Colorado Gardener Search Results

By harvest time most of our energy seemed to be used up – like we needed the rest and didn’t have any the years I’ve seen growers in Colorado sow carrots, parsnips, and kale in the fall and successfully harvest

Dagendesh: Harvest supply kit Children’s old backpacks and giveaway canvas tote bags make a handy harvest Fill with a knife, plastic bags, scissors, & other handy harvest supplies. Bubble wrap Bubble wrap is invaluable for harvesting fruit that can bruise or split. Homemade harvest baskets A metal, plastic or wood dish drainer makes a convenient harvest basket.

Q: How do I know when my Acorn and Hubbard winter squash are mature enough to harvest and store well? If it is difficult to impossible to insert your thumbnail, the squash is ready to harvest.

Here is a brief tour of some of the many ways humans have preserved their harvest from the dawn of gardening Try to preserve within 48 hours of harvesting; rinse and cut out all bad spots. Over the years, our cold-stored veggies have kept longer and longer—some until the next year's harvest FERMENTING Our favorite way to preserve our apple harvest is cidering. Photo: Idelle Fisher SALT, OIL, SUGAR, ALCOHOL, VINEGAR Preserving the harvest these time-tested ways

When can we harvest them? I won’t have to plant any more carrots, beets, or parsnips this year.

Q: Can I still plant vegetables for a fall harvest? A: Absolutely! the leaf lettuce and spinach I planted last fall wintered through and gave me an extra early spring harvest

This fall I hope to revive our big ol’ Harvest Party. One of the best parts of a Harvest Party is learning new ways to prepare food.

It’s been a good long run—27 years. When my plant-loving mother died in 1996 she left me enough cash to pay the first three printing bills for Colorado Gardener. Thanks to our advertisers I didn’t need to use it after the first issue. Most gardening information published at the time featured English garden plants and styles, and in the U.S., focused on the East Coast or California. Few people knew about the palette of plants for semi-arid western climates because few garden centers grew or carried them. Xeriscape wasn’t a household word and was often misinterpreted as “Zeroscape,” a bleak, no maintenance landscape of rocks on top of landscape fabric. Chemically supported lawns were championed. Insects were destructive pests to be eliminated and bees were considered a nuisance at best. My old friend Tom Theobald, a pessimistic beekeeper who passed away a few years ago, was sounding the alarm way back then, but nobody wanted to hear it (he kept at it till the end). There were very few farmers markets in the state and CSAs were a novelty. Food had become industrialized. Produce grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides was called “conventional”. No one was talking about pollinators. The Rodale Institute had been publishing books and Organic Gardening magazine for decades after WW II, but composting and organic methods were still considered somewhat subversive in the 1990’s at Land Grant Universities and Extension Offices. Round-up ready crops were new and the “miracle weed killer,” used in agriculture then marketed to home gardeners, was embraced by millions (and still is despite known risks). DDT was banned for agricultural use in the U.S. in 1972 after Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published, but neonicotinoid pesticides developed in the 80’s and widely used today are even more lethal to insects, if safer for humans. Much has changed for the better. We now realize insects aren’t simply pests, but plant pollinators and the basic building block of the food chain, supporting all animals including humans. We champion healthy “living” soil, fungi, microbes, and interconnectedness. And yet, we’re still hurtling toward a very unsettling future. I didn’t understand all this when I started Colorado Gardener of course, I just knew I wanted to contribute in some way to a healthier environment and didn’t have much skill (or ambition) beyond words. I’ve always surrounded myself with plants and liked growing them, mostly on my own. But I discovered a vibrant gardening community here and was eager to tap into it. I’ve learned an awful lot from various people at Denver Botanic Gardens—especially Panayoti Kelaidis, who has been generous since the moment I first contacted him—and from the many gardener/writers who’ve contributed to the paper over the years; several are horticulture graduates from CSU in Fort Collins. Joining groups like the North American Rock Garden Society and Boulder Culinary Gardeners also introduced me to amazing plants and plantpeople. This is the last print issue we’ll publish, though www.coloradogardener.com will continue as an extensive archive for gardeners, with some new content added during the year. I have much confidence in our web designer, Idelle Fisher. Many thanks to our talented, patient Art Director, Lise Neer, who stuck with me for so long, and my trusty distributors, especially Sean Stevenson and Joyce Wagner, who brave Front Range traffic to get the paper out. We’ve had many calendar compilers over the years, including my daughter Sophie Macaulay who has been pressed into service (and come through gracefully) many times. Jodi Torpey has also stepped up recently. Special thanks to Publication Printers in Denver, especially Mike Blodis who shepherded every issue for decades and to Dave Sanchez. As usual, we’ve packed a lot into this Issue. John Hershey’s writing continues to delight me. The photo he took at a local garden center for his piece on page 3 is apropos but disturbing; we added a touch of Tiananmen Square, which I think lends itself perfectly. Sara Stewart Martinelli covers immune-boosting herbs for winter wellness. Check out the Botanica Fest she puts on at her farm in Lafayette in October. Gary R Raham tells you about plant-inspired robots, while Kenton Seth discusses trees’ fitness to survive in light of “native tree-killing climate change.” Panayoti Kelaidis wants us to plant more shrubs, which provide “a vast array of services,” require little care or attention, and live for decades. His 10 favorites are rarely seen in newer gardens. Mike Kintgen shares five alpines that are easy to grow even if you live on the plains. In “Poison, Food and Medicine” Mikl Brawner discusses the nature of poison and describes common toxic plants that you’ll want to be aware of. Entomologist Eric Eaton describes the amazing diversity of grasshoppers. There are roughly 145 species in Colorado. (He thanked me for tolerating his unorthodox perspective.) Garden Father Larry Stebbins knows a lot about growing vegetables. Here he focuses on strategies for success in an increasingly unpredictable climate. The best thing about growing your own food is eating it. Penn Parmenter knows how to grow and cook. She shares what she’s learned about eating more parts of the plants we grow. Marilyn Raff immersed herself in horticulture after studying Jungian psychology in Switzerland in her 20’s. Here she looks back on her lifetime passion from a Jungian perspective. Wishing you all the best, Jane Shellenberger

Speaking of gatherings and traditions, Penn Parmenter is hoping to revive her Harvest Party this year Until then, harvest some seeds for next year, keep cool, keep calm, and keep cooking.

Our Harvest print issue will be out soon. Happy harvest season! Jane Shellenberger Publisher/Editor, Colorado Gardener

Since it’s harvest time we have a piece by Deb Whitaker on best practices for storing vegetables for

Moving from the big picture to our Harvest Issue, here’s what’s inside. Because it’s harvest season Pam Sherman offers 9 ways to preserve what you grow in your veggie garden

dividing peonies, growing blackberries, planting late season vegetables for a fall and early spring harvest Enjoy and share your harvest.

Every week of the growing season I spend Friday mornings helping the farmers with planting, harvesting season passes the midway point, the demands in the field seem to grow exponentially; keeping up with the harvest By harvest time most of our energy seemed to be used up – like we needed the rest and didn’t have any I’ve seen growers in Colorado sow carrots, parsnips, and kale in the fall and successfully harvest them

we’ll be publishing three print issues next year – two in the spring (mid March and early May) and a Harvest issue in late August - while I search in earnest for a successor, whether digital, print or some combination In “After the Harvest” Jennifer Bousselot offers tips for jump-starting next year’s veggie gardens. Enjoy the harvest and what’s left of the summer. See you next spring! Jane Shellenberger

She also shared Bob’s insight into harvesting winter squash. Since we published a Harvest print issue for more than 20 years we have lots of articles on harvesting Harvesting Tips By William J. Dagendesh Harvest supply kit Children’s old backpacks and giveaway canvas tote bags make a handy harvest Fill with a knife, plastic bags, scissors, & other handy harvest supplies.

Q: What vegetables can I plant in June that will give me a harvest yet this summer. A: You can still plant quite a bit in June here in the Front Range area and get a good harvest before You’ll often harvest within 45–55 days. Corn - You still have time for shorter-season varieties.

It’s time to reap the harvest in the veggie garden. finally, Kelly Grummons answers questions about gogi berries, asparagus, and planting now for a fall harvest

In Colorado, harvester ants, genus Pogonomyrmex, rate a "3" on the pain scale: "Bold and unrelenting. " - P. badius, the Florida Harvester Ant. Maricopa Harvester Ant, a Colorado species, which stings instead of biting – Bold & unrelenting #3 "After drilling into that ingrown toenail, you find the drill is wedged in the toe." - P. maricopa, the Maricopa Harvester

I’ve already harvested most of the veggie garden and have been waiting for cooler temps to plant beets Garden Q&A, Keith Funk covers when to plant spring-blooming bulbs , planting vegetables for a fall harvest Enjoy this cooler September & your harvest,  Jane Shellenberger Grasshopper on Coneflower

this in a gym, I would get the same exercise with no free vitamin D and no possibility of an eventual harvest Under frost cloth, they can grow through the spring, and I’ll harvest enough broccoli, beets, and kale He felt the same about his garden at Walden Pond: “These beans have results which are not harvested by … How, then, can our harvest fail?”

Bringing in the seed each fall is as normal as digging potatoes or storing the pumpkin harvest in a cool It’s easier than most harvest chores too, especially with ‘dry saves’.  If you harvest it all at once chances are the pods at the top won’t ripen at all, but since these seed At home I make several visits to the plant to harvest ripe and almost opened seedpods.    The plant shows you when the seed is ready to harvest; open seedpods often come in the form of cups or

The sugars will concentrate after harvesting making them sweeter than ever.   A good storage pumpkin optimizes the harvest. What good is it if it turns to mush in a month?  Knowing they are keeping perfectly inside their shell gives me peace of mind when bringing in the harvest Pumpkins have become a very important part of our harvest, seed bank, and bellies. 

These stems can be harvested and used in cooking. Keith Funk is handling our Q & A this year.

Avoid harvesting your flowers in the hottest part of the day as that can put extra stress on the blooms They will bring a variety of color and form to your garden, and last long in the vase, especially when harvested The flowers bloom from top-down, so harvesting is recommended when the top third is in bloom. The flowers can last a long time on the plant, but you want to harvest them when still young, with petals Plants grow 2-4 ft. tall, and flower stems grow directly from the base, so you can harvest all that height

Q:  What vegetables are good choices for a fall harvest and when should they be planted?

The Spring issue will be mailed out starting April 18, the Harvest issue on August 18-20.

Q: What vegetables can I plant in late summer and fall for a nice late fall, winter or early spring harvest , radish, turnip and sweet onion can be planted as early as July or as late as September for a fall harvest Using frost cloth or row-cover fabric through October and November can extend your usable harvest by This is especially useful for spinach and onion that can also be harvested the next spring. Being a broccoli lover, I sow a second crop in July that I can harvest in September and October.

Water peppers daily then harvest in abundance in August and September!

Seed catalogs usually give rate of germination and the number of days until harvest. Consider how much and which methods (described below) you’ll use to preserve the harvest. continue to produce throughout the season, consider succession planning (planting a few each week) so the harvest With busy lives, it’s easy to be too busy when you need to harvest & preserve your food. Put harvest dates on your calendar to mentally prepare and help from feeling overwhelmed.

Celery and Herbs harvested from cold frame in late January 2026 Soak your harvested lettuce and then Garden harvest tip from my Mom: Did you know that soaking lettuce and greens in cold water will crisp

plant on the plains around March 15 to May 1 (I’ve had some success planting even later too, but the harvested Harvest with a fork to prevent cutting into the potatoes.

Celery and Herbs harvested from cold frame in January Year-Round Gardening in Colorado: 2026 Update By Garden harvest tip from my Mom: Did you know that soaking lettuce and greens in cold water will crisp

I harvested it as temps began to climb into the 90’s again. As summer flowers senesce, keep an eye out for the right time to harvest the seed.

Keith Funk answers questions about fast growing vegetables you can plant now for a summer harvest, native

Once harvested, store in a cool spot, not refrigerated, which causes garlic to sprout, and taste bitter Harvest mid-July, when about half of the long stems have turned brown and flop. Two weeks before harvesting discontinue watering to begin the dormancy and curing process. If using hardneck varieties another good indicator is to harvest roughly 1-2 weeks after the curlicue

As summer flowers senesce, keep an eye out for the right time to harvest the seed.

Tomatoes, apples, and onions are ready to harvest at the same time. (All winter squash need to be cured for at least two weeks after harvest and before eating, so let it

That leads me to what gardeners can do to increase their chances for a bountiful harvest, even when Mother The largest hail just bounces off these panels. The side panels, that can be rolled up for extra ventilation and harvesting, are 6 mil UV treated clear

When autumn comes around, the children harvest the vegetables to enjoy on personal pizzas in a Garden-to-Table

Make the frame spacious enough so that you can work and maneuver while weeding and harvesting.

(This is the same book mentioned by Kenton Seth in his piece, Trees in the Apocalypse in our Harvest

stems and flowers may curve with a springtime flourish on their paper mounts, but collectors typically harvest

If you want to upgrade your chances of success, here are a few tips: PICK YOUR SPOT Before you harvest When you do harvest, gently brush off dirt and snip tops to 1/2". Harvest winter squash before the first, hard frost.

The sugars will concentrate after harvesting making them sweeter than ever.

Many tomatoes grown for grocery store sales are harvested from grafted, greenhouse-grown plants.

Before Patti O’Neal cracked the code on growing flawless carrots, she harvested a few funny-looking roots Vegetable gardeners can take heart knowing they can do everything right and still harvest some oddball

landscape restoration of native plant communities on the reservation through planting and traditional harvest

in intensive market gardening including soil health, planting, irrigation, weed and pest management, harvesting Students from Kemper Elementary in Cortez visited Washington DC to help Michelle Obama plant and harvest They returned to DC in June 2016 to help with her final harvest and cook the bounty alongside her.

Fewer people know that one third of the crops we blithely harvest from our local King Soopers wouldn’ July 6 of this year ScienceDaily reported on the work of Canadian scientists at York University who harvested