Better home

Claire L. Sable

Living in community makes us happier and healthier

OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS LIVED in tightknit communities because their survival depended on it. While the level of autonomy we enjoy today certainly has its perks, being too isolated is bad for our physical and mental health.

The City of Fort Collins Office of Neighborhood Services works to counteract isolation and reestablish that sense of community we’ve lost over the years. How? “By offering programs designed to help us make connections and build relationships with our neighbors,” says Marcy Yoder, Manager of Neighborhood Services. Programs include:

Adopt-a-Neighbor, that pairs volunteers with residents who need help with things like grocery shopping, snow shoveling and dog walking.

The Annual Neighborhood Night Out

provides residents an opportunity to meet their neighbors face-to-face at block-party style events. The next one will be held Tuesday, Aug. 2.

The Community Mediation Program helps neighbors resolve disputes and reach mutually agreed upon solutions in a safe environment.

Learn more at fcgov.com/neighborhoodservices.

No yard? No problem—try containers

CONTAINER GARDENING offers a fun and fairly easy way to grow delicious vegetables. All you need are suitable containers, good potting soil and the ability to tend to those veggies ‘til harvest time.

Bryan Fischer, Curator of Plant Collections and Horticulturist at Gardens on Spring Creek, says that even a complete novice can be successful if they pay good attention to the plants. “Hydration is probably the biggest challenge with container gardens,” he says. Because containers are small, confined spaces, they can dry out quickly, or if you over-water, roots can become overly saturated.” The remedy, Fischer says, is to regularly test the soil by poking a finger in to gauge moisture content. Dry and warm? Add water. Cool and soggy, ease off. In our dry climate, Fischer says we are more likely to under than over-water.

Veggies that lend themselves to container gardens include tomatoes, peppers, green onions, eggplant, radishes, “and herbs love it,” he adds. You can almost smell the fresh salsa!

The buzz on attracting pollinators

THE LITTLE BUZZING CREATURES who visit our gardens every summer play a vital role in our ecosystems. So designing our landscapes to not only attract, but to support them throughout their lifecycles (including winter), is essential to their longevity and our long-term agricultural success.

Local pollinators include honey bees, bumblebees, native bees, butterflies, moths, and even some beetles and ants. “And they each have their favorite pollen sources and niches,” says Brian Fischer, Curator of Plants and Horticulturist at Gardens on Spring Creek.

“An important consideration when designing your garden, is that our pollinators evolved along with native plants,” Fischer says. “This is important because if most of our flowers are non-natives, you’re potentially excluding some key pollinators from bringing and taking pollen from your garden, and that reduces biodiversity, which is not good for the environment.”

Gardens on Spring Creek has classes on vegetable gardening, xeriscaping, beekeeping and more. Go to fcgov. com/gardens/adult-classes for information.