Shade Trees Dropping Leaves
Q: Our shade trees look gorgeous this year due to all the rain. The lindens and burr oak have unusually large, odd-shaped leaves. During...
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Kelly's Gardening Q & A
Read the Q & A from our ongoing column with Kelly Grummons answering common Colorado gardening questions.
Kelly is co-owner of the mail order nursery businesses, coldhardycactus.com and dogtuffgrass.com.
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Have gardening questions? Fill out our form here. Use our search below to find info on Colorado gardening questions & topics:
- Apr 14
- 1 min
Growing bell peppers in Colorado
Q: How do I grow a good bell pepper? My pepper plants never get as big as they should and the fruit is usually misshapen and small. We...
243
- Apr 14
- 1 min
When should we divide our irises
When should we divide our irises? I have several huge clumps that don’t bloom as well as they used to. A: Irises (Tall-bearded,...
455
- Apr 14
- 2 min
Ugly Lawn in Colorado
Our lawn has just gotten uglier every year. We’ve had it aerated most Springs but that isn’t helping much anymore. I don’t need it to be...
267
- Aug 26, 2022
- 1 min
Struggling White Weeping Spruce
Q: I planted a beautiful white weeping spruce about on the west side of my garage in Denver in early May. It's struggling, maybe because...
306
- Aug 26, 2022
- 1 min
Beheaded Beans
Q: I planted a bunch of bean seeds July 1st and had very poor germination though I watered 2X a day. One of the four that did sprout was...
118
- Aug 25, 2022
- 1 min
Reliable Easy-Care Bulbs for Colorado
Q: What are some reliably returning, easy care bulbs for our region? A: When the bulb catalogs arrive, it’s so tempting to order the...
138
- May 13, 2022
- 1 min
Leaf Miners on Swiss Chard
Q: Every year, our swiss chard gets a leaf miner problem, causing most of the leaves to go brown and wilty in parts, or sometimes entire...
376
- Apr 12, 2022
- 2 min
Japanese Beetles eating Blackberries
Q: We planted primo-cane blackberries two years ago in a row next to our ‘Heritage’ red raspberries. Reportedly you can cut both of these...
330
- Apr 12, 2022
- 1 min
Harvesting Overwintered Root Vegetables
Q: We still have a lot of root vegetables left in the garden from last year. They are showing new growth. When can we harvest them? I...
40
- Apr 12, 2022
- 1 min
What are the best patio trees for containers to provide shade?
Q: What are the best patio trees for containers to provide shade? (For Denver, CO elevation and climate)? A: When I first got out of...
1,090
- Mar 3, 2022
- 1 min
Low-Water Shrubs
Q: What are some large shrubs for the low water garden? I need some ornamental varieties that get at least eight feet high. Width is...
353
- Mar 3, 2022
- 1 min
Planting a Garden for Hummers & Pollinators
Q: I have a small garden (about 7’ deep and 18’ wide) on the south side of my house that gets full sun all day. I would like the garden...
108
- Mar 3, 2022
- 1 min
Successful Succulent Gardens
Q: OMG! I see all these GORGEOUS succulent gardens and succulent container pictures in the gardening magazines. If I can even find...
73
- Feb 18, 2022
- 1 min
Best Fruiting Shrubs for Attracting Birds
Q: We have a low-water garden and want to plant some fruit bushes to feed both us and birds. My wife loves birds and spends a lot on bird...
96
- Feb 18, 2022
- 1 min
What Kind of Vines Should I Plant?
Q: I would really like to plant some vines on my fences that support pollinators and wildlife. It seems like most vines are just green. I...
80
- Sep 14, 2021
- 1 min
How Do I Safely Kill Grass to Put in a Xeriscape?
Q: I live in Larkspur, altitude 6782. Spring and fall 2020 planted grass seed, rototilled, new soil, the works. Then drought worsened and...
432
- Aug 27, 2021
- 1 min
Planting for Privacy
Q: We’ve moved into a two-story house that creates a lot of shade on the narrow, north-side yard. The neighbor’s house to the south of us...
137
- Aug 26, 2021
- 2 min
Toxic Soil
Q: We bought a house recently and have been looking forward to planting the backyard which is mostly grass that isn’t doing so well. I...
105
- May 5, 2021
- 1 min
Japanese Beetle Destruction
Q: Kelly, do you have any thoughts on dealing with Japanese beetles that are destroying my flower garden? A: After observing Japanese...
109
- May 5, 2021
- 1 min
Easy-to-Grow Pollinator Plants
Q: What are some easy-to-grow plants that benefit pollinators in spring, summer, and fall? I’m not much of a gardener but I would like...
144
- Apr 9, 2021
- 2 min
Do Aphids Overwinter?
Q: I grow kale in a raised bed. Last year it got covered (smothered) in aphids. After using Neem oil spray on it for a month, I decided...
482
- Mar 29, 2021
- 2 min
Small Onions
Q: Our family uses a lot of onions in the kitchen. I’ve tried to grow them for a couple of years but was disappointed with the size of...
58
- Mar 29, 2021
- 1 min
Cactus & Agave Frost Damage
Q: Some of our cactuses and Agaves got a lot of damage in that October deep freeze. We’ve had them for years and this is the first time...
807
- Mar 29, 2021
- 1 min
Spotty Buffalo Grass
Q: I have ‘Legacy’ Buffalo Grass in the front yard and parkway. It has been there for 8-10 years. Over the last two years it has gotten...
57
- Mar 29, 2021
- 2 min
Can I Plant Potted Bulbs Outside?
Q: I got some potted bulbs (crocus, daffodil, tulip, and hyacinth) on clearance after Valentine’s Day that were nearly done flowering....
795
- Mar 1, 2020
- 2 min
Cactuses not Blooming
Q: Over the last few years, I’ve collected a number of cacti and succulents. When I look them up online, it shows that they have gorgeous...
32
- Mar 1, 2020
- 1 min
Is there an advantage to using grafted tomato plants over seed grown plants?
Q: For the last few years, I see grafted tomatoes in many of the catalogs when I’m ordering vegetable seeds. They seem expensive. Is...
25
- Aug 2, 2019
- 1 min
How can we make better use of a greenhouse?
Q: We got a neat, little 6 ft x 8 ft greenhouse about 3 years ago for growing vegetables through the winter and for starting garden...
27
- Aug 2, 2019
- 1 min
What varieties of succulents will tolerate less light in the middle of the room?
Q: I just love the succulent houseplants I see in pictures in magazines and on Pinterest, but every time I buy them for my apartment,...
13
- Aug 2, 2019
- 1 min
Limited Space for Vegetable Growing
Q: We have such limited space for vegetable growing. I’m a cook and my husband is the gardener. Every year he orders all these different...
17
- Mar 1, 2019
- 1 min
Power Lines & Harshly Pruned Trees
Q: There are power lines running along the back of our property. The previous owner planted a variety of trees along the back fence. Some...
24
- Aug 1, 2018
- 2 min
Can I grow fall crops in pots?
Q: I have a small garden. It’s full of peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and herbs. I want to plant some fall crops like spinach, broccoli,...
10
- Aug 1, 2018
- 1 min
Q: My crabapple and my mountain ash tree got fire blight – should I prune affected branches?
Q: My crabapple and my mountain ash tree got fireblight this spring worse than usual. The crabapple tree is about 40 years old and the...
129
- Aug 4, 2017
- 2 min
Dividing Mother's Peonies
Q: Our mother passed away recently and I’d like to divide her old peonies to move to my and my siblings’ gardens. Can we divide them in...
56
- Jul 1, 2017
- 1 min
What veggies can I plant in late summer and fall?
Q: What vegetables can I plant in late summer and fall for a nice late fall, winter or early spring harvest? A: The vegetables that we...
227
- Jun 1, 2017
- 2 min
Agastache, Rudbeckia, Gaillardia, and Delphinium: Short Lived Perennials
Q: Some of my favorite perennials flower all summer. I especially love Agastache, large-flowered Rudbeckia, Gaillardia, and Delphinium....
1,032
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