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digit_gw

In Your 2013 Garden

digit
11 years ago

Happy New Year! What are you hoping for?

Steve

Comments (34)

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    11 years ago

    A really, really, really good gardening year! For all of us!!!

    Happy 2013, Digit --- and everybody!

    Skybird

  • gjmancini
    11 years ago

    Happy New year everyone.

  • treebarb Z5 Denver
    11 years ago

    Happy New Year! May it be safe, prosperous and bring El Nino snow, lots and lots of it!

    Barb

  • highalttransplant
    11 years ago

    Happy New Year, Steve!

    I am hoping for enough free time to keep up with the community garden plot this year. Started working part time now that my youngest is in school full time, and it is really putting a damper on my gardening hobby. I'm ashamed to admit that part of my final pepper harvest rotted before I could process it. Just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day ...

    Wishing everyone bountiful harvests in 2013!

  • digit
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I am just hoping that I can get back to 2011 levels. I gave up about 25' by 300' of ground & one garden location. It was wonderful in 2012 to not have to stop there and tend/harvest that garden since there were already 2 other locations.

    This year, it looks increasingly as tho' one of those other locations will expand by about that size . . . Oy! (That may be an expression of pain!)

    Meanwhile at home, I guess I've got that shed to build. The neighbor brought over a bottle of wine and said I could use his garden space for the next 10 years . . . Oy! The amount of room is nothing but the prospect of setting up either another greenhouse or plastic tunnel is a little daunting.

    The little stuff: If I am gonna try hybridizing tomatoes, I am thinking that some of them are gonna have to stay right here at home in containers instead of going off to a distant location. Now, if I just can find the time, energy, & skill to do the hybridizing.

    Steve
    (questioning the challenges . . . :o)

  • margaretmontana
    11 years ago

    I am wishing for a bumper crop of fruit. All but the currants froze last year. My jelly supply is kinda low and also had a very few pies. So more snow as not much so far and then no warm up and then cold when it is time to form fruit. And I guess I better ask for not many coddling moths to make wormy apples and pears also. Time to finalize my seed order this week.

  • gjcore
    11 years ago

    Happy New Year RMGrs.

    I'm hoping for a better tomato year. The last 2 years have been disappointing. Other than that I'm hoping to have a good year at this year's plant sale. I've been gearing up for it since October with as many herbs as I can possibly start and grow in the cold season. It's going good so far.

  • xaroline
    11 years ago

    All the best to all the Rocky Mountain gardeners.
    May you have great harvests of food and bountiful flower gardens in 2013!
    Caroline

  • gjmancini
    11 years ago

    I am hoping for a great season. All crops have been the pits for the last couple of years. Puttig up a tunnel this year and gettig a better water source on the side lot. This should help out alot.

  • david52 Zone 6
    11 years ago

    I'm hoping we get more snow, otherwise its bad news drought.

  • billie_ladybug
    11 years ago

    David, I'm with you. WATER in any form would be great. I have no pasture left it has been so dry. The hay prices are outrageous and if I could turn off the sprinklers once is a while it would be save me some money on the electric bill. Besides I have not had a snow day in two years!!!!

    B

  • david52 Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Still a bit far out, but it looks like we may get significant moisture this weekend.

    Some of the signs are auspicious:

    - I have to drive my daughter in to participate in the high school play and pick her up late at night on Friday and Saturday - check.

    - DW flying into Durango (where they will turn around and fly back to Denver if they don't like the weather, leaving me waiting for hours on end in the airport) - check

    But I'm not low on firewood. That would cinch it.

  • billie_ladybug
    11 years ago

    Okay, working on my rain dance :) Think it will work in winter? Our roads haven't been graded in 6 months because it just turns them to dust and makes them words.

    - I have to go to Pueblo and get my truck fixed; and
    - I have to locate and haul hay home;

    Think any of this will help reinforce the moisture forecast?
    B

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    11 years ago

    Will this help?

    I have a boxful of bulbs from the Van Engelen fall sale that I need to get into the ground pretty soon! Was hoping to get at least part of them done today--it was supposed to get up to 69 and possibly break a 30-year record, but then a mountain wave cloud parked over us all day and it wasn't cold, but it definitely wasn't "nice" out!

    I MUST get my bulbs in the ground! [Hint, hint, weather gods!]

    Skybird

  • digit
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I'm 1,000 miles north of you and eating a bananananan..na . . . There was a Washington State apple a little earlier but I've already got the core out to the hens. There was a little dancing in the coop.

    Before I had anything to eat I was out scraping 1/10th of an inch of frozen slush off the walkways. It fell early last night and I'd kind of hoped for more. The nearest Snotel has 87% of normal and all those nearby that I checked looked about the same.

    What does this all mean? Will Bonneville Power be selling a lot of electricity to Arizona again this year? And, how does the 51st state, Canada, fit into the scheme? Should I give up on buying banananananas?

    Steve

  • billie_ladybug
    11 years ago

    Steve,

    I don't know but I am thinking if I don't get some moisture soon, I might need to invest in a kaffiyeh and a camel (cuz it is that hot and DRY) :)

    B

  • highalttransplant
    11 years ago

    We still have snow on the ground from the week of Christmas, and lows are still in the single digits to low teens. We were warm this week too, actually reached 34 degrees yesterday! The forecast calls for snow or wintry mix the next 5 days.

    I took a look at the 3 day history for Denver just now. Hard to believe that's in the same state!

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    11 years ago

    Just checked my thermometers, and it was 63 and 72 on the "cool" and "warm" sides of my backyard today! It was windy all afternoon, so it wasn't as balmy feeling as it sounds, but I spent a couple hours in my front yard (sun) planting 125 crocus (between the roots!) around the base of my pine tree. Was wearing a lightweight short-sleeved blouse and it was VERY comfortable. I love it when we get days like this in the middle of winter---but we NEED precip, so I'm still doing the Rain Dance in hopes of conjuring up a Big Blizzard!

    NOAA says there's a "slight" chance of snow down here on Monday nite and Tuesday, but slight usually means: It ain't gonna happen! Well, we can all keep our fingers crossed---and maybe plan a Group Picnic the beginning of next week, which means it will HAVE to snow!

    Skybird

    P.S. If you get a camel, Billie, I wanna come pet it! :-)

  • WxDano
    11 years ago

    We rode to and from Girl Scouts tonight, there was moisture in the air and it almost felt like spring.

  • highalttransplant
    11 years ago

    Skybird, that's a good 30 degrees warmer than us! I don't remember there being that big of a temperature difference in years past. Seems like you guys are usually only 10 - 15 degrees warmer over there.

    We had several good snows over the holidays, but nothing in the last 2 - 3 weeks, so we are behind as well, but judging by your temperatures, you guys are needing moisture a lot more than we are.

    This picture of my germination tray was taken a week ago, and you can see the snow in the background.

    It's melted some since then, but not a whole lot.

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    11 years ago

    Wow, Bonnie! I haven't had that much snow all winter! I know you guys were getting regular snow there for a while, and at one point the reports even said most of the state (mountains!) was near 100% of average snowpack, but the most recent report I heard was that the snowpack is now down to something like 50-60% of average, so even the mountains are hurtin' again, and I bet there's lots of Snow Dances going on at the ski areas!

    My perennial beds, which are mulched, are staying fairly moist (tho the wind today is probably gonna change that!), but when I was chiseling holes out between the tree roots today, the soil was bone dry! Had just watered my whole front yard thoroughly early in December--and it's GONE! I'll wait for this next "possibility" of snow, and assuming we don't get any I think I'm gonna be out there watering the front yard again when we get the next warm spell! Luckily the grass in the backyard is pretty much in shade in winter, so that doesn't usually need any water. Boy! Water restrictions down here in The Lowlands are gonna be bad next summer if something doesn't change soon!

    Quoting the pin I used to wear when I skied: THINK SNOW!

    Skybird

  • billie_ladybug
    11 years ago

    I know I will be spending my day tomorrow watering the fruit trees I planted last year.

    B

  • treebarb Z5 Denver
    11 years ago

    I'm jealous of your snow cover, Bonnie!

    Welcome Dano, or should I say welcome back?

    I spent a good part of today watering trees and they needed it! It was a beautiful day and it's sprinkling here now. I hope we get some precip Monday night into Tuesday like they're predicting.

    I'm glad you got your bulbs planted, Skybird! Think snow, rain, sleet, some kind of moisture!

    Barb

  • WxDano
    11 years ago

    Welcome Dano, or should I say welcome back?

    ;o)

    I'm pretty sure I'll be doing my second hose-dragging episode within the next couple of days. The cold has been the only thing that has saved us out here so far. I've watered the garlic several times already. Sheesh!

  • david52 Zone 6
    11 years ago

    We've been under almost constant light rain/drizzle for the past 18 hours.
    With some luck, the SW mountains are going to get a foot + of sopping wet snow.

  • highalttransplant
    11 years ago

    Yeah, we actually got rain here last night too! We lost some of that snow cover, but there is a 70% chance of snow tonight into tomorrow, and they are predicting accumulations anywhere from 2" - 6". Then the lows are supposed to drop back into the low teens.

  • WxDano
    11 years ago

    Early daffies are coming up today in the treelawn perennial bed. Much too early!

  • billie_ladybug
    11 years ago

    We had a little rain here Saturday night. Just enough to get a lively game of connect-the-dots going. (Not predicted by the weathermen/women of course.) We are supposed to get some type of moisture tonight. I'm sure it will be just enough to make tomorrow mornings commute troublesome.

    B

  • highalttransplant
    11 years ago

    If there's any daffodils coming up in this bed, it will be a while before I know it!

    My herb bed today

    ... and the veggie bed

    It's been snowing lightly all day, even though there wasn't any predicted accumulation. When I just checked the forecast a few minutes ago there is now a winter weather advisory with 2 - 5 inches expected. Nothing like predicting the weather after the fact!

  • david52 Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Great "Winter interest" there, highalttransplant!

    One of the greatest gardening innovations of all time. All that stuff you didn't get around to pruning down in the fall is now considered attractive winter decor.

  • digit
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Very much what it has looked like around here for the past 6 weeks, Bonnie - not very deep but a cover of snow.

    Except after the temperature finally rose above freezing on Tuesday morning . . . it hasn't dropped below freezing since! No high temperature out of the 30's but still!

    We will now go back into the fog, the forecast says. Hey, there was actual sunshine y'day afternoon! With the sunlight and 35o, it felt like we were in the growing season, despite the frozen ground!

    I am getting more and more excited about the growing season. The excitement will need some tempering, however. I've been in major difficulties several different years by sowing seed indoors during mid-February. Maybe it would help to start some petunias & violas. Oh yeah, the first sowings of onions can go in flats; I'll just have to protect them from freezing in the greenhouse, is all.

    Steve

  • gjcore
    11 years ago

    I planted my onion seed today. Maybe too dense but it'll probably work out. ~250 seeds in each flat.

  • highalttransplant
    11 years ago

    Yeah, David, I usually cut things back a bit more, but I started working part-time in the fall, and the garden was pretty much left to fend for itself. I thought you were going to give me a hard time about the Christmas lights still being up, LOL!

    If you look real close in the first pic, you can see the tray of peppers through the window.

    Steve, we had almost no precipitation in January, but it was so cold that we still had snow cover leftover from December. We did a lot of catching up on moisture this past week!

    Bonnie

  • david52 Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Well, I left a couple dozen tomato vines up on the trellises for 'Winter Interest' this year.

    Looks stunning in the Alpenglow.

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