Time for Autumn Chores!

As fall settles in, use this checklist to help prepare your garden for the colder months and set yourself up for spring success:

• Cover bare soil with mulch (fallen leaves count!) to help prevent weeds, reduce compaction and retain moisture. Mulch is especially helpful for tender or newly planted shrubs and perennials.
• Wrap newly planted trees or those with thin bark. Don’t forget to remove the wrap when the weather warms. A good rule of thumb is to wrap around Thanksgiving and remove around Easter.
• Remove annual vegetables after they have stopped producing or died back. Root crops like carrots and turnips can be left in the ground for storage and harvested as needed.
• Wait to prune ornamental grasses and woody perennials. They can provide winter habitat and food for wildlife, plus winter interest for you and your neighbors.
• Save and store seeds from your favorite plants to plant and share next season.
• Winterize sprinkler systems to avoid costly repairs next season.
• Water trees, shrubs, perennials and even lawns during dry spells in the fall and winter.

Find tips for all of these fall to-do’s in the Resources section below.

Harvest Wall at 6 Garden

Broomfield Colorado Master Gardeners are partnering to manage a new harvest wall, donated to Broomfield FISH by local aeroponic company, Harvest Today. You may have seen CSU Extension’s aeroponic grow towers in the Library lobby or at Emerald Elementary. The new harvest wall uses the same concepts, with the growing ports arranged on a flat vertical surface. Harvests will be donated to Broomfield FISH, with opportunities to learn about hydroponics and enjoy nutritional harvests year-round. This photo shows the wall after just four weeks of growth!

Ask a Master Gardener Remotely!

You may have put your garden to rest for the year, but trained volunteers are still available remotely to answer horticulture-related questions. There are three ways to reach a Broomfield Master Gardener year round:

1. Leave a message at (303) 464-5554
2. Send an email to BroomfieldMG@colostate.edu
3. Complete this digital form

Master Gardeners will be back in March to offer in-person gardening advice.

Basics of Tree Pruning: Keeping Your Urban Trees Healthy!

Free CSU Extension Gardening Webinar

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 12-1 p.m.

Online, but must register

Freddie Haberecht, Urban Forestry Specialist with the City of Fort Collins, will go over the basics of urban tree pruning. Starting from the nursery, what is a good tree structure and how to keep your urban canopy happy. This webinar will be recorded and posted to PlantTalk.org/webinars a few days following the live presentation.

Reminders and Closures

• Sunday, Nov. 3 - Daylight Saving Time ends
• Tuesday, Nov. 11 - Broomfield Library, Arts, History and CSU Extension CLOSED for Veterans Day
• Monday, Nov. 24 through Thursday, Nov. 27 - CSU Extension CLOSED for Thanksgiving

Broomfield CSU Extension's regular office hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Make a Tasty Soup!

Fall is the perfect time to start thinking about soups. As the weather gets colder (like it did this week!), soups are the ideal meal—they are healthy, made with affordable ingredients, and ideal for leftovers. 

CSU Extension Specialist Jennifer Aengst offers tips on making fast, nutritious soups, along with links to yummy recipes. Read her complete article on the Live Smart Colorado website.

Cottage Food Safety Training

Offered by Colorado State University Extension, this nationally-recognized training program covers the specifics of the Colorado Cottage Food Act and how to safely operate a food business from a home kitchen. The online class, starting at $55.20, is next offered on these dates:

Thursday, Nov. 13, 12-3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 1-4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 11, 8-11:30 a.m.

Fall Resources

Composting Yard Waste (CSU Extension)

Fall Lawn Fertilization (PlantTalk)

Fall and Winter Watering of Plants and Trees (CSU Extension)

Mulching (CSU Extension)

Preparing Your Sprinkler System for Winter (CSU Extension)

Simple Ways to Ease Into Fall and Winter Yard Cleanup (Audubon)

Wrapping Trees for Winter (CSU Extension)

Yard Waste Recycling for Broomfield Residents

One Book One Broomfield!

The Broomfield Library, Arts and History Department is thrilled to welcome Angie Kim, author of "Happiness Falls," for the 2025 One Book One Broomfield Author Talk on Thursday, Nov. 6. This year features an exciting update—two events! Join a matinee talk at 2 p.m. or an evening talk at 7 p.m., both including a Q&A and book signing. The conversation will be guided by best-selling author and podcaster Carter Wilson, making for an engaging and memorable event. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with an award-winning author and a thought-provoking story! Learn more at Broomfield.org/OneBook.

Seating is first-come, first-serve for both events. Doors open one hour prior to the event. The Bookies will be onsite with copies of Angie’s works for sale.

Jingle Bell Market Craft Fair

Mark your calendars! Broomfield's favorite holiday craft fair, Jingle Bell Market, will be held at the Broomfield Community Center, Saturday, Nov. 15, from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Come find the perfect holiday gift for everyone on your list at this free event. The Ninth Reindeer Cafe will be serving breakfast and lunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with all proceeds benefiting Meals on Wheels.

Find more details at the Jingle Bell Market Event Page.

Power up your Cybersecurity Awareness!

In the never-ending battle against cyber villains, you are player one! Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a great time to up your user stats! Cyberattacks are malicious attempts to access or damage a computer or network system. They can lead to the loss of money or the theft of personal, financial and medical information. These attacks can damage your reputation and safety. It can feel overwhelming, but Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that there are many ways to protect yourself online. Check out Ready.gov’s Cybersecurity page to learn some of the fundamentals of cybersecurity, which can make a big difference. For guidance on preparation and response to all types of potential hazards and threats to your community, visit the City and County of Broomfield’s Emergency Preparedness website.

Keep It Out of the Sink

Don’t put these items down the sink drain. They should be properly disposed of:

• F.O.G. (Fats, Oil and Grease, especially animal fats)
• Household hazardous wastes like paint, fertilizers and pesticides
• Medications
• Contact lenses

These items can clog pipes and cause sewer overflows and backups into homes, businesses and basements, or may release toxins into the water system. Visit Broomfield.org/ProtectWaterSystem to learn more about how to better dispose of these items and what you can do to protect Broomfield’s water.

Recruiting Snow Pals Volunteers

Keep a deserving senior neighbor in need safe this winter by signing up to be a Snow Pal! By volunteering to shovel snow, you help create a safer environment for them to be able to leave the house, and allow for medical personnel to enter if needed. It is a great way to truly make a difference in your community and can mean the world to a neighbor! Sign up to volunteer at Broomfield.org/BroomfieldPals.