Weekly Gardening Tips - August 29, 2009
Elizabeth A. Wuerslin
Colorado State University Master Gardener in Larimer County
- Coneflowers (Echinacea) reign supreme in the chaos of the late summer garden. Go beyond the traditional purple and try new hybrids. Big Sky ‘Sunset’ and ‘Surprise’ have orange and lemon-yellow blooms respectively. ‘Mac’n’Cheese’ is a cheery yellow, and ‘Tiki Torch’ adds orange highlights. For containers, try ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’, a more compact purple plant. The pink flowers of ‘Hope’ coneflower celebrate the survivors of breast cancer. Leave some seedheads for fall; they are a favorite food for goldfinches.
- Swap out containers of spent annuals with a fresh look of ornamental kale mixed with cool-season pansies and violas. This can be a nice change from traditional mums. Cooler weather and light frost seems to accent their colors.
- Nip off any extra flowers of pumpkin plants and let the soil dry out a few weeks before harvesting. This puts more growth into your Jack O’Lantern.
- Let nature amend your soil without extra work. Sow cover crops such as clover or vetch in early fall. Let grow into winter and till in the following spring. Extra nitrogen and organic material will be your reward for next year’s harvest.
For more information, contact your local Colorado State University Extension office.
