Delicious

Lots of us are excited that Spring is here and we can work in the garden. As someone who believes that day trips are a near religious experience, today we will spend the day learning to make our gardens more successful.
- Cris

Let The Bugs Eat Someone Else’s Garden

A day spent at the Denver Botanic Gardens leaves you smiling, slightly dirty, and well-fed. Their full calendar of gardening and cooking classes provides many options to learn how plants grow in the specific climate of the Rocky Mountain region. Whether the goal is to grow vegetables or maintain a water-wise yard, these classes provide the information needed to succeed.

For people (such as myself) who don’t live in the Rockies, their classes are a great way to learn how to use water more effectively while still growing lots of delicious food.

Growing your own food makes the food-related news less interesting. Tomato prices increasing 40% due to oil shortages? Shrug. I’ve got lots here, 4 steps from my kitchen.

People who can improve soil or manage pests are less dependent on tasteless store-bought veggies and external landscaping services. The Denver Botanic Gardens hosts workshops on topics like drip irrigation and soil health. These sessions are practical but also fun - they count as a ‘day off’ from your normal routine.

Going Somewhere? Protect Your Trip (and Your Sanity)

One neat class is ‘A New Gardener Boot Camp.’ This program is for people who are just starting. That class is actually online so anyone can join. It covers the basics of plant selection and care.

For those with more experience, the Drip Irrigation For Home Gardeners (they have an online version of this one as well) class explains how to use much less water while also automating it (no more hoses). My husband would likely be thrilled for me to take this class so I stop asking “what’s the difference between the blue one and the green one again?”

The environment at the York Street or Chatfield Farms locations is quiet and focused. Stepping away from a computer screen to work with soil reminds us that life will go on if the internet goes down (I’m still skeptical of that one).

There is a sense of accomplishment in learning a technical skill like grafting or pruning. The Gardens also offer a Rocky Mountain Gardening Certificate for those who want to complete a series of courses. This program is endorsed by the Colorado Nursery Association, which ensures the curriculum meets professional standards.

Personally, I don’t need a certificate. I need to keep a straight face when I look the Tomato Hornworm in the eye and tell it ‘not yours!’ This thing ate THE ENTIRE TOMATO PLANT and not just the tomatoes. Bad bug.

Sending signals to these bugs that this is a bad neighborhood for them is much better than trying to kill them. They outnumber me and don’t have email to answer. A light soapy spray on the leaves, however? Ha! Not yours!

Hope your dinner is fresh and beautiful.

See you next Wednesday.

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