Gardening Archives - Page 2 of 2 - DeckTec Outdoor Designs

Composting: Dirt Easy and Great Rewards

June 28th, 2014|Blog, Garden & Lawn Care, Gardening|

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 and outreach program sponsored by Denver Recycles, have a wealth of knowledge and resources for you to make this the year composting becomes part of your gardening life. The first lesson they pointed out is that composting is a process and not just a product. "Some people get a bin [...]

Be a Water-Wise Gardener This Summer

May 3rd, 2014|Blog, Garden & Lawn Care, Gardening|

Quick. What's one of the simplest, most effective tools to help keep a healthy lawn this summer? While you're thinking this question over, let's talk about the good news. The major drought that had us all wondering if and when we could comfortably water our lawns is on the downswing. However, whether you're new to the area or you've lived in Colorado a long time, being permanently aware of water use is a big responsibility for everyone who enjoys the Art of Outdoor Living. According to Travis Thompson, Denver Water Spokesperson, Colorado is considered a dry state, and it is up to all of us to be living within water-wise constraints. "Our customers did a really good job last year," said Travis. "We reached our conservation goals which put us in a better position to keep providing a healthy water supply to everyone. We just want to remember that conservation [...]

Dealing with the Wicked Old Weeds of the West

April 5th, 2014|Blog, Garden & Lawn Care, Gardening|

Faster than a controversial Twitter chain, more powerful than a Political Action Committee—Look! Down on the ground. It's a lawn, it's a garden, it's weeding time again! Yep. Weeds. Those persistent party crashers of everyone's yard are beginning to pop up once again. Before you run for your shovel or your sprays, let's make a plan for weeding that will have you enjoying your yard this year, instead of cursing the amount of work you have to do in it. What is a Weed? It's always good to start with a definition. A botany college professor once said that a rose planted in the wrong place could be called a weed. Any plant growing where you don't want it, is a weed. But seriously, here in Colorado we have a selection of nearly 100 species of wild plants growing in competition with our lawns and gardens. Dandelions, bindweed, thistles and [...]

Seeding Your Vision

March 8th, 2014|Blog, Garden & Lawn Care, Gardening|

As the last vestiges of winter cling about our yards, tiny rays of hope for a bright spring emerge. Crocuses have begun to dot the landscape, and buds are starting to show when you step close to trees and bushes. It feels as though gardeners are beginning to line up at the starting gate in a race for plantings to begin. Why not put your enthusiasm on a fast track by indulging in a trip to your local garden center and splurging on a few packets of seeds? Although we are still early in the planting season, believe it or not, now is the time to plan your garden, especially if you want to grow vegetables and flowers from seed. We talked to Chris Ibsen of O'Toole's Garden Center for some great tips on working with seeds. Chris is part of O'Toole's University, a set of classes for gardeners of [...]

Winter Care for the Denver Garden

February 1st, 2014|Blog, Garden & Lawn Care, Gardening|

On one day, temperatures skyrocket into the sixties, and the next, they plummet to zero. The sun blazes away for weeks, and then suddenly hides behind a wall of grey clouds. Welcome to a Denver winter season. And with climate change, no stable temperatures or weather conditions are likely for some time to come. What's a gardener to do with this situation? Are there ways to ensure that your yard survives the roller coaster of temperatures and precipitation? Recently, we had a chance to check in with local landscape designer, Annie Houston, of Columbine Design, Inc., a sister company to Birdsall & Co. She helped level out what good gardeners should do to keep a healthy yard and garden throughout the winter. "The most important thing to remember," said Annie, "is that gardeners need to trust their own green thumbs, and then, of course, to water even in the [...]