Gardening Calendar - Colorado State University Extension Tri River Area Mesa Delta Montrose Ouray Counties

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Week 1
Call the Dial-a-Garden Message weekly at 970 244-1706 to learn the latest for the week.		The Tri River Area Master Gardener Program begins this month. Be sure to sign up if you wish to learn more about gardening in Western Colorado.	Happy New Year	Add cheer to the home or office by forcing cuttings taken from spring flowering shrubs. Cut the branches eighteen to twenty-four inches long. Many of these cuttings will open in a vase of water as a reminder of the upcoming spring.	When we receive the unusual heavy snow, be sure to knock any accumulated snow off evergreens and other wood plants. Arborvitae and other columnar evergreens can be protected from damaging winter snows by wrapping the plant with rope to pull the branches together.	If you are a skier, look at the spruce when you ride the lift. Many of the large older spruce have multiple tops. Some of these are a result of damage from squirrels, insects or even lighting strikes.
Week 2
If you have a pine or spruce that has a dead top, you need to redo the top in the spring to avoid having multiple tops. A dead top can be corrected by bending one of the branches from the next lower whorl up and tying it loosely to the dead top. Pinch back the candles on the other branches in that same whorl to prevent them from competing with the branch you have selected to become the new terminal shoot. Multiple tops are more prove to breakage so should be corrected where possible.		The pruning of trees and shrubs should be delayed until just before bud break in the spring. Fruit trees and other trees are best pruned in mid February to mid March to permit the safe application of a dormant oil spray.	If you are a Commercial Pesticide Applicator plan on attending the update training typically scheduled for February.			In those areas in Western Colorado where snow cover is lacking lawns, trees, shrubs and flower and vegetable gardens should be watered.
Week 3
Roses that have not yet been protected with 9 to 12 inches of mulch should be covered now. This will help prevent the dehydration of the canes and graft union. Water these plants thoroughly prior to applying the mulch.	Branches from Christmas trees make good winter protection for low evergreens and other woody perennials such as mahonia that retain their foliage during the winter. Winter burning (scalding) of these needles and leaves will be greatly reduced if provided such protection.			Bulbs that had been potted up earlier in the fall and buried outdoors or placed in a cool cellar can be brought inside and allowed to bloom.	Orders for seeds and plants for spring planting should be made out and sent off. While choosing old favorites, consider some new plants, especially some of the All American Selections that tend to do well in all parts of the country.	Snow free garden areas that were protected by a layer of mulch or are on the south side of a home may be soft enough to allow the planting of cold hardy vegetable seeds. These vegetables include spinach, radish, peas, and lettuce. Water after planting and cover with an inch of straw, hay or chopped leaves to provide protection. These vegetables will germinate in early spring providing an early spring crop.
Week 4
Individuals planning on purchasing seedling trees and shrubs from the CSU Extension are encouraged to get their orders in as soon as possible as the supplies of these low cost seedlings are limited. Contact our office at 970 244-1834 for further information.	Seedling tree workshops are presented in January or February by CSFS personnel to teach techniques on how to care for seedling trees and shrubs.	The low light conditions of mid winter result in poor leggy growth on many houseplants. Providing supplemental light and rotating the pots to ensure a more even distribution of light helps.	If using an incadescent (screw-type) light for houseplants, burning of foliage may result unless the bulb is at least three feet away from the plant. Flourescent bulbs can usually be used four inches away from the foliage without causing burning.	Excessive dryness of the home due to artificial heat can be counteracted by the use of a humidifier and pebble trays placed under houseplants. Keep the pebble tray full of water but not so that this water will be in contact with the bottom of the pot.	When watering houseplants, water thoroughly so that water drains into the saucer. Dump or drain the water out of the saucer to prevent this salt laden water from being sucked back up into the root zone of the plant through capilarity.	Plan on attending the Annual Landscapes West Program . Call the CSU Extension office or check the upcoming workshops schedule each month.
Week 5
	Placing plants in the bathtub and syringing the foliage with tepid water cleans the foliage and helps provide humidity. Allowing tepid water to run through the soil and out the drainage holes helps reduce soil salt problems increasing the ability of the plant to take up much needed water during these dry winters.	If you have a cold frame containing biennials and young perennials it should be ventilated when the temperature inside the frame become too high on sunny days. Prop the cover up long enough to drop the temperature and keep these plants dormant.			As days become longer greenhouse plants will begin to become more active. Avoid the tendency to overwater these plants especially in a cool greenhouse or on overcast days. Overwatered plants that are then subjected to cool night temperatures are more likely to have problems with edema.	Poinsettias that have finished flowering can be cut back and the water reduced. Drying this plant out completely as is recommended in some other parts of the world often results in the total death of the plant due to Western Colorado's semi-arid low humid conditions.