The Last Stand
Deb Babcock: It’s a good time to pick berries
Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
The birds and bears should be well fed this fall before going south or into hibernation for the winter. Berries on chokecherry, serviceberry, currant, raspberry and other fruit-bearing shrubs are loaded right now with ripening fruit.
Deb Babcock: Plant stevia for a sweet garden
Tropical herb’s leaves can be used as a sugar substitute
Monday, Aug. 18, 2008
Todd and Joan Allsberry were kind enough to allow a group of local gardeners to visit their beautiful garden in early August, when they showed us the thoughtful layout and amazing array of plants growing there. The trip was arranged by CJ Mucklow and the Routt County Cooperative Extension office and was available to anyone interested in taking the trip out to the Allsberry’s Strawberry Park home.
Deb Babcock: Plant something scent-sational!
Monday, Aug. 4, 2008
Whenever the aroma of lilac wafts by, I’m reminded of my grandmother who wore that scent.
Deb Babcock: Roses for the high country
Monday, July 28, 2008
Claire Fraser, a volunteer at the Tread of Pioneers Museum, recently rescued a red and gold climbing rose from a building about to be demolished at Seventh and Yampa streets after receiving permission from Realtors Mark Stein and Pam Lindal.
Deb Babcock: Climbers for mountain gardens
Monday, July 21, 2008
At Creekside Café & Grill last week, we had breakfast outside on their patio next to an arbor covered with honeysuckle, or Lonicera, vines just ready to burst into colorful pink and orange blooms. It is a beautiful display of foliage and flowers, perfect for the wrought iron archway leading into the patio seating area. And once the flowers bloom, the aroma is heavenly.
Deb Babcock: Another gem for Botanic Park
New structure will feature restrooms, meeting space, office
Monday, July 14, 2008
If you walk along the Yampa River Core Trail, you can’t help but notice a construction project under way at the south end of the Yampa River Botanic Park adjacent to the Fish Creek Mobile Home Park. It’s a much-needed and anticipated amenity for what many consider the crown jewel in our tiara of parks throughout the Steamboat Springs community.
Deb Babcock: Knowing the pH of your garden soil
Monday, July 7, 2008
We often hear the soil in our Yampa Valley gardens is somewhat alkaline, as opposed to the acidic soils of places such as Georgia and the Carolinas, where acid-loving azaleas and rhododendrons flourish. What exactly does that mean, and what should we do about it?
Deb Babcock: A flower for night owls
Monday, June 9, 2008
One of the first and showiest wildflowers to bloom in the springtime here is the evening primrose (Oenothera caesitosa). It’s prolific along hot, dry expanses such as the Mad Creek and Red Dirt trails off Routt County Road 129 in early spring.
Deb Babcock: Petunia ‘Dreams’
Monday, June 2, 2008
If you’re starting to think about ways to add color to your garden, patio containers or window-boxes, think about a beautiful flower that really caught everyone’s attention last summer. Hanging baskets around town, the annual beds at the Lincoln Avenue Post Office and the flowers at the entrance to the Depot Art Center all were overflowing with the annual Petunia “Dreams” pink grandiflora.
Deb Babcock: Trillium — a herald of spring
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Mark your calendar now for an early season hike along the North Fork of the Elk River (check out this hiking trail on a Forest Service Map or in the “Hiking the Boat” trail guide by Diane White-Crane). If your timing is right, you might catch a glimpse of the beautiful low-growing trillium that lasts just a few weeks here in the mountains.
Deb Babcock: Use landscaping to conserve energy
Monday, May 19, 2008
The rising cost of our own home heating fuel this past year gives cause for all of us to focus on energy conservation. Proper landscaping can make a significant difference in the amount of energy needed to keep your home comfortable — summer and winter.
Deb Babcock: Currant news
Monday, May 12, 2008
Looking for a great shrub for your Steamboat Springs area garden? Look no further than Ribes spp, commonly called the currant bush. It’s a great Zone 3 to 5 (we’re USDA Zone 4) plant that grows well both in the garden as well as in a patio container, for those with little or no garden space.
Deb Babcock: This weed makes a dandy salad
Monday, May 5, 2008
At the risk of annoying everyone who hates dandelions, I have to say that I think they’re pretty. And for a lot of people, dandelions are pretty tasty, too.
Deb Babcock: Protect your evergreens from beetles this spring
Monday, April 28, 2008
Drive most anywhere in the mountains of Colorado, including in the nearby Routt National Forest and Zirkel Wilderness area, and you’ll note more and more dead evergreens.
Deb Babcock: Can we grow tomatoes here?
Monday, April 7, 2008
At last week’s conference on growing food locally, panelists and audience members discussed what produce could be grown in the Steamboat Springs area on a commercially viable level, focusing on foods that restaurants and retailers could offer the local and visiting public.
Deb Babcock: Growing vegetables in Routt County
Monday, March 31, 2008
With the record snowfall we received this winter, many gardeners have been wondering if spring would ever arrive! We’re ready to begin planting and enjoying some color in our gardens.
Deb Babcock: Foodies unite this Saturday
Monday, March 24, 2008
A recent trend in healthy living has revolved around eating foods that you know where they were grown, how they were grown and/or who grew them. Families, food stores, restaurants and others have all started taking a closer look at what they prepare and serve with an eye toward eating healthy but also toward reducing the impact on the environment by trying to buy local products rather than food that is shipped to Steamboat Springs from hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Deb Babcock: Grow your knowledge
Three workshops can help you learn more about local gardening
Monday, March 17, 2008
Gardening in the high country environment of Steamboat Springs brings some different challenges, especially to gardeners used to less harsh environments and longer growing seasons.
Deb Babcock: Extend the growing season with a greenhouse
Monday, March 10, 2008
One way to extend the growing season here in the Steamboat Springs area is to set up a greenhouse. It can be used for starting seeds early, protecting your most tender plants, and for preserving certain vegetables, such as tomatoes, in an environment that allows them to mature on the vine.
Deb Babcock: A garden to stimulate the senses
Friday, Feb. 22, 2008
Have you ever thought about how a garden affects your senses? Most of us enjoy the beauty of the colors, shapes, play of light and shade and the graceful movement of grasses, leaves and foliage as plants sway in the wind.
Deb Babcock: Cacti, succulents require minimal care
Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
The appeal of cacti and succulents often lies in the unusual, and otherworldly, shapes of these plants. That and the fact that in Steamboat Springs homes, they thrive in low humidity environments.
Deb Babcock: Keeping houseplants healthy
Friday, Feb. 1, 2008
Most of us know that our houseplants need air, water, sunlight and nutrients in order to grow. But many of us have a difficult time figuring out which of these important life-sustaining elements is the cause of our plant problems.
Deb Babcock: Neglected indoor plants may need more room to grow
Friday, Jan. 25, 2008
If your indoor plants have been neglected while tending to the holidays and snow removal tasks, or while taking advantage of outdoor recreation this winter, you might have missed the growth spurts that have taken place inside. If your indoor plants have used up all the nutrients in their soil, or have outgrown the pot and become root bound, it’s time to move them into a new pot.
Deb Babcock: Freshen up the indoors with cut flowers
Friday, Jan. 11, 2008
A splash of color during this monochromatic time of year brightens our spirits as well as our homes. And what better way to add a fresh splash of color than with some colorful tulips, Alstroemeria or daisies?
Deb Babcock: A Steamboat garden is where I want to bee
Friday, Jan. 4, 2008
The best honey I’ve ever tasted comes from a bee keeper right here in Steamboat. Pat Scokes sells to Rising Sun Ranch, which then infuses the honey with lavender buds. Whether it’s doctored up with a little additional flavor or aroma like the lavender honey I enjoy, all honey will take on the aroma and flavor of the plant on which the bees feed.
Deb Babcock: Caring for your holiday plants
Friday, Dec. 21, 2007
Don’t you love the beautiful colors, shapes and aromas of plants that seem to be available just at holiday time? It’s been a treat to watch my amaryllis plants grow about an inch a day once they got started and then burst into a spectacular bloom of red and white. The poinsettia that I usually get this time of year looks so beautiful sitting on our dining room table.
Deb Babcock: Plants for cool spaces
Friday, Dec. 14, 2007
Unlike those of us who can reach for a fleece or an extra pair of socks when we’re chilly, our houseplants have to suck it up and shiver in the cold and drafty areas of our homes.
Deb Babcock: An indoor tranquility garden
Friday, Dec. 7, 2007
The Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, “When you are disturbed by events and lose your serenity, quickly return to yourself and don’t stay upset longer than the experience lasts; for you’ll have more mastery over your inner harmony by continually returning to it.” His words, spoken close to 167 A.D., still hold true, don’t you think? After a busy day at work, outdoor recreating or generally being part of a crowd, it’s refreshing to step inside your home for peace, tranquility and calm.
Deb Babcock: Should we feed birds in the winter?
Friday, Nov. 30, 2007
Many of us have a soft spot for animals of all kinds and are especially concerned about their care and feeding during our harsh Steamboat winters.
Deb Babcock: Bamboo: Feng shui for your home or garden
Friday, Nov. 23, 2007
A few years ago, the Routt County Cooperative Extension Service Office received a call from a new resident asking if bamboo would grow here. At the time, it was one of the more humorous questions the office had received because Steamboat isn’t known for its tropical climate, which is where bamboo generally is found.
Deb Babcock: Keeping orchids isn't hard
Friday, Nov. 16, 2007
Every week when I go grocery shopping, I can’t help but notice the beautiful orchids in the flower department. Like many local gardeners, I always thought that orchids were too exotic and fragile for Steamboat Springs, as well as expensive, and so avoided bringing any home.
Deb Babcock: Witch of the West
Friday, Nov. 9, 2007
If you’ve ever looked up into spruce trees during a hike in the woods, you’ve probably noticed what looks like a large nest or the bristle end of an old-fashioned broom.
Deb Babcock: Can we really grow pumpkins in the mountains?
Friday, Nov. 2, 2007
A couple years ago, an acquaintance of mine purchased giant pumpkin seeds as soon as they became available in March. To offset our short growing season, he started the seeds indoors and then set the seedlings outside once the danger of frost had passed. Rick had high hopes for a field of the orange gourds by the time Halloween rolled around. Alas, it didn’t happen.
Deb Babcock: Organic gardening — a fertile field
Friday, Oct. 19, 2007
If you get a chance to read Barbara Kingsolver’s new book, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle — A Year of Food Life,” you might find it quite interesting.
Deb Babcock: Lawn care for fall
Friday, Oct. 12, 2007
By the time the kids go begging for treats in downtown Steamboat Springs on Halloween, we’ve often had some snowfall, and certainly much cooler weather. So, before winter kicks in and you lose the opportunity to give your lawn a head start on next spring’s growth, take time to care for your lawn this fall.
Deb Babcock: Collecting, storing and planting a garden from seed
Friday, Sept. 28, 2007
One of the most beautiful flowering displays in my garden each year is a swath of Shirley Poppies started from seed given to me by friend and fellow Master Gardener Carol Fox.
Deb Babcock: Slow food movement
Friday, Sept. 14, 2007
Last month at the Strings in the Mountains tent, Steve Schroeder, former president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, talked about health care and the critical issues facing Americans as we try to live healthy lifestyles.
Deb Babcock: Propagating perennials through division
Friday, Sept. 7, 2007
Every few years, my irises and tulips seem to come up smaller and shorter, with some shoots never developing flowers at all. This summer, one of my groundflower beds reminds me of my bald Uncle Dale with its bare center and leafy fringe.
Deb Babcock: Preserving the diversity of our plant life
Friday, Aug. 31, 2007
Did you know that in the past century, about 75 percent of the genetic diversity of crops in the world has been lost to plants that have been developed for genetic uniformity? And did you know that just six companies control 98 percent of the world’s seed sales: Monsanto, Syngenta, DuPont, Mitsui, Aventis and Dow?
Deb Babcock: Creepy, crawly and worth keeping around
Friday, Aug. 24, 2007
Like many gardeners, I’ve had to work hard to get over my fear and dislike of bugs. Even though many of them might creep us out, we need to recognize that they serve a beneficial purpose — for the most part. Even annoying mosquitoes provide food for frogs and other animals that is so necessary for ecological balance.
Deb Babcock: Hemlock: A horticultural horror
Friday, Aug. 10, 2007
Two of the most poisonous plants in North America can be found here in the Steamboat area: poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and western water-hemlock (Cicuta douglasii). Yes, hemlock is the plant that killed Socrates in Athens in 329 BC. Just a small taste of these plants can cause a quick, painful death.
Deb Babcock: Weeding for the health of your plants
Friday, Aug. 3, 2007
Any plant that grows where it shouldn’t is considered an unwelcome weed. This means that if seeds from last year’s poppies blew into your lily bed, the resulting plant is a weed and should be taken out unless you like it there. Or if your peppermint has snaked into your parsley bed, it’s gotta go.
Deb Babcock: It's not how much you water ...
Friday, July 27, 2007
Steamboat has experienced an unusual rain pattern this summer, with town getting some deluges, higher elevations receiving hail, and areas north and west of town getting a small fraction of the moisture that other areas enjoy.
Deb Babcock: ‘Idiot-proof’ poppies
Friday, July 20, 2007
I was asked a while ago by Tom Ross if there were any “idiot-proof” flowers for local gardeners who haven’t had much luck with anything else. One plant that comes to mind is the poppy, specifically the Papaver genus, which includes 120 species of the plant also known as Oriental poppy, Icelandic poppy, opium poppy and corn poppy. It’s popular because of the colorful paper-like flower that blooms early in the season as well as its ease of growth and reseeding ability.
Deb Babcock: Oxeye versus Shasta — One’s good, other’s bad
Friday, July 13, 2007
For charm and affability in the garden, nothing tops a fresh white daisy surrounded by deep green foliage. With so many varieties of daisy to choose from, which is best for your mountain garden?
Deb Babcock: A carnivorous plant in our forest
Friday, June 29, 2007
We all know to watch out for wildlife, biting insects and toxic plants when hiking the Routt National Forest or Zirkel Wilderness Area, but did you know there’s a little-known carnivorous plant living in our wilds?
Deb Babcock: Tell mosquitoes to buzz off
Friday, June 22, 2007
One thing you don’t want to cultivate when gardening this summer is a bunch of mosquito bites. In addition to the many diseases mosquitoes can transmit, their bites itch and turn into unsightly red welts.
Deb Babcock: Perennials for large spaces
Friday, June 1, 2007
Every year it seems one plant or another just doesn’t make it through our Steamboat winter, thus leaving a space to fill in the garden. As you contemplate which plant to bring into your garden to fill a sizeable space, check out these Zone 4 beauties.
Deb Babcock: The ongoing war against Whitetop
Friday, May 18, 2007
In the war against Whitetop (Lepidium draba), Routt County is fighting an uphill battle. This non-native creeping perennial mustard plant displaces our native plant communities, disrupts wildlife habitat and is toxic to grazing cattle.
Deb Babcock: Happy roots = happy plants
Friday, April 27, 2007
In all of the Master Gardener classes offered here by Colorado State University, one point that is stressed over and over is the importance of preparing your soil for your plants. The vast majority of flower, tree, lawn and vegetable problems stem from soil issues. The roots need the ability to move through the soil as they grow and need to be able to obtain water, air and nutrients from the environment below the surface.
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