"There are no mistakes in gardening, only experience." - Janet Kilburn Phillips
We interviewed some of Colorado's top gardeners to find out what they learned from their gardening experience.
About 20 years ago I planted a beautiful bouquet of red tulips in our garden. The first year was good.
What I don't understand is that most tulips rot quickly after the first year and simply need to be dug up (treated as an annual) after flowering. In the second year, they produce a few shoots and then they can last for ten years or more. The bulbs were dug up at incredible cost.
Previously, I did not take into account the final size of the plant, so I planted things too close or brought the bush closer to the sidewalk or the building. Now I have a better plan.
Twenty-two years ago I had the pleasure of finding an aspen for sale in a neighbor's driveway. Since it was my favorite tree (I thought at the time) I bought three to plant in my garden. I did not know that I would come to escape that day. They are extremely aggressive. In my yard (and my neighbors' yards) the trunks continue to grow from their roots, undisturbed by concrete, garden fences, or sidewalks. They are also very susceptible to insect damage and disease. Although beautiful in nature, aspen is not a good choice for an urban garden.
Stumped root systems occur in plants that are too large for their size or that are planted too long, resulting in a dense root system that cannot penetrate the landscape soil once the roots are planted. Before planting a new perennial plant, I now cut the taps.
Pathogens such as rust may not be visible on equipment, but pathogens can spread from plant to plant during pruning and cause plant loss. Now I make sure to clean and sanitize the pruning tools after use.
I learned my lesson about getting in the mood when planting plants. Even if I think: "I'm very happy with this plant, it's only happy in the sun, to grow in this shady place, because that's where I want to go", I no longer appeal to fate and face its disappointment. Face.
After moving from Illinois, where it rains a lot, I never thought about the plant's water needs. Plant catalogs rarely publish this information (although now increasingly so). Although the plant is adapted to the soil and light, I will check how much water it needs now.
When I planted a new plant in my garden, I grabbed the soil around it and pressed my foot with my full weight. What a revelation to learn about soil compaction and how bad it is for plants. Now I add a little soil around the new plant.
Email gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners-El Paso County.
Email gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners-El Paso County.
