Natural nectar for hummingbirds

 By Irene Shonle, CSU Extension in Gilpin County

In one of the earliest returns I have ever heard of, broad tailed hummingbirds have already been widely reported along the Front Range. I've been waiting all winter for this, although I will probably still have to wait weeks for them to come up to my elevation.

It is easy for those of us who live in the mountains to attract hummers to our yards, but it’s still possible to do so in the city.  This early migration is one of the prime times to lure them in, but you get another chance starting around the 4^th of July (when our species count can increase to four – including Rufous, Calliope, and Black-chinned hummers).

Putting out a feeder is usually the first step.  In these early days, a 1 part white sugar to 3 parts water solution is helpful to help the hummers recover from their long migration, but reduce the sugar concentration to 1:4 by the middle of May. Be sure to never put red dye in the feeder, since it is potentially hazardous to their health. The red on the feeders is plenty enough to attract them. 

Another way to entice the flying jewels is to plant some natural nectar.  This will make your yard overall more attractive to the hummers, not only because there will be visible attractants that will cause them to look twice, even flying at 50', but small insects and spiders might take up residence as well.  Hummers spend a lot of time eating small insects, and they need the protein as much as they need nectar, especially when raising young.

Here are some suggested native species that are attractive to hummingbirds:

·         Most penstemons, but especially Penstemon barbatus and Penstemon eatonii.

·         Scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) – a biennial, easy to plant from seed

·         Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa)

·         Columbines (Aquilegia)

·         Paintbrushes (Castilleja)  - these are hemiparasites, and should be sown near other perennials.  They can be hard to establish.

·         Wax currant (Ribes cereum) and Golden currant (Ribes aureum)- both shrubs

·         Bee plant (Cleome serrulata)  - annual

Broad-tailed hummingbirds LOVE Penstemon barbatus

Some non-native species known to attract hummingbirds:

·         Maltese cross (Lychnis coronaria)

·         Coral bells (Heuchera)

·         Agastaches  (Agastache) – these work best at lower elevations, or possibly in warmer microclimates

·         Red-flowered yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)  - only for those at lower elevations

·         Salvias – particularly the red-flowered ones

·         Siberian catmint (Nepeta siberica)

·         California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)

Broad-tailed hummingbird sipping from Heuchera sanguinea

If you want to plant a container full of annuals to attract hummers, try:

·         Nasturtiums

·         Red annual salvias

·         Geraniums

       Honeybells  (Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens')

If you look hard, you can find the hummer below the honeybells in the upper left. Nasturtium is another favorite. As a bonus, both of these plants are critter resistant (very important in my area!)

Dog Tuff Grass: A New Turf Species?

Tony Koski, Extension Turf Specialist

African bermudagrass (Cynodon transvaalensis)

Beginning in 2014, I began receiving questions about a “new” turfgrass – being sold under the name Dog Tuff ™ African Dogtooth Grass. The sellers of this grass suggest that its Latin/scientific name is Cynodon hybrida.  I have searched databases for this grass and run it by prominent bermudagrass breeders and researchers – with no one recognizing any turfgrass (or grass, for that matter) with the Latin name C. hybrida.  For you plant nerds out there, you can check the validity of any scientific/Latin name at The Plant List, a working list of all plant species (currently contains over 1 million plant species names). If you want to be uber nerdy, you can even see a photo of the earliest specimen of this grass (housed in the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), collected in Africa in 1919. The species was officially named in 1921.

C. transvaalensis is a non-native grass, introduced
from the Transvaal region of South Africa.

Soooooo, this is far from a “new” grass. It is a species of bermudagrass, African bermudagrass (Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt-Davy), used by turfgrass breeders since the 1950s to develop new, interspecific turf-type bermudagrass cultivars. Tifway bermudagrass, released in 1960, has C. transvaalensis as one of its parents. African bermudagrass (AKA couchgrass, African dogstooth grass) is a native of the Transvaal region of South Africa, where it can be found growing on the high grass prairie (veld). This region of South Africa experiences sharp day (70s-80s)/night (30s-50s) temperature differences, and receives 18-24 inches of precipitation annually.

C. transvaalensis can produce a dense turf.

I have been growing this grass at CSU for many years, after finding it in a Denver lawn during the 2002 drought. It forms an attractive, dense sod. The leaves are very fine textured, and the grass spreads aggressively via stolons and rhizomes. It has excellent cold hardiness (one reason it is used as a parent in bermudagrass breeding programs). Left unmowed, it grows to a height of 3-6 inches, depending on how much water and fertilizer it receives. Because of its aggressive, dense growth, few weeds will appear in this turf. However, during the warmest times of the year, mowing will often result in scalping – causing a brownish appearance. Because of this tendency to scalp when mowed, it will probably look more attractive if left unmowed (or if mowed frequently…as in 2-3 times weekly during the summer).

Like all bermudagrasses, C. transvaalensis spreads
by aggressive stolons ('runners')

If this grass is so ideal, why don’t we see named cultivars on the market from breeding programs or sod producers – as is the case with other turf species? It’s because breeders recognize the limitations of C. transvaalensis as a turf grass by itself. It will tolerate very low mowing heights, but the tendency to scalp during the summer (even when mowed daily) is seen a as major impediment to using it as a turf on golf courses or for sports turf.  Its greatest value remains as a germplasm source for the breeding of cold-hardy, fine-textured, high-quality hybrid bermudagrasses. Those considering this grass should also be aware that it is a warm-season grass (like buffalograss), so it will green up sometime in May and become dormant/brown with the first hard frost in the fall.

Bermudagrass is one of few grass species that
spreads by both rhizomes and stolons - a growth habit
that makes it both a traffic-tolerant turf and a potentially
troublesome and difficult-to-control landscape weed

While some may find this grass useful as an aggressive ground cover for certain high traffic areas (dog runs, for example), it is important to recognize the potential for this plant to become a weed in the home landscape. In fact, the reason I found the C. transvaalensis that I currently grow at CSU is because of a homeowner request to ID a weed in their landscape. In recent years, one of the most common weed submissions (samples in the mail, or photos sent by phone or email) I receive throughout the summer is bermudagrass in home landscapes (lawns, shrub and flower beds, vegetable gardens) and on golf courses. In some states (including our neighbor Utah), bermudagrass is listed as an invasive species. In other words, be aware – if you decide to plant this grass – that is has the potential to spread into places where it might be unwanted. And…it can be remarkably difficult to eradicate…requiring multiple applications of glyphosate over an entire growing season.

Bermuda is a warm-season grass, so will have a long
winter dormant period in Colorado

So, yes, it is in many ways a tough grass – because it is bermudagrass. Remember: the perfect turfgrass (for every lawn situation) has not yet been discovered or developed by breeders. Every species has its positive and negative sides – and this one is no exception.

The Glory of Augusta National Golf Club

Posted by: Alison O'Connor, Larimer County Extension

My dad, Bill, and me in front of the 12th green at Augusta National in 2001

I’m an avid golfer and I love the game of golf. I started playing when I was ten years old, because that’s what you did in my family. Everyone plays golf. My grandparents played well into their 70s and to me, investing in a lifetime sport is one of the appeals of this incredibly frustrating (yet rewarding) game.

The second week of April really kicks off the start of the golf season with the Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Even if you’ve never picked up a club, I would hazard a guess that you’ve heard of this tournament. Cue the soft, gentle music, Jim Nantz’s narratives and views of Rae’s Creek with hours of coverage on CBS…

The Augusta National Golf Club is probably one of the most recognized courses in the world and could be America’s “St. Andrews.” What many view as an elite and extremely private golf course, it has humble roots. Prior to the course’s construction in the early 1930s, the land belonged to Fruitlands Nursery. Each hole on the course is named after a tree or shrub. Though a few holes have been renamed over the years, this link to horticulture is unique.

The course was the mastermind of Bobby Jones, one of the most famed golfers of all time, and Alister MacKenzie, an English golf course architect (he also designed Cypress Point in Pebble Beach,

CA and the Scarlet Course at The Ohio State University). The land of Fruitlands Nursery was purchased in 1931 and the course opened for play in January 1933; the first tournament was held in 1934 and was (then) named the Augusta National Invitation Tournament.

Bobby Jones
(from legendsrevealed.com)

The history and landmarks of the course are extensive. I’ve mentioned Rae’s Creek, which eats balls like a hungry hippo, and meanders along the back of the 11^th green, in front of the 12^th green and is the course’s lowest point in elevation. The creek was named after former land owner John Rae. Two bridges cross Rae’s Creek, named after Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.

Rae's Creek and the Hogan (front) and Nelson (back) Bridges with the 12th green
(from masters.com)

Last winter, the Eisenhower Tree, a loblolly pine, made headlines when it was removed from the 17^th hole after suffering extensive damage from an ice storm. It was named after Dwight Eisenhower who lobbied to have it removed in 1956 after hitting it so many times. Ike finally got his wish in February 2014.

“Amen Corner” was coined in 1958 by Sports Illustrated writer Herbert Warren Wind. The corner is a combination of shots at the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th holes. It was nicknamed Amen Corner because it often contains some of the most exciting shots during the tournament and where it can make or break a player’s score (remember Rae’s Creek is in play!).

My former college roommate had the opportunity to do a six-month internship at Augusta during our days at Iowa State. She also had an open invitation to volunteer at the tournament in the years following her internship. She worked seven tournaments and has intimate knowledge into the preparation that goes into the Masters. When I was on my way to Georgia for my own summer internship, my dad and I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Augusta, step foot on the “slick as concrete” greens and walk over Hogan’s bridge. It was thrilling and a total “Bucket List” item for a golf nut like myself.

A few things she learned during her time at Augusta:

• The flowers that make up the Masters “map” are yellow pansies in the fall and yellow marigolds in the summer. In case of a catastrophic event, enough plants are grown in an on-site greenhouse to replace the flowers if necessary.

  

  The "map" of yellow pansies in front of the clubhouse
  (photo from pixgood.com)

• Augusta may be most recognized for the pink-blooming azaleas during the tournament, but there are actually hundreds of flowering shrubs that encircle the golf holes, such as: flowering quince, native and cultivated azaleas, banksia rose, forsythia, dogwood and redbuds. While some bloom earlier than others, the combinations and diversity provides a near-constant palette of color.
• Rae’s Creek is sometimes dyed black to reflect the landscape better (and provide a better television-viewing experience).
• Augusta closes in mid-May and opens again in mid-October. During the summer, the course undergoes extensive renovations and reseeding efforts. Staff and volunteers may play one round of golf before it closes for summer.
• Hundreds of volunteers help make the tournament a success and come from all across the world.
• Each green has a SubAir rootzone ventilation system, which cools and provides oxygen to the roots of the bentgrass. Bentgrass is a cool season species, which typically doesn’t perform well in the Deep South (it’s very humid and hot!). Even with this sophisticated system, the greens may still need to be hand-watered several times a day.
• The budget for the golf course operations has never been made public.
• The course is overseeded with perennial ryegrass each fall; the ryegrass dies out during the hot summer months and the bermudagrass thrives.
• The scoreboards are not digital and are manually changed by people working the tournament.
• No motorized golf carts are allowed on the course—caddies, who wear white jumpsuits, are required. 
•  The course, compared to the average U.S. golf course is very large, with a total footprint of 365 acres (U.S. average is 150 acres); 100 acres of the course are fairway (compared to an average of 30 acres of fairway for a typical course). The rough encompasses 30 acres (the average is 50 acres). That said, if you’re not accurate at Augusta, you’re in the trees and will be hitting off pine mulch.
• Augusta also has a par 3 course on the grounds that is maintained to the same standards at the 18-hole course.

The course invited its first women members in 2012 (not a moment too soon!) and a few notable members include Condoleeza Rice, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. The golfer who wins the Masters each year does not become a member, but does receive the famous green jacket. The winner of the Masters is the only person who can remove a jacket from the grounds and wear it outside of the golf club—but just for one year.

The famous Green Jacket
(from augusta.com)

I know that many find watching golf on television about as thrilling as watching paint dry, but the Masters never disappoints. If nothing else, catching a nap while listening to the whispering of David Feherty of what club Rory McIlroy selects for his approach to the green, is the sign of a restful weekend. Now the big question is: Will Tiger be a contender? Personally, I’m rooting for Bubba.

Golf nails! I'm ready for the Masters.

Dwarf spruce may develop delusions of grandeur by Robert Cox, CSU Extension Agent - Horticulture, Arapahoe County

Posted by Robert Cox, CSU Extension - Arapahoe County

Dwarf Alberta spruce, aka Dwarf White spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’) has been planted in Colorado landscapes for many years.   People like its formal appearance, perfect form, and reluctance to grow more than 10 feet tall.

It was found in Alberta, Canada as a naturally-occurring dwarf in 1904.   Since its introduction into the nursery trade it has become widely propagated and widely sold.   Dwarf Alberta spruce has become “the” conifer to plant in containers.

Dwarf Alberta spruce, whether in containers or in-ground, often “winterburns” in Colorado…the result of wildly-fluctuating winter temperatures or dryness caused by winds, dry soils and low humidity.    

Some Dwarf Alberta spruces can develop an alter-ego...they may decide that it’s no longer cool to be small, so they develop “reversion shoots”.     These reversion shoots want to grow up to become a full size white spruce.

Reversion shoot

Reversion shoots

If one of these uppity little spruces tries reverting in your yard, just prune out that shoot at its origin on the stem/trunk.  Or, let it grow out to become a neighborhood conversation piece.

 Photo courtesy Tony Koski

 

Onions Anyone?

 

Posted by Eric Hammond, Adams County

 

Last week we began planting the 2015 edition of the Northern Colorado Onion Variety Trials.  This project has been going on for over 40 years (the earliest report I can find from the trial is from 1971) and is an annual rite of passage in our office. 

 Each year seed companies submit onion varieties they would like trialed.   With the help of local farmers, volunteers and “onion biologists” (A position we created to be able to pay some of the people who help us) we plant and then evaluate them on several different characteristics.   The process and procedures of the trial provide an interesting glimpse into large scale agriculture that as gardeners most of us don’t  get to experience.

 

Having no formal training or experience in traditional agricultural production the first year I helped with the trial I was fascinated by the process of planting the onions.  The planter places single seeds at precisely 3.5 inch intervals at a depth of a half of an inch.  This means they expect, and normally archive  close to 100% germination.    As seedlings emerge we evaluate germination as "percent stand" (which is just code for percent germination).

 

Planting at Sakata Farms in the Spring of 2014



"Onion biologists" evaluating emergence

Teasing apart leaves to expose thrips which tend
to be found near their base

When mid-summer comes around we begin to evaluate the onions for their responses to pests.   The most taxing evaluation we do is an assessment of thrips populations.  Thrips are tiny insects which feed on the leaves of the onions (along with other plants).  They are one of the major pests of onions in the state.   There is some thought that onions which have leaves that are different shades of green or waxier will be less attractive to these insects.   There is also interest in finding varieties that tolerate thrips feeding, meaning that they produce an acceptable yield even when populations are high.  So, we crawl through the onion field on our hands and knees wearing magnifying glasses to count the number of thrips on individual onion plants.  This evaluation is my personal nemesis.  The first year I participated I apparently had a gap between my tee shirt and pants on my lower back.  By the time we were finished in the field I had managed to give myself a sunburn which had the color of a deep bruise (be thankful there is no picture).

 

Thrips on an onion leaf.  I wonder how many thrips I have eaten in my life?

Note our sweet magnifying headgear.



Counting thrips populations in Hudson

Iris yellow spot

Later in the summer we also evaluate the plants for the incidence and severity of iris yellow spot virus.   If the infection is severe enough, the virus can reduce yields.  Some varieties appear to have some tolerance or resistance to the virus.  Researchers and plant breeders would obviously like to identify such varieties.  So, we note the presence of the oval shaped lesions caused by the virus and rate their severity. 

 

In the fall, we harvest the onions and sort them to determine yield, size and the amount of doubles for each variety.  Most onions grown in Colorado are stored and used in applications which require a “medium” sized onion.  Larger sizes are desirable for specialty applications (has anyone has a “Bloomin’ Onion” recently?).  Double onions are not desirable for some uses such as onion rings.   Red onions are also evaluated for the quality of their color (which is a fancy way of saying they have their “redness” evaluated).

Harvesting onions last fall

My wife who I have coerced convinced to help
with the trial.  Where else can you learn how to juggle onions?

After yield and size have been evaluated the onions are bagged back up and placed in storage.  In January, we pull them out and evaluate how well they stored.   This can be a very slimy and smelly process for some of the varieties. 

 

Our retro onion sorter

Onions are evaluated after  storage for firmness and scale quality

Onions in January after storage

I can’t overstate how valuable the cooperation of local farms is in the trials.  Without the donation of space in their fields and storage facilities and time with their very valuable planting equipment and personnel, the trial could not exist in its current form.

 

So why do we put all this effort into this project?  Well, onions are a valuable and economically important crop in Colorado, nationally and worldwide.  Over 5,000 acres of onions were planted by Colorado farmers last year and our state’s harvest yielded an estimated 26 million pounds of onions.    This seems like a lot until you consider that globally something like 170 countries grow onions on approximately 9.2 million acres.  I guess the take home message is that the world is a big place and a lot of people living on it like to eat onions.  The Northern Colorado trial and other others like it are small but important pieces in contributing to the continued success of the crop.



No, the drone is not real