From the Ground UP

Summer

Volume 3, Issue 2

2012

From the Ground Up A Gardening and Native Plants Quarterly

Colorado State University Extension-Pueblo County 701 Court Street · Suite C · Pueblo, CO 81003 · 719-583-6566 · coopext_pueblo@mail.colostate.edu FABULOUS FAMILIES

POLYGONACEAE OR BUCKWHEAT FAMILY

by Orla O‘Callaghan, Master Gardener, 2005, and Native Plant Master, 2009

The Polygonaceae or Buckwheat family is a relatively small family of plants, consisting of about 1200 species worldwide. It is an important plant family to know because some species are very useful to humans while others are problematic weeds. While most buckwheats are herbaceous perennials, some are annuals, vines, shrubs or trees. For example, there are 25 species of Buckwheat in the genus Triplaris that are trees that are used for lumber.

As a family, buckwheats are usually non-woody herbaceous perennials with swollen nodes or joints on the stems. Polygonaceae means "many knees." Buckwheats usually have alternate, simple, entire leaves with a pair of fused sheathing stipules (ochrea). The flowers are typically in spikes or clusters, and consist of small radically symmetrical flowers with 3 to 6 colored petal-like sepals, but no true petals. The ovary is superior. Seeds are brown or black upon maturity and are triangular or lens shaped, sometimes with wings.

Some members of Buckwheats are used for food: Rheum rhabarbarum, Rhubarb; Rumex acetosa, Common Sorrel, the young leaves of which are eaten in salads or as a potherb; and both Fagopyrum esculentum, Japanese Buckwheat, and Fagopyrum tataricum, Tartary Buckwheat, which are pseudo-cereals whose seeds are ground into a dark colored flour that is rich in flavonoids.

Some buckwheats are cultivated ornamentals that would be welcome additions to your garden.

Eriogonum umbellatum, sulphur flower buckwheat, or sulphur flower - is an increasingly popular ornamental plant, especially the variety ‗Kannah Creek‘, which is a Plant Select introduction. It is native to western North America and can be Eriogonum umbellatum ‗Kannah Creek‘ found in many different habitats. This 4-12" tall perennial herb forms Photo credit: O. O‘Callaghan small clumps. The leaves are basal, spatulate, and usually woolly, especially on the underside. The bell-shaped flowers form in dense round clusters. The color of the flowers varies in different varieties from white to bright yellow to purple. ‘Kannah Creek‘ has bright yellow flowers that turn orange-red at maturity.

Continued on page 2

INDEX Fabulous Families Know Your Natives Perennial People Digging Deeper Growing Tomatoes Cottage Foods

1&2 2&3 3 4&5 5 6

Water Restrictions 7 Wicked Weeds 8&9 Garden Walks 10 Interesting Insects 11 Harmonious Hardscapes 12

Fabulous Families continued from page 1 Polygonum affine, Himalayan Fleeceflower, is a semi-evergreen perennial ground cover that has numerous spikes of rose-red to pink flowers. The leaves turn a pretty russet color in the fall.

Polygonum baldschuanicum, Silver Lace Vine, is a fast-growing deciduous vine with sprays of white flowers that you see blooming right now on fences around Pueblo. It was introduced from Western China. Bees love the flowers. It can become a little weedy.

Unfortunately, the Polygonaceae/Buckwheat family also contains members that are bad weeds.

Fallopia japonica, Japanese Knotweed, is extremely invasive. The World Conservation Union lists it as one of the world's 100 worst invasive species.

Fortunately, it has not been reported in southeastern Colorado.

Rumex crispus, Curly Dock, can be a troublesome weed. It is difficult to eradicate because it regenerates quickly from severed roots. Each plant can produce as much as 30,000 seeds, which can remain viable for up to 70 years.

Polygonum ramosissimum, Bushy Knotweed, is an annual weed found in disturbed areas, roadsides, sidewalks, and my vegetable garden path.

Polygonum aviculare, Common Knotweed or Devil‘s Shoestring, is a slender annual weed that loves growing through hard-packed ground, disturbed areas and cracks in Rumex crispus. Photo credit: Elaine Haug @ USDA-NRCS pavement. Prostrate, tough, many-jointed stems branch PLANTS Database and form mats. The stem pulls apart easily at the swollen knees. Leaves are alternate, lanceolate to oblong shaped, 1/4 to 1" long. The base of each leaf is sheathed around the knee joint. Inconspicuous white to pinkish Polygonum aviculare. flowers are found at leaf axis. Birds eat seeds of the Common Knotweed.

Photo credit: Robin R. Buckallew @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

KNOW YOUR NATIVES

MENODORA SCABRA

by Linda McMulkin, CSU Extension-Pueblo County Horticulture Coordinator

Lake Pueblo State Park is home to many interesting plants, many common and some extremely rare. I‘ve been introduced to many of the species at the park, but this year I encountered a plant that I had previously overlooked.

Menodora scabra (Rough menodora or twinberry) is a member of the Oleaceae, or olive, family. Members of this family include many non-native landscape plants, including Fraxinus (ash), Forsythia, Syringa (lilac), and Ligustrum (privet). My new acquaintance is the only Colorado native listed in Colorado Flora, Eastern Slope, by Weber and Wittmann.

Menodora scabra is found in dry grasslands, mesas and woodlands in the southwestern US and in Mexico. It is a common plant in New Mexico and Arizona, but less common in southern California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and west Texas. Here in Colorado, the species has been reported only in Fremont, El Photo credit: Patrick J. Alexander @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Paso, and Pueblo Counties. Botanical references indicate that the plant grows at Database elevations from 1,500 to 7,000 feet in sandy, rocky and clayey soil. It is tolerant of heat, drought, and alkaline soil, but not saline soil.

Continued on page 3 2

Know Your Natives continued from page 2 The plant grows about a foot tall with multiple stems. The leaves are simple, lanceolate, dull green, and sandpapery. Flowers are yellow, tubular, with 5 rounded petals. Flower buds are rounded and reddishorange. The fruit is a deeply 2-lobed, spherical capsule. When the fruit is ripe, the capsule top pops off, releasing the seed, and leaving the smooth rimmed cup attached to the plant.

An Arizona reference says that the plant is appropriate for dry gardens and easy to grow from seed (one source located—Plants of the Southwest). The species prefers coarse textured soil, low water, and full sun. It has a rapid growth rate and a moderate life span. It is cold tolerant to 18 degrees, which indicates it will need winter protection in the average Colorado landscape.

So how did I miss this lovely plant in the past? Perhaps I was focused on other species or maybe it just really likes the conditions this year and is showier than in the past. Whatever the reason, I am happy to add Menodora scabra to my life list and will be looking for it on my walks at Lake Pueblo this summer.

PERENNIAL PEOPLE

MARTI OSBORN, PUEBLO ZOO EDUCATOR

by Elizabeth Catt, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Garden Manager

Marti Osborn is the Associate Director/Education/Horticulture at the Pueblo Zoo. Marti is one of the founding members of the Pueblo Zoological Society, the organization that now manages the Pueblo Zoo. In the mid-seventies the Pueblo Zoo was run by the Pueblo City Parks and Recreation Department and in need of upgrading. Today, the Pueblo Zoo is a delightful destination for young and old alike, with meandering pathways flanked by flower and shrub borders that lead visitors from exhibit to exhibit. Marti has been one of the driving forces behind the bucolic transformation of the City Zoo. As a child, she moved from the upper Midwest (where she spent a lot of time indoors due to severe weather) to Albuquerque, New Mexico. There, she discovered the great outdoors and spent most of her time exploring the natural world. Her curiosity for all things wild and natural inspired her to major in Biology in college and to write her Masters‘ thesis on the pollinators of cactus.

For the past several years Marti has taught Garden Design classes at the zoo. She shared that she has always enjoyed gardening and taught herself about garden design by reading and studying books and observing what worked in gardens. The Pueblo Zoo now has many inviting, shady nooks to sit and contemplate the gardens. She said many of the large trees were already on the grounds but the tables, seating, and flower beds have been added in the past few years. Incorporating xeric plantings in the more hot, sunny areas has been a goal of hers for quite a while.

Someone recently commented that Marti seemed like a very serious person, and that is probably true, but I think a better description would be focused. Educating and inspiring others to be aware of all of the facets of the natural world is a priority for her. She has worked diligently to encourage the use of the Zoo as an educational opportunity for all school aged children in Pueblo, including taking the Zoo to the schools.

Marti believes children need to be exposed to plants and animals to become the next generation of earth stewards and that education about the natural world needs to be experiential.

Marti will be retiring from the Zoo in a few weeks and plans to take a year to think about her next ―campaign‖ (she mentioned making plastic shopping bags obsolete). Whatever her next endeavor, I‘m sure she will make a huge impact.

Garden Tip: Does it Seem Windier to You? If you answered yes, you would be right. Over the past 20 years the wind has increased by about 5%.

Scientists do not know if it is due to global warming or just a natural climatic trend.

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DIGGING DEEPER

BREED YOUR OWN VEGETABLE VARIETIES: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving, 2nd ed. Carol Deppe,

by Ed Roland, Colorado Master Gardener 2007 Carol Deppe is a Harvard biologist and geneticist who has some definite views about the foods we eat and especially those we grow in our own vegetable gardens. You could even say she's on a mission.

She points out that, up to the time when the agribusiness model took hold in this country (approximately the end of WWII), all gardeners were also plant breeders. Up till then, "all our major food crops were developed by amateurs."

It will come as no surprise that the professionals are focused on producing profits: developing produce that can be harvested earlier, with more durable skins and flesh to stand up to automated picking and longdistance shipping. As a result, for the plant breeders and growers who supply our local supermarket, taste and quality are secondary considerations.

In addition, even the varieties we grow from the seed that we buy from Burpee, Jung, et al., are not likely to be optimal, either because they are developed to be moderately productive over a wide swath of the U.S., or because better varieties are just not being developed.

Because seed quantities for home garden varieties are so small, Deppe says, "No one can make a profit developing it. So no one is."

Thus, we have the motivation behind this book, written for essentially anyone who takes spade (or rototiller) to soil in an effort to get some veggies for the table.

Every gardener should be a plant breeder. Developing new vegetables doesn't require a specialized education, a lot of land, or even a lot of time. It can be done on any scale. It's enjoyable. It's deeply rewarding. You can get useful new varieties much faster than you might suppose. And you can eat your mistakes.

What follows are some entertaining case histories. A few examples: Glenn developed the "Blacktail Mountain" watermelon because he repeatedly failed to get any variety to ripen during his short northwest Idaho growing season. "Blacktail Mountain" is, according to Deppe, "quite possibly the earliest watermelon ever grown." It comes in at 8 to 10 lbs., and the qualities are excellent.

Then we have Ewald's potatoes, followed by Tim's broccoli and other brassicas. Tim has also developed a variety of the "Early Girl" tomato (which itself is a hybrid) that retains the early production, but has plants that "bear big beefsteak-type tomatoes."

The remaining pages (the bulk of this hefty paperback), as you might expect, are all about the "how to" of plant breeding, including (but not limited to) the way to choose the best germplasm, classic Mendelian genetics, setting up and evaluating trials, growing polyploids, and all of the other plant breeding theory and application you need to know to become an effective plant breeder.

This knowledge, Deppe points out, is what separates those plant breeders of long ago, who produced new and better varieties through selection and genetic happenstance that often took decades, from modern types like us. We have the advantage, through an understanding of how combinations of genes located on those strands of DNA we call chromosomes, function to produce the traits we want in a new fruit or vegetable.

What I personally like about this book is its practicality. Genetics, and the concept of making a cross between species or cultivars to produce something new, can seem at times to be abstract -- even esoteric -- in its application.

Continued on page 5 4

Digging Deeper Continued from page 4 The difference with Deppe is that she's been there, working the soil, planting the seeds, and evaluating what she's produced. She explains the real world results of the "classic crosses," and their many exceptions, as described in the genetics textbooks.

You get the concepts, but you also get the reality.

The genetics used in plant breeding is really a key that unlocks our understanding of the entire plant world: why plants are the way they are (and, by extension, how any organism inherits its characteristics).

When you complete this book, you'll want to know much more about what you're buying from a seed catalog than just the varietal name and how you'll be insanely happy with its size, taste, flavor and other outstanding attributes.

This book is not "a quick read." It is, in fact, dense in information and examples. But it is worth your time, and yes -- some intellectual effort, whether or not you decide to breed your own new and improved garden creation.

Editor‘s note: This book is published by Chelsea Green, 2000, 384 pp.

Tips For Growing Juicy Tomatoes by Linda McMulkin Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetable garden crops in the United States, but tomatoes are not vegetables. Botanically, tomatoes are fruit, the result of pollination, fertilization, and development of the ovary. With over 10,000 cultivars available, there is a wide range of sizes, shapes, and tastes available to the home gardener.

And yet, many gardeners have trouble growing tomatoes. Light, temperature, space, soil conditions, water, and pests all play a role in the development of healthy plants and tasty fruit.

Tomatoes need 6 to 8 hours of sun daily and prefer a temperature range of 55 degrees at night to 90 degrees during the day. Below 55 degrees, pollen doesn‘t develop and flowers that open the next day don‘t get pollinated. When daytime temperatures exceeds 90 degrees before 10 a.m., flowers that open that day will abort.

Give tomatoes lots of space--two to three feet between plants. Overcrowded plants compete for available light and water, and are more susceptible to Early Blight disease and tomato psyllid insects. Tomatoes do well in cages or trellises, which support the plant, make picking easier, and reduce rot problems when fruit rests on the ground. You can build large cages from concrete reinforcing wire, cutting the bottom ring of wire off so the legs can be pushed into the ground.

Tomatoes prefer soil with plenty of organic matter and good drainage. And, while they need supplemental nutrients during the growing season, heavy nitrogen applications result in lots of vegetative growth but few fruit. In soil with low organic matter, available nitrogen often runs out by midsummer. When fruit reaches 2 inches in diameter, apply water soluble fertilizer, then follow with applications every two to four weeks, or if you see the lower leaves start to turn yellow as a sign of nitrogen deficiency.

Vegetable garden crops, including tomatoes, use about ¼ inch of water per day. Plants need both water and oxygen in the root zone, so the best irrigation schedule supplies sufficient water for growth and development while draining quickly enough to allow oxygen to fill the pores between soil particles. The key is moist, but not wet, and never completely dry.

Organic mulch will help maintain soil temperature and moisture levels, plus help control weeds. An inexpensive vegetable garden mulch is two sheets of newspaper spread on the ground (not the glossy pages), covered with dry grass clippings (from lawns that have not been treated with herbicides or insecticides for one month).

For information on tomato pests or more hints on growing this tasty crop, see Colorado Master Gardener GardenNotes #714 and 717, and CSU Extension fact sheet 2.949.

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What is a Cottage Food?

by Lois Illick, Family and Consumer Agent, CSU Extension - Pueblo County

On March 15th the Colorado Legislature passed a bill that would allow home kitchens to produce and sell certain ―cottage foods‖ directly to the public. Cottage foods include jams, jellies, and certain baked goods, as well as spices, dehydrated produce, nuts, seeds, candies and fruit butters (except pumpkin).

However, it does not include pickles, pepper jellies, or barbeque sauces since these are considered ―acidified foods‖. There can be no potentially hazardous foods such as cream pies, cream fillings, salad dressing or flavored oils. If foccaccia bread is sold, it is not allowed to have cheese or vegetables in the mixture. A cottage food vendor can only sell to a consumer – not another business for re-sale—from home, roadside stands, or venues like farmers‘ markets.

There are some expectations from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) for the producers of these foods. Producers need to have certified food safety training and label the food very carefully with specific information including ingredients, contact information and allergy disclaimers. Label contents and disclaimers can be found in the web links below. A cottage food producer is not allowed to gross more than $5000 per food sold and is responsible for complying with the laws, rules and regulations related to sales. Please be aware that eggs sold at farmers‘ markets are still regulated by the Health Department.

The Colorado Farm to Market website (www.cofarmtomarket.com) has a checklist for cottage food producers that will guide the producer to be safe and within the law. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment‘s interpretation of the law is at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/cp/index.html If you are interested in the food safety training required by CDPHE, CSU Extension is offering it several times in the next few months.

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Self-Imposed Water Restrictions

by Edith Brideau, Colorado Master Gardener 2007 Whether you attribute it to global warming, climate change, or simply a natural part of cyclical weather patterns, we are experiencing moderate to serious drought in southeastern Colorado, which is expected to continue through the summer.

Colorado has always experienced periods of drought. Four prolonged dry spells occurred in the 20th century, one occurring in the 1930‘s causing the infamous Dust Bowl period. Examination of tree rings indicates that droughts occurred in earlier centuries. More recently, a very severe dry spell occurred in 2002.

And now, just 10 years later, we are living with another drought.

More than half of the water used in homes is applied to landscapes. That's why landscaping for water conservation is so important. As of this writing, no water supplier in our region has announced water restrictions, but that could happen if the drought continues or worsens.

The drought of 2002 was so severe that many water suppliers imposed watering restrictions, while residents in some areas were asked to voluntarily limit their irrigation. Those restrictions led to more efficient irrigation practices. For example, a recent Pueblo Chieftain article stated that Pueblo‘s water use has dropped to levels not seen since 1980, even though more taps have been added. This indicates that gardeners have adopted a new mindset: Water deeply for longer periods but less frequently. This develops a more robust root system, requiring less water over time and improving the overall health of plants. Timing is also important – much of the water applied during the heat of mid-day is lost to evaporation while irrigating during the cool hours of early morning or in the evening is much more efficient. Be sure to irrigate only planted areas, not sidewalks or driveways. Avoid irrigating during high winds, and turn off your automatic sprinkler system if it rains.

Just by watering your existing landscape more efficiently, you can better cope with drought. But, there are other things you can do to minimize water use. If you are planning to put in a lawn, consider native, warm-season grasses such as buffalo grass or blue grama, or a cool-season grass that is less thirsty than Kentucky Blue Grass. Consider scaling back the size of your existing lawn. The turf you remove can be converted to decks, paths, mulched areas or gardens.

When planning gardens, choose plants that are well adapted to our normally dry conditions and can withstand periodic drought. Place them in zones that can be irrigated appropriately, according to their differing water needs. For example, a xeric zone can be planted with cacti, succulents and other plants that need very little water. Plants that require more water should be planted elsewhere. This way, you can minimize waste and plant stress resulting from under-watering thirsty plants or over-watering xeric plants that have been planted together.

Drought is a fact of life in the intermountain west, but planning and self-discipline will help us survive the current drought and be prepared for the inevitable next one. The bonus is that we may reduce our water bill and create more interesting, beautiful landscapes.

Garden Tip: Inviting Bees To Your Landscape Are you seeing bees in your landscape? Many homeowners report that there are very few honeybees or native bees in local landscapes this year. To make your landscape bee friendly:  Provide multiple nectar and pollen sources, avoiding double-petaled varieties or pollenless cultivars.  Provide water sources. Add some rocks in your existing birdbath so that small bees have a place to perch and drink.  Leave some garden areas ungroomed so that bees have a place to hide and nest.  Find non-chemical means to control other insect pests in your landscape and avoid the use of pesticides.

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2013 Colorado Master Gardener Class We will be offering Colorado Master Gardener training beginning in January, 2013.

This 10-week training will either be offered during the day (once a week) or in the evening (two times a week). Cost is still being reviewed but there are two options: Colorado Master Gardener Volunteer (reduced fee with 50 hours volunteer commitment) or Colorado Gardener Certificate program (full fee with no volunteer commitment). If you think you‘d be interested in either, please contact us with your preference and make sure you are on the interest list. Registration will begin in September.

Garden Tip: Garden irrigation Use soaker hoses rather than overhead watering in vegetable gardens. Water is delivered directly to the roots and leaves are kept dry, reducing the growth of fungal pathogens.

WICKED WEEDS

CONTROLLING WEEDS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES

by John Powell, Native Plant Master, 2008

Weeds are very persistent by nature, but most have the same requirements as any other plant in order to reach maturity and set seed-light, adequate moisture and proper growing media. Removing or interrupting any of those resources may control most plants very effectively.

Young weeds‘ survival depends on the carbohydrate storage of their cotyledons until they can synthesize enough to store in their roots, making them easy to control during early growth. Shade or lack of water reduces photosynthesis and starves the young seedling.

Canada thistle germinates and thrives in warm, wet soils and produces seeds after a season of 12 – 14 hour days of sunlight. Field bindweed, with its roots growing several feet deep, can survive very dry conditions and will climb up fence posts or other plants to reach sunlight. Certainly neither of these plants is desired by most people and should be controlled as quickly as possible. Removing the basic needs of these plants drastically reduces their chances of survival.

Canada thistle may be controlled by changing water availability, either flooding the infestation by covering the soil with 12 – 18 inches of water for a couple of weeks or removing the moisture from the soil by lowering the water table such as irrigation well pumps do. Another control option is to interfere with the plants‘ production of carbohydrates by shading the foliage from the sunlight or chemically interrupting the photosynthesis process. Mowing the thistle at 9 inches, two to three times during the growing season will stress the plants, reducing the production of carbohydrates causing the plants to call on the reserves already stored in the roots.

Field bindweed and Canada thistle must be managed with care though. Mowing, hoeing, rototilling or plowing an area will increase the population since each small piece of either plant is capable of producing a new healthy plant.

Biological control insects are available for both Canada thistle and bindweed. Populations of these insects can reduce the viable seeds produced or damage the stems or foliage, forcing the plants to deplete stored reserves.

Continued on page 9

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Wicked Weeds Continued from Page 8 Encouraging a very dense, healthy cover crop of the desirable plantings may control weeds.

Flowerbeds filled so full with geraniums that the sunlight doesn‘t reach the soil will greatly reduce the ability of obnoxious weeds from germinating. Receiving the proper amount of sunlight, fertilizer, moisture and regular mowing at the proper height, turf grasses will be so dense that dandelions and plantain cannot germinate nor successfully compete in the lawn.

Some common weeds are indicators of growing conditions for the desirable landscape vegetation, such as shown in the table below.

Thinned turf grass All weeds, especially annuals

Low fertility Foxtails, henbit

Mowing too low High soil pH Annual bluegrass, chickweed, crabgrass, plantains, Plantains speedwell Low soil pH Red sorrel Compacted soils Annual bluegrass, crabgrass, dandelion, Excessive surface moisture goosegrass, pineapple weed, plantain, prostrate Algae, annual bluegrass, moss knotweed, prostrate spurge, speedwell Poor drainage Barnyardgrass, nutsedge, plantains High nitrogen Annual bluegrass Low nitrogen Black medic, clover (legumes)

Drought conditions Black medic, crabgrass, goosegrass, prostrate spurge, speedwell, yellow woodsorrel Shade Chickweeds, moss, violets Low calcium Dandelion

Two to three inches of mulch applied on top of open ground, under bushes, trees and ornamentals, or in vegetable gardens will block sunshine from the soil, removing one of the three requirements. Mulch can come from chipped tree wood or pallets, or weed free straw, or pine needles. Additionally, the mulch will reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil the desirable plants need to grow and produce healthy growth, flowers and fruit.

All plants must have a proper amount of light, adequate moisture and proper growing media in order to thrive from seed to mature plant. If any of the three resources are missing the plant will not continue to grow. Weeds are very persistent by their nature, but they have the same requirements in order to reach maturity and set seed. Disrupt the light or moisture or nutrients and the weeds will not survive beyond seedling. Be observant, monitor your landscapes and deal with the weeds while they are young and vulnerable.

Additional resources: CSU Extension Fact Sheet: No. 0.505; 3.101; 3.106; 7.214 CMG GardenNotes: No. 351; 352; 354; 551; 552

Subscribe to this quarterly horticulture newsletter by contacting Carolyn at 583-6574. Available in paper and electronic formats.

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2012 Native Plant Education Native Plant Master Each course is held on three Saturday mornings, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

YMCA Camp Jackson, June 30, July 7 and 14 Tuition is $50 for volunteers, $90 for non-volunteers. Fee includes class materials. Pre-registration required. Course fulfills requirement for teacher recertification with no college credit.

Additional information available at CSU Extension-Pueblo County or at www.conativeplantmaster.org

Additional Native Plant Education Opportunities Colorado Native Plant Society Field Trips Schedule and registration at http://www.conps.org/Chapters/southeast.shtml Trips are open to the public. Pre-register online.

Grass Identification Workshop Saturday, July 28, 9 a.m. to about 3 p.m.

Aiken Canyon, Colorado Springs, $20

GARDEN WALKS

MY FAVORITE PUEBLO PARK by Ted Freeman, CMG 2007 I live in the north side neighborhood of Pueblo, which includes the Mineral Palace Park. The Mineral Palace Park was the first designated park in the city when it was dedicated in 1896. The original park, which extended to Fountain Creek, had many curved walkways, streets, formal gardens, a large variety of trees planted, and a lake, named Lake Clara. It was a beautiful landscaping in support of the Mineral Palace.

Over the years the park has changed. Interstate 25 separated the park from the Fountain Creek and cut down the size of Lake Clara dramatically. The noise level from the highway made it nearly impossible to have concerts at the band shell. The decreased level of maintenance and upkeep allowed park structures to fall into disrepair and the loss of trees due to drought.

Over the last several years, with the help of volunteers from the Mineral Palace Conservancy and others, the park appears to be resurging, though it will never be able to regain its original glory. The Conservancy has sponsored Earth Day events where volunteers have picked up trash and planted trees, and during the summer Conservancy volunteers maintain several garden areas. In addition to renewed efforts from the Parks and Recreation Department and especially Eileen, who‘s responsible for planting and Drawing by R. Willits maintaining all the beautiful flower beds, the park is looking better than it has in years.

This year the Conservancy, in addition to its normal activities, is sponsoring what it calls ―The Lake Clara Project‖. The purpose of the project is to give recognition to Clara Latshaw, as she was instrumental in purchasing the land which we now know as Mineral Palace Park. For the leadership, vision, courage and perseverance Clara exhibited, the Conservancy is raising funds for a life size bronze statue of her. Rick Willits, the creator of many fine sculptures found along the Riverwalk and other areas, has been commissioned to do the statue.

For more information on the Lake Clara Project and how you can participate, please call me, Ted Freeman, 544-4479, or e-mail me at freeman4ted4@msn.com.

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INTERESTING INSECTS

PIÑON PINES UNDER ATTACK

by Linda McMulkin, CSU Extension-Pueblo County Horticulture Coordinator Piñon and Ponderosa pines in Pueblo and Fremont Counties have been damaged by an outbreak of piñon pitch mass borer, Dioryctria ponderosae. The insect, a small moth whose larval form is a wood borer, is responsible for reduced vigor and tree death.

The adult insect is small and may be unnoticed in most landscapes. It is a moth, about one-half to three-quarter inch long, grey-brown in color with white markings. The adult emerges from the infested tree June to August, leaving a small hole in the bark. Eggs are laid on the bark, often near wounds, pruning cuts, or the crotch of the larger branches. The larvae, a tan worm with a brown head, tunnel under the bark and feed on the vascular tissue of the tree.

Infested trees look stressed, with thinning or browning needles.

The most noticeable sign of infestation is pinkish pitch on the trunk or larger branches, often near the branch crotch. The pitch is spongy and sticky, about the texture of chewing gum on a warm day. Pitch will drop onto lower branches and dries to a cream color.

Above: Pitch mass borer larvae with The insect has been confirmed on piñon fresh pitch, Whitney (Pinus edulis) and ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa) Cranshaw, Colorado State University, pines in Pueblo and Fremont counties. In the Bugwood.org Midwest, the European native Scots (Pinus Left: Fresh and sylvestris) and Austrian (Pinus nigra) pines have dried pitch on piñon branch, Sylvia also been attacked. Many pines are overwatered in Sanchez, Colorado urban landscapes, making them more susceptible Master GardenerPueblo County. to pitch mass borer due to excessive succulent growth or bark cracks. I believe the continued drought plays a role as well, with piñon in irrigated landscapes and natural areas being successfully attacked.

An interesting characteristic of this insect is that the larval stage can last for one or up to two years, depending on weather conditions. Eggs are laid from late June to August and hatch from one to four weeks later. The larvae go through four molts and then pupate in a pitch and silk-lined chamber in their tunnel. In Nebraska, the life cycle can take 14 to 24 months. Dr. Whitney Cranshaw, CSU Entomologist, reports that the life cycle of Dioryctria ponderosae in Colorado is at least 2 years.

It is possible to use pyrethroids as preventative sprays. Drench the trunk and inner branches twice a year for two years. Pay particular attention to wounded areas, pruning cuts, and the underside of the major branches.

For more information on piñon pitch mass borer, see the publications at http://wiki.bugwood.org/ HPIPM:Pinyon_%22Pitch_Mass%22_Borer and http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/ ppitch.shtml.

If you need any special accommodation(s) to participate in any Colorado State University Extension event, please contact CSU Extension-Pueblo County at 719-583-6566. Your request must be submitted at least five (5) business days in advance of the event. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.

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HARMONIOUS HARDSCAPES

YOUR YARD COULD BE THE TOAST OF THE TOWN

by Greg Nolan, Colorado Master Gardener, 2009

Every year, tons and tons of glass bottles are put into our landfills. In places like the arid southwest, those bottles may last thousands of years. Chances are you just might be a wine drinker; chances are you throw your wine bottles into the trash. Chances are an archeologist a thousand years from now will determine that you drank too much. Well, we can mess with the minds of the archeologist of the future.

Start recycling your bottles into yard art. You can make wire trees and adorn the branches with wine bottles. You can take dead trees and adorn the branches with wine bottles; heck, you can even incorporate wine bottles into your living trees to add color. How about a wine bottle holiday tree? When people ask where you got your wine, you can simply say; from that tree over yonder.

You can incorporate wine bottles into the paths of your yard. Simply partially bury the wine bottle, mouth down.

Using this method you can line the paths and gardens of your yard with wine bottles.

This adds definition and character to your garden. If you want to get more ambitious, Bottle tree photo credit: T. Goff using the same method you can make an entire path out of wine bottles. If you are really ambitious, you can encase the bottles in concrete for a more permanent path. These paths add great color and interest to your yard. Use your imagination.

If you want something to cool all the wine you will be drinking, Bottle fence photo credit: L. Catt consider removing a slat from your deck and suspending a piece of home guttering in its place. You can fill the gutter with ice and add your wine bottles.

Perhaps the best part of any wine bottle yard adventure is the planning. For this you will need a warm summer evening, a bottle of cold rose, something light to eat, a significant other, a comfortable seat in your yard, and a dream.

2012 Yard and Garden Classes Composting Basics, Tuesday, September 11, 6-9 p.m.

Fall Into Spring: Preparing the Garden for Winter, Tuesday, September 25, 6-9 p.m.

Introduction to Organic Food Production, Saturday, October 6, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

For more information or to register for classes, please call 719-583-6566 or visit the CSU Extension website at http://pueblo.colostate.edu. Cost is $15 per class or $25 for couples sharing materials.

Garden Tip: Gardening Information, Specifically for Colorado Visit the CSU Extension website for gardening information written for Colorado by gardeners who live and work in the state. Fact sheets, CMG GardenNotes, and PlantTalk can be accessed at www.ext.colostate.edu.

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