CSU Extension is Here to Help!

 

by Amy Lentz, CSU Horticulture Extension Agent, Weld County

CSU Extension has a TON of resources to help you with a variety of needs when it comes to anything ‘horticulture’ and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to look. I thought it would be a nice touch to our CO-Horts Blog series to have an instructional article on how to utilize these many resources that your CSU Extension experts have created for you! You can be sure that the information you get from CSU Extension is based on sound research and good practices, even if it's in a fun style like the current blog site you are visiting.

So, here you go…this is a summary of the different types of resources you might want to check out for more information on anything you can think of about gardening, landscaping, lawns, trees, flowers, vegetables, fruit and so much more! Links are embedded in each summary below in case you want to visit these sites and bookmark them for future use:

Resources from CSU’s Planttalk website are brief articles to introduce you to a wide range of gardening
topics. The subject material is focused on the beginner and offers other resources for further researching. The Planttalk website is also home to a full library of short gardening tutorial videos for those that prefer visual learning. Find these resources, along with a form to ask your question directly to Extension experts, on the Planttalk website.

 

CSU Fact Sheets are scientifically written and detailed articles that often include growing and treatment recommendations for everything from insect issues to recommended trees and shrub lists. Fact Sheets are peer reviewed and written by CSU Extension specialists, agents and other experts. These are great if you have an issue for which you need research-based advice. Fact Sheets can be found on the main CSU Extension Website under Publications.

 

CMG GardenNotes are very detailed chapter-style resources that are great for those seeking textbook style learning. These are utilized during training for Master Gardener volunteers and others at our annual Green School. You can find out more about Green School and access the complete set of CMG GardenNotes on the Colorado Master Gardener website.

 

Grow & Give is a program recently created by CSU Extension that teaches you how to grow fruits and vegetables and connects you with local donation centers to donate your excess bounty. Visit the vast resources on the Grow & Give website.

 

The CO-Horts Gardening and Colorado Mountain Gardener blog postings are more casual and fun resources where agents and Master Gardeners across Colorado write about random topics surrounding horticulture. You can subscribe to these blogs to receive the articles right into your email inbox or you can just read online. 

The CO-Horts blog website also offers a list of recorded Gardening Webinars that have been taught across the state by CSU Extension agents.  

 

Finally, probably the best part about CSU Extension is that you can contact your Local CSU Extension Office and Colorado Master Gardener Volunteers to get personalized help with your gardening questions! CSU Extension offices also cover many other topics that are useful to Coloradoans.

Pumpkins Galore and More

Pumpkin- Johnny's Seed Picture

Assorted Gourds- Johhny's Seed picture

This is the time of year when we think of adding colorful vegetables to our table.  Among these are ornamental gourds.  They come in all shapes and sizes with some as small as an egg and others the size of a duck but shaped like a swan.  Some are warty.  Some are smooth.  Some are striped while others are speckled.  Many can be dried and used to make crafts or items like birdhouses.  If you like them and have the room, try planting a mixture of gourds next year after the soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F.

Then there are pumpkins.  My son, a CSU sophomore, contacted me to ask if he carved a pumpkin, could he still use it to make pumpkin pie.  The answer was NO on two counts.  The first no is due to food safety conditions.  The second no is because there are different varieties of pumpkins for different uses.  Some pumpkins are breed for eating where others are breed to be a Jack-o-lantern and others like gourds just for ornamental reasons.  Here is a Ram-o-lantern.  If you have a Facebook account, search for Colostate how to carve a ram-o-lantern and there is a nice YouTube. 

CSU Ram-o-Lantern

Today’s pumpkin no longer comes in a smooth textured orange package.  Colors range from white, to pink to orange to red.  There are striped, speckled and warty pumpkins.  Members of the squash family easily cross giving us all kinds of squash shapes and sizes.  And did you know that there are male and female flowers?  We also have a native squash bee that will visit and pollinate your plants.

As with any crop, buy certified disease free seed.   There are many Colorado seed companies with great seed or national seed companies.  Or you can save some seed from your healthy plants but what you get may be a cross (hybrid).  Rotate your crops so the pumpkins and gourds (all squash) are only in the same place every 4 years and don’t plant too early in cold soils.  It potentially can setback the plants for the whole season.

Common pumpkin problems include powdery mildew, squash bugs and critters like deer that like to eat them.  Here is a fact sheet: http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/cucumbers-pumpkins-squash-and-melons-7-609/

And Agriculture info: http://specialtycrops.agsci.colostate.edu/pumpkins/

Pink Porceline Doll Pumpkin- PinkPumpkinPatch.org

The main pumpkin season is October and November.  Support the pumpkin farmers by using them for cooking throughout the winter. From pumpkin bread, rolls, soup, eggnog to coffee, there are lots of pumpkin recipes out there.  I always heard to eat all the colors so pumpkins have orange covered.  http://www.liveeatplay.colostate.edu/eat/nutrition101/foods-a-z/pumpkin.php#.WfjqJ1tSw2w

Pumpkin Pie from GardenPress

Happy Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Give Pumpkins a try.  

Susan Carter is the CSU Extension Horticulture Agent for the Tri River Area.