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News Briefs
Pulling for Colorado
Noxious weed awareness events are coming to a
town near you! These events are sponsored by Pulling for Colorado, a
statewide effort to educate Coloradans about the impacts noxious weeds are
having on natural, agricultural and recreational lands. For information,
including locations and dates of these events, please see
www.cwma.org/p4c.htm.
Click on "Events 2009."
Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado
The ALCC
unveiled its new website in June 2009. Visitors will find lots of helpful
information. Sign up for the Tip of the Week, ask experts your landscaping
questions, find a contractor, learn about current trends and more. Check
out this new resource for Colorado gardeners.
Colorado Proud
For recipes, a Colorado crop calendar, information on farmer's
markets, and a list of agritourism events (agricultural festivals, fairs, etc.) visit www.coloradoproud.org.
Feeding the Needy
As you plant and harvest your vegetable
garden this year, you are encouraged to plant a bit extra and then donate the
vegetables to local food banks.
Grow Local Colorado
A new website was launched in April to promote local food production, from yard
gardens and container gardens to local farms. See
www.growlocalcolorado.org.
Tour Leaders Needed
Are you the life of the party? Do you enjoy talking about butterflies and
plants? The Western Colorado Botanical Gardens is looking for you!
They are seeking out-going individuals to lead tours of the Butterfly House and
Gardens. Don't worry if you are unfamiliar with the butterflies and
plants, they provide training. Call 970-245-3288 Ext 3 for more
information.
Jeffco Plant Clinic
Bring plant and turf samples M - F, 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. for help with diagnosis of
disease, identification of insects, plant identification and plant and pest
management recommendations. The clinic is located at the Jefferson County
Fairgrounds in Golden. Call 303-271-6620 for directions or information.
Some services and tests have a small fee.
Betty Ford Alpine Garden's
Volunteer Garden Days
Share in both an educational and social experience when you volunteer at the
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail. Volunteers assist with gardening chores
from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Thursdays during the summer.
Answers for Gardeners
CSU Extension Service answers gardening questions
by e-mail.
Go to
www.ext.colostate.edu and click on "AnswerLink: Have Questions?" in the
menu.
You may also call your county's CSU Extension Service
office with questions. Many garden centers have staff who can provide
gardening advice.
Master Gardeners are available at Denver Botanic
Gardens every Tuesday, Saturday and Free Day from March 1 to Sept. 30 from noon
to 4 p.m. In May and June they are also available on Thursdays. You
may reach them in person at the Helen Fowler Library at DBG, by phone at
720-865-3575, or by e-mail at
gardeninghelp@botanicgardens.org.
CSU Lawncheck
Does your lawn look sick, and you don't know
what's wrong or what to do? Call for a site visit by Extension
horticulture staff. For a fee of $75 they will assess the problem and
provide a written report with recommendations for treatment and care of the
lawn. See
www.csulawncheck.org for details.
Mountain Pine Beetle
The Mountain Pine Beetle is gaining
additional attention now that it is invading populated areas along the Front
Range. "Catastrophic" damage is predicted.
For information on this pest, including tips on how to prevent and control it,
please see the article "Mountain Pine Beetle" at
www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05528.html.
FireWise Communities
Homeowners are reminded of the need to
take special caution with landscapes in areas that are likely to be threatened
by fire. FireWise Communities is a highly informative website with lots of
helpful information for people who live in fire-prone areas. Visit the website at
www.firewise.org.
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A New Book for Colorado Gardeners:
Durable Plants for the Garden
Colorado
Gardening's bookstore is featuring a brand new book for gardeners. Durable
Plants for the Garden provides detailed plant descriptions, growing
tips, beautiful photographs and anecdotal comments for the first seventy-four
plants promoted by Plant Select. Each of these plants was chosen by the
Plant Select program because of its suitability for specific growing conditions
that are found in Colorado and adjacent areas. Click on the photo for more
information or to purchase this book.
Other Books for Colorado Gardeners
Colorado
Gardening's bookstore offers many books dealing with gardening in Colorado and
the Rocky Mountain region. Click on the photos for more information or to purchase these
books. See our Bookstore pages for additional selections.
Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies
Best Garden Plants for Colorado
Rocky Mountain Gardener's Guide
How to Get Started in Rocky Mountain Gardening
Month-By-Month Gardening in the Rocky Mountains
  
Hudson Gardens Offers Classes
Hudson Gardens
in Littleton has partnered with the Community Education Department of Arapahoe
Community College to offer a series of classes on gardening, painting,
photography and more. See www.hudsongardens.org
for details.
Plant Select 2009
The latest
perennials and shrubs to earn the Plant Select designation have been announced. Plant Select is a cooperative program
administered by Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, and landscape
and nursery professionals throughout the region. It annually recommends
plants that have been tested and found to be especially suited to gardens in the
Rocky Mountain and Plains states. For detailed descriptions and photos of
the plants please see
www.plantselect.org. These are the 2009
selections:
- Korean Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis
brachytricha)
- Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus
intricatus)
- Coronado Red Hyssop (Agastache 'Pstessene')
- Lavender Ice Ice Plant (Delosperma 'Psfave')
- Silverheels Horehound (Marrubium
rotundifolium)
- Denver Daisy Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia)
Do Your Part to Corral Tree
Pests/Diseases
Firewood
often harbors pests and diseases. You can do your part to limit their
spread to new areas by using only local firewood. Do not transport
firewood across state lines.
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