or fall before planting if needed, as most Colorado soils have adequate phosphorus.
• Soybean meal (non-GMO if you prefer) with high amounts of slow-release nitrogen and potassium.  

Blood Meal (S. Hollinsworth)

According to CSU research and Plant Talk information, Green sand, Rock powders, Gypsum and Lime are often not needed amendments in most areas of Colorado (although a soil test may indicate otherwise) – they may be beneficial in other parts of the USA.

Also “in areas like Colorado, where the entire growing season is used for vegetable production, a green manure is less practical.”  For additional information, refer to CMG Garden Notes #244, Cover Crops and Green Manure Crops (http://cmg.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/244.pdf). But if you can squeeze in a cover crop or rotate beds to allow it every other year it can be quite beneficial for soil health plus may attract pollinators while in bloom. Till it into the soil before it is 4 inches tall to add the plant material into the garden and plant into the amended soil.

If you have not done a soil test to get recommendations, amendment products packaging usually includes suggested application rates.

A few important amendment and soil tips are:

-          Mix any amendments well into the top 6-8 inches of soil where plants and roots grow.

-          Avoid working soil when it’s too wet as it can damage soil.

-          Once your soil is amended, avoid stepping on it to prevent soil compaction.

-          Side dressing with more fertilizers as needed means mixing it into the soil next to and around plants without disturbing them too much.

-          Retest soil after the growing season or early the next year to know what adjustments are needed before the next planting.

-          In general manure is best added in the fall to allow several months for it to break down in the soil, and only use well aged manure as fresh manure can have high salts, ammonia, and even e-coli.

For more information CSU Fact Sheet 7.235 (https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/choosing-a-soil-amendment/) provides details on wood, manure, peats, biosolids, plant- based soil amendments, both types to use and avoid, plus application tips for building up your garden. Garden Notes #234 (http://cmg.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/234.pdf) explains more about fertilizing and fertilizers. CSU soil test information http://www.soiltestinglab.colostate.edu/

After you make the time to amend, you’ll be ready for planting and sowing seeds, or planting seedlings when the soil and weather warms up for a yummy harvest!

Vegetable Garden Layout

by Ginger Baer

For many years vegetable gardens were spacious, spread out and required a lot of weeding, water and upkeep.  I loved my BIG garden, but hated the weeding and tried many methods to cut down on that kind of work. It wasn’t until I moved to the mountains and joined our community garden that I actually tried intensive gardening (due to the fact that my space was limited). Each garden plot measured 4' X 12', a far cry from my 20' x 20' garden at a lower elevation.

In-ground garden

The most important part of selecting your garden location is location.  You need to have plenty of sunlight, well-drained soils and availability to water.  Leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, require the least direct sunlight, only 4 to 5 hours. Root vegetables require 5 to 6 hours, and fruiting vegetables (such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini) require at least 8 hours. In Colorado, water can be a challenge unless you have water rights.  This is why I have a plot in the Gilpin County Community Garden.  They provide the water.

Broad forks

If one has plenty of space, water, time and energy, row gardening can be a great way to garden. It does require a bit of money to amend the soil, maintain and water. I had successfully gardened this way for many years. You will need to be sure that your rows are straight (you can use a string for your layout) because this will make tilling between the rows easiest. In this style of garden, you will need to take care that you don’t walk on the rows as to avoid compaction of the soil, which will inhibit root growth. 

Until recently, mechanical tillers were the recommended method for turning the soil.  Recently, however, it is recommended that you hand till the beds with either a garden fork or a broad fork.  This can be labor and time intensive if your garden is large, however, you are minimizing the chances for compaction (by footsteps and heavy equipment). If this is your style of garden, then by all means, go for it.  

For me, however, I have really loved my smaller, intensive garden. Square foot gardening is a trend that started out in the 1970’s and 1980’s and was developed by Mel Bartholomew. ^[1] This method has been further developed and there is a garden note from CSU Extension on what is called Block Style Garden. ^[2] I have adopted this style of gardening in my community garden plot. The idea of this style of gardening is to maximize yields for the space allotted. In your space you should lay out a plan to plant crops with an equal-distance space between neighboring plants in both directions. In doing so you will also need to consider the sunlight requirements of each of your plants.

Another consideration is how much room each plant requires for growing.  Lettuce, radishes and carrots are ideal for block gardening, whereas squash and vining vegetables such as cucumbers may require too much space.  One thing that can help with those types of plants is a trellis. Remember the direction of the sunlight when using this method so that you do not shade the other plants in your garden.

Due to the fact that there is such intensity in your plantings you will need to be sure that you maintain the richness of your soil. Concentrate on improving soils with routine applications of organic matter and get soil testing along the way to be sure that you have a correct balance.

Block style gardens are well suited for both in-the-ground plots or raised beds. As mentioned above, I started mine in a plot that measured 4 ft x 12 ft and it was in the ground. In this plot, I was able to grow onion, lettuce, spinach, arugula, carrots, peas, radishes, turnips, beans, squash and a cherry tomato.

Raised beds in Community Garden

The community garden also offers raised beds by way of galvanized water troughs measuring 3 ft x 10 ft.  I love mine! Last year I grew onions, carrots, radishes, lettuce, arugula, peas, beans, squash and cucumber.  One error I did make was to grow too many squash plants, and you know how those squash multiply (keep your car windows closed!).  The squash really spread and overtook the cucumber plants and beans.  One plant will be enough in the bed this year.

Whatever method you decide to use, it is always a good idea to layout your garden plan with pencil and paper.  This way you will be sure of how much room you have for your plants and you will also have a good record from one year to the next of what you grew, what did well, and what did not. Make the most of your space and happy gardening!

---

^[1] https://www.almanac.com/video/planning-square-foot-garden

^[2] http://cmg.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/713.pdf

Brassicas

Brassicas in garden (photo Yvette Henson)

by Yvette Henson

I just planted my brassica seeds in flats to plant out into the garden when it is time.  Brassicas are plants in the Brassicaceae family, also known as cruciferous or cole crops.  Plants in this family that are grown for eating include cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard, radishes, turnips, and more.  As vegetables, they are rich in anti-cancer compounds, one of which is free glutamine.  Brassicas are also high in other many other nutrients.

Brassicas are cool-season crops.  Although some varieties can take longer to mature, they can better survive temperatures below freezing.  We can plant them before the last spring frost and/or later in the summer so they mature when temperatures are cooler (which will improve their flavor and quality).  Cool-season crops generally do very well in our mountain communities where we have lower day and nighttime temperatures.  They can grow well in the open but growing under cover gives the advantage of an extended harvest (earlier and later), cooling in the summer, less evaporation from the soil and protection from cabbage worms, etc.

Brassicas in garden (photo credit Yvette Henson)

Brassicas aren’t too picky about soil - some of them even prefer clay soil.  They do require fertilization (pre-planting and every 3 weeks through harvest), and need water most when establishing and when edible parts are maturing.  Uneven watering and high temperatures may cause heading-type brassicas to split or bolt.  Many disease problems can be reduced if grown on 4-5 year rotation with non-cole crops. The most common insect pests are cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles.  These pests are best managed by reducing stress on the plants, covering them with row cover or timing the planting to avoid a particular pest. 

All the varieties I will recommend in this article are open pollinated (OP).  That means that you can plant extra for seed production.  If you provide proper growing conditions, isolation distances and save the best for seed, replant and repeat, you should eventually get a better strain adapted to your local conditions.

Radishes  (photo Baker Creek Seeds)

Radishes (Raphanus sativus) are a good digestive.  Radish roots can be eaten fresh, be pickled or roasted.  There are also radishes cultivated for their edible leaves and seed pods (Raphanus sativus subsp. caudatus).  Radishes are probably the easiest Brassica to grow.  Be sure you know if you have spring radishes or fall radishes so that you plant them in the correct season.  Most spring radishes mature in a short time (30 days +) but generally fall radishes take longer to mature.  If your season is really short you can plant both types in the late winter and spring, but if you have warmer summer days you will want to plant fall radishes later.  Fall radishes often store well. My favorite spring radish so far is ‘Early Yellow Turnip-rooted’.  Yellow radishes withstand heat better than reds.  My favorite fall radish is ‘Watermelon Radish’ (60 days).

Kales (2 different Brassica spp.) have a high mineral content and are good cleansers.  They also contain vitamins A & K and potassium.  They are easy to grow and can yield a lot of greens over time in a small area.  Kale can be direct seeded in the garden 3-5 weeks before the last frost date, or 6-8 weeks before first frost.  You can start harvesting young leaves as early as 40 days and it can be harvested several weeks after the last frost.  ‘Red Russian’ is a Siberian kale (Brassica napus), the classic kale with tender leaves that makes great massaged-kale salad; dinosaur kale (Brassica oleacea) is great in soup and for kale chips; and a beautiful burgundy-leaved curly kale (Brassica oleacea) is ‘Baltic Red’ which is edible and ornamental! 

Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage (photo Southern Exposure Seed)

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) contains chlorine and sulphur which help cleanse stomach and intestines, and cabbage juice is good for stomach ulcers.  They are relatively easy to grow but they don’t compete well with weeds or deep cultivation. They do best when planted as young plants directly in the garden.  If planting is timed so that heads are forming when temperatures are cool they will be denser and of better quality.  They are most susceptible to frost damage when heading up, but there are cabbage varieties classified as winter cabbages that can withstand frost.  These types can often be stored for several months in the winter.  Two of my favorite varieties of cabbage are ‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ and ‘Mammoth Red Rock’.  ‘EJW’ is an early (60-75 days) cabbage with a conical head and mild, sweet flavor, and it doesn’t take up too much room in the garden.   'MRR’ matures a little later (100 days), it has a round flat head with purple tinged leaves and stores well. It makes an excellent semi-fermented ‘kraut’.  Purple cabbages seem to experience less aphid pressure.

Mammoth Red Rock Cabbage (photo credit Yvette Henson)

Nutribud Broccoli (photo Adaptive Seeds)

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) can be a little more difficult to grow than cabbages.  They do best when planted out as young plants about the time of last frost (earlier if under cover).  Our favorite broccoli is ‘Nutribud’ (80 days).  It contains higher than average amounts of free glutamine.  It forms a beautiful head followed by side shoots.  We prefer the side shoots rather than the heads - they are more tender and continue producing until winter kill. 

Cauliflower can be difficult to grow.  It is sensitive to handling, temperature extremes and sun scald on heads.  A reliable variety that is easier-to-grow is ‘Macerata’ (70-80 days), it forms tasty lime-green heads.

'Macerata' Cauliflower (photo Baker Creek Seeds)

Please share your successes and lessons learned growing Brassicas.  What are your favorite varieties?

Yvette Henson is the Director and Agent at the Colorado State University Extension in San Miguel and West Montrose Counties.

Those Darned Aphids!

by Kristina Hughes, Clear Creek County Master Gardener

Lime tree- Photo by Kristina Hughes

For those of us who like to let our houseplants spend time in the great outdoors during the warm months, there are many benefits. My plants love being outside in a protected location and they reward me with vigorous growth and rich blooms. Those benefits come with a price, however, and I have paid a price.

My lime tree in particular seems to attract aphids, which isn’t a problem when the plant is outside. Aphids are a favorite food of many birds and predatory insects. Aphids are an important food source for beneficial insects such as lady beetles (especially their larvae) and green lacewing larvae (see photo below). Some people recommend allowing small numbers of aphids to be part of a garden ecosystem, to support healthy populations of the predatory beneficials that love to eat aphids.

My lime tree does fine when it’s outside in the summer. But a couple of years ago, right around this time of year, the aphid eggs hatched. Since I don’t have a house full of beneficial insects (as much as I love them when they are outside) the aphids quickly got out of control. Honeydew was spattered thickly on the floor of my conservatory and the plant was crawling with, infested with, aphids.

I worked my way through the control options for aphids, starting with the least aggressive method. I took the plant into the shower and sprayed it down, knocking the bugs off the plant. I’ve used this method with satisfactory results on plants outside in the garden, where there are natural enemies to help. Inside, however, it only worked for a short time. Then they were back. When I couldn’t stand them anymore, I took the plant back into the shower. And I went around and around. 

Green lacewing larvae- These are good guys (Bugwood.org) 

Next, I tried insecticidal soap. It worked for a little bit longer, but I still ended up with lots of accumulated honeydew and lots of creepy, crawly aphids on my plant. Again, if I had had beneficial insects working with me, the soap probably would’ve been sufficient. But as I indicated earlier, I love beneficials which are outside my house. I personally don’t want to release more insects intomy house.

I needed another approach. I clearly wasn’t reaching all of the nooks and crannies on my plant where the aphids were hiding. I consulted my references and decided to use a systemic insecticide. I followed the directions carefully and, most importantly, I kept the plant indoors out of reach of pollinators for several months while the insecticide was moving through the plant. Gradually the aphids started to disappear and eventually they were all gone. They have not returned. But I had to keep my lime tree inside all season and I would prefer to be able to put it outside.

Horticultural oil worked really well for the aphid problem I had on my honeysuckle (see my blog from January 17, 2018- http://coloradomountaingardener.blogspot.com/2018/01/aphids-on-my-honeysuckles.html). So this year I have a new plan. I will put the lime tree outside to enjoy the increased sunlight and fresh air. When I bring it in at the end of the season, I will apply horticultural oil to smother the aphid eggs. I am hopeful this approach will allow both me and my plant to be happier, but also keep the aphids out of the house!

For more information on how to control aphids indoors see:

Managing Houseplant Pests, Factsheet 5.595 from CSU Extension https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/managing-houseplant-pests-5-595/

Why local snowpack is important

By Irene Shonle, Director CSU Extension in Gilpin County 

Overall, snowpack in Colorado is great so far this year (statewide, 114% of normal).   

Snotel Current Snow Water Table

As of February 25^th, the South Platte River Basin (our watershed) is 110% of normal and the Arkansas is 125%. West slope river basins range from 107% to 122%.  This is great news to urban dwellers, to farmers and ranchers and to states downstream from us to whom we owe water, since that snowpack will soon be melting into water and rushing down the mountains in our streams and rivers.  This is especially welcome news after the dismal snowpacks of the last few years.

However, river basin snowpack means very little to us locally. The water many of us mountain dwellers drink comes from wells, and not from reservoirs or large underground aquifers as it does in the flatlands.  The production of those wells is entirely dependent on the precipitation that falls in our own yards. It’s very local. And, along the Front Range, from about 7,500’ to 9,000’, we have not gotten great snowfall amounts this year. We are not on the Snotel site, so it doesn’t really show up anywhere, but most of our snowfalls this winter have just been a few inches or so. As one long-time Gilpinite said, you know snowfall has been scarce when 8” seems like a big snow! I have heard reports of wells going dry already this winter. It’s been that way for the last couple of years, and I am hoping for some bigger snows this spring. We need it!

Aquifer diagram

Our wells gather water from melting snow and rain seeping into tiny cracks in the bedrock. The ground water held in these cracks is called a fractured rock aquifer and is only recharged by precipitation. Some of these cracks are as narrow as a human hair, and they are all connected to each other for water to be able to travel through them to your well. This ground water recharge system also explains the phenomenon of well water discoloration in the spring – when large quantities of water enter the fractured rock aquifer when the snow melts, sediments, nutrients and tannins can be carried along.  Shallower wells tend to see this more frequently -- even after a big rain -- whereas deeper wells see it only in the spring or not at all.

Local moisture also has a big impact on the moisture content of trees and fire danger, and yes, the performance of your perennial plants in your garden. The last few years, at least in Gilpin County, have not seen good summer rains either, so this year it would be good to have some spring snows followed by summer rains. There is a somewhat increased probability for above average precipitation this spring, so here’s to hoping!

Three-month precipitation outlook