Preserving Your Summer Harvest 2024

Garden Friend - I thought you might like to read my recent garden article that ran in The Denver Post on preserving the garden harvest. The article is co-authored with my editor Barbara Ellis. A fun project!

Link to The Denver Post article, click HERE. The full article is below. 

Preserving your summer harvest: Keeping tomatoes, peaches, berries and more all year long

Plus, recipes for peach pie, corn pudding and dill pickles

Home-grown pickles in brine, waiting to be sealed and canned. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

 

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post and Barbara Ellis | bellis@denverpost.com

 September 30, 2024

One of my favorite childhood memories is the attention I got from my mom when I wasn’t feeling well. She’d keep me home from school and feed me comfort food. This included her chicken soup and buttered toast, followed by preserved peaches. That fruit went down so smoothly that any ache was immediately soothed, and all but guaranteed a speedy recovery.

Jars of Palisade peaches, fresh out of the canner. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Memories of her canning efforts are etched on the front burner of my brain: her stern scooting of me and my older sister out of the kitchen so we weren’t harmed by hot jars and sticky stuff. She stored the canned goods on a long, rough-hewn shelf in the basement next to assorted garden tools and seed-starting containers. I still dream about the perfectly aligned, incandescent jars of canned peaches, tomatoes, pickles and, in some years, sweet cherries from the Flathead Valley in northwest Montana. — Betty Cahill

A preserving primer

Preserving home-grown food never goes out of style. There’s “renewed interest in preserving since so many people took up gardening in 2020,” according to Laura Griffin, county extension specialist for Colorado State University in Pueblo. Plus, with the closeness of grocery stores, farmers markets and seasonal farm stands, you don’t have to travel far to find home-grown produce to preserve without the effort of growing it yourself. The hardest decision to make is what vegetable and fruit you wish to preserve and the best method within your time and budget to preserve them.

Griffin’s advice is to “follow tested recipes explicitly for the highest quality and safe outcome, and if you have any questions to reach out to a Colorado State University Extension Office to speak with a food science and human nutrition extension agent for answers.” (Check out CSU’s website Preserve Smart for methods to preserve many kinds of food.)

Another great resource is Ball Corp., a longtime go-to for food preservation information. Staffers there recommend using Ball’s canning books published in 2016 and beyond for the newest and latest safety and home-preservation methods and recipes, or go online for up-to-date information.

The best results in preserving come when fruits, herbs and vegetables are harvested at their peak. Toss or compost any that are damaged, bruised or over- or under-ripe. If the fruit or vegetable doesn’t taste good after harvest, the flavor won’t improve after the preservation process.

Preservation methods

Besides canning (water bath and pressure), common ways to preserve food include freezing, fermenting, drying, pickling and making them into jam or jelly.

Freezing vegetables is an easy preservation method. The general rule is to blanch them first, which means to immerse washed vegetables briefly in boiling water. Blanching helps prevent loss of color, texture and flavor. Times vary per vegetable. Once blanched, plunge them into cold water to immediately stop the blanching process, drain and place in labeled freezer bags.

Vegetables that can be blanched and frozen include beans (green, snap, wax, lima, butter, pinto), cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, carrots, kohlrabi, rhubarb, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes and peppers. Be sure to fully cook beets, pumpkins, winter squash and sweet potatoes before freezing.

When I don’t have time to use the water bath canning method for my home-grown tomatoes, I blanch and freeze them in heavy-duty, gallon-sized plastic bags.

For fresh fruits: Wash, stem, dry and freeze on cookie sheets first, then store in freezer bags. Try blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, elderberries, gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, currants and rhubarb.

Drying or dehydrating removes moisture from food so bacteria, yeast and mold won’t grow. Food dehydration equipment and ovens are most often used. The short list of foods that dry well include apples, peaches, pears, tomatoes, grapes, plums and herbs.

Fermentation is where fruits or vegetables are cured in salt or brine for a week or longer to help the food produce lactic acid, which preserves the food and serves as a probiotic.

Canning. Water bath canners are made of either aluminum or porcelain-covered steel and are used directly on stove-top burners. The newest canners on the market are free-standing, electric stainless steel with built-in heat sensors. Either works well, so choose which canner suits you.

An electric water bath for canning. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

The preserving process of water-bath canning is to force air out of the jar and create an environment to keep out microorganisms that cause food spoilage. It is recommended for high-acid foods including tomatoes, pickles, sauerkraut, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, lemons, gooseberries and blackberries.

New canning research indicates some foods are less acidic so additional acidic ingredients should be added (lemon juice or white vinegar; see individual recipes). Laura Griffin points out that “white-flesh peaches, because of their lower acid level compared to yellow-flesh peaches, should be frozen for safe preservation instead of water bath canned.”

Pressure canning uses a heavy metal kettle with a lockable lid. The canners are used to process low-acid foods to destroy harmful bacterial spores that are present. Low-acid foods include okra, carrots, beets, turnips, green beans, asparagus, lima beans, peas, corn, meat and fish. Weighted gauge and dial gauge pressure canners are the only pressure canning equipment recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dial gauge pressure canners need to be tested for accuracy every year. (Contact your local Colorado county extension office for this service.)

Pickling. Home canning to make pickled foods has been a traditional way to preserve food for thousands of years. Pickling is a broad term for many types of fruits, vegetables and meat that are preserved by immersing them in a solution made of water, vinegar, salt and spices. This pickling brine solution creates an acidic environment that prevents the growth of bacteria, which makes the food stay fresh and tasty for a longer time. Commonly pickled foods include cucumbers, peppers, green beans, onions, eggs, okra and radish. Watermelon, peaches, nectarines, chutneys and relishes can also be pickled.

Pickling cucumbers using a hot-water canner is good to try when preserving for the first time. My nephew Joe, who lives in Montana, was interested in pickling his own cucumbers after trying his grandmother’s pickles. “Nothing compares to home-grown flavor, and it is not too complicated,” he said. Recipes for the brine can vary, but he always adds fresh dill, cloves, white onion and pepper corns. (See one recipe from Ball below.)

Supplies to pickle garden cucumbers. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Grow your own pickling cucumbers, which have a thin skin so the brine is better absorbed. Or find a farm stand or farmer’s market with pickling cukes, which should be refrigerated when purchased to keep them fresh until processed. Popular pickler varieties are Excelsior, Bush, Calypso and H-19 Little Leaf.

Resources

Colorado State University Food Science and Human Nutrition Extension Agents: chhs.colostate.edu

Colorado State University Preserve Smart: https://apps.chhs.colostate.edu/preservesmart

Donate extra produce in Colorado: foodpantries.org/st/colorado

Food preservation: https://extension.colostate.edu

National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/

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RECIPES

Savory Corn Pudding

Ears of Colorado’s famed “Olathe Sweet” sweet corn. (Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post)

In the past, as I planned my Thanksgiving menu, I’ve often lamented not freezing any of that Olathe sweet corn from the summer for my favorite corn pudding recipe.

But this year, I’m ready. Using the guidelines from “Keeping the Harvest,” by Nancy Chioffi and Gretchen Mead (Storey Books), I shucked and blanched fresh Olathe corn ears for 11 minutes in boiling water, then cooled them immediately in cold water. After draining well, I cut the kernels from the ears, packed them into plastic bags, then labeled and froze them. Come on, November. — Barbara Ellis

Serves 12. Source: Southern Living magazine.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

6 large eggs

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup salted butter, melted and cooled

2 tablespoons canola oil

6 cups fresh corn kernels (from 8 ears, see note)

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

2 tablespoons (or less) fresh thyme, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl until blended. Whisk together eggs, cream and melted butter in a medium bowl until blended.
2. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add corn and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon thyme.
3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir flour mixture and corn mixture into egg mixture. Spoon into a 13-by-9 (3 quart) baking dish, and bake in preheated oven until set and golden brown, about 40 minutes or more.
4. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon (or less) thyme.
5. Note: You can use kernels that you froze from fresh ears during the summer, frozen shoepeg corn from the freezer aisle, or petite white canned corn (but use higher quality if that’s the only option). This can be made ahead. Bake as directed, let cool, and then cover and chill up to two days. Reheat covered with foil.

Hays House Peach Pie

Amy Brothers, The Denver Post

Hays House Peach Pie from Hays House restaurant in Council Grove, Kan., on August 18, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Palisade peaches from Colorado’s Western Slope are typically in season from late July through September.

This is my go-to summer pie, one that my book club pals and friends clamor for each August, when peaches start to come in from Palisade. I’ve also made it in the winter, using peaches that I’ve canned. The color isn’t as vibrant, but it’s still amazing. (We’ve run this recipe before, but it’s worth telling you about it again. It’s that good.) Serve with fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip. — Barbara Ellis

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

For the filling:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dry peach gelatin

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup liquid (peach juice plus water)

1 or 2 drops almond flavoring, if desired

7 or 8 peaches

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients together. Add melted butter.
2. Press into 9-inch pie plate and up sides, but not onto rim.
3. Bake crust 15-17 minutes at 350 until toasty brown. Remove and cool.
4. Peel and slice the peaches.
5. In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, gelatin and cornstarch. Add the liquid (peach juice and water). Boil 3-5 minutes.
6. Mix the liquid with sliced peaches and put into pie shell. Chill.
7. Top with whipped cream.

Kosher Dill Pickle Spears

Home-grown pickles in brine, waiting to be sealed and canned. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

When canning pickles, the whole process of sterilizing the jars, cleaning the two-piece caps, cutting the cucumbers, heating the pickle mix and water bath canner took less than two hours. Loading the cucumbers and the liquid into the jars took a few minutes more. Be sure to use a clean, damp paper towel to wipe off any liquid from the jar rim and threads before capping. Check the lids the next day for a good seal (the center of the lid won’t flex at all). If they are not properly sealed, eat the pickles right away, and refrigerate spears not eaten and use within a few days. There are many brining spice mix recipes out there; my nephew Joe always uses fresh dill, cloves, white onion and peppercorns. — Betty Cahill

This recipe is for “a classic pickle with big flavor and plenty of crunch,” according to Ball. Source: Ball Mason Jars. Yield: about 4 pint jars.

Ingredients

2½ pounds 3- to 4-inch pickling cucumbers

2½ cups water

2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup pickling salt

Ball Pickle Crisp (available at most supermarkets and WalMart)

4 cloves garlic

4 small bay leaves

12 dill sprigs

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

4 small hot peppers (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, but do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
2. Wash cucumbers and hot peppers in cold water. Slice 1/16 of an inch off the blossom end of each cucumber; trim stem ends so cucumbers measure about 3 inches. Cut cucumbers into quarters lengthwise.
3. Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small stainless saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to simmer.
4. Place 1 garlic clove, 3 dill sprigs, ½ teaspoon mustard seed, 1 bay leaf, 1 red pepper, and Ball Pickle Crisp (if desired) into a hot jar. Pack cucumber spears into jar, leaving a ½ inch headspace. Trim any cucumbers that are too tall.
5. Ladle hot brine into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling-water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
6. Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
7. Tips: Pickling cucumbers are small, crisp, unwaxed, and needn’t be peeled. Wide-mouth jars aren’t essential for pickles, but they do make for easier packing.

Home-grown blackberries can be frozen and used in pies or made into jam. (Getty Images)

Blackberry Pie

I’ve been growing blackberries for years. Even though the yield isn’t what it used to be, I still manage to freeze a couple of quart bags of berries each summer to use in this pie (or for blackberry jam; see recipe at kraftheinz.com). I got this pie recipe from neighbor Joyce, who loved it so much that it became part of the cookbook compiled by her large Iowa family. You can use your own crust recipe, but this one from Betty Crocker is the bomb. — Barbara Ellis

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 2/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter-flavored Crisco shortening

7-8 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

4 cups blackberries (frozen OK)

3/4 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons cornstarch (or more if thawed berries are too watery)

3 pats butter

Vanilla or berry ice cream for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Defrost 4 cups frozen berries in the microwave, 50% power for 4-6 minutes (adjust for your microwave).
3. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Add berries, partially frozen. Set aside.
4. Make the crust: Mix flour and salt, then cut in Crisco. Add cold water 2 tablespoons at a time. Roll out bottom crust into 9-inch pie plate. Add berries and top with pats of butter. Roll out top crust, cover and seal edges. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 30 minutes. Cover crust with foil to prevent burning and bake for 10 more minutes.

Grape Jelly

Concord grapes hanging from vines. Juice them and make grape jelly that lasts all year long. (Getty Images)

Concord grape vines meander along the south side of my Congress Park home. LOTS of grape vines. Even after the squirrels have had their way with them, there are still enough berries left to make several batches of grape jelly.

I use a stovetop juice steamer to get the liquid out of those sweet little gems. Many grape jelly recipes call for adding water when using store-bought grape juice, but with fresh grapes it’s not necessary. We’re using the traditional water bath canning procedure here. (Be careful not to burn yourself with that scalding jelly.)

After it sets, store the jars in a cool place. Best if used within a year. Or fancy up a few of the little darlin’s and put ’em in a cute basket. Voila! Christmas gifts for the neighbors. — Barbara Ellis

Makes about 8 half-pint jars. Source: Sure-Jell and food.com. (Find lots of recipes for fruit jams and jellies using Sure-Jell at kraftheinz.com.)

Ingredients

5 cups grape juice (from about 3 1/2 pounds of ripe Concord grapes)

1 (1 3/4 ounce) box of Sure-Jell pectin

1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine

7 cups sugar, measured and set aside

Directions

1. Make the grape juice using clean washed grapes (pick out leaves and stems before juicing). If not using a juice steamer, slip skins from 3 1/2 pounds of grapes. Mix grape pulp and 1 cup cup water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Press through sieve to remove seeds.
2. In large pan, bring 5 cups of grape juice, fruit pectin and butter or margarine (to reduce foaming) to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat. Skim off foam with metal spoon.
5. Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minuites or longer. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely.
6. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)
7. Label and store in a cool place for up to 18 months.

 

Fall Garden Hacks 2024

Garden Friend - I thought you might like to read my recent garden article that ran in The Denver Post on fall garden hacks.

Link to The Denver Post article, click HERE. The full article is below. 

 

Try propagating clematis by using the trench layering technique. (Betty Cahill / Special to the Denver Post)

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: October 8, 2024

An endless summer season in Colorado means that fall outdoor gardening continues. Until the rake is needed, here are three unique and thrifty suggestions that might come in handy.

Begin new plant starts

1. Layering plants is the term for propagating existing, growing plants in the landscape or in your house. Fall is a good time to layer outdoor plants, so they’ll grow into new plants over the winter months. This method can also be started in the spring.

Layering can be done on different vines and shrubs with flexible branches like spirea, forsythia and fruit vines. For house plants, try layering with croton, dracaena, schefflera and more. Legally, this should only be done on plants that are not patented, such as old-time varieties that have been in the public domain for many years.

There are different ways to layer plants. For vines such as clematis, try easy trench layering in which individual vines are carefully laid down in a two-inch deep furrow to grow new plants. The vine (or vines if doing two or more in different directions) can be as long as you need for the space starting at eight or so inches. Carefully remove the leaves, lay down the leafless vine and cover the trench with soil and mulch, then water the area well.

Next spring, new plants should take root from where the leaves were removed along the vines that were trench layered in the fall.

Another similar method to grow a new vine is to bury a small nursery container up to the ground level with soil, and then instead of trenching, place the vine over the container. Be sure a removed leaf node is over the container. Cover with soil and mulch as described above. Next spring, dig up the container. The original attached vine segment can easily be cut away if needed. The new clematis start can be planted elsewhere in the garden or shared with a friend.

Keep track of newly planted bulbs

2. Wine corks, of all things can have another use outdoors. Simply poke the cork onto the end of knitting needles which are inexpensive and easy to find at garage sales if more are needed. Use a permanent marker on the cork and place where newly planted fall bulbs are located for easy location and identification next spring.

 

Get your poinsettia back in Christmas form

3. If you kept a poinsettia from last year, early October is the time to coax it back to blooming for the holidays. This is activity requires devoted daily attention.

Bring the plant indoors if it was outside over the summer. Give it a spray with insecticidal soap if insects are suspected, but throw it out if if is overly infected or diseased.

The plant must be placed in absolute darkness for fourteen hours a night for two continuous months. Set your alarm on your phone or another device. There cannot be nearby light, reflections, or streetlights; the plant requires complete blackness. Forgetting for one night or more can make the difference between success and failure.

Some people use a never-opened closet during this time or a box to cover the plant entirely. A black plastic bag works too. Poke narrow sticks in the soil to hold up the plastic to prevent crushing the leaves. At 6 p.m., or the time that works best for you, place the plant in that dark location and then return the plant to daylight at 8 a.m. (or 14 hours later). The plant should be kept evenly moist and fertilized every couple of weeks.

By mid-November, the bracts, which are the modified leaves of the plant that we view as flowers, should start to show color. Do not stop the schedule of dark and light — continue until early December when the bracts should be enlarged and fully colored. At this stage, pat yourself on the back and place your beauty in a sunny area of the house to enjoy. Try to maintain cooler temperatures for the best bloom and water regularly.

Did you save your poinsettia from last winter? Now is the time to start coaxing it back to blooming so bracts, or flowers, will be present at Christmastime. (Betty Cahill / Special to the Denver Post)

Read more

How to Rebloom your Poinsettia, canr.msu.edu/news/how_to_rebloom_your_holiday_poinsettia

Layering Propagation for the Home Gardener, extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/layering-propagation-for-the-home-gardener.html

 

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post

 Betty Cahill speaks and writes about gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Fall Lawn TLC 2024

Garden Friend - I thought you might like to read my recent garden article that ran in The Denver Post on fall lawn TLC.

Link to The Denver Post article, click HERE. The full article is below.

It cannot be said often enough that to grow a healthy lawn, it is all about providing consistent, appropriate care that can help in preventing problems. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: October 1, 2024

This year has seen an uptick in turf-related projects along the Front Range and elsewhere in Colorado. From putting in native and water-thrifty plants or replacing lawn turf with more drought-tolerant grass varieties or replacing the lawn with clover, there are options to consider, depending on the desired outcome.

For dead lawn areas due to pet or pest damage, watering issues or fungus, overseeding with a similar and more drought-tolerant grass seed is the least expensive and less strenuous way to bring a positive lawn result. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Conserving water and attracting pollinators seem to be the top reasons for these projects. Decades ago, there were just a few Colorado gardeners and landscape professionals who were espousing using plants and practices more suited to our dry, sun-drenched landscapes — techniques that differed from the popular norm of wall-to-wall turf grass. We thank them for their sagacity, because they stayed the course and proved that more ecologically oriented landscapes can be both resourceful and beautiful places where we want to spend time.

Does this mean the backyard lawns that host fun with kids and dogs should go away? Not at all. Grass lawns remain a viable and practical mass groundcover solution for many homeowners and certainly for our valued public city parks, stadiums and other areas. Nothing wrong with having both: a manageable lawn space to walk on while having your morning coffee plus natural places in the landscape where there is close viewing of colorful and beneficial insect and bird activity as they dart and dine on plants that make us happy.

Now that fall has officially arrived after a very hot, dry summer, it is easy to see that the lawn might need some TLC and attention before cold weather arrives and stays.

To better understand your lawn type, whether you have a cool or warm season lawn, go to bit.ly/4gJ4o28 to read about lawn basics. I also covered full lawn renovation at bit.ly/3ZZMXo7. Clover lawns will be covered at a future date.

It cannot be said often enough that to grow a healthy lawn, it is all about providing consistent, appropriate care that can help in preventing problems. Here are three cool-season fall lawn-care tips that will improve the lawn in the short and long term.

Head to your local independent garden center and pick up seeds that match your sunlight and growing conditions. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

1.  For dead lawn areas due to pet or pest damage, watering issues or fungus, overseeding with a similar and more drought-tolerant grass seed is the least expensive and less strenuous way to bring a positive lawn result. Seeding can thicken up older existing lawns that may be thinned out from summer activity and too much shade.

Get going now because grass seed can take several days to a week or more to germinate and begin growing. Head to your local independent garden center and pick up seeds that match your sunlight and growing conditions.

Aerating the lawn and bare areas first with a lawn service or your own pitchfork or hand aerator allows grass seeds to go directly into the root areas for better germination. Flag sprinkler heads so they won’t be damaged by machinery.

Lawn aeration is one of the most beneficial fall tasks that result in improved grass root growth and reduction in thatch, the layer of decomposing roots and stems that leads to less water penetration and shallow grass rooting.

Water the lawn well a day or two prior to aerating. Poke many holes in the area so lots of seeds go into lots of holes. Fertilizing the lawn after seeding is helpful to turf health, along with top dressing the seeded area and entire lawn with a half-inch layer of compost, not too thick. Be sure to water the seeded, fertilized and top-dressed areas well and keep the seeds moist with daily watering.

Dried leaves are considered garden treasures by those in the know. Try mowing them into the lawn. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Continue regular watering of existing lawns, trees, shrubs and plants until at least mid-October instead of stopping in September. As temperatures fall and become consistently lower than 70 degrees, reduce watering days but not sprinkler run times. Regular watering helps plants go into a healthy dormancy.

2. Weeds in lawns and surrounding areas put on deep growth in the fall to get them through the winter, so get a jump on next year’s weeds and remove them now. Hand dig or spot treat.

3.  Fallen leaves left on lawns for months is not recommended. Not only can they be slippery when wet, but they also smother lawns leading to more issues in the spring, plus leaves hide animal waste.

Dried leaves are considered garden treasures by those in the know. Try mowing them into the lawn. When making several mowing passes over the lawn dried leaves leave little bits of themselves which will only break down further over the winter and add valuable organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Dried leaves can also be mowed and bagged for use in exposed soil locations such as vegetable or annual beds to reduce soil erosion and provide protection as a winter “bed.” Use leaves as mulch around perennials and new plantings. Dried leaves make excellent additions to compost piles.

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post

Betty Cahill speaks and writes about gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.

 

Fall Garden Chores 2024

Garden Friend - I thought you might like to read my recent garden article that ran in The Denver Post on fall landscape to dos.

Link to The Denver Post article, click HERE. The full article is below.

Peonies can grow in the same location for many years if they are happy with the location, sun and are not overly crowded. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: September 21, 2024

As we close in on the fall equinox, it looks like the hot summer of 2024 might be waning. But I would not bet the farm on warm temperatures going away entirely. September and October have yin and yang weather. One day it might be in the 80s; the next day snow.

Since you’re already outside harvesting fruits, vegetables and herbs, might as well add these fall garden chores to the daily garden fun.

The best bulb quality and selection is on store shelves is now; if you wait too long, whatever is left unsold generally goes on sale. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Bulbs: The two most common and must-do fall errands are to shop for spring bulbs and plant before the Halloween decorations go up; otherwise they’ll dry out and shrivel like the scary witch display. The best bulb quality and selection is on store shelves is now; if you wait too long, whatever is left unsold generally goes on sale. Promise yourself to plant the bargain bulbs before mashing the potatoes on Thanksgiving Day.

Perennials: Next, while you’re shopping for bulbs check out the sales aisle and pick up bargain perennials, trees and shrubs.

New fall plants appreciate the long cooler weeks to put down roots so that next year they are ready to take off and do their thing. Sale plants might be rootbound in the container, so be sure to “tease” or rough up the roots. In some cases, you may need to use sharp scissors or a knife and make cuts through circling roots. This method, along with teasing and roughing up, helps the plant grow new roots into the surrounding soil.

New evergreen trees and shrubs planted in the fall will need your utmost care and attention over the winter since they continue to transpire. That is, move water through their green needles (leaves), (Rread more on winter watering below.)

Divide: Next up is plant dividing, so next year they’ll have a huge head start. The plants will look like they belonged in their new location all along.

Some of the best plants to fall divide include spring and early summer blooming perennials like peony, columbine, salvia, catmint, daylilies, daisies, coreopsis and bee balm. Wait until spring to divide and replant late-summer perennials and fall bloomers like asters, mums, bachelor’s button, goldenrod, and more.

Water established plants a day or two before dividing or moving so the roots stay together better for the move.

Peonies can grow in the same location for many years if they are happy with the location, sun and are not overly crowded. Fall dividing or moving peonies is sometimes necessary. This is not difficult to do. However, there are some important tips to follow.

First, cut off the top green growth to near ground level. If the entire peony plant is dug up and moved, try to get all the roots and replant them at the same depth in its new location.

When dividing, look at the crown of the plant and notice the pinkish buds (or eyes). Use a knife to divide the plant so there are at least three buds or more in each division that will be replanted.

Plant divided peonies close to the surface, only 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep, and cover the buds with 1 inch of soil. Be sure to water well and mulch after transplanting. Remember that peonies bloom best in sunny locations, and transplants may take a season or two to rebloom.

Take stem cuttings, also called slips, while annuals are still growing for new plants next year. Cut healthy 6-inch or so growth from geranium plants, plucking the lowest leaves, and place in small containers with fresh potting soil. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Annuals: Why say goodbye forever to summer annuals in a few weeks? Take stem cuttings, also called slips, while plants are still growing for new plants next year. Cut healthy 6-inch or so growth from geranium plants, plucking the lowest leaves, and place in small containers with fresh potting soil. Using a rooting hormone (sold in garden centers) on the section planted in soil is helpful but not required. Place the cuttings in bright light and keep plants moist. Also take cuttings from coleus, fibrous begonias, sweet potato vine and place in water until rooted, then pot up into containers with potting soil and grow as houseplants near a sunny window or under indoor lights.

Watering: One fall and winter task that is often overlooked is the need for landscape plant fall and winter watering when natural moisture is not around or lacking, as is often the case in Colorado. Just because the calendar may say it is fall or winter does not mean that plants cease needing our watering attention once the sprinkler system is turned off or hoses are stored. Simply said: Plant roots that dry out will eventually die out.

The most important plants to continue watering all fall and through the winter into spring are the newest plants that went in this immediate past spring, summer and now, fall. This is across all categories — trees, shrubs and perennials — and includes plants that are water-wise so will need less water once their roots are established.

Keep records and create reminders if needed to check on these newer plantings and keep them moist, not sopping wet. A good 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is helpful to keep them moist and can help prevent plants from the back and forth of freezing and thawing when temperature swings occur.

Evidence of environmental stress like scorched leaves, early leaf drop and early color changes on lindens, maples and other trees are hard to ignore. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Landscape trees, new and mature, are our most valuable landscape assets. They are continuously being stressed, and often look it every summer into fall from lack of natural moisture and purposeful watering. Evidence of environmental stress like scorched leaves, early leaf drop and early color changes on lindens, maples and other trees are hard to ignore. These manifested stressors often are accompanied by pest or disease issues. If stressed trees could talk to us, they would say, “Hey, I need help, too. I’m parched and mostly ignored.”

Check to see that trees are getting moisture down in the root zone to a depth of one foot. Avoid overwatering all at once to compensate for lack of summer and previous year-round watering.

Mature tree roots extend far beyond the drip line through the landscape and into lawns and borders so keep in mind that if nearby landscape changes have been made such as removing or replacing turf, water needs for trees have not changed.

The bottom line is no one has a crystal ball to know the amount of rain or snow we’ll receive the rest of this year and next year. The best we can do is give our plants the care they require all year long.

Betty Cahill is a freelance writer who specializes in gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.

 

Fall Vegetable Planting 2024

Garden Friend - I thought you might like to read my recent garden article that ran in The Denver Post about seeding fall vegetables.

Link to The Denver Post article, click HERE. The full article is below.

A good way to seed leafy greens is to create planting areas by pushing aside about a half inch or less of soil, like creating a very shallow crater. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

By Betty Cahill | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: September 7, 2024

They say successful comedians have the best timing. The same goes when seeding fall crops. Along the Colorado Front Range, we typically rely on mid-October as the first possible frost date. Using this timeline means there is a short window to plant right now.

Focus on cool-season vegetables that will sprout quickly in warm soil. They like to grow in cooler temperatures and can be harvested starting in a few weeks. Once they are up and growing well, it is fairly easy to cover them with frost blankets or sheets on cooler autumn days and nights so the harvest can continue well into fall.

Fall seed packets will list the window of days in which seeds emerge and when they mature; look for short, 30-day growers, give or take. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Use seeds on hand or visit your local garden center to buy what looks good to you and the family. The seed packet will list the window of days in which seeds emerge and when they mature; look for short, 30-day growers, give or take.

The easiest, quick-maturing cool crops include lettuce, spinach, arugula, kohlrabi, green onions, kale, broccoli raab, Swiss chard, carrots and radishes. Also consider mustard greens, mizuna, collard greens, beets and salad turnips, which can be harvested when small (radish size) in about 40 days.

There are so many crops to choose from and only so much space, so remember that you can use empty containers; they are wonderful for fall crops and can easily be moved inside when nights are frigid.

For a warm crop, try seeding basil even though a plant may not grow up to six sets of leaves before frost. Because soils are warm, they should grow beyond the tiny microgreen stage if seeded immediately. Use the tasty young leaves in salads, on tomatoes and in sauces. (Do you know what food goes well with basil? Almost anything but oatmeal!)

Tuck in seeds wherever there is room in the landscape or vegetable area. Try the shady side of taller crops like tomatoes and pole beans as long as they receive at least four or more hours of sun a day. This location keeps the plants cooler late in the day.

As always, make sure the soil is loose and crumbly with no large clods so the roots can grow and get established. Leafy crops are high nitrogen feeders, so add a handful or two of compost or a light sprinkle of fertilizer into the soil if the area hasn’t been used in a while or recently grew crops.

My favorite way to seed leafy greens is to create planting areas by pushing aside about a half inch or less of soil, like creating a very shallow crater. Sprinkle seeds of your choice (lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, etc.) in the space. Do not worry about seed spacing; they can be thinned later or not. The goal is getting the greens up and growing. Then take the moved-away soil and gently cover the seeds. They don’t need a thick layer to sprout.

Lacinato kale grown in a raised bed in the fall. (Betty Cahill, Special to The Denver Post)

Water with a light hose spray so the seeds are not displaced. Use this same planting method in containers.

Other non-leafy crops — including green onions, kohlrabi, radish and broccoli raab — can be planted in rows or squares as usual.

Since hot temperatures continue in September, it is important to keep seeded areas moist, not soggy, so they may need watering twice or more a day. The best-tasting leafy green plants are harvested when they are small (baby greens) and not fully mature. Use scissors and cut a few of the outer leaves first, not all, because you want the plant to continue growing.

Season extenders allow for extra fall growing days and extended harvesting. Consider putting in place tunnels or cold frames where sheets or row covers can quickly be attached. Most of the cool-season crops can easily tolerate nights in the 40s but will need to be covered when nights are in 30s and near freezing.

Check out my handy tunnel videos (below) from a few years back; they are still applicable.

Resources

Easy Hoop Houses, Part I youtube.com/watch?v=aFN9ldnwsNw

Easy Hoop Houses, Part II youtube.com/watch?v=B4YtOpXdgiQ

Time to Seed Fall Vegetables https://planttalk.colostate.edu

 

  

Betty Cahill speaks and writes about gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.