ARS LANDSCAPE MATERIALS & SUPPLY Planting Mix Uses: Backfill for constructing raised planting beds. Soil Amendment in existing beds with deleted or compacted soils.   Planting Mix Standard Applications: As a backfill for building planting beds. Install at least 6 inches deep to the surrounding...

ARS LANSCAPE MATERIALS & SUPPLY Winter Mulching in Cold Climate Gardens In areas that experience freezing temperatures, winter mulching differs from mulching during the growing season. We mulch our gardens in the spring to suppress weeds, retain moisture and feed and warm the soil. While we may...

ARS LANDSCAPE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY African violets are a favorite flowering house plant. They are easily propagated from a leaf cutting, they bloom continually all year, and they are available in many flower colors and forms. To grow African violets, you must provide the proper amount of light, otherwise...

ARS LANDSCAPING MATERIAL & SUPPLY Container Gardening: Basics Successful container gardening is based on choosing the right container, using soil that will drain properly while holding the moisture to prevent the plant from drying out, sufficient watering and fertilization, and providing the correct...

ARS LANSCAPE MATERIALS & SUPPLY Dealing with leaves in the fall: It’s almost like nature mocks us. We work hard all summer to grow tomatoes, mow the lawn religiously and fend our garden from insects and disease. Just as we want to take a break and watch some college football (Go Rams!…and Cyclones…and...

ARS LANDSCAPE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY Mulches control temperatures around plants. Mulches are cooler than rock mulches in the sun. Rocks absorb and store heat for long periods, reradiating heat to plants. Mulches are often used to alter temperatures in other ways. Applying mulches at planting keeps soil...

ARS Landscape Materials & Supply Generally, after the first hard frost, the foliage of most perennials starts to die and wither. There are two philosophies on when to remove the dead foliage. One approach is to immediately remove the dead foliage. Many perennials will suffer no harm as a result,...

ARS LANDSCAPE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY Fall may be the best time of the year to plant nursery stock in other parts of the country, but it is second best in Colorado, behind spring. When planting in the fall, be sure to finish by the end of October. Some deciduous trees are less likely to transplant successfully...

ARS LANDSCAPE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY Houseplants are the latest word in household cleaning. Research now shows that houseplants play an important role in cleaning the air we breath, both indoors and out. Plants produce their own food through a process called photosynthesis. This means they take in carbon...

ARS LANDSCAPE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY There are two main sources of water that must be considered. The first is surface water, which comes directly from rain, ending up on the land. The second actually is from rain also, but in this case it hits the roof of the house, running into the gutters. These...