as fall quickly approaches and you are getting ready to put your garden away for the season, remember some simple rules for next year.  one thing that helps me remember what to do for next year is keeping a journal with sketches.  what worked, what didn't, what needs more water, what needs more sun...writing down and sketching things is tremendously helpful for next years harvest to be bigger and better.  another important thing that will be beneficial is removal of all dead, dying or disease plant material.  you want to start the spring with a clean slate so to speak.  you can also cover your soil with cloth, straw or another ground cover depending on what you want to use the soil for the following year.  this would also be a good time to add to your compost bin or start one from scratch.  i am not going to go into composting in this post however look for one in a future post.  as with anything in life simplifying, organizing and planning will go a long way for you and make your life easier in the spring.  there are tons of web resources, books and blogs for you to peruse.  if you are a novice or even an expert, let me suggest on of the finest resources you can have that won't cost you a penny (unless your late), a library card. 

so get out your journal and a pen, write down your ideas and experiences and as always happy gardening.

the denver public library

fall has left us here in denver and winter is now upon us, however there are still a few things you can do to get your garden ready for next year.

rake up leaves if you haven't already especially if you have a lawn.  grass still needs sunlight so it can create sugars to store in its roots throughout the winter.  allowing leaves and other debris on the lawn can smother it.  consider turning into mulch or composting the leaves for later use in your garden.

any plants left in your garden need to be tended to accordingly.  clear out any plants with black stems, plants with visible pests or fungi, foliage of annuals, fruits and vegetables to prevent the possibility of diseases, pests or other pathogens from disturbing future plants, trees or shrubs.  while pruning and clearing out dead or unwanted debris is great, it can turn unhealthy if done excessively.  make sure you do research on the plant, tree or shrub before doing your best impression of edward scissor hands.   

check pH levels before applying any chemicals or treatments.  it will help reveal any areas that need special attention so you can garden smarter not harder.

cover flower beds if you have done fall plantings to add extra protection through the extremely colder months.

a little planning goes a long way in almost all aspects of life and especially in gardening.  if you take care of your garden before some serious snow hits denver, you will be one step closer to getting a jump on things for the coming spring.

happy winterizing... 

garden smarter not harder…

a lot of people are transitioning from growing lawns to growing food.  depending on where you live this can be a very tricky subject.  some municipalities require you to acquire a variance or special permit to grow things higher than 12 inches (in your front yard).  here in denver height isn’t so much the issue as is the use of water.  if you choose to go this route, my suggestion is, plan your garden and the watering zones with sensitivity and caution.  plan(t) smarter don’t work harder.

one method that is simple to design for the diy folks out there is the square foot gardening method.  square foot gardening combines several methods; bio-intensive planting, composting, organic gardening and is often planted in raised beds.  there are many books and websites on this subject and it can be as plain as a square bed or as intricate as you can dream up.

when you start to design your space plant things close together that have similar watering requirements to help eliminate over or under usage of water.  planting and watering in zones is a good method to follow, especially in the desert or other places experiencing droughts.  get creative when watering; use olla’s, drip systems and rain barrels if you location allows it.  the more efficient your garden is started, the more time you will have to enjoy it.  using simple methods such as these will help streamline your gardening time and use your resources more efficiently.  

if you have any questions on square foot gardening or setting up watering zones send me a message.

resources on square foot gardening and watering methods:
http://www.squarefootgardening.org/
http://www.denverwater.org/Conservation/TipsTools/Outdoor/WateringYourLawn/
http://www.rainbird.com/homeowner/education/watersavingtips.htm

happy gardening…

accessibility in practice…

i met an individual yesterday who was from richmond va.  i have very little reference for richmond other than it is home to lewis ginter botanical garden.  i had the pleasure of visiting this garden in the summer of 2005.  one element i was particularly drawn to was the tree house in the children’s garden.  now a tree house might intrigue most, this one is special.  it has form and function, beautifully designed and ADA accessible.  we learn about standards and requirements in school; however practice sometimes fails in the equity department.  this tree house can only be entered one way and EVERYBODY regardless of ability uses the same route.  this is to ensure all users have the same experience.  if you ever find yourself in richmond check out the garden and whether you have kids or not the tree house is worth venturing to the children’s garden. 

http://www.lewisginter.org/index.php
photo courteous of ms. kelly ann's blog

the amazing company who designs and installs these tree houses is called THE TREE HOUSE GUYS formerly FOREVER YOUNG TREEHOUSES.  check out their website at this link.

http://www.treehouses.org/

stay forever young…