Plantin' in the Rain I'm Plantin' in the Rain

Posted by: Curtis Utley Jefferson County Extension

While a reality or drudgery in many parts of the US, the opportunity to plant in the rain is a luxury not often possible in Colorado. The benefits of being able to plant at the beginning of a rainstorm are many. Purchased potted plants require some root manipulation before planting.

Container plant root ball

You must either cut the outer inch of the rootball off to prevent the continuation of circling roots or you must tease the rootball apart so you can lay the root system out carefully into the planting hole.

Digging planting hole

This all takes time and plant roots are extremely sensitive to dry air which is common in Colorado. By planting in a rainstorm you afford yourself some time to tease the root system out of the ball and provides a larger window of time to adjust the root system in the planting hole as you layer in the backfill soil.

Laying out the root system

Close-up of root system re-orientation 

In dryer times if too much time is taken in transplanting transplant shock can occur when the root system desiccates. Drought stress may also occur as the water demand by the leaves for transpiration is not met. These stress factors are greatly avoided when planting during a rain shower because the root system doesn't desiccate and the leaves of the plant are not actively transpiring water to cool themselves when raindrops are falling.

 I found three Jostaberry plants for a song at a local garden center and bought them with excited anticipation of jam in my future.

Rain can also help settle the soil around the root system. It is not advisable to plant after a lot of rain has fallen because the soil has the potential to become compacted as you plant. When the soil particles are well lubricated it's best to stay off of the soil to avoid destroying soil structure, but at the beginning of a rainstorm, before the soil is saturated  is a great time to install new plants in your garden. It may not be the most comfortable time for you to be out in the garden but gardening is a labor of love and if you can establish new plants when they are less stressed you will have more gardening success. Keep in mind that Colorado rain events can be intermittent or short at best.

Watering to settle the soil around the root system

In this situation it is still advisable to water in your newly planted plants to allow the soil to settle around the root system. If air pockets remain around the root system of your new plants, the roots can still desiccate and the plant will not thrive.

A flooded planting hole assures the elimination of air pockets 

Sins of the Landscape

My fellow Horticulture Agents will agree; sometimes it is hard to drive around town and see the landscape “sins” that are going on.  One of our Tri River Area Master Gardeners recently wrote an article on trees.  It pained her to see them improperly planted, pruned or ignored.  Please do your homework.  Plant the right tree in the right place.  www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/632.html

Plant using the latest updated planting techniques.  www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/636.html

Do your homework before you prune.  www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/613.html

If the tree is in the right place, you should have minimal pruning to do.  Always remove dead, dying and disease wood as soon as you see it.  And please never, never top a tree.  Some people will say they are pollarding.  Pollarding is started on saplings and was used in Europe to produce a quick large amount of wood that was then used for firewood.  “Pollarding”, aka topping, should never be done on large trees.  When topping is done, it is committing the tree to a short life.  Talk to your local Masters Gardeners about trees.  They will be happy to fill you in so you can grow trees that live longer than we do.  Leave a Legacy.

Right plant, right place

Now on to the next “sin” I witnessed driving home the other night.  A local business was laying weed fabric.  Well, the big problem with this is they were laying it over already existing fabric and decomposed granite rock.  Then they were putting a 1” or larger river rock on top.  I assume they were doing this to help conquer the weeds.  The problem, actually there is more than one, is first: old fabric gets dirt built up on it and it essentially clogs the pores of the fabric.  This dirt build up on top is why the weeds are now there.  Secondly, one has to understand the movement of water through different materials.  Water moves through one material before it will start to penetrate another layer.  These layers are called interfaces.  So by the time water moves through 4 layers of material how much is going to actually get to the soil below and to the roots of the plant.  The correct thing to do would be to remove the existing rock mulch and fabric and start over.  Or not use fabric to start with and use other methods to control weeds.

Dandelion photo by Susan Carter

Controlling weeds starts by identifying the weeds that you are trying to get rid of.  http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/weeds.html We have winter annual weeds that start growing in late summer or early fall.  These them start growing like mad in early spring and are already setting seed at lower elevations.  Downey Brome, aka Cheatgrass, is one great example of a winter annual.  Then we have annuals that germinate in spring or summer.  Biennials type of weeds grow vegetation one year and bloom and go to seed the second year.  And perennial weeds are ones that will come up at least 2 years or more from the root system.  Woody weeds fit in this category.  Pre-emergents can be used to control weeds in areas like the rock mulch bed in my story, but it is important to know the identity of the weed or its life cycle so you apply the herbicide at the appropriate time.  Of course, manual removal of the weeds is one way to control them.  Spraying herbicide on them after they have germinated is another and trying to out compete them with properly grown turfgrass or cover crops is another. (Always read the label and follow instructions on pesticide labels.)

Feel free to take weed samples to your local Extension office.  Please bring the entire plant and if it is blooming, that is even better.  The more information we have, the better we can help you.  So do your homework, choose what works best for you and your landscape, to help you maintain a healthy landscape.   Blog posted by Susan L Carter, Horticulture Agent, CSU Extension Tri River Area

Warm soil jump starts spring

Posted by Carol O'Meara, Horticulture Entomologist, CSU Extension Boulder County

For gardeners, seeing the first, green shoots of spring is like hearing the NASCAR announcement “Gentlemen, start your engines.”  Our engines rumble, our minds become sharply focused.  We act like rookies on the line by digging a bit too early, our eagerness to get started getting the better of us.

If you’re itching to plant, get a jump on the season by warming your soil.  With a few simple tricks, you can get your spring salad off to a quick start.  Before you start, a note of caution:  make sure you’re not working wet soil.  Turning it can damage the tilth of soggy ground. 

One of the simplest ways to warm your soil is covering the ground with plastic sheets. Use 6 mil or thicker, UV resistant clear or black plastic and lay it over the soil, weighing down all edges with rocks or soil to prevent winds from whipping it up, up, and away to Kansas.  Alternately, you can anchor it down with wire U-shaped pins.

Check the soil after ten days to see if it’s warmer; for germination of cool season vegetables the minimum temperature needed is 40-degrees F.  Typically, it takes two to three weeks for it to rise, depending on the soil type. Sandy or manufactured "planters mix" soils warm faster than wet, heavy clay. 

If you’d like to speed the process, combine the plastic cover with an insulating layer.  Using only clear plastic, lay a sheet on the ground, anchoring it as described above.  Then drape a second layer of clear plastic slightly above the first, using bricks or other objects to make a small space between the two layers.  Anchor the second layer securely, by tucking its edges under the bricks or by weighing them down on the ground.

To plant, fold back the plastic drape and remove the plastic sheet covering the soil, cleaning, drying, and folding it away for use another time. Plant seeds of lettuce, radish, kale, collards, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, peas, onion and carrots and then replace the plastic drape over the spacers, creating an impromptu cold frame, anchoring the cover securely so it remains to keep the seeds snugly warm in the bed.  There is no need for a plastic sheet on the soil once seeds are planted.

Patience is required when warming the soil as seed take longer to germinate at minimum soil temperatures than they would later in the spring.  Leaving the plastic on until the temperatures have risen higher than 40 degrees won’t take much more time and you’ll be rewarded with better germination if you wait.   Monitor soil moisture and add water as needed.

Watch the weather and your plants closely; once the weather warms, the plastic tenting will trap heat and can reach temperatures hot enough to sizzle your plants.  Open the cover on sunny days, partially folding back the cover and clipping the flap to prevent it from whipping in the breeze and tearing.  Be sure to close the cover in the late afternoon to retain heat.

When the weather has warmed, remove the cover gradually over a week to harden off the seedlings.  Provide wind protection to keep the worst of spring away from them by making a low wall from straw bales or plastic.

Plant Sale in Denver this Weekend!

By Alexis Alvey, Horticulture Agent, CSU Denver Extension

The Denver Master Gardener 9th Annual Spring Plant Sale will take place this weekend, May 17th and 18th!  On Saturday, doors will open early at 8:00am and stay open till 3:00pm.  On Sunday, the sale begins at 10:00am and ends at 3:00pm.   The sale is located in front of the CSU Denver Extension office at 888 E Iliff Ave, Denver 80210, in the northeast corner of Harvard Gulch Park, with the cross-street being Emerson.

The Spring Plant Sale offers a unique variety of heirloom and modern tomatoes, sweet and hot chili peppers, select vegetables and herbs, and annual and perennial flowers.  Denver Master Gardeners have been working hard all spring in the City Greenhouses in Denver City Park, operated by Denver Parks & Recreation, growing almost all of the veggies and herbs available at the plant sale.  It has been a great opportunity and hands-on learning experience for the Master Gardeners.  Working alongside Parks & Rec staff, they began seeding in March and have provided the tender loving care that each plant deserves.  The plants are now super healthy and ready to be taken to your home!  Below is a list of all the varieties being grown by the Master Gardeners.  The remainder of the plants are obtained from Colorado nurseries and helps support the local horticulture industry.

At the Spring Plant Sale, Denver Master Gardeners will help answer any of your gardening questions and will help you choose the best plant varieties for your particular needs.  All proceeds from the sale support the CSU Denver Extension Horticulture Program.


The Spring Plant Sale is a great community event, so make sure to stop by the other booths including Plant-A-Row for the Hungry where you can get free seeds!, the gently-used gardening items for sale booth, the Rosedale-Harvard Gulch Neighborhood Association, and the 4H Kids-Grown booth!  For more information, call 720-913-5270.  The event is rain or shine (or snow!).  Cash only, please.  See you there!

Sixty Second Secrets for Gadening Success: Selecting Trees

Today on Sixty-Second Secrets for Gardening Success: Colorado Friendly Gardening Principle #1. Right Plant, Right Place- Selecting Trees!

The average life span for a tree in a landscape is 8 years. This is due largely to poor planting, and poor planning. Some things to consider when selecting a tree for your landscape include:

• Mature Size: Consider the mature size of your tree. The tree should fit into your available space, when mature, without the need for pruning.

• Growth rate: While many homeowners prefer a fast growing tree, remember that fast growing trees are often more prone to internal decay, insects, diseases and also have a shorter life span.

• Soil conditions: Poor soil conditions contribute to 80% of all tree problems. Start any gardening project by getting a soil test from your local CSU Extension Office.

Other things to consider include watering needs and management concerns.

For more information on selecting trees, contact your local CSU Extension Office.

Sixty-Second Secrets for Gardening Success is a production of Colorado State University Extension.

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