Looking for something that indulges your shopping fix, your gardening fix, and supports a great local cause? Then check out the Boulder County Master Gardener Ginormous Plant Sale this weekend!

Each year, Boulder County Master Gardeners start flats of seeds and divide unusual perennials from their own gardens to sell in the plant sale. A selection of water-wise favorites including grasses, flowering perennials, vines, and shade-tolerant perennials is also purchased from local nurseries. In addition, Plant Select® perennials will also be available, providing sale-goers with a good combination of the unusual and local favorites. Master Gardeners will be selling perennials, Plant Select plants, xeric plants, ornamental grasses, alpine plants, and more, while Growing Gardens focuses on annuals, heirloom vegetables, and herbs.

The sale is this weekend, May 17-18, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm in the parking lot of the Public Health building at 3450 North Broadway in Boulder.

We use the funds to sponsor scholarships for Master Gardeners to attend conferences; purchase books for the library; purchase equipment for the program; fund special projects such as the Garden to Schools, Heritage Orchard, Balfour, Jail Garden, and small fruit trials; under-write the cost of classes for MGs, so that we don’t charge Boulder County folks for participation.

So stop by this weekend, check out the spectacular selection of plants, talk to a Master Gardener, and help support this wonderful program!

I have some shocking news: I am not perfect. I’m seriously chagrined to admit that, although I’ve been nurturing my tiny seedlings since January and have dived into the minutiae of seed-warming mats, the best seed-starting mediums, light timing, and seed varieties, I have made a serious and sophomoric error: Until last week, I did not give these poor little guys even a single drop of plant food.

In the past, I used Miracle Grow seed-starting medium, and that comes with built-in plant-food. Recently, though, I’ve become uncomfortable with this product, especially with starting plants that will eventually become food. So this year, I switched to sterile seed-starting medium, but that means my plants have essentially been starving for the past three plus months.

I had noticed in the past few weeks that the tomatoes were looking a bit purplish. I wondered about whether my lights were not full-spectrum enough to be the sole source of light for the plants. Then I wondered if I was shocking them with water that was too cold. When it came time to give a Zapotec seedling to a fellow heirloom tomato junkie, it finally dawned on me (as I drove to deliver the poor little seedling) that these plants needed food.

That night, with no garden centers open for business, I rustled up some Bonsai food and fed the poor little plants. They are already perking up, and now I have a seaweed/fish emulsion cocktail to feed the seedlings going forward. Looks like they’ll need a little feeding every week and a half or so to keep the “purple” ting to the leaves (phosphorous deficiency), or a yellow cast to the leaves coupled with green veining, and/or slow growth (nitrogen deficiency).

Whew, the title of this post alone is enough to make you weary! However, my foray into espaliered fruit trees has taught me that there is not a lot of succinct, yet complete, practical information out there on growing espaliered fruit.

Espalier, as defined by Wikipedia, is “the horticultural technique of training trees through pruning and grafting in order to create formal “two-dimensional” or single plane patterns by the branches of the tree. The technique was popular in the Middle Ages in Europe to produce fruit inside the walls of a typical castle courtyard without interfering with the open space, and to decorate solid walls by such trees planted near them. Evidence exists suggesting that the technique dates back much further, perhaps even to ancient Egypt. The word espalier initially referred to the actual trellis on which the plant was trained to grow, but over time has come to be used to describe the technique.”

This technique both creates a way to produce more fruit in less space and gives the gardener a highly-decorative, but still food-producing, way to use some hard-to use spaces like, in our case, a small spot on the fence between our vegetable garden and compost bins, or a bare patch of wall next to our dog run.

So how to get started? The fruit trees typically used for espalier grow on super-dwarf rootstock. We ordered two super-dwarf apple trees when we placed our fruit tree order from Raintree Nursery this winter: a Liberty and a Striped Gravenstein.

There is quite a detailed discussion of espalier on Mother Earth News, but it’s quite long and I’m going for succinct, so I kept looking. P. Allen Smith has the most succinct step-by-step instructions for espalier. Here are some other tips for growing espaliered fruit trees:

1. Look for young (1-2 year old) stock. A whip (one single branch, i.e. a stick!) or something with very few side-branches is best.
2. Plant the whip or young tree at least 6-8 (but I’d say no more than 12) inches from the wall or structure you’re planning to use to support the tree. You need airflow and room for the trunk to widen as the tree ages, but you also don’t want to have the trunk sticking out and all the branches moving away from it in a big V…you’re going for a 2-dimensional tree here.
3. The most simple form of espalier is typically three horizontal rows of branches, each 18 inches apart with the first row starting 2-3′ off of the ground. There is a great drawing of this in the P. Allen Smith article referenced above, or photos of this simple espalier, as well as the more complex diamond-lattice pattern on SouthernAccents. You can also create a fan shape by training the branches at 45-degree angles instead of horizontal. I found a great diagram of some different espalier designs in a rather unlikely location. I’ve seen quite a range of wire gauges recommended (from 10-15) so I’ll probably shoot for something in the middle to train the branches on.
4. Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening has a long-winded very descriptive explanation of how and when to prune branches that I think will come in handy next year, but for this (first) year with our espaliers, I’m basically planning to choose a strong shoot on either side of the trees to train as the bottom tier of the espalier. It also goes in to what to do if you have one very strong vigorous branch and one weaker one, because of the importance of keeping the espalier balanced in order to get the full effect of the pattern. I have no idea yet to what extent this will be an issue for us, but I’ll keep you posted!
5. Don’t let it fruit the first (or second!) year. I have yet to test my ability to remove fruit from young trees. But since I’ve already been dreaming about the handful of cherries I’m going to get off of my tiny baby cherry tree this year, I’m guessing this may be the hardest part of espalier, at least for someone who is both impatient and in to food production! However, I know that the reason for pruning the fruit is sound–that tree needs to put all its energy into root and branch production, not fruiting! So we’ll see if I can do it.

I don’t want to suggest that espalier fruit trees are easy or low-maintenance, but I do want to suggest that it is possible to do without a degree in horticulture (it better be, because I don’t have one!) and without spending $200 a pop for pre-trained fruit trees. My trees just look like little sticks now, but I will snap some photos as they develop into what I hope will be beautiful and productive fruit trees.

…As I strolled through the Farmer’s Market this morning and watched people in a near-frenzy of tender plant buying, I was reminded of why I chose the title that I did for my most recent gardening article, which appeared in the Rocky Mountain News on April 17: Beware of frost till mid-May. Even I, who religiously plant my tomatoes and peppers in Wall-o-Waters each spring, am only planning to get them out today and plant in them next week. Sure, I’ve done it earlier in past years but something about our recent freak snowstorms after 80 degree days has made me cautious.

Sure, get out and enjoy the warm weather. Even plant some lettuces and some hardy perennials. But keep the tomatoes, petunias, marigolds, and other tender plants indoors where belong for at least another week or so. I know it’s hard to wait (trust me!), but it’s better than the heartbreak of replanting after the next freak storm. Oh yes, there will be at least one more, and it may, as it has in other years, bring not just snow, but hail, freezing rain, or damaging winds….Beware the Ides of May (at least, that’s what they should have said, had they known about May in Colorado).

One of the reasons I love to grow my own food is that it connects me to the Earth and affirms my commitment to environmental stewardship. Another reason is that I love the variety of foods that would otherwise not be available to my family. One thing that I’ve realized during the course of my seed-starting adventures is that I need not limit myself to food production; there are other great things we can produce in the garden besides food.

First, inspired by my pal the Crunchy Domestic Goddess, I have decided to grow some dye plants in hopes of using natural Easter Egg dye next spring. So I’ve started some marigolds (their crushed seeds produce a yellow dye) and Hopi Red Dye Amaranth in the basement, and also hope to start some Hopi Black Dye Sunflowers and bull’s-blood beets in the garden a little later in the season. If anyone else knows of some good heat & drought-tolerant dye plants, please send them my way, as I’m just beginning my research on this.

Second, I’m going to be putting in a larger-than-ever-before cut flower garden. I love having cut flowers in the house and would have them every day all year long if only I didn’t realize where cut flowers come from in the off season. You see, tulips cut in Europe or South America and shipped in refrigerated cars to my local florist just don’t pass my enviro-meter That’s why I have African violets and zygocactus for houseplants and force bulbs just about every year.

Anyhow, the local greenhouse had a 3-for-1 sale going this week and, enchanted as I was by the 80 degree temperatures yesterday, I bought the following seeds for my cut flower garden:

• Heirloom Titan & Sun Samba Sunflowers
• Virginian & Ten Week Bouquet Stock
• Bachelor buttons (both blue & multi-colored!)
• Snapdragons
• Four varieties of Zinnias (I love zinnias!)
• Quinoa (yes, the edible kind is also nice for bouquets!)
• Cleome
• Coreopsis

I also got a free packet of the “Denver Daisy” rudbeckia that Denver Botanic Gardens is giving out in honor of the 150 year anniversary of Denver’s founding. Oh, and I bought “Big Max” pumpkin seeds last week. You know, the kind that grow up to 100 pounds. I’m thinking the kids will enjoy having those growing in their secret garden out behind the sandbox.

As an aside, yesterday’s sunny spring weather was replaced today with 2 inches of snow! Happy May Day, Colorado!

Three days short of four weeks after planting my flat of asparagus, I have surpassed 50% germination rate with 49 seedlings out of 84 planted! They are still tiny, and I admit that I will likely lose some of the tiny, fragile shoots when I transplant them outside and again when I cull the female plants, but I’m still pleased.

I’m up to a whopping two shoots of winecup and the creeping thyme (of which I have planted a full flat and could probably use twice that for xeric groundcover throughout the yard) is coming on strong. The best performers, aubrieta, all the rudbeckia hirtas (black eyed susan, gloriosa daisy, etc.), tomatoes, asters, and some, but not all, of the native grasses, are looking close to needing to go outside and I’ve still got at least three weeks to go before I can do that without protection, although I’ll start hardening off a few things this weekend if the weather holds (it’s been in the 70s!).

I got a bunch of seed garlic and have been sitting here watching it sprout on my counter top because my raised beds were not done. Until today that is…I see garlic planting in my future!

Julie

I had the pleasure of manning the Master Gardener booth at the Lyons Earth Day celebration this weekend and wanted to share a few pointers on sustainable gardening from my handout.

What is Sustainable?

Like zero-emissions, “green,” and zero-footprint, this is yet another term that, while an excellent goal, is not truly attainable on a large scale in Western society. Sustainable means living (and gardening) in a way that does not use more resources than are available per capita. Sure, we may have enough water, oil, and land now, but if we keep consuming at the rate we are at present, our children will not.

So sustainability takes into account environmental impact, as well as social and economic equity (it is not sustainable, for example, to rely on cheap labor coming up from Mexico to keep food prices down!). Water-wise irrigation, natural soil amendments, well-chosen plant varieties, Integrative Pest Management, and reducing inputs (chemical fertilizers, pesticides, trucked-in soil amendments, water, energy), are all a part of sustainable gardening.

Find Local Resources

The best people to talk to about sustainable gardening are other people who are gardening in your particular climate. What is sustainable here in Colorado may not be in Florida, Canada, or England, and the reverse is certainly true! We are truly blessed to live in a place where the environment is a part of the public dialog, but even if you’re in a place where that’s not the case, you can still find information from the local Sierra Club chapter, Cooperative Extension, or garden center to help you on your way.

I’d like to give a special shout-out to some of the folks who also had booths or information at our Earth Day Celebration. You all truly inspired me to do more!

• Urban Oasis Design - This family-run landscaping business does more than add beauty to your landscape. They really think about issues around water-wise gardening, sustainable landscape, and sustainable maintenance. If you need some help transferring a giant blue grass lawn to something a bit more manageable, give David & Lina a call (and tell them I sent you!).
• Boulder County Going Local - These folks might appreciate a little linky love to make up for the emails I keep peppering them with about getting the blogosphere more involved in the local food movement. This organization is a treasure-trove for people who want to grow local, buy local, and eat local!
• Green Heart Institute - After a delightful conversation about the challenges of choosing a greener car, I was able to discuss energy audits and improving home energy efficiency with the people from this organization that can help you live greener! Think about getting that energy audit and supporting this fantastic grass-roots organization.
• Will Shafroth - OK, I know it’s early to jump into the election fray, especially at the Congressional level (Colorado’s primary for this race isn’t even until August, so people are still getting signatures to get on the ballot), but I met a truly remarkable man who is running to fill Mark Udall’s seat in the House of Representatives: Will Shafroth. This is a man who has dedicated his life to conservation, a normal guy from Boulder with two kids and a dream of making the world a cleaner, greener place for his children. He has an uphill battle against some pretty well established career politicians, but I think he can do it!

And of course, I’ve plugged them before and I will plug them again: Colorado State’s Cooperative Extension information is truly amazing.

What else can I do?

The Earth Day committee specifically asked for someone with knowledge of xeriscaping, sustainable landscaping, and composting. This gives you a pretty good idea of some things to consider to make your garden a little more green

I’ve already blogged with a good step-by-step on composting–the fine art of turning food scraps and yard waste into soil–so please take a look. And there is some more technical information available in Fact Sheets 7.212 and 7.007 on the Cooperative Extension web site.

And Xeriscaping is something hugely popular here in Colorado, where the term originated. This is a proven technique for making your yard more water & maintenance efficient using the following seven principles:

1. Planning & Design
2. Soil Improvements (see composting above!)
3. Efficient Irrigation
4. Zoning of Plants
5. Mulches
6. Turf Alternatives
7. Appropriate Maintenance

Denver Water’s page on Xeriscaping is an excellent resource if you’d like to learn more. Also check back here for my adventures in starting seeds of quite a few native (and therefore, by nature, drought tolerant) plants.

Happy Earth Day. Now quit surfing the web and get outside!

I recently gave a talk at my local API chapter’s monthly meeting about adapting your hobbies for children. The main examples from my talk were all about gardening since that’s my number one hobby (obsession!), so I decided I ought to turn this into a post.

Both of my children started gardening in utero. I know that sounds crazy, but I seriously encouraged the progression of labor from periodic contractions to hard labor by going out to pick asparagus (i.e. lots of squatting!) about 14 hours before Lily was born. And I renovated our entire back yard during my first two trimesters of pregnancy with Gabriel. I remember planting the last shrub about a nanosecond before I was too big to wield a shovel, thank you very much!

Anyhow, Gabriel was at least big enough at 8 months to sit in the grass and watch me work or sit in the sling for a closer view by the time gardening season rolled around and the following year, he was big enough to drop onion starts and pea seeds into holes I’d made and to help me water a bit. This season, Lily joins our growing gardening crew at the energetic, if slightly destructive, age of 23 months.

So how do you garden with children? The first maxim I mentioned in my talk was scaling back your expectations. The kids are going to trample your flowers occasionally, are going to over or underwater, and are notorious for pulling out row markers or, as I learned the hard way, digging up your onions without your knowledge, leaving them to sprout in wild patterns instead of neat rows!

Let children participate in less complicated tasks so they’re more likely to leave you alone to complete the more complicated ones and either fence off delicate areas (like the rose garden or a place where you have delicate seedlings starting) to avoid disasters. Keep in mind that children do not know the different between weeds and seedlings, so if you have them help you weed (or even if they see you weeding), they may be inclined to copy you with disastrous results.

Repeat the activities that you do want your child to be involved in often so that the child knows what to expect & can master the task. This works especially well with tasks like watering where even a three year old can figure out how to water each and every plant and how to water gently so as not to blast new growth.

And finally, come up with something the child can do in parallel if you need less “help”! My children love spreading mulch, so I have them work with their little shovels and wheelbarrows while I do things like weeding and pruning that they can’t help me with. The whole point of including your child in your gardening hobby it to connect with them and to have fun–if it’s not fun, make a change!

What to plant?

I’ve already mentioned peas and onions, but there are other very easy garden vegetables that will delight your children. Herbs are great because the children can smell them and because they won’t hurt the child if he or she takes a nibble. Vegetables like pumpkins, zucchini, or watermelon are nice because they sprout quickly and grow nice big vegetables that, unlike a tomato or a pepper, cannot easily get damaged by tiny hands.

Before starting a garden project with your children, please do review CSU’s list of toxic plants. Some very common flowers are highly toxic: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/Garden/07237.html  This is not an all-inclusive list, so please do contact Poison Control if you have a specific question.

Additional Resources

How to Amuse Toddlers - http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Amuse-Toddlers/
Craft & Activity Library - http://www.creativekidsathome.com/activities.shtml
Cooking with Kids - http://www.cookingwithkids.com/
Gardening with Children - http://coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Children/children.htm
Gardening with Young Children - http://www.gardening-with-kids.com/gardening-with-kids-beginner.html

Two weeks ago, I posted about starting asparagus from seed. The few resources I found on the matter varied significantly on germination time, so I promised to post here when I knew some more from first-hand experience. I have to say, even with my careful variety selection, seed-warming mat, and meticulous watering (no way were my asparagus seeds going to fall victim to my habit of selecting plants for drought tolerance!), I was totally shocked pleasantly surprised when I walked downstairs to water on Wednesday, a mere 10 days after planting the seed, and found 11 asparagus seedlings.

Although it is early to calculate germination rate (I’m only about halfway into some estimates of germination time, but I had 13% germination at 10 days and now, at 15 days, I’m at 28.5%), I’m feeling very positive about the process. I have to say that I had two trays, one of which had some faster-germinating seed in it, so I had to remove the humidity lid, and that did negatively impact germination. So heat & humidity seem to be the keys here.

For those of you who might scoff at my germination rates, keep in mind that, in addition to oodles of vegetables, I’m starting tons of native plants for my landscape, some of which, like Lewisia (bitterroot), have a germination rate that would be lucky to approach sales tax (4% on the Lewisia meant I got one seedling out of a packet of spendy seeds from Denver Botanic Gardens and I only approached 12.5% on the desert four o’clock). So it’s all relative. I won’t deny that, compared to zucchini, growing asparagus from seed is a fiddly affair. But it is fun if you’re a garden geek like me!

In other news, the stone was delivered for my raised vegetable beds this morning and, if the weather holds, they’ll be finished this week. That means that the plants I have stuffed into every corner of my seed-starting rack (the tender ones) and covering a good portion of my patio (the hardier ones–peas, leeks, sweet peas, lettuces, asparagus crowns, strawberries, a chunk of rhubarb I brought over from our old house, and the rest of the fruit trees that need to be planted where the two–noticably-smaller–piles of mulch are sitting) may actually get out of their pots and into the ground this weekend. It’s official–my fingernails won’t be clean again until October

And please do visit WordlessWednesday.com to see the other submissions!