Spring Is in Bloom – Get Your Garden in Shape
Here at DeckTec, we work hard to design, create, and maintain beautiful custom outdoor living environments for you to enjoy with friends and family. Once your deck has been built, stained, and sealed, it’s up to you to turn it in to your ideal space. One of the most beautiful and environmentally friendly ways to perk up your outdoor room is to decorate with various flowers and plants. You’ll be surrounded by colorful blossoms and luscious greenery just in time for spring! Whether you’re interested in starting out with your first potted plant or have been tending a garden for[...]
Fall is Time to Play in the Dirt
The first cold of the autumn hit recently, and with it comes the desire to pack everything into the garage and snuggle up under your nearest blanket. But for gardeners everywhere, this change in weather is all part of the rhythm of life. There is still plenty of work to do at this time, and plenty to enjoy about being outside. Right now is a great time to be thinking about next spring. We gardeners can run to our garden shops and catalogs and picture great color for when the last of the snows melt away, even if we haven't[...]
Harvest Abundance? Give It Away!
Have you ever been hungry, really hungry? Have you ever wondered where your next meal might come from or if it will come at all? According to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture, one in seven people in Colorado are food insecure. "Food insecure simply means that people are not sure where their next meal is coming from," said Jodi Torpey, a member of Garden Writers Association and volunteer coordinator for Colorado's Plant a Row for Hunger organization. "They're not sure about tomorrow or next week. Even if they are working, minimum wages aren't enough to ensure[...]
A Snake In The Grass May Not Be A Bad Thing
Even the words we use to describe one of nature's most misunderstood animals are enough to give you the creeps—slithery, slimy, sneaky, and poisonous—snakes! And summertime in Colorado is when you're likely to have a snake encounter. Eew! But wait a minute. Are snakes truly as bad as their reputation would have you believe? Recently, we talked with Victoria Sutton, Park Interpreter at the South Platte Park Carson Nature Center in Littleton, and learned more about the nature of snakes in our area. "I love snakes," said Victoria. Originally from Arizona, a state that boasts 14 species of these reptiles,[...]
Composting: Dirt Easy and Great Rewards
Anyone who gardens for more than a year or two has heard of composting. Some may even have dabbled in it with varying degrees of success. If you've ever been curious about this green thumb practice, we have some great information for you. Recently, we talked to two composting experts in our area and asked for the low down on the humus under our feet. Here's what we found: A Process and a Product Cara Ablin, the color department supervisor for Wilmore Garden Center in Littleton, and Judy Elliott, education specialist and lead trainer for the Denver Master Composter training[...]
