When should you start your spring planting in Colorado? Most people say the best rule of thumb to follow is after Mother’s Day to best avoid freezing weather taking out all your hard work, but if you remember last year, post-Mother’s Day winter weather put a snag in those plans for many Colorado gardeners.
To get some answers, Denver7 anchor Jason Gruenauer spoke with Erin Bird, Associate Director of Communications at Denver Botanic Gardens for some advice and spring planting tips.
Jason Gruenauer, Denver7
We know usually it seems it might be a little too soon, but when is the best time to plant or leave plants outside and is it too soon for all?
Erin Bird, Denver Botanic Gardens | Associate Director of Communications
It depends on the plant. If you have a perennial plant that can go in the ground now because they are much tougher, hardier and actually enjoy the little bit of colder weather to start to get established. If we're talking about tender annual plants or you know, your veggies, fruits or herbs, though should wait until we think – it's always a guessing game – we think we have passed the last frost which is usually around Mother's Day weekend.
Jason Gruenauer, Denver7
So is there anything we can do now though, to prepare to make it easier or for a better growing season?
Erin Bird, Denver Botanic Gardens | Associate Director of Communications
Definitely! Now is a great time to start thinking about or even doing some spring cleanup in your garden. And so that can include cutting back ornamental grasses, trimming perennials, cutting those back, raking, getting rid of, you know, excess ground material that you don't need.
One tip if people are interested in creating more of a habitat for small animals and insects, is to not put all those scraps in the compost right away, you can just kind of create a pile or set them somewhere out of the way. And then that will create additional seed food, shelter and then if they're insect eggs in any of those cutback stems, then we'll give them a chance to actually hatch because insects are super important for garden ecosystems.
Jason Gruenauer, Denver7
What is the secret? How does the Botanic Gardens keep the plants so pristine?
Erin Bird, Denver Botanic Gardens | Associate Director of Communications
Well, even me, I am kind of new to gardening myself. I'm always excited to see when horticulture does lose a plant, it happens. Like everybody is going to kill a plant at some point in their life no matter the amount of experience or knowledge that you have.
So don't feel bad if that happens to you, but we do have a very large team of trained horticulturists, who look after our plants and we also have an incredible group of seasonal gardeners and volunteers that help with cleanup, tending to the plants cutting back watering and we couldn't do it without all of their help because it is a 24-acre campus. It's a lot of plants to take care of.
Jason Gruenauer, Denver7
And even more plants will actually be up for sale in just over a month or so. The Botanic Gardens has their spring plant sale from May 11 through the 13th. That's Mother's Day weekend. That's also usually marked for many Coloradans when you can finally do your plants. Erin Bird of the Denver Botanic Gardens, thanks so much for the time.
Erin Bird, Denver Botanic Gardens | Associate Director of Communications
Of course. Thanks for having me.
