Brighton Blooms

So in love with the sounds of Summer

2009-04-30T15:45:00.003-06:00

I know we still have some time until it is officially summer, but it feels and sounds like summer right now. The little t-ball teams are practicing at the field across the street, the birds are waking me in the morning with their songs and as I run or bike around town I can hear the mowers running and smell the fresh cut grass.
Now, even though we can truly feel summer coming, I hope you are still waiting a little to put those tender plants outside. Our little snow storm on Monday should have made that point that we are never sure what is going to happen with the weather here. Mother's Day is less than a week and a half away, so you can wait.
Some things you can do right now are:

If you lawn is not greening up nicely, you can apply a slow release fertilizer at a rate of 1/2 lb per 1000 square feet.
You can plant perennials outside right now. The best days are overcast days. This allows the plant a to adjust to transplant shock without the hot sun beating on it. If you cannot wait for an overcast day, plant in the late afternoon or evening. Be sure to keep newly transplanted perennials well watered until they are established.
If you have been growing transplants indoors, you will will need to harden them off before planting them outside. Hardening off prepares the plants to deal with the outdoor climate. Start by putting the plants outside, in the shade for a few hours. Gradually increase the amount of time you leave them outside until the day you actually plant them in the ground. Your plants will handle transplanting much better. You should also do this with plants you purchase from an indoor nursery.
You can also start seeding several of you annual flowers outside right now (alyssum, lobelia, etc)

Back with some questions

2009-04-22T09:45:00.002-06:00

I had several questions asked of me last night and I wanted to post some of them today.

1. Should we still aerate our lawn even if we have sandy soil?
Yes. The reason we aerate lawns is to break of the thatch layer. Thatch is a layer of dead grass material between the green grass you see and the soil surface. If you allow to much thatch to build up in your lawn it can slow water and nutrient penetration of nutrients. It can also cause your lawn to have a shallow root system and an brown/yellow undertone. Thatch generally should not be any thicker that 1/2 inch.

2. Can I plant my garden early this year?
It is so tempting to want to plant early. I am guilty of it. The temperatures are great right now and we are supposed to even hit 90 degrees this weekend. So, can you plant early? The general rule is to wait until after Mother's Day to put any tender plants outside. With that being said, I have done it sooner. If you are going to be around for the next couple of weeks and can go out and cover you plants if a frost threatens, then if you want to take the gamble, go for it. I did it last year, and went out at midnight one night to cover all my tomatoes because of a threatening frost. If you will not be around or you do not want to go through the trouble of watching the weather closely and tucking you plants in, I would wait.

3. My transplants are coming up yellow, whats wrong?
There can be several reasons you transplants indoors are coming up yellow. Check your watering. You should water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Too much water can have some of the same effects as not enough water. I would also check to be sure they are getting plenty of sunlight (6-8 hours a day). And lastly, if they are beyond the seedling stage, they may need some additional nutrients. You can get several different brands of fertilizers that you can mix with your water. If these are veggie transplants look with a fertilizer that has a higher second and third number (ie. 5-10-10 or 5-10-5) or even a tomato fertilizer. These will help encourage blooms which turn into the stuff we love to eat from the garden. If you want to learn more about fertilizers check out this article Fertilizing the Vegetable Garden

4. I want to plant a garden but have never done so, how do I start?
Small. Don't overwhelm yourself the first time. Pick two of three plants and an area large enough for them (usually a square yard). If the area already has plant material (grass, etc) remove it and work up the soil (hand digging is fine for an area this small). Work in some compost. If planting by seed, follow the directions on the seed packet. If using transplants, dig a hole as deep as the pot they came in and twice as wide. Remove the transplant gently from the pot, and gently break up some of the roots if necessary (if they are twining around the inside of the pot, they need to be broken up to encourage them to grow out ward in the soil). Place into the hole and gently pack the soil around the roots and stem. Do not plant them deeper than they were in the pot. Tomatoes are an exception to this rule and it is often recommended you plant them deeper in the ground than they were in the pot, as they will develop roots along their stem that is submerged in the soil. Water lightly. The best time to transplant in in the afternoon or on a cloudy day. This gives the plant a chance to adjust before having to deal with the hot sun. Transplants will require more water until they are established, but once established most gardens require an inch of water a week.

If you have more questions, please leave me a comment.

2009-04-08T22:05:00.003-06:00

A question from the comment section:
At what point is it too late to plant peas? I haven't planted any, but thought I might try to plant some.
If you get them out this week you should be fine. Take a look at the different varieties and choose one with a shorter germination time. I am one who always likes to try new things. Try to give the peas a spot that will get some protection from the hot afternoon sun as it gets warmer.

Sorry I am a little late posting this week. So how did you love the weather last week? I did warn that March would go out like a lion. I am hoping that we really will get some of the April showers they keep talking about on the weather reports.
If your yard is anything like my yard, you are noticing that the weeds are coming up like, well, weeds. You can spot treat them with herbicide or hand pull. If you do choose to use herbicides, read the label carefully. Make sure that it is specified for the weeds you are treating. When mixing, be sure that you measure carefully and mark your measuring utensils well so that you do not use them for anything but herbicides. Also, mark your sprayer as an herbicide sprayer. You should have a separate sprayer for herbicides and pesticides. The best time to apply most herbicides is in the early morning when there is no breeze (or wind as we have been experiencing lately). This will help reduce the risk of damaging desirable plants from herbicide drift.
If you are wanting to start an asparagus bed, you can do that now. Remember that asparagus is a perennial plant so it will come back year after year. You need to select a spot where it can remain year after year. For more info check out this fact sheet from CSU.
If you want to have a healthy yard it is recommended that you aerate it to reduce thatch. You can rent aerating machines or you can have a lawn care company come do it for you.
If we do not get the moisture that is promised in the forecast, be sure to water your existing perennials and trees. Colorado winters are incredibly dry and we have not had the moisture needed for these plants.

Today is the day to plant!

2009-04-01T15:06:00.004-06:00

If you have not gotten out and planted yet, you better hurry up and get it done today. April's Fools. I hope you don't find these characters in your yard.

http://www.maniacworld.com/April-Fools-Day-Images.html

Now for serious business. I hope you all have enjoyed the snow. I know that it can be a pain at times but the moisture it has brought is valuable. It looks like we may not be finished yet, so just pull out your gardening catalogs and keep planning you flower beds and gardens. The ground in probably a little wet to be out in the yard and working it up, but that won't stop you from taking some measurements of your beds and garden. It is important to know the area you will be working with while you are planning what to put where. Take time to draw a little map of your yard. Also take time to notice the sun pattern in your yard. Notice which spots get morning sun and which spots get afternoon sun. Also be sure to note what spots get shaded by trees or the home. Remember that the sun will be higher in the sky in the summer, so the sun patterns will change some, but you will be able to get an adequate idea right now so that you can make good plant choices.

2009-03-25T09:10:00.010-06:00

The other evening Levi was asking some questions about what flowers to plant in is flower beds. We went off on another subject, so he left this comment to remind me to answer his questions:

I never answered your question to my question about my purple flower that I want for the front flower bed. It is partial sun in the summer. I also want a couple different purple and yellow flowers to go in that flower bed. I would like them to bloom all summer. They can be small or big. What do you think?

If you want flowers that will bloom most of the summer, annuals are the way to go. Annual plants only live one season as opposed to perennials, which come back year after year. Generally, with annuals, if you keep them deadheaded (remove old blooms), they will bloom over and over throughout the season.
The next obstacle is the amount of light it will receive. It is important that you plant your flowers where they will get the required light needed or else they will not perform at their best. If you have a spot that gets morning shade but afternoon sun, you can generally plant full sun plants there. If the area gets any afternoon shade or just morning sun, you need to use a part shade plant. If it gets very little full sun, then use a shade plant.
If I am thinking of the correct flower bed at Levi's home, he is wanting part shade plants. If you are looking for a low growing, purple flower, lobelia is a winner. It comes in a few shades of violet. It has a max height of 8", but generally stays below 6". This is a great ground cover type annual and to use between taller plants.A taller, purple plant is Nicotiana (flowering tobacco). This flower gets to about 20" tall and spreads 15-18". In full sun it can get larger. If you want to try perennials, look for Lavender or Stokes Aster.
This one is a full sun plant, but it is one of my favorite purple annuals so I just had to post it. This is the African daisy and comes in many colors (yellow, oranges, violet, white) and are awesome bloomers. They are great for baskets and pots as well.
Now for some yellow flowers. First off, yellow and purple flowers are a great combination for the flower bed. They are complimentary colors and make each other pop.
It is a little more difficult to find yellow flowers for a shady spot since most yellow/orange flowers love full sun. Impatiens are always a good choice for shady areas. This variety is Fusion Glow, but impatiens come in many colors.You can also try Nasturtiums for that part shade area. These grow 6-12" tall and you can find compact varieties. An extra bonus is that you can add the edible flowers to your summer salads.Of course, you will see more and more options if you look through garden catalogs and just walk around a nursery. Just be sure to check the amount of sun needed, what its mature size will be and water requirements to be sure it will work in your flower bed.

Last Week of March

2009-03-23T09:45:00.003-06:00

Can you believe we are headed into the last week of March? Time is flying by. Spring is officially here, but it looks like mother nature might still be sending some winter weather our way by the end of this week. Although I have loved the warm temperatures, I also would love to see some moisture. This is my little on helping me clean out the garden.
There really is not much new that needs to be done this week. If you are caught up on the cleaning out of the flower beds and garden, have added compost into your beds and have planted your peas, then this is a planning week for you. Take time to go out and take some quick pictures of your garden and flower beds. Then jot down some notes of what you want to accomplish in the yard (do you want year round color, do you want low maintenance, etc). Then, go grab all your gardening and flower catalogues and go through them. When picking out plants for your yard or garden make sure that they will work. First, are they for our area (zone 5)? Second, is it sun or shade? How much water does it need? And what is its mature size? Will it fit in the space you want to put it?
As always, if you have questions, just leave me a comment. I will do my best to answer all your questions.

Third Week of March

2009-03-16T09:24:00.003-06:00

This is the week for green. Not only is it St. Patty's day on Tuesday, but with the beautiful weather it looks like we are going to have (maybe even some moisture) it is the perfect time to get out in the yard. You can finish cleaning up if you haven't done that yet.
Technically, it is still too early to plant anything in the garden, but I think we will be safe with some cool season plants. Cool season plants can handle day temperatures as low as 40 degrees. The also can withstand a light frost. Cool season plants include: peas, broccoli, cabbage, onions, radishes, spinach and turnips. You safest bets will be peas, onions and radishes at this point. So, if you have spring fever, plant you pea seeds in the garden (try soaking them in water over night to help germination). If a heavy frost does threaten after your cool season plants have popped up, just cover them with a sheet for the night. I always keep some cheap fabric on hand and have been spotted in my garden close to midnight covering my plants because I heard reports of a heavy frost. For more information on when you can plant certain vegetables, check out this publication from the extension service: http://cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/720.pdf
I hope that the responses the questions left were helpful. Please feel free to leave comments and questions. If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will find it out for you.

Answering some of your questions

2009-03-13T17:01:00.006-06:00

Here are some questions left in the comment section by one of the blog readers:

I am so excited about this blog! This is the first time I have had a real outdoor garden. I tested my soil with a little do it yourself test kit and it was very alkaline. I added a bunch of steer manure/compost....which now i heard not to add steer manure because it is just weeds....oh well too late. How long do I have to wait to retest soil and is it good to add sulfate to it or not? Are the do it yourself test kits very accurate or should I have the soil tested through Colorado university? Also I love peas, but someone told me it was too hot here to grow peas, is that true?

As far as steer manure being a bunch of weeds: yes and no. That is part of the reason that it is recommended that it be composted before you use it in the garden. Composting helps break down some the nitrogen so that it will not burn your plants and is more usable to plants. Also, when composting reaches the proper temperature, it generally will kill any seed in the compost mix. Here is a great article on manures for the garden: http://www.plantea.com/manure.htm
To get an accurate idea of what type of soil you have, it is recommended that you do have it tested through the Colorado Extension service. Home testing kits can give you a general idea, but for accuracy use the extension service. Sulfate has not been shown to truly reduce pH in the soil. The best way to reduce soil pH is to keep adding soil amendments (compost, peat moss) every year. The double benefit of using soil amendments is that if you have clay soil it will help improve the drainage for you. You can also try using acid forming fertilizers like ammonium sulfate or aluminum sulfate. A soil test from CSU will give you a better idea of what is needed for you soil. For information on getting you soil tested by CSU, visit http://www.extsoilcrop.colostate.edu/SoilLab/soillab.html
As far as peas, yes it is too hot here for them, if you plant them in summer. No worries though, peas are considered cool season crops and you can actually plant them here in a few weeks (maybe even next week the way the weather report looks). They like days in the 70's and can even handle a light frost. Once the day length gets longer and the temperatures get warmer they will produce less. Most sugar peas have a 60 day growing period, so if you plant now you will have peas before you can even set your warm season plants in the garden.

Second Week Of March

2009-03-09T19:52:00.003-06:00

Although today was a little cooler than we have been experiencing, it still was nice and sunny out. This kind of weather causes me to get some spring fever. I even caught myself driving by Home Depot the other day to see what plants they had out and being disappointed that they did not have any yet. I then remembered that it is only the beginning of March and no one should have plants out yet. But is you absolutely need to get some dirt under your nails, here are some things you can do this week.

Start your tender annuals seeds (tomatoes, peppers, salvia, etc) indoors. They need a bright spot and usually bottom hear so the starting soil stays between 80-85 degrees F. If your kitchen is bright and sunny, the top of the fridge will provide some great bottom heat.
Start preparing your soil. Clear out leaves from flower beds (compost if possible) and work some compost into the soil if possible. Definitely work about 2" of compost into your garden area. Because the weather has been so agreeable the soil is excellent for working.
You can also start some cool season seeds indoors (cabbage, lettuce, broccoli) These cannot go outside quite yet, but you will be able to put them out before too long.

First week of March

2009-03-05T18:35:00.001-07:00

We have had an incredibly warm week. We have reached some records highs. While it is great for us and the kids to get out of the house and into the sunshine, this could be a problem for out plants. Have you noticed that some of your grass is greening up? Or even that some of your trees and shrubs are starting to bloom? Yes, me too. If we were sure that spring were to continue this way, it would not be a problem. However, I have the feeling that since March is coming in like a sweet little lamb, it is going to go out like a roaring lion. A spring snow storm with a hard frost can be very damaging to any new growth that has occurred during these unseasonably warm days. So what can you do? Unfortunately, not much. If it is a prized plant, you may consider giving it some protection if a frost is threatening.
So what should you be doing:

Since the weather is wonderful get out and clean up your flower beds and garden if they are not yet cleaned out
Rototill 2 of compost or manure (make sure it is aged) into your garden
Although many trees are trying to break dormancy, now is the time to prune dormant trees

For more information on pruning see the CSU article Now is the Time to Prune

From a Little Seed

2009-03-05T18:32:00.002-07:00

I have had several ladies at church asking me to tell them week to week what they need to be doing in the garden/landscape. Since I do not have time to track each one down, or even worry about emailing each one, I decided that a blog would be a perfect way for them to get the information they are after. It will also provide an archive of information for them.
So a little about me. I have a few degrees in horticulture and have worked as a horticulture county extension agent. I love sharing information with others and helping them find as much joy in plants as I do. We finally moved into a home with a yard last year and I have been busy working on getting a garden up and growing. My hope is that this blog will be a great little help to the do-it-yourself gardener and maybe provide them some inspiration. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions. I will do my best to address them. Let's get growing!