Dial-a-Garden Message
for the Week of Monday, October 12, 2009
Susan Rose, Horticulture Education Specialist
Colorado State University Extension Tri River Area
Thank you for calling Dial-a-Garden. This message was recorded on Tuesday, October 13, 2009.
The evapotranspiration rate for the past week for cool-season grasses for the Grand Valley is only two-thirds of an inch. If the anticipated rain occurs, we probably won’t need to water at all this week. Check the soil though, and if it’s a bit dry then give everything a good soaking before the water goes off. Trees and shrubs do better when they go into winter with moist soil around their roots.
Applications are ready this week for the 2010 Master Gardener Apprentice course, which begins January 14 and runs each Thursday through March 25. Apprentice Master Gardeners learn about soils, how plants grow, the water needs of various kinds of plants, how to recognize and manage plant diseases and insect problems, how to care for lawns, and how to prune trees. The course covers vegetable gardening, fruit growing, native plants, xeriscape gardening, and weed identification and management. You’ll have the opportunity to learn what really works for our soils and climate, and to meet a lot of other wonderful folks who share your love of growing. The cost for the 70 hour course is still only $125.00 with a 50 hour minimum commitment to work with us here at Extension over the spring and summer, helping the public solve their gardening problems and maintaining our extensive demo gardens. If interested, send me a note at susan.rose@colostate.edu or call me at 244-1841. The course may also be taken with no volunteer commitment, for $425.00.
Needle drop is a normal process for evergreen trees. If your tree is losing its inner needles, there is most likely no cause for concern. The needles will usually turn color before dropping. This event happens in the fall, and is much more pronounced in some years than others, producing a fairly dramatic effect, but it is not a problem for the tree. If you have concerns, please bring a twig sample to your local Extension office. The Montrose and Delta offices are usually not staffed with Master Gardeners during the off season, but we are here year round in the Grand Junction office and the samples will be forwarded to our lab.
Avoid any pruning at this time if you can possibly help it. Pruning opens a plant up to dehydration, which does more damage than cold weather does over the winter. Even sucker growth should be left alone for now. If roses or other shrubs are intruding on pathways, it’s best just to tie them back for the winter. Dead or diseased wood should be removed any time, as soon as you notice it. If you absolutely must prune live wood now, leave a four to six inch stub and come back and clean it up in late winter.
Trees that have been planted in the last two or three years should be wrapped in the fall, to help protect them from sunburn and the freeze-thaw cycle that is typical of our winters. Trees should be wrapped from November through March. Wrap from the base up, overlapping the wrap as you go, so that moisture will be shed off instead of accumulating next to the trunk. Choose a light colored wrap to reflect rather than absorb heat. Duct tape works well to hold the wrap in place, but it needs to come clear around and overlap itself in order to stick through the winter. This is preferable to using a tack or nail to hold the wrap in place.
The Master Gardeners wanted me to thank everyone who came out to our Tree Auction and Plant Sale last Saturday. Thanks to the nurseries with their generous donations and to you, the bidders and buyers, we have scholarship funds available for them to draw upon during the coming year, to further their horticultural knowledge. We really appreciate your patronage!
The Master Gardeners are still available to answer your gardening questions, test your soils for salts, and identify plants and plant problems. Give us a call at 244-1836.
Thank you for calling Dial-a-Garden. This message will be updated next week; have a great week!