by Todd Rutherford
If you are a “plant person” you’re probably aware of the option of growing your own plants from seed indoors. If you’ve never tried it before, it is definitely worth the experience. Not only is it a great way to save money over buying your plants at a nursery, it is also fascinating to watch the plants sprout and mature under your care. As an added bonus if you’re interested in uncommon plant varieties, this is a way to get your hands on those hard-to-find plants from native flowers to heirloom crop plants.
TIMING
When you start your seeds indoors is dependent on when you want to plant your seedlings outdoors. And that is obviously dependent on what plant hardiness zone you live in, and the hardiness of the seeds you will start. Here in the urban Front Range of Colorado, some gardeners refer to the middle of March as a good average time to start many vegetable seeds indoors. Our last day of frost is usually in the first week of May. That roughly translates to about 6-8 weeks of indoor growth for your seeds before you can safely plant them outside. Search the internet to determine your local plant hardiness zone, and read the seed packet to determine how long germination takes for your seeds. Plant species vary in the time needed before they can be transplanted outside.
TOOLS
Like many DIY projects, you can invest as much time and money or as little as you’d like on starting seeds indoors. Some people utilize complicated equipment, such as special shelves and lights, and miniature green houses to start seeds. Others keep it simple and start their seeds in soil filled Dixie cups on the windowsill.
I believe one essential ingredient for seed starting success is a sterile seed-starting mix. This is a “soil-less potting soil” mix that offers a texture that is just right for seeds to germinate. Using any other type of soil for indoor seed germination may lead to the seedlings succumbing to a fungal rot. You can buy pre-made mixes or make your own.
Many people use seed starting trays which are readily available at garden centers and home improvement stores. These come with many options like a wicking mat to keep the seed mix properly moist, or a heating pad to maintain ideal temperature. I’ve gone the less expensive route and used left-over food containers with clear lids (like salad mix boxes). Inside these boxes I place small store-bought peat pots filled with seed start mix. If you reuse a food container or seeding tray, wash it with soap and hot water, and rinse in a dilute chlorine/water solution to sterilize them.
TECHNIQUE
Fill your trays or pots about ¾ full with lightly moistened seed mix medium. Place the seeds on the medium and then cover with more seed mix medium to a depth of roughly three times the thickness of the seed (Or the recommended depth as stated on the seed packets). Some seeds require sunlight to germinate, and so should not be covered at all. Also included on the seed packets is information about when to best sow the seed.
Whether you use a seed tray or a leftover food box, it’s important to utilize a clear lid or plastic wrap to cover the seeds before they germinate. This provides a moist environment which promotes germination, yet allows light to reach the soil surface. However once the seedlings reach 2 inches tall, you’ll want to uncover the seedlings so they are not too wet and so more light can reach the seedlings. If it is too wet, the seedlings may rot.
Ideal temperature for the germination of most seeds is 72 during the day, and 65 at night. Protect the germinating seeds from cold drafts. But seedlings don’t need to be kept as warm as germinating seeds. Move them off any heating mats, and away from any heat sources.
To avoid the seedlings getting too leggy and elongated, it is recommended that you place them in a sunny spot and/or suspend fluorescent lights 3 inches above the tray. Raise the light as the seedlings grow. If no supplemental natural light is available, adding an incandescent light bulb can help produce better growth in the seedlings.
Once seedlings have developed four “true” leaves (and not just the cotyledons or embryonic “first leaves”) you can fertilize with ¼ strength water-soluble fertilizer. If they are in small pots or the “cells” typical of the seed starting trays, you can transplant them to their own larger pots to give them more room to grow before they are planted outside. Be aware that some vegetable and annual seedlings don’t transplant well and should go directly from the original seed-start containers into the garden.
If you planted too many seeds per individual pot or tray cell, your seedlings may be crowded and you should consider thinning out excess seedlings to avoid competition for soil nutrients and water. Do this by carefully snipping unwanted and week seedlings with scissors. It is best to prune out the extra seedlings before they reach 2 inches tall.
If your seedlings are looking spindly or elongated, petting them gently with your hand once or twice daily will help to stimulate more stocky growth. This artificially simulates the wind the seedlings would encounter if they were growing outdoors. You can also set up a small gentle fan to continuously blow on the seedlings. This is done in many commercial greenhouses. If you utilize a fan, be sure to not allow the soil surrounding the seedlings to dry out too much.
Around two weeks before planting your new plants in the garden, harden them off by moving them outdoors on warm days to a shaded porch, and then back inside during the evening.
One thing to keep in mind is that some types of plants are inherently easier to start from seed. You will notice this as you look at the seed types available for sale in garden centers. However, don’t be limited by this selection. Consider collecting, saving and swapping seeds with friends and neighbors. And don’t forget to keep track of which seeds did well, and which ones produced desired results so you can repeat your success next year.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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by Matt Corrion
1) Ditch the bluegrass turf lawn, completely or partially. Bluegrass turf uses far more water than alternative landscaping choices.
2) Set your mower on its highest setting so turf grass is not cut too short. Longer grass keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
Consider redesigning your landscape so it requires less water and looks more interesting
3) Use the mulch setting on your lawn mower so grass clippings stay on the lawn, which helps slow evapotranspiration and provides nutrients to the soil.
4) Do not install bluegrass turf on slopes, especially south facing slopes, because much of the water will run off the slope and sprinklers will need to run for longer times to compensate. Instead consider planting shrubs or native plants with drip irrigation on a slope.
5) Mulch your trees, shrubs and perennials to reduce water use. Mulch slows down the evaporation of soil moisture, reduces water run-off, and reduces weeds which can steal moisture from your plants.
6) Consider replacing your existing high-water turf lawn with low-water turf options such as buffalo grass, blue grama grass or a fescue grass.
7) Plant native plants that are more appropriate for the climate you live in.
8) If you plant non-native plants, use ones that are adapted to your climate conditions, such as iceplant from South Africa, and Russian sage from Central Asia.
9) Place your plants in groups organized by water use, so as to avoid overwatering low water need plants.
10) Plant trees in your turf lawn to provide shade for the lawn and reduce evapotranspiration of the grass.
11) Follow your water provider’s summer watering rules, and any watering restrictions that may be in place at that time.
12) Don’t water during the hottest time of the day. It is best to water between 6 pm and 10 am. Watering during the hottest time of the day increases the evaporation of the water before it reaches the roots of your plants.
13) Don’t water when it is windy. Just as watering during the hottest time of day increases water loss due to increased evaporation, so does watering when it is windy.
14) When shoveling snow in winter, place snow piles where it will melt and water trees and shrubs that can benefit from extra moisture in winter.
15) Install a rain sensor to avoid having your irrigation system run when it is raining, or the day after a heavy rainfall event.
16) If you don’t have an automatic irrigation system, use a mechanical or digital timer with your sprinklers.
17) If you have an automatic irrigation system, check it once a month or more often to fix any leaks or problems that may occur.
18) Use drip irrigation to water your landscape plants. Drip irrigation is the most efficient form of irrigation because the water is not sprayed into the air which increases evaporation of the water before it reaches the plants.
19) Avoid placing sprinkler heads against fences and hardscape. Instead, install a strip of rock mulch between fences / hardscape and sprinkler heads. In addition to reducing water waste, this minimizes water damage and the need for turf edge trimming.
20) Improve your soils water holding capacity by amending the soil with organic matter.
21) Make your landscape more permeable to keep storm water on your property. Instead of a solid concrete patio, install a unit paver patio to allow water to percolate down rather than running off.
22) Divide watering times into shorter shifts to improve water absorption, and avoid runoff. This is sometimes referred to as the “cycle and soak” method.
23) Direct gutter downspouts to planted areas rather than streets or storm water areas.
24) Save rainwater from your roof for irrigating plants.
25) Save indoor “grey” water for irrigating trees and shrubs.
26) If local codes allow, hire a plumber (or DIY) to pipe your grey water to your landscaping.
27) Use a mild/natural dish soap for washing dishes to keep this grey water safer for your landscape plants.
28) Bathe your pets outside over turf areas that need water, using mild/natural soap.
29) Wash fruits and vegetables outside over your lawn to allow wash water to irrigate the turf.
30) Plant trees (adapted for your climate) to shade your turf area to reduce evapo-transpiration of the turf.
31) Consult a landscape architect or horticulturalist to learn the best plants to use in your climate and growing zone.
32) Before planting certain species of plants, do extensive soil preparations. Some plants benefit from additional organic matter, while others will perform better if drainage is improved.
33) Save fallen leaves in autumn and use as a mulch around trees, shrubs and perennials.
34) Plant new perennials, shrubs and trees in fall when temperatures are cooler because it will take less water to establish them, as compared to planting in early summer.
35) Cover water features, pools and spas when not in use to reduce evaporation.
36) Check water features, pools and spas for leaks.
37) Consider using pondless water features, where the water reservoir is hidden or obscured which provides less evaporation that a typical pond.
38) Don’t use water to clean paving. Use a broom and dust pan.
39) If you want to install a water feature, choose one that cascades or trickles rather than one that sprays in the air. Spraying fountains lose more water to evaporation.
40) If your children want to play in the sprinkler, have them do this in an area of your lawn that needs water.
41) Do not let your children waste water by spraying sprinklers on sidewalks, drive ways or the street.
42) Place large rocks near shrubs, trees or perennials to keep the soil below the rock cool and moist.
43) When refreshing your pet’s water dish, don’t discard the old water in the sink, pour it on plants outside.
44) If you have ice or water left in a take-out cup, or in re-usable glasses, pour it on your landscape plants outside.
45) Don’t discard used ice and water from a cooler in the sink, but throw them outside on your plants.
46) If you wash your car at home with a hose, use a shut-off nozzle so water is not running in between soaping and rinsing the car.
47) Wash the car in a lawn area so that you water the grass at the same time. Use a mild/natural detergent when doing this.
48) Don’t use a hose to clean out your gutters. Consider using a leaf blower or a long handled rake specifically made for the job.
49) Replace old spray nozzles on your irrigation system with newer, more efficient rotary nozzles. They reduce runoff and evaporation. Your purchase and installation of these nozzles may make you eligible for rebates from your water provider. Contact them for more details.
50) Consider hiring a landscape architect to analyze your property and re-design it to require less water and maintenance.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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by Todd Rutherford
I recently wrote about growing your own antioxidant ‘superberries’ as part of a designed low-water landscape, and not just as part of the typical fruits and vegetable garden area. Another group of ornamental plants that fits this category and needs to be given more attention are the currants and gooseberries.
Red Lake Currant
These plants are small to medium shrubs that are mostly drought-tolerant and, for many of them, adaptable to sun or filtered shade. Best of all these shrubs provide healthy edible berries while providing landscape interest, with some even giving nice fall leaf color.
Red Lake Currant (Ribes rubrum) is possibly the best choice for Colorado gardeners who are looking for a mild-tasting red berry. It prefers full sun, but benefits from some afternoon shade in hot summer areas. It matures to 3-4’ high and 3-4’ wide.
If you’re more concerned with ornamental criteria, the native Golden Currant (Ribes aureum) will fit the bill with its yellow flowers and red fall leaf color. Golden Currant prefers partial shade and low to moderate water conditions, and produces red to black berries that are most delicious when left to dry on the shrub to a raisin-like fruit. Its common name comes from the beautiful yellow flowers and it has an open, rounded form, growing 4-6’ high and 4-6’ wide.
Ribes aureum – Golden Currant
Close cousins to the currants are the gooseberries. They are native to Eurasia, and grow as rambling shrubs with arching spiny branches. Gooseberry berries are larger than currants and sometimes have hairs on the skin. They are usually green colored, but some variants may range from red to deep purple. A recommended choice for Colorado is the Pixwell Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa ‘Pixwell’). Pixwell’s ½” size fruit are light green, becoming soft pink with maturity. The plant grows 3-4’ high and 3-4’ wide. Plant one of these in your yard so you can one day make a classic gooseberry pie!
Definitely consider making room in your landscape for a currant or gooseberry shrub. Many of them are well adapted to our dry Colorado climate, are moderately sized, provide ornamental interest and will reward you with antioxidant-rich berries to savor.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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by Todd Rutherford
A recent trend in the food world has been the craze for antioxidants. Many tasty and healthy fruits and vegetables have been touted for their antioxidant components. Many of the best known antioxidant plants, such as green tea, coffee, cranberries and blueberries, are not easy or are impossible to grow in the Colorado landscape.
Aronia arbutifolia – Red Choke Berries
However one of the fruits highest in antioxidants can be easily grown in Colorado, providing spring flowers, edible berries, red fall color, and drought tolerance all in one package. Recent news reports have mentioned that Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) shows one of the highest values of antioxidants ever recorded by researchers. In fact, scientists have placed its antioxidant powers above blueberries and cranberries.
While the chokeberry has twice as many antioxidants as blueberries, its taste is a challenge. As you may have guessed from the common name, the berries’ juice is astringent and not sweet. But juice from the berries can be made into wine, jam and syrup. The red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) is slightly sweeter, and was used by Native Americans to make pemmican. But the red chokeberries probably don’t rank as high as the black ones on the antioxidant chart. The red chokeberry shrub does provide one of the best fall colors available, some saying it’s even better than the fall color of the burning bush.
The two Black Chokeberry species that do well in Colorado are Aronia melanocarpa elata (height 5-8’ x spread 4-6’) and the dwarf Aronia melanocarpa Iroquois Beauty (height 48”-54” x spread 30-36”). These shrubs can tolerate periods of drought once established but prefer more moisture, and are adaptable to various light conditions, but do best is partial shade. Prefers neutral to acidic soil with higher organic content. They do have a suckering habit.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
Related Posts:
If you are a “plant person” you’re probably aware of the option of growing your own plants from seed indoors. If you’ve never tried it before, it is definitely worth the experience. Not only is it a great way to save money over buying your plants at a nursery, it is also fascinating to watch the plants sprout and mature under your care. As an added bonus if you’re interested in uncommon plant varieties, this is a way to get your hands on those hard-to-find plants from native flowers to heirloom crop plants.
