Bad weather is officially upon us. Today the weather service issued the first Severe Storm Watch of 2021. I do make the distinction between snow/blizzard and severe storms that can product gusty winds and hail. During snow/blizzard conditions, I am snuggled up safely in my home and my garden is asleep. Now that my garden is coming alive, a severe storm can cause me and the plants in my yard stress. I am grateful for the rain but no hail - please!
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| April 4, 2021 - working hard! |
I am proud introduce the newest addition to my garden - a Royal Raindrop Crabapple tree!
Several years ago, the catalpa tree was taken out because it had some sort of wilt. Every year it would leaf out and flower and then at some point in the summer it would drop leaves and that branch would never come back. I am so disappointed in that tree. It was great shade but not conducive to my yard.
After professional guidance and additional research, I decided on a Royal Raindrop Crabapple tree. It is supposed to be more disease and drought resistant. Plus it has dark bark and leaves and fruit for the birds.
I am glad I pulled the trigger and purchased the tree. It got me motivated to clean up that portion of the garden and get the Austrian Copper roses dug and moved. They had suckered in places I didn't want them anymore and I moved them to fill in along the fence.
I am doing my best to take care of the new tree. It is being watered and loved. It will be exciting to watch it grow and change over the seasons.
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| It has leaves |
I love spring snow storms. The moisture it provides to plants just thinking about waking up is incredible. We had such a storm over the weekend. I think we probably got about 16 inches or so. Kinda hard to tell but I am pretty good at estimating. What I didn't know was how much actual moisture is contained within the snow. Thank goodness for Google and it states that about 10 inches of snow is equal to 1 inch of moisture. Yes that does depend on how wet the snow is, etc, etc. Based on this, maybe 1-1.5 inches of moisture. No complaints. Actually the real issue is shoveling all of the snow and at times it is painful with pandemic muscles.
Now I am patiently waiting for it melt and then I can start my normal spring gardening activities.
Spring is coming - slowly. The weather is cold here but not as cold as other parts of the country and it is very brown. No snow and not much on the horizon.
On a brighter note, the first snowdrop of the season has come up. Soon very soon other bulbs will be popping. Can't wait.
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| Hope!! |
Happy New Year! I am the worst blogger. I haven't blogged anything since the end of September. It is a new year and fresh start. I am still technically in hibernation but seed catalogs have started to roll in and in about a month I am going to get serious and get seeds ordered and started. Until then, here are the last photos of my garden that I took in early October before we had our first frost/freeze.
I have friend that I grew up with in Wyoming and after high school she attended university in Texas. After graduating she stayed in the area, got married and had kids. I suspect over the years she hasn't done much gardening. Lately she has been asking me questions. Honestly I don't have definite answers for her because gardening in Texas in not like gardening in Northern Colorado. Where do you start if you are a new gardener? I was very lucky. My dad passed along institutional knowledge to me when I started gardening. I may not have totally understood why I was doing what I was doing, but I did everything exactly like my dad showed me and guess what - it worked. Over the years I have come to understand the why's and he was totally right about everything.
As I am thinking of my friend and trying to point her in the right direction, I came up with some basics things that I would do if I has just starting out in gardening with no dad or parent to help.
1. Know your USDA Hardiness Zone. I am 5a and my friend is 8a. What do those numbers tell me?
2. How much moisture does your area receive? A zone 5 in Colorado is not going to receive the same amount of moisture as a zone 5 in the Midwest or back East.
3. What do you want to grow? Vegetables, annuals, perennials?
4. Where are you going to grow these plants? In pots on a south facing balcony or in a yard with trees?
5. Know your soil. Are planting in the ground, pots, etc.? I have clay soil for perennials and brought in soil for the vegetable garden.
6. So much of gardening is observation. Watch the weather. Where is the shade in December versus July?
7. Check out your local ag extension. Read from reputable sites. Just because it is on the internet does not make it factual.
8. Is there a botanic garden near you? Visit it seasonally and see what they are doing. Maybe take a class.
9. Talk to people but don't listen to the snobs. Gardening is a personal expression. Just because someone won't grow annuals because they are beneath them, doesn't mean you won't love annuals.
10. Have fun. You only have so much control over the weather and the plants.
This is list is not absolute and other many agree or disagree with me, but you have to start somewhere.
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| Pondering |
