That's a Wrap!
Fall sure feels like the end of the gardening season, but there is still much to do for a successful spring. Do you have these fall gardening tasks on your list?
Tend to Perennials.
Herbaceous perennials will completely die back each winter. Prevent pests and diseases by removing dead foliage from these plants, but wait until after a couple hard freezes. Remember, if the leaves are still green, the plant is still photosynthesizing.
Plants with sturdier or woody stems can be left up through the winter, which will help insulate the plant, provide structural interest, and provide habitat for wildlife. Seeds from grasses and flowers are an especially good winter food source for birds.
Test and amend soil.
Did you know fall is a great time to test and amend your soil? There’s nothing better than having a bed fully ready to go for early spring plantings.
Put the vegetable garden to bed.
Remove annual vegetables after they have stopped producing. Root crops like carrots and turnips can be left in the ground for months to come and harvested as needed. Prevent winter weeds by removing all mature weeds and adding mulch on top of the soil. This will also help your root crops last longer!
Lay down mulch.
Renew mulch in perennial beds as well. This will help protect plants from temperature extremes, conserve soil moisture and reduce winter weeds. If cleaning leaves out of your garden is a pain, just leave them! They’ll help protect your perennials, too.
Wrap sensitive trees.
Young or thin-barked trees like ginkgo, fruit trees, maple and linden can suffer from sunscald or frost cracks. Wrap these sensitive trees in mid-November, and don’t forget to remove the wrap in mid-April.
Blow out sprinkler systems, then keep on watering.
Yes, it has to be done by hand, but fall and winter watering is one of the most important practices for trees, shrubs and even lawns in Colorado.
Check out the resources below for everything on this garden checklist and more.
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Coming Soon: A Little Free Library, Garden-style! |
CSU Extension is installing a Little Free Library at the Broomfield Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, but there's a twist: the books for both adults and children will be horticulture-related.
The "Take a Book, Share a Book" library will officially open on Sunday, Oct. 31 in conjunction with the ARTery Halloween Bike and Walk Event (see upcoming events below). Anyone may take a book, and gardening book donations are welcome at this Little Free Library!
Special thanks to Broomfield Master Gardeners Janice Benkoske, who painted the library, and Roger Miller, who helped install it. Many thanks also go to the City Forestry crew, who supplied the most amazing cottonwood stump for this project, and the Broomfield Library Friends Foundation for helping stock and maintain it!
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ARTery Halloween Bike and Walk
Sunday, Oct. 31, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Broomfield Library
Time to get spooky on Halloween by enjoying the outdoors and exploring the first stretch of the new ARTery trail! The fun begins at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 at the Broomfield Library. Enjoy costumes, food, music and more as you make your way to Brunner Farmhouse. Don’t forget to stop by Extension’s favorite haunt, the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, on the route for fun activities and giveaways. Food donations to FISH are encouraged. For more information, visit BroomfieldVoice.com/ARTery.
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Planning for the Holidays
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The Master Gardener Crew!
November is National Gratitude Month and a very fitting time to salute all of the Broomfield Master Gardeners as they wrap up another year of service the end of October. Their last big project of the season was the annual fall cleanup of the Demonstration Garden, pictured to the right.
Each November, CSU Extension celebrates the time and effort these volunteers have given to the Broomfield community and to the Colorado Master Gardener program. Broomfield currently has 29 active volunteers with a combined total of 175 years of service to the program! Three first-year volunteers, or apprentices, completed 50 hours each of volunteer time this growing season. In total, Broomfield Master Gardeners logged more than 1,300 program hours in 2021 and answered nearly 200 gardening questions for local residents.
So, how do Broomfield Master Gardeners volunteer their time? This year they resumed many in-person services like “Ask a Master Gardener” booths at the library, Broomfield Farmers’ Market, and other community events. Many serve as garden mentors at Brunner Farmhouse and Gardens, while others are helping to launch the new demonstration vegetable garden coming there next spring. They teach webinars, put together outreach materials like the take-and-make seed starting kits, and maintain the Xeriscape demonstration garden and vertical aeroponic gardens. A core Broomfield Master Gardener project is the horticulture helpline, where they answer residents' gardening questions throughout the year. You may submit questions to the helpline any time by emailing BroomfieldMG@colostate.edu, or by calling 303.464.5554.
Want to witness a shining example of their labor? Visit the Broomfield Xeriscape Demonstration Garden in front of the City and County Building at One Descombes Drive.
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If you're interested in becoming a Colorado Master Gardener in Broomfield, please visit the Broomfield CSU Extension website for more information.
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Just in Time for Halloween!
What does this remind you of? This dense clustering of twigs is called “witches’ broom” and can be seen on a range of deciduous and evergreen trees.
The causes range from extremely damaging to fairly benign. Witches’ broom in hackberry (shown here) is caused by two microscopic pests (phytoplasma and eriophyid mites) working together.
The brooms should be removed, but the plant will be just fine. On the other end of the spectrum, witches’ broom in some conifers can be caused by dwarf mistletoe, a leafless, parasitic plant that will eventually kill the tree.
#WeirdWednesday
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Leaf and Pumpkin Recycling
Broomfield residents can drop off their fallen leaves and discarded pumpkins at the Tree Branch Recycling Drop-off at 2990 W. 124th Avenue. Attendants will be on duty; proof of Broomfield residency is required. The site may close if extremely wet conditions exist. If questionable, call Park Maintenance at 303.460.6960 or email Park Maintenance.
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Pumpkins can be dropped off from Oct. 30, 2021 - Jan. 8, 2022, on Wednesdays from 1 - 5 p.m. and 'Saturdays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. A roll-off will be located inside the tree branch drop-off area. Please, no plastic bags, branches, or other yard debris. Pumpkins will be composted.
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Leaves can be dropped off from Oct. 20, 2021 - to Jan. 8, 2022. Leaves can be placed into the tree branch pile. If leaves are transported in plastic bags, please empty the bags and take them home to reuse. No plastic bags should be left on site. Leaves are chipped along with the branches into mulch.
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One Book Virtual Author Talk
Saturday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m.
Online
Have you read this year's One Book One Broomfield selection yet? It's not too late! Check out a copy today of "Afterlife," an impactful novel with themes of grief, sisterhood, and immigration.
Join author Julia Alvarez for the One Book One Broomfield virtual author talk on Nov. 6! Learn more.
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Veterans Day Ceremony and Open House
Thursday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m.
Broomfield Veterans Museum
This annual ceremony at the Broomfield Veterans Museum will feature a guest speaker, music, and living history displays. Pop into the museum for a tour and explore the new exhibits after the ceremony on the front lawn of the museum at 12 Garden Center.
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Reach out to CSU Extension in Broomfield
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Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. Colorado State University Extension,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Colorado counties cooperating.
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