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Save the Date! January 21st CMG Training starts for new Apprentices and Colorado Gardener Certificate participants. February 1st 4-H Extravaganza This is a free event open to all ages who are interested in learning about science, backyard chickens, beekeeping, crafting, 4-H, and more! Also learn about the various programs that the Horticulture Department and Master Gardener Program bring to communities throughout Arapahoe County. February 22 - March 1 Get the schedule Join Master Gardener volunteers from Arapahoe County and other Denver metro counties as they host the CSU Extension Exhibit at the 2020 Colorado Garden and Home Show. The theme of the exhibit is Heroes and Villains in the Garden: Insects and their Plant Hosts. The garden will feature larger than life specimens of pollinators, native bees, and other beneficial insects as well as the Emerald Ash Borer and the Japanese Beetle. March 2020 The Horticulture Department will begin a new monthly educational series. Lunch & Learn will be held at the CSU Arapahoe County Office, 6934 S. Lima St., Suite B, Centennial, CO. Bring your brown bag and learn about all things gardening. Stay tuned for details!

Garden and Home Show CSU Extension Garden: Heroes and Villains in the Garden By Megan Knight, Colorado Master Gardener Photo credit: Megan Knight, Bumble bee (Bombus sp.) and a leafcutter bee (Megachile sp.) Something to look forward to this winter is the annual Garden and Home Show, a showcase of garden and home improvement inspiration. The theme for this year’s CSU Extension Garden is ‘Heroes and Villains in the Garden: Insects and their Plant Hosts.’ The goal is to educate show visitors about how to create and manage home gardens where heroes thrive, and villains aren’t tempted to stay. Heroes Colorado is home to several heroic pollinators and other beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, lady beetles and praying mantids.  Many are familiar with the European honey bee, but how many are aware there are over 940 bee species in Colorado? It is estimated that pollinators are responsible for over 35% of the world’s food crops. Creating a habitat where bees thrive is essential. Several species of butterflies grace our Colorado gardens. Butterflies like sun, open spaces, wind protection and sometimes specific host plants for caterpillars. A black-spotted red lady beetle is easily recognized as a ladybug. However, its orange and black alligator-like larvae that annihilate aphids and other soft-bodied pests can be unrecognizable and appear intimidating in the garden.  Photo credit: Megan Knight, European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) The more elusive praying mantis is also a voracious eater of insects, some of which are garden pests. The life cycle of the mantis is just one year. The mantis leaves behind an egg case, a distinctively shaped mass containing several dozen eggs that hatch in the garden in the spring. Keep Reading!

Volunteer Spotlight: Hans Kaufenberg

Colorado Master Gardener℠ (CMG) volunteers are a dedicated group of individuals who are knowledgeable and passionate about sharing gardening, landscape and horticulture education. This month, we are highlighting Hans Kaufenberg! I joined the Colorado Master Gardener program in 2019 as an Apprentice. I have been interested in the program for many years. I finally joined because I was able to apply the experience toward continuing education hours required for my job.

I chose the Master Gardener volunteer program over the Certification program because I thought I could learn even more through the volunteer experience. And boy did I!  My favorite activity was volunteering at the Silo Park demonstration garden. I enjoyed tinkering in the garden for a good cause. I also enjoyed the company of the other volunteers. It was a fun group and I hope to do more in 2020.

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The Five B's - Coming Soon to a Classroom Near You! By Barb Bolen and Kathleen DeVries, Colorado Master Gardeners Photo credit: Sedgwick County Extension, Kansas State University Barb Bolen and Kathleen DeVries, members of the Youth Education Curriculum Committee, have been developing a new set of activity-based modules for grades P-5. These modules are being designed to meet Colorado Academic Standards focused on Life Science, Earth Systems Science and Physical Science. The programs will include a focus on STEM skills and will be delivered by trained Colorado Master Gardener volunteers. A survey was sent out to teachers across Arapahoe County. Using the results, five topics were selected for development. They include: Composting Seeds and Life Cycles Plant Needs Pollinators Insect Biodiversity Read the full article Turf Mite Damage By Judy Cale, Colorado Master Gardener What is a mite and what can it damage? A mite is a tiny spider. Here in Colorado, we have three common turf mites—banks grass mites, clover mites and brown wheat mites — and they can damage lawns by sucking moisture from turf blades and turning them brown. They are tinier than a pinhead, which makes them difficult to detect. Photo credit: PlantTalk Colorado, turf mite damage on a south/west facing lawn Why is there an article about spider mites in January? Clover mite and brown wheat mite damage most likely occurs from February to May if there is little natural moisture or if lawns do not receive winter watering. Banks grass mite damage usually takes place in the summer. Spider mite damage may have occurred if most of the turfgrass turns green in the spring, but irregular patches of brown to yellow occur on south or southwestern exposures.  Read the full article

From the Hort Desk

Looking Forward to 2020 The start of a new year is traditionally a time to not only reflect on the past year but also to start planning for the upcoming year. As I reflect on all that the Arapahoe County Master Gardener and Horticulture program has accomplished, I’m reminded that none of it would be possible without our clients. Throughout the past year, we have assisted clients through phone calls, office walk-ins, emails and Ask an Expert, diagnostic services, landscape site visits (aka turf and tree checks), speaker requests, staffing booths at garden centers, public programs and other events. And, of course, these services would be much more limited or impossible without our amazing Master Gardener volunteers! Through their efforts, we can expand our capacity so much further. The year 2020 is going to be a great year. We have big plans for this upcoming season including new programming and projects.

Lisa Mason CSU Extension Horticulture Agent

Read more to learn about new initiatives and my personal vermicomposting experience!

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Plan to Re-Tool for Spring By Donnetta Wilhelm, Colorado Master Gardener Although a snowy day is not the time gardeners are working outdoors, late January and February can be surprisingly balmy when temperatures reach 41° to 51°F. Sunlight also increases to 10 hours and 43 minutes a day, so it can be a good time to prep garden implements for the upcoming season. Follow these whimsical tenets for good results.

Photo credit: Utah State University

“Preparation time is never wasted time” so avoid the spring rush and take power equipment to the local small engine repair shop. Equipment that benefits from annual tune-ups are lawnmowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, blower/vacs and tillers. Properly maintained equipment makes yard work easier on the gardener and better for the landscape and environment. “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe” said Abraham Lincoln. Larger tools that should be cleaned, oiled (and sharpened, if applicable) and kept in top shape are axes, shovels, spades, forks, rakes, pruning saws and hoes. One piece of equipment that is overlooked is the wheelbarrow. Clean it well and check the axle and tire pressure.

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Plant a Tree, Plant a Legacy

By Martha Kirk, Colorado Master Gardener Let’s face it. Trees are a magnificent part of the landscape. They provide shade and cooling, provide habitat for animals, sequester carbon, add value to property, and add important structure and presence to the garden. When you plant a tree, you are planting a legacy for future generations to enjoy. Research-based resources can help guide you in deciding what tree to plant. The Front Range Tree Recommendation List and fact sheets from CSU are good resources. Recently, another resource has become available, The Rollinger Tree Collection 50-Year Survey Project.

The Rollinger Tree Collection 50-Year Survey Project is a collaboration between Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver’s Office of the City Forester, Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, Colorado State Forest Service, the Colorado Tree Coalition and other local participants to revisit a survey of major trees done in 1968 by Alan Rollinger in order to gain insight into the history, health and future of Denver’s urban trees.

Photo credit: botanicgardens.org, Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) Read the full article

Photo credit: Paula Szilard Read the full article

Holiday Cacti By Paula Szilard, Colorado Master Gardener If they weren’t so common, we’d all be transfixed by these stunning plants. Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are rainforest cacti from Brazil in the genus Schlumbergera . These plants are virtually identical, except Thanksgiving cacti bloom earlier. The Easter cactuses are distinct and fall into two different genera. There are over 200 cultivars of holiday cacti in all permutations of pink, purple, red, peach, coral and white and even yellow.

PHONE (303) 730-1920 EMAIL CSU-Extension@ArapahoeGov.com LOCATION 6934 S. Lima St., Suite B Centennial, CO 80112

CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.