2011 Master Gardener Garden Tour: Home Grown by Georgina Kokinda

Photo by Janet Shangraw

It was the last day of July, a perfect commonly sunny summer day with temperatures hovering close to the century mark, when the Jefferson County (Jeffco) Colorado Master Gardeners (CMG’s) held the HOMEGROWN TOUR. The event, which focused on home/community food production, was organized and orchestrated by a team of Jeffco CMG’s led by Janet Shangraw. Featured were six luscious gardens, including: a community garden in Golden; the home garden of CSU Extension Research Associate, Curtis Utley; three home gardens of Jeffco CMG’s; and the Horticulture Research and Demonstration Garden at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.


The CMG’s and CSU staff who offered to show their own gardens along with volunteers who helped them, worked tirelessly preparing, planting, weeding, watering, sweating and stressing, as crazy monsoon weather in the preceding weeks brought almost daily threats of hail and other severe weather. Their efforts paid off (and of course those daily monsoon rains didn’t hurt), as approximately 200 people toured the productive lush gardens. All monies raised for the event were donated to the Colorado Master Gardener Fund, which provides scholarships for horticulture students at CSU.

In the ‘workshop’ garden (pictured below) outside the CSU Extension office at the Fairgrounds, Extension staff and Jeffco CMG’s plant and evaluate vegetable varieties and growing methods, as well as teach children involved in 4-H and other after school programs. Among the fruits and vegetables being grown there are tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, beans, peppers, onions, garlic, herbs, corn, cabbage, kale, wheat,  apples, and peaches. Many tour participants were interested in the blueberry experiment, in which plants are being grown in bags of peat moss, since the soils along the Front Range are generally so alkaline. For more information on growing blueberries in Colorado, see the Winter2011 issue of the Front Range Sustainable Small Acreage News here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/nl/11-winter.pdf

(photo credit: G. Kokinda)
CMG’s Ellen Goodnight and Vicky Spelman-Lang assist the children in planting tomatoes after school.

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)
 Mary Small, Jefferson County CSU Extension Agent, stops briefly in the shade for a quick photo-op during a rare quiet period during the tour on the near-100degree Sunday.

photo credit: P. Luzetski)          
Raised beds with concrete reinforcing mesh ‘structure’ provide quick cover if needed for vegetables and herbs at the Horticulture Research and Demo Garden at the Jeffco Fairgrounds in Golden.

 Though not focused on food production, the Plant Select® Garden at the Fairgrounds was recently awarded a Showcase Garden Award for the region, was also on display during the tour. Plant Select® is a collaborative effort with Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens and regional and national horticultural professionals. “The purpose of Plant Select® is to seek out, identify and distribute the very best plants for landscapes and gardens from the intermountain region to the high plains”. Learn more about Plant Select® here: http://plantselect.org/about-us/

Trial plants Coral Canyon Twinspur http://www.botanicgardens.org/content/twinspur (left) and Sea Foam Artemisia http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/2025f5a.html in the Plant Select® garden.

(photo credits: G. Kokinda)
VERMILION BLUFFS® Mexican Sage (Salvia darcyi 'Pscarl') was a 2007 Plant Select® choice.

For more on Herbaceous Perennials that are best adapted for Colorado’s lower elevations, see: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07405.html, and Flowers for Mountain Communities: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07406.html.

Several visitors asked questions about Paulownia tomentosa http://www.robsplants.com/plants/PauloTomen, which had been a trial plant for the program a few years ago (pictured below center with large leaves).

(http://www.robsplants.com/images/portrait/PaulowniaTomentosa070728.jpg)

According to Curtis Utley, the plant usually dies back to the ground each year, though some top growth managed to survive this past winter because it was a fairly mild one. It was pulled from consideration for the program, as it is not reliably hearty along the Front Range.

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
Visitors tour the garden of CMG Vicky Spelman-Lang, which, at the foot of a hillside, integrates beautifully into the other backyard landscaping, featuring a xeric south-facing slope, pictured below.

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)
For information on xeric plant choices, see Plantalk Colorado: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1907.html

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
The charming garden of CMG Carol Burks featured chickens, bees, herbs and vegetables, and fruit with perennial beds tucked in between and connected by well-tended paths.

photo credit: C. Burks)
Succulent raspberries in the Burks garden.

   To learn more, see ‘Raspberries for the Home Garden’ here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07001.html, and in the Spring2011 issue of Front Range Sustainable Small Acreage News: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/nl/11-spring.pdf.

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
A tiny tour-goer enjoys a cool quiet spot in the Burks garden.

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)
A large healthy Elm tree highlights the Burks backyard.

(photo credit: E. Goodnight)
CMG Patti Douglas in her garden before the tour begins.

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
Overheard by CMG volunteers at the garden of CMG Patti Douglas were comments by guests such as “I love this garden. I want one just like this,” and “is she really going to eat all of that garlic and all those onions?”

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)
Hostess Patti Douglas (center) chats with guests.

photo credit: J. Shangraw)
Other comments were “Everything is so beautifully labeled” & “Patti is so knowledgeable, helpful, and giving.”

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
Curtis Utley poses behind a poster describing intensive and vertical gardening methods in his own lush garden in Wheat Ridge.

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)
A few of the 60-some chickens in Utley’s chicken coop.

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)

photo credits: J. Shangraw)
Curtis stayed busy throughout the day explaining to many grateful tour-goers how he grows food for his own family, especially on Training and Pruning Fruit Trees

  Find more info on the subject here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07003.html,
on Fertilizing Fruit Trees: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07612.html,
Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/04702.html,
and Operating and Maintaining a Home Irrigation System: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07239.html.     

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
The entrance to the Applewood Community Garden features a beautiful and prolific trumpet vine embellished gate, designed and hand crafted by community member Christina Forsythe.

The Applewood Community Garden in Golden was started with the help of Denver Urban Gardens http://dug.org/gardens/, in 2007 by 100 volunteers on Earth Day with land donated by a local church. Each plot owner pays $25 per year for fees. Gardeners meet for winter sign-up and a planning dinner.

photo credit: J. Shangraw)
Butterfly bush and Aquilegia chrysantha, DENVER GOLD® Columbine http://plantselect.org/plant-lists/ embellish a bench in the Applewood Community Garden.  

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)
Common areas include raspberries (recently nibbled by deer), cutting flowers, herb garden, squash, and a pumpkin patch.

(photo credit: J. Shangraw)        
Many people at garden asked questions about the Leonotis leonurus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis_leonurus, aka Lions’ Tail or Wild Dagga, which, according to CMG volunteer EJ Bennet, “looks just like a Dr. Seuss creation”.

(photo credit: P. Luzetski)
Tour highlights from the Applewood garden included a tasting of raw okra by CMG volunteers, offered by Zachariah, a local community gardener.   

 Overall, the feeling by CMG’s is that the tour was a huge success, as we accomplished our mission of sharing research-based knowledge and our enthusiasm for the natural environment. “The Colorado State University, Colorado Master Gardeners Program volunteer network strives to enhance Coloradans’ quality of life by: ●Extending knowledge-based education throughout Colorado communities to foster successful gardeners, and ●Helping individuals make informed decisions about plants to protect neighborhood environments. We are committed to using horticulture to empower gardeners, develop partnerships, and build stronger communities”. Check out this link http://cmg.colostate.edu/ if you are interested in learning more about the Colorado State University Extension Colorado Master Gardener Program.

For more research-based information on growing your own food, we’ve listed a few select links listed below, or search the CSU Extension general web site here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/index.html.

Apple and Pear Insects: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05519.html
Backyard orchard: Apples and Pears: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02800.html
Backyard orchard: Stone Fruits: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02804.html
Composting Yard Waste: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07212.html
Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Squash, and Melons: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07609.html
Edible Flowers: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07237.html
Growing Plants From Seed: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07409.html
Recognizing Tomato Problems: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02949.html
Saving Seeds: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07602.html
Storage of Home-Grown Vegetables: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07601.html ,
Preventing E. coli From Garden to Plate: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09369.html

The CSU Extension Small Acreage Management website also has information on managing your land, controlling animal and other pests, composting and vermicomposting, creating an heirloom vegetable garden, noxious weeds, and more! Visit http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/.

2011 Annual Flower Trials at CSU

Salvia 'Summer Jewel Red'

Dr. James E. Klett,  CSU professor and Extension Landscape Horticulture Specialist,  invites us to come view the 2011 Annual Flower Trials conducted by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in Fort Collins. The trial garden consists of approximately 1100 varieties of annual bedding plants, both in the ground and in containers. Twenty-five plant and seed companies are participating in the 2011 trials.  The site, located at 1401 Remington Street, in Ft. Collins, Colorado, is also an official All American Selection Test and Display Garden.

Compare many new bedding plant varieties against some of the standards. The best viewing time is now through mid-September or first killing frost. Visit the website for photos of last year’s winners and other updates: www.flowertrials.colostate.edu



Here's the 2011 AAS Winners.

Cactus Garden Tour by Kim Bone

Every year in early June the cactus arboretum at Timberline Gardens explodes into blossom. The dozens of cacti species put all their energy into this grand display. Learn the history of the collection and how the garden was built. Come see the grandeur on Saturday, June 18 @ 12:00 noon, for the Desert Bloom Tour.

Kim the Gardener 

Kendrick Lake Park a Xeric Wonder

Jefferson County's garden is world renowned. If you haven't visited, please do so. You will get so many ideas for your home garden!
!Kendrick Lake park a xeric wonder - The Denver Post

Spring Garden Tour by Jerry Peterson

Here's a short garden tour of Jerry's spring garden.  Enjoy!

Garden Tour of Yellow Flowers

I was noticing that my garden is heavily weighted toward yellow flowers. Partly because, I have let the rudbekia bully go wherever it wants; and partly because I let sunflowers pop up wherever the birds drop them. I did some research to see what is the most prevalent color for flowers in the world thinking it might be yellow and discovered that there is no real answer. No one knows or has actually studied the subject. There is speculation that green may actually be the most common flower color. There are many plants, including most trees, that bear flowers mostly green in color.

I did some research about the color thinking that it might give me some insight into my psyche. You know, what kind of person gardens 'yellow'?

Yellow is the easiest color to see; people who are blind to other colors can usually see yellow. Yellow is full of creative and intellectual energy. Yellow symbolizes wisdom. Yellow means joy and happiness. People of high intellect favor yellow. Yellow daffodils are a symbol of unrequited love. Yellow is a bright that is often described as cheery and warm. Yellow can also increase the metabolism.

Yellow is also the most fatiguing to the eye due to the high amount of light that is reflected. Using yellow as a background on paper or computer monitors can lead to eyestrain or vision loss in extreme cases. Yellow can also create feelings of frustration and anger. While it is considered a cheerful color, people are more likely to lose their tempers in yellow rooms and babies tend to cry more in yellow rooms.

Since yellow is the most visible color, it is also the most attention-getting color. Yellow can be used in small amounts to draw notice, such as on traffic sign or advertisements.

So there you have it: I am an attention-getting, jumpy, smart alec who causes babies to cry and neighbors to fight and go blind while my garden can be seen from Google Earth's satellite.

If that's not enough for you about the color yellow, go here

Enjoy my yellow but please don't cry!



Rudbeckia hirta augustifolia


Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer'



Rudbeckia hirta 'Irish Eyes'


Rudbeckia hirta 'Goldilocks'

Coreopsis


Helenium autumnale 'sneezeweed'


Sunflower


I still have pansies, sad though they are!


Squashblossom


Tomato Blossom


Gaillardia

July in Tallgrass Toni's Garden

Thanks to the frequent rain showers and my ability to use irrigation water, flowers are popping in my garden. Let's take a little tour.



I planted this Jade Sunflower inside the house in April. I later found out you should directly seed sunflowers into the garden. It survived being transplanted in May. (See Rob Proctor's latest book, Gardening on a Shoestring.)






Looking back into my garden journal, I discovered that these three daylilies, Bittersweet Holiday, Egyptian Elf, and Chorus Line were planted in 1986. After they bloom, they should be divided.


I got this sweet mini rose at the Master Gardener Sale in 2008. I think it is Himalayan something or other. Can someone help me out with this one, please?



I purloined the seed from this Hollyhock Black Knight from a neighbor's garden.


This Evening Sun Sunflower is a volunteer from last year and is around eight feet tall.

Now if I can get the bindweed and quack grass under control, I would be a happy camper.