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skybirdforever

Whos Here in 2010? Annual Role Call!

Welcome, everyone, to The Friendliest Little Gardening Forum in the West!

Every year weve been doing a Roll Call to find out whos here, whether its the Regulars who post often, the Newbies that have shown up recentlythat we hope will be posting often, or the Lurkers that hang out around here to read whats going onwho we all hope will decide to venture out into the open to come post with us too.

Whichever category you fit into, please Enter and Sign In on this thread! And, Lurkers, even if you dont plan to start posting regularly, please sign in here so we at least know youre in the wings. The forum is just more fun when we have a better idea of who and how many people are around here.

For those of you who havent been around for too long, RMG is a really great, friendly and fun little community. Youll find you can get an answer for just about any gardening type question you may have, and we often diverge off into topics on nature, birds, weather (in general), and lots of other things people come up with, sometimes only tangentially connected to gardeningand sometimes not really connected to gardening at all! So just about anything that gets a discussion going among a bunch of fun gardening folks is welcome around here! We really dont worry too much about the formalities, as long as everything is kept friendly! The one thing we dont take too kindly to would be if somebody tried to put somebody down for something they said, so, no dissing allowedthough I havent seen anybody do that around here for yearsif ever!

So if youve just been lurking, or nervous about posting because you dont know what kind of a response you might getI dont know what kind of a response youll get eitherbut I do know itll be friendlyand probably helpful. We dont bite, so please come join us!

The one thing that truly unites us all is that were located somewhere in the high, dry, terrible soil areas of the Rocky Mountain West. Many of us wouldnt want to live anywhere else, but the conditions can make for some really insane gardening conditions, and it helps a lot when we can all lean on each other for help and adviceand just plain old moral support when all the help and advice in the world isnt going to fix our most recent catastrophe!

So now its your turn! ALL you RMG Regulars, Newbies and Lurkers, please enter and sign in!

~ Tell us approximately where you live. That can sometimes be really helpful when were trying to help with your questions, and its also fun to find out that somebody else on RMG lives close to you!

~ And tell us a little bit about yourself! Your choice! About your garden, about where you live, about yourselfor all of the above and more!

~ And, Regulars, Im gonna do it again! Tell us something we dont already know! Now theres gotta be something we dont know about you yet!

I realized when I was typing this that since Ive been starting this thread Ive never really said anything about me, so since Im asking everybody else to tell us about themselves, after I get the thread started, Ill be back with a little bit of miscellanea about me this year!

Welcome everyone!

Were really glad youre here!

Skybird

Comments (110)

  • serpent_moon
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi, i'm new here but i have been to a couple of the plant swaps (so far about 2). I wasn't on then. I live in a place that has gravel or in the places with no gravel, pine needles and the "forest creatures" that eat a lot of things they aren't suposed to eat :( so it is very difficult to raise anything to maturity, but i like reading and looking at plants . :)

  • mayberrygardener
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dani here, checking in for the first time since last year. Once I got my garden going, the last place I wanted to be was inside on the computer! Now, I feel like I'm a bit behind the ball, because I learned wintersowing last year, and should have had my jugs out weeks ago (can I get some Mardi Gras beads for that?). So, my Broomfield garden is still in the earliest planning stages!

    Anyway, my yard is a veritable haven for bindweed (hubby thinks "green" means it's a nice lawn), so I garden 100% in containers, mostly of the self-watering variety since I work and can't water 2-3 times a day in the Colorado summers. In case you're wondering, I swear by Garden Patch self-watering containers; they're more affordable than Earth Boxes, and hold more water, too. I can put two tomato plants in one container, which seems crazy, but it really does work.

    I met alot of wonderful folks at the spring swap last year and see many of you still posting; I hope we can arrange another one this year to reacquaint with you all, and meet some newbies.

    After last fall's final harvest, I made some fermented salsa--which sounds disgusting (I was thinking "saurkraut salsa... yuk!), but I gotta tell you: it is THE BEST salsa I've ever had, even if I do say so myself! If anyone wants details on how to do that, just let me know; even the kids love it!

    Still, very much a trial-by-error gardener, and do mostly veggies at this time. For the record, I had tomatillos last year: one from wintersowing, and the other was indoor-sown; by the end of the season, I couldn't even remember which was which!! (Oh, and tomatillos are priceless in salsa!)

    I'm hoping that we have a warmer and sunnier summer this year--the way my yard is situated, I was loaded down with green tomatoes at the end of growing season last year, and nothing ever wanted to ripen (yes, I pulled and hung my plants, of those that I didn't just move the whole container inside the garage). Frustrating! It was like my garden was just getting going when we had our first freeze.

  • kristie73
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm Kristie. I've been on here as an occasional visiter for several years, mostly to ask questions and to read about everyone's gardening experiences. I live on the East side of Colorado Springs. I have a small vegetable garden, neighborhood backyard. Our house is fairly new and there hasn't been much landscaping in the area, so we've planted some trees and perenials around the backyard. I also like to plant salad veggies (tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, carrots, sugar snap peas, peppers.) We tried pumpkins and corn last year. We got a few decent. My husband and I have been trying to start seeds indoors. We haven't had much good luck. Maybe we'll do better this year. I started gardening in San Diego so it's a lot more challenging in Colorado. But we enjoy it so we try.

    Anyway I'll be here to ask questions, look for plants, trees, suggestions, etc.

    Thanks.

  • greenbean08_gw
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I haven't been posting much for a while but I'm still here!

    I live in Falcon, just east of Colorado Springs. We have almost 1/2 acre but it's still pretty bare. I'm starting year 3 of my veggie garden (though it did get a large expansion last year so a lot of my beds are on year 2). I also have a few half-finished gardening projects going in the yard. I hope I'll live here long enough to finish them... I'm hoping to find out soon whether or not another move is in my near future.

    I've been slacking on my garden planning this spring but I do have some seedlings started. I decided that even though it's possible I may plant a garden I won't get to harvest, I think I'd rather do that than still be here without the fresh veggies!

    I also have a blog (which I have been neglecting for some time now as well, but I'll get back on track there too... soon... )

  • angelinagardens
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi everyone,

    I'm brand new here - just found the site today. I am an enthusiastic amateur who usually has a strong start that dies out around late June/early July. We have two raised beds in our side yard (with no irrigation or hose nearby, hence the death of my enthusiasm). We also have a spacious side yard with bulbs and perennials and a 40 year old rose garden. I love to talk about gardening, plants, and veggies, and I am drawn to heirloom or odd veggies - if it isn't available in a grocery store, I want to try it! This year, I am excited to grow sorrel (so delicious) and romanesco broccoli, which just looks so pretty. (I don't know how it tastes yet.)

    I'm glad to have found the forum!

    Angel

  • glok
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm still here in Woodland Park, CO even tho I don't post much. Been sittin on my behind recouping from foot surgery. Hope to be up and around without the aid of crutches or a cane soon! Need NO more snow, I'm ready to play!!!

    Nice hearing about everyone! Happy Gardening!
    gloria

  • mstywoods
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi - I'm new. I met Skybird on another gardening group forum, and she invited me to join this group. I love the idea of getting together a couple of times a year at the swaps. Looking forward to it!

    I've been in Colorado for 3 1/2 years, having moved here from California (where I lived for almost 20 years). I am still getting used to the climate here, especially for growing things. Need lots of advice! Although not an expert gardener, I do love to dabble and see what I can get to grow well.

    We bought our first home last June, in Westminster, so am looking forward to making long term plans for our yard! We have a great sized back yard with several older trees and a small flower garden, but I'd like to plant more, of course. One side of the yard has a garden area that was totally taken over by some kind of scruffy looking shrubbery. We cut them back last fall, and my husband has started digging up the roots so I'll have a better planting area. We are going to take down the Aspens that are growing there as well, and replace them with a couple of fruit trees (peach and maybe apple). I plan to use the Aspen trunks for some kind of project in the yard, so they are not wasted (I hate to kill them, but if I can use them for something else, I'll feel better!). There is a large area that was already set up for a garden, so my husband has been excited to get it ready for planting. Definitely going to do tomatoes (Black Krim are his favorite), and we picked up some seeds today for lettuce, carrots, beans, watermelon and chives. We also had some older seeds that were left at the house for pumpkins, so will see if those will sprout. He will most of the tending to the vege garden, and I will tend mostly to the flower gardens :^) I'd like to grow a few herbs as well - mint (have a cutting already started), sage (got a small plant throught the plant exchange last summer), cilantro (have some seeds), and I'd like to get some lavender.

    I am very interested in trying xeriscaping, with the climate we have here seems a good direction to go! I picked up a book on it and have started a list of plants that I will try to find when the garden centers start stocking up. Our front yard presents maybe the biggest challenge as it faces the South and gets very hot during the summer. I planted a few things there before winter - relocated some iris from the backyard to here, planted the Wisteria that I've had in a pot for a couple of years, a yellow rose bush, and a small Red Hot Poker lily. Want to add a few more plants that will do well with this exposure. Especially want to find a nice ground cover that is evergreen and will drape over the brick border. We'd like to build a pergola over this area to provide a bit of shade, and provide something for the Wisteria to climb.

    So as you can see, my husband and I have lots of plans. I am looking forward to being a member of this group for sharing ideas, advice, etc.!! Eventually, I should have some seeds or cuttings to share as well ;^)

  • highalttransplant
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Mstywoods!

    My frontyard also faces south and here are a few things that do well for me - Achillea, Gaillardia, Sedums (both upright and groundcover types), Daylilies, Dianthus, Coreopsis, Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed), and Echinacea.

    Hope this helps some,
    Bonnie

  • luckybottom
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well better late than never. I have been around for years but mostly watch and learn, share once in a while. Mostly love skybird and digit's insight and help. Now the other Bonnie has got me winter-sowing. We enjoy vegetables and a few flowers. Missed the swaps because my husband is a cutting horse enthusiast and that consumes many a weekend.

    We are north of Kersey, which is east of Greeley 8 miles and 50 miles of the metro.

    Not sure if my lack of posting qualifies me as a "regular" so something you don't already know is perhaps not necessary... bonnie

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Depending upon where you were in CA (I was in Sacto), the lack of moisture is the same, and xeriscaping works as well here as in CA. The growing season is of course shorter but easily extended 3-4 weeks on either side. Hail is an issue here as well as the dessicating wind. Otherwise many of the same xeric plants here as in CA.

    Dan

  • kristin5bco5300ft
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a lurker and occasional question-asker. I am pretty new to gardening and have, sadly, killed a lot of innocent plants. :)

    I have a small bed (maybe 50 sqft) behind our townhouse in Boulder, CO, which provides me with some scorching-hot space and some full shade-- a constant challenge. I only grow edibles, and this year I am planning six varieties of tomatoes, two peppers, scallions, peas, broccoli, kale, arugula, lettuce, spinach, basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley, in addition to the sage that seems to have survived another winter.

    Nice to meet all of you!

    Kristin

  • mcfaroff
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just discovered this website/forum!! I am so excited. Seems as though there is nothing else like it.Specific to Rocky Mts.
    My name is Gloria, I live in New Mexico, the land of enchantment. I have been gardening for decades but there is soooo much to learn. My interests are chickens (I have 25), feeding those chickens,organic, permaculture,biodiversity, composting,watersaving etc.. My main passion is growing and studying medicinal herbs.
    Winter sowing is very exciting to me, will try that.
    I have 18 acres with a small river thru it(my dream home)There is one cultivated plot about 35 by 75 for veggies and grains and a few herbs. I have a kitchen door garden, my herb experiment garden. I have a lot of fruit trees, everything but pears. I have two chicken yards with a winter coop and a summer coop.
    I have a fiberglass greenhouse that I am presently digging out the raised beds inside where the d%^(+ pocket gophers have set up housekeeping. I plan to put in hardware cloth then replace the raised beds. I love and hate the fact that there is too much to do.
    That is enough for now. I am so glad I found you! Gloria

  • boulderorchid
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi! I'm a newbie, just discovered the forum, and thought I would join! Yeah!
    I live in east Boulder, tiny front yard, tiny back yard, super shady side yard, and just making the most of it!
    I am starting my veggies from seed for the first time this year, and very excited about it.
    I have a perrenial garden out front, and I've got lots of stuff coming in already.
    Not excited that my neighbor built his shed 6 inches from my fence last fall, and so I'm thinking that the vegetable garden might be really shady this year. I'm compensating by doing some peppers and the smaller, vining tomatoes in pots out front, just to make sure I get something this year!
    I compost, and I think I'm going to need a second bin this year. If anyone has an extra, or knows where to get a cheap one, let me know!
    The name reflects my love of indoor planting. I keep orchids in a terrarium, and also on every available surface. Other house plants too.
    I have a biology degree, and basically just love all things living!
    Excited to post here, and to scroll back up this thread to 'meet' all of you.

  • silverfox0308
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi all. I am a newbie as well. I live just outside of Grand Junction. We had dirt last year and spent the entire summer/fall getting things going. Now it's time to see what survived, what we like, what we don't like and what needs moved. Should be fun!

    I am a part time RN and full time mom to our kids, Maggie who is 3 and Andrew (Drew) who is 16 months. I would consider myself an amateur gardener who aspires to be much more in terms of gardening ability. Glad to meet everyone!

    Jill

  • digit
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've just figured it out: These threads kind of "lure" people into posting . . . at least, once . . . every year!

    Don't be a stranger all the rest of the time!!

    Come back with questions, answers and wildly misplaced comments! Some of us seem to tolerate most everything (except politics, religion, or a lack of appreciation ;o).

    It's tough for all of us, gardening here with this cordillera. "Cordillera is a chain of mountains or mountain ranges, especially the principal mountain system of a continent" (thefreedictionary.com). Or, Cordillera is the bailing twine that your toe catches under as you pass thru your gardengate and up-ends you into the first row of vegetables.

    We are all going to need to learn new uses for chewing gum, duct tape, and cable ties this season! Just remember the 1st rule for gardening equipment: "If it ain't broke, don't lend it. (red green)"

    steve

  • abq_bob
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Looks like I may be out of my apt. and assisting my Mom with her estate this summer, so that means 1.5 acres to play around with! Woohoo! I'll be up there around the first of May.

    I'm kind of hopeful to actually use some of the space to grow something for profit - not sure what it'll be yet. But she does have a lot of Iris, Peonies, Fruit Trees, and Roses, so a lot of things to consider...

  • mooseling
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi! I'm pretty new to these forums, but I've been in the Denver area for about 19 years. I mostly grow irises and last year, I started to sell a few. Mostly because I was spending more than I had budgeted on new irises and other plants. I love random and strange plants, although besides irises, I think my favorite would have to be "living fossils." I like fossils too, but I can't actually grow them. I'm working on my collection of living fossil plants. Unfortunately, many won't grow year-round outside here, which would be why I have a nice little collection of houseplants. Mostly cycads, which I keep in a cage so my dog won't eat them. And then I have other random houseplants as well.

    My newest (and probably most ridiculous) project I have planned for this year is a mini bog. How that's going to work out in the wonderfully dry weather, I'm not sure. I've got a nice batch of plants to start it - Sarracenia purpurea (carnivores are awesome), Equisetum (hooray for living fossils), Lycopodium (can't go wrong with explosive spores), and some Sphagnum. Hopefully I can start digging the hole for that soon.

    My other love is to grow things that people say don't grow here. I have an Agapanthus and Gladiolus growing very well here. Last summer, I got a hardy banana, but I kept him in a pot inside for this winter. I'll be putting him out soon and leaving him out there. And I have three orange trees in pots. I know everyone has them now, but I've had these things for twelve years or so. Before it was cool to grow citrus in Colorado.

  • tobaira
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a newbie - live on the northern side of Colorado Springs. Had a couple of container tomato plants last summer that were very sad but I got 4 fabulous tomatoes off of them! Have mainly been lurking in the seed starting forum but I just ran across this one today and am happy to see other gardeners from CO.

    This year we are putting in 3 raised beds (4'x12' - or 16', I forget which) to garden in. They should be finished around the 19th of April and I'm very excited. I've started some veggies inside - peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers - all very happy so far even though sometimes I think the broccoli is taking over my life as I overplanted and have way more than I need! Although my coworkers are very excited to hear that I'll have extras to share!

    -T

  • rt_peasant
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a newbie to gardenweb and to gardening. I live in Boulder, and have a 120 sq ft garden. This will be my 3rd year with this garden. Hopefully, this will be the year that I finally figure out how to grow a decent tomato!

  • savorytv
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello! I'm in Aspen, CO, and we have a short growing season here! This year trying tomatoes, basil, snap peas, and spinach. Am going to once again try cilantro, but have never ever had luck with that one in CO. Thanks for the opportunity for an introduction and I hope everyone is having a wonderful Spring.

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lindsey Vonn was in the paper this morning about the welcome home rally up there yesterday. Next time you run into her, please tell her we want our daughter to grow up just like her. Especially the strong, confident, reaching out parts. More like her, please.

    Dan

  • matoad_gw
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am here again in an excited "let's get winter behind us" mode- in Arvada a few blocks south of the Westminster Mall. My husband and son do the veggie garden while I take care of the grass and flowers. As I mentioned in another post, we will be trying to foil the pesky squirrels--if I have flowers in pots on my deck, I have to cover with chicken wire so the darlings don't dig around and uproot the flowers. Of course the veggies are the prime target.......I spend much thought during the winter figuring out what I want to do differently. I have an area that was a wildflower garden that I may add more wildflower seed to because ther isn't much left of the previous garden planted in 2000. Adding perennials here and there and dividing the ones I have is on my list. I had planned to add mushroom compost everywhere as I do often but the price went from $2.98 to $4.98 for a 40lb bag at Home Depot anyway. Once again I will remove as much of the lemon scented herb plants which eventually get big and spread and are a pain in the neck. I'm too cheap to buy a lawn edger so may rent one- I've been doing the edging with a shovel for yrs but as I age, I am simplifying things! I have several poles in my front yard where I fed the birds but recently took all the food away as I saw the neighbor's cat catch a bird for the 2nd time. Now I think I will hang pots of flowers but which ones can handle the eastern sun- any suggestions? (no shade). Glad to be a part of this wonderful group!!

  • provogirl
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Matoad,

    I found Organic Mushroom Compost at the ACE on 120th/Federal for $2.29 for a 40lb. bag. They always have great prices for compost.

    ProvoGirl

  • provogirl
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oops, it is on 104th/Federal.

  • laura_42
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm still here, as well. :) This will be my third year gardening up in Fort Collins, and I'm rather excited because I've moved the veggie garden to a new raised bed (45 x 3 ft) that we put in along the backyard fence.

    {{gwi:1190373}}

    {{gwi:1190374}}

    You can see the old garden beds in the lower part of the second photo; they were perfect -- except for the fact that they didn't get nearly enough sun. (Our sloping yard is on the north side of a two story house. Oops.) So hopefully the move will bring about better results.

    Best to everyone this spring,

    Laura

  • mstywoods
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    mooseling - wow, I didn't know orange trees would grow here! What is the secret?!

    I have a couple of hawaiian ginger plants and a Princess Flower plant that I brought with me from California. I have been keeping them inside during the winter, but they really don't fair too well even then - I think they just are not well suited for being indoor plants. I've been thinking I'll plant them outside since we are no longer renting, and hope they will survive - I'm sure I'll have to cover them for the winter though to give them a better chance. What do you think?

    Marj

    Posted by mooseling Zone 5 CO (My Page) on Mon, Mar 29, 10 at 4:36

    And I have three orange trees in pots. I know everyone has them now, but I've had these things for twelve years or so. Before it was cool to grow citrus in Colorado.

  • mooseling
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The trees are dwarf varieties and are in fairly large pots, and they just have to be taken in every winter. They stay in a very bright room for the winter and they don't seem to mind. Sometimes, on warm days we take them outside and then bring them back in for the night, but that can be a pain since it takes two people to move them.

    I'm not familiar with ginger plants or princess flower. If they're more sensitive to certain conditions, it's fairly easy to over or under do things. Usually, the problem I have is with getting enough light. I'm too cheap to get a grow light, so I just use fluorescents instead. Right now, I have a few plants growing on a regular lamp with a CFL - I just took the lampshade off, and the plants are doing very well.

    As for planting things outside, I usually don't like to take too many chances. I generally wait to be able to take a cutting or divide or get seed of whatever it is I'm experimenting with. If I only have one spare plant, I put it in this protected area - it's where the Agapanthus and other things grow. If it survives there, I wait to get another and move it somewhere with less protection. Or if I have tons of extras, I put them all over the place, mulch some, leave some alone. Most of the time, I end up losing a lot of stuff, but sometimes, I'll get surprised.

  • irishrazz
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello!
    I'm new to this site and excited to find such a great resource. I live in southwest Littleton and my annual gardening obsession is kicking in. I've always been much too impulsive and haphazard in choosing plants - as in, "oooh, that's pretty, I think I'll buy it and plunk it down in the yard!" This year I'm determined to have a little more foresight before I plow ahead.

    Already, I need some advice. I love, love, love peonies but have never grown them. I saw some packaged roots at a discount store this week and (yup, haven't quite got the impulse buy under control yet...) picked up a couple. THEN I started reading about best times to plant and see that I should wait until fall. Can I pot these roots in the meantime? They're already showing some growth.

    Looking forward to learning and sharing here!
    Lori

  • kell_grow
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Newbie from Boston. Focus is on perennials, however, I seem to be in war with the squirrels and chipmunks. OYEZ!

  • madaboutroses
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi!
    I am a self proclaimed lurker on Gardenweb but decided it's time to venture out! When I get a chance I love to
    read what other enthusiastic gardeners are doing in their yards. Right now the snow is falling, falling, falling.
    It is hard to believe (not really) that my husband & I
    planted bareroot shrubs and roses this last weekend! I
    am looking forward to sowing seeds in my yard once this
    snow melts. Hope all is well with everyone. Best wishes.

  • debbie2saddlebred
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am a newbie to this garden forum but am a avid gardener and plant swapper and can't wait to start . I have a lot of variety and am always looking for " that one plant I don't have "

  • Amy Larson
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's been years since I've posted on this great site but I've sent lots of other gardeners here.

    Well I've been a gardener in northern CO, between Red Feather and Tie Siding, WY at 7,200'. Ya, I'm a glutton for punishment but now and then we are so successful with some crop that our hopes are raised & we keep pushing on.

    We've got Pixwell gooseberries, Red Lake currants, serviceberries, Nanking bush cherries, rhubarb, sorrel, Quinalt and Puget strawberries, Latham raspberries. We usually have luck with broccoli, spinach, winter & summer squash, kale, snap peas, cabbage, assorted herbs, onions, garlic, beans of many sorts. My chickens eat all the leftovers & provide eggs & fertilizer. Thanks girls!

    My perennial garden is packed with a huge collection of perennials, annuals & cacti. I have a large sun space on the south side of my house that has all my tropicals, indoor cacti, an aviary with canaries, quail and finches and 2 ponds so I can keep on digging all year.

    I'm looking forward the the swap this year. I'm going to be there unless it's snowing........

    When & where will it be?

  • muddykoinz
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am back for more punishment. This year I am focusing on improving my dirt, and controlling the voles. I am not going to use up my precious garden space with corn because of the Peyton wind. I have a gentlemans bet with 4 friends on growing the biggest pumpkin. Theres a lot at stake so your cooperation and input would be greatly appreciate. I love this time of year and let the games begin.

  • kvenkat
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    At the moment I live in northern Kentucky but will be moving to the Denver area next month. Not sure exactly where just yet. Trying to find a house. This year has been tough on my gardening urges because of the impending move, and so I've had to lay low the last several months. I was so looking forward to growing my own tomatoes this year but it looks like I will have to buy some already-started plants once I get to CO. I will have to give away half my seed collection, of those plants which won't grow in my new environment. For better or for worse, you might be hearing more from me on the Rocky Mtn forum as I learn more about gardening in my new home.

  • greenbean08_gw
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    muddykoinz,
    I'm trying corn again, partly because I have the seeds and part of me wants to figure out how to get it to produce a decent crop but I feel much better about not harvesting much corn as long as the farm stand comes back to town this summer. They had some pretty good corn last summer.

  • polygonum_tinctorium
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to Colorado, kvenkat. Good luck in finding good homes for your seeds. Save some for yourself, because you never know what will do well for you here.

  • cyndigo
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello,
    I'm Cyn, formerly of Missouri (where I had a big lovely humid garden) then of Bangkok, now of Boulder. I'd never spent any time in an arid high-altitude climate (except for a few trips to Tibet) and the West has been quite a shock. The plants here are so different from the Southern/Midwestern things I grew up with ... Thai plants were more familiar!

    I have a boyfriend I'm crazy about, and a balcony that I'm not. can attest that I gripe too much about Colorado. It's a nice place, but I miss Thailand. Trying to turn my Boulder balcony into a Bangkok garden, with the BF resisting (mostly on practical grounds) all the way!

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Two newbies from humid environs! Our little forum is going to be busy in July-August, methinks. Welcome to the Great Plains: semiarid, windy and the plant diversity is mostly at ankle-knee level. But the birding is pretty good here, I must say and the Rockies...well, you'll see.

    Dan

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just want to second the welcomes for all of our newbies, and especially for the two new "tropical" transplants that either are, or soon will be going: What the...........

    Gardening out here is not the same as what youre used to, but it is VERY doable! And waitll you get out into the mountains! Dont wait too long! Take a drive, spend the day, take a few walks, stop by a stream, lie down under an aspen tree and look up thru the quaking leaves..........

    Cyn, dont let your boyfriend discourage you. Gardening is all about trying things! If you dont try, youll never know!

    KvenKat, start a thread to let us know when youve successfully relocated, and let us know where you wound up. If you have any questions when youre looking for your new house, you can ask here (start a separate thread). On occasion weve helped answer questions for others that were moving into the area. And definitely dont give all your seeds away! You might be surprised by some of them. Maybe you can do some of them in pots in summer or grow them as annuals out here.

    Thank you everybody whos signed in here! Im really glad to see so many new faces this year! [Glad to see the old faces too! LOL!]

    If you havent signed in yet, please let us know youre here, and be sure to give us some idea of where you live.

    Welcome everyone,
    Skybird

  • highalttransplant
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Cyn and Kvenkat! I'm from west Tennessee, so I know a good bit about humidity, and being able to grow just about anything you'd like. I've been in Colorado since 2000, and I think it has made me a better gardener. There are a lot of challenges here - late frosts/snowstorms, hail in the middle of summer, grasshopper plagues, cool summer nights, and lack of water to name a few. I figure if I can get stuff to grow here, I can garden anywhere! Skybird has been to my place a few times, and she'll vouch for the fact the I've managed to grow quite a variety in spite of the climate here : ) I had tons of questions when I first moved here though, which is how I found the RMG forum in the first place. You'll get lots of great advice from the folks on this forum, so don't be shy about posting your questions.

    Oh, and Kvenkat, there is a forum on GW called the Round Robin forum, where they do a lot of different kinds of seed swaps. It's a good place to trade seeds you can't use, for the ones that you want. You may want to check it out once you move here. Be forewarned though, that seed trading can become addicting.

    Bonnie

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I will WAY vouch for the fact that Bonnie has become an AMAZING Colorado gardener. When she started posting here she didnt think she could grow ANYTHING! (Remember that year when you were so worried about your Coreopsis?) And when I saw her yard for the first time, three years ago (not that long after she had started posting), I almost fell over! She has an amazing array of perennials, and I never will believe all the different veggies she grows in that little spotand various pots! Of course, I still think you should branch out into the pinks and lavendersfurther away from the housebut you already know that! There are so many cool pink and lavender things! I dont want to do this without Bonnies permissionsince its her housebut, Bonnie I have a really good pic of your front yard from last September, and the street number isnt visible (the pic I took that youre not in), and Id like to post it if its ok with you. I think people would love to see the "whole picture!" I think a lot of people would be as amazed as I wasand it just keeps getting better and better every year!

    BUTlets dont scare away our new "tropical" gardeners with snow and hail and grasshoppers, LOL! Theyll get the picture soon enough! And, remember, newbies, that Bonnie lives out in Silt, which is on the western slope not too far from Glenwood Springs! So she has it even worse than us front range folks! If you see her yard, youll understand how very possible it is to garden in Colorado!

    Skybird

  • highalttransplant
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm not sure if I've seen the picture you took this last time, but as long as the house number isn't visible, I'm okay with it being posted. You were here in Sept., so can't remember what was still blooming by that point, and what the grasshoppers hadn't eaten. Whooops, I'm not supposed to mention them, LOL!

    Actually, I like it better on this side of the state. It does get colder in the winter, and hotter in the summer, but we don't get as many big snow storms as the front range, unless you live near a ski town, like Aspen or Vail. It just stays on the ground longer here.

    It definitely isn't lush and green, like those from the humid areas are used to, and I missed those huge, old trees when I first moved here, and the dogwoods and azaleas blooming in the springtime, but now I love the wide open spaces, and I almost felt claustrophic last time I went home. I kept looking around for the mountains on the horizon.

    Bonnie

  • kvenkat
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the welcome. You all sound like a great bunch of folks with knowledge and personal experience we can all learn from. I have lived in dry places before (AZ and WY) but did not garden then. Anyway, my husband and I are in Colorado right now hoping to find a house before the Obama discount goes bye-bye. We are looking at the areas south of Denver, either Aurora, Centennial, Parker and maybe Highlands Ranch.

  • buttercup_2010
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi! Count me in! I've been here 2 weeks, from Florida where I gardened for 30 years - tropicals, antique roses, herbs, perennials. I love all things nature - plants, rocks, pinecones, shells, sunsets...in fact my two carryons on the plane coming here were my kitty and my houseplants. Orchids and miniature african violets. Living with a northfacing balcony in SW Denver (Wash Park), I'll learn all I can about container shade gardening. May need to find some sun next year. Thanks for giving me a place to belong!

  • tequilagirl
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey there,
    It's Lara. charlene's neighbor.
    For those of you I don't know..
    I live in Castle Rock.
    I am mostly a vegetable gardener. I don't mind the flowers, but I don't have much time left to care for my flower garden once I am done with the veggies.
    I am slowly learning about gardening in CO. I came from MN and it was all so easy there.
    My garden is getting more settled each year, the primary issue I face is trying to conserve water/ mulch and avoid the bugs that come with mulching.
    I am open to any advise.
    As for the spring swap if we are moving forward with that, I have rhubarb that is nearly5 inches high so I could bring rhubard to give or I have a plant I would be willing to give as well if someone wants it.
    I have raspberries - Heritage. They are spreading all over and I will be digging them to transplant to other locations in my garden, but I would be happy to pot or let anyone come dig some.
    I also have strawberries gone wild that I would be willing to share.

    If anyone has advise on pruning an apple tree I would also appreciate the info. I have an overgrown tree, not pruned in likely 8 years. I want to know how much I can prune, I know it is late in the season, but I think it just needs to be done anyway. I appreciate any help you might have to offer.

    Happy spring planting.

  • lindseyinevergreen
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi all,

    I'm a newbie who had her starts in planting in Santa Barbara, CA, where it didn't take much thought or work. I now live in Evergreen, CO and plan on claiming about 200 sq ft of our 1/2 acre back from the wildlife... Haven't yet built the deer fence or anything but while I'm planning I've got the gardening itch and have been lurking on this site for about a month. For now I have some containers, and have been most interested in perennials. Being a bit of an insecure perfectionist, it is AWESOME to come to a forum where I don't feel condescended for asking "newbie" questions. :) Looking forward to meeting folks at the swap!

    Lindsey

  • gie1971
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am grateful to find you all.
    I live in Fort Collins Colorado and am an SFG devotee.
    Last year I started with 3--3x3 and 1--1x3 containers with water reservoirs; after all the summer hail storms, I rigged out the containers with Conestoga wagon style, PVC pipe braces that can be covered with plant fabric in a pinch for protection.
    The 3--3x3 containers are on the south side of the house between our property and our neighbors in front of the gate to the backyard.
    The 1x3 with a trellis is behind the gate adjacent to the back lawn fence that we share with that same neighbor.
    I am preparing to add another 3x3 container in the back lawn.
    As I am a SFG devotee, I do my best to plant with Mel's Mix.
    I started a compost bin on the north side of the house but between not turning it consistently and not being too cognizant about balancing my browns and greens the pile has fallen asleep and I need to wake it up (smile)
    I would also like to plant the window boxes on the west side of our home with short carrots and beets instead of flowers this year.
    I would also like to put containers on our west-facing front porch and try to plant Yukon Gold potatoes. They will not have reservoirs so I want to try the water jug with a wick to the planter technique.
    DH plants two earth boxes on the west side of the house with tomatoes and mows the lawns.
    I talked him into letting me convert half the front lawn (yin yang inspired). Now it is half grass. The other half is half rock mulch and half wood mulch the later my husband scored when he chatted up the tree surgeons that were working on another property on our street.
    The wind had me and the cats up last night but now that it has chased the clouds away I will be about taking an inventory of the sheds, setting up the new containers, and direct sowing the cool season vegetable seeds.
    I look forward to learning many things from all of you.
    I will try to read the previous threads and to avoid posting any redundant questions.
    Thank you in advance for your patience.

  • gjmancini
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am still here and so ready for some warm weather. Out turning over beds this morning. Happy Spring everyone.

  • ginnytrcka
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We moved to Black Forest (N. Colorado Springs) about a year and a half ago. Last season was spent re-vegetating construction areas with grasses, lilacs, golden currants, and some replacement trees. I was active on Gardenweb in CA before moving here. I'm usually on the forums before the Fall swap...looking forward to my first Spring swap. Hoping to get more gardening done as we finish up construction on the house and garden hardscape. This summer we'll be setting up drip irrigation, sprinklers for some lawn, some retaining walls, and a flagstone path, and two garden beds. Whew -- getting tired just thinking about it. I'm also a homeschooling mom to 3 boys, so I never get enough time for gardening, but we all like digging in the dirt!

  • markmahlum
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ginny,

    Hats off to you! Homeschooling 3 boys is a full-time job. You probably know this already, but involving them in gardening can be the equivalent of a science lab. I grew up on a 600 acre farm and my father had a reasonably good understanding of horticulture, etc. Working on our farm from an early age was like experiencing an ecology, botany and zoology lab. It made the several biology classes I took in college a breeze.

    Mark

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