In Gunnison, odds are stacked against valley farmers and home gardeners before their trowels even hit soil. A short growing season, harsh climate, variable rainfall and the high altitude present gardeners with many challenges. It takes patience and knowhow to harvest a bounty by the end of season.
Clif Knopf, a certified master gardener, works in the garden center at Fullmer’s Ace Hardware. Knopf said that before any gardening commences, there must be sufficient planning. Backyard gardeners have to understand the commitment needed to keep things living and growing.
“Make sure you’re getting good sunshine,” Knopf said. “The sun is still moving north into the summertime, so a sunny spot now may not be enough sun two months from now.”
Getting started early in the season means protecting outdoor plants from the cold. The average final-freeze date, or when frost stops being found on the ground during chilly mornings, is around June 10.
Growing in popularity are cold frames, which are lidded boxes that house plants. Plants stay warm at night with the lid closed. During the day, hot air escapes by opening the lid.
Hoop houses or low tunnels function similarly but are often cheaper, easier to install and aren’t necessarily permanent structures. They can be made with hoops covered in plastic or frost cloth. Structures help extend the short growing season and protect the plants.
Sierra Fairfield-Smith of Sol Food Gardens offers services from garden consultations to installation and full maintenance. She gave a talk on backyard gardening during this years’ Gunnison Valley Producers Guild conference.
She discussed the pros and cons of building raised garden beds or planting straight into the soil. “You will have less weeding and overall maintenance in a raised bed. Weeds have a harder time getting into raised beds and maintenance can be easier because it is raised off the ground,” she said. “If you have burrowing rodents, like ground squirrels, you can put hardware cloth beneath the soil to keep them out.”
Pay attention to what animals or rodents frequent the area. If deer are common visitors, install a protective fence or some sort of barricade around garden beds.
If there is clay soil or a high water table, raised beds improve water drainage.
Gardening straight into the ground is easier to set up, uses less materials and is not as expensive as installing a raised bed, Fairfield-Smith explained. “Build soil with a lasagna bed or clear the ground of weeds and grasses, amend the soil, then start growing. If it’s a large area like a farm, growing in the ground is more efficient for navigating larger machinery.”
Early season crops — lettuces, kale, spinach, peas — can be safe bets for early seeding.
Check the soil to sense its biological activity and nutrient density before planting. Dark soils are full of humus, organic material that forms in soil. Most soils need additional organic material, and compost is the best way to amend them. Too clay-ey or sandy? Add compost.
“Adding local composted cow manure that’s herbicide free, llama manure, chicken manure which is high in nitrogen, composted kitchen waste — they’re all good options to work into your soil,” said Susan Wyman of Gunnison Gardens.
Spread one to two inches of compost on top and work into the top six inches of soil. The next step to understanding the science is taking the soil to the Colorado State University Extension Office for analysis.
“Biological activity in the soil makes our plants grow, taste better and have the nutrients we need,” Wyman said.
If you are trying to grow on a barren dirt patch, don’t despair. In one or two seasons, even “dirt, the inert, lifeless stuff you sweep off the kitchen floor,” can be amended with compost, said Wyman. She compared the millions of microorganisms in the soil microbiome to the human gut microbiome — both are needed for health.
Knopf said knowing your soil temperature is crucial for seed sprouting.
“A successful crop depends on what the needed soil temperature is to start germination. If the soil isn’t warm enough, the seed sits dormant until it reaches the right temperature.”
Starting with seeds can be more economical, but is usually more work. Working from starts, or baby plants, is better for beginners or those looking for a jumpstart.
“Containers make vegetable growing a lot easier without taking up much space,” said Knopf. “Tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and most herbs do fine in containers.” Herbs can grow year-round in the right sized container if they are in full sunlight and get enough water.
If a gardener is going out of town, getting a plant sitter or setting up a drip watering system on an automatic timer may be good investments.
Fairfield-Smith recommended creating a garden to function as its own ecosystem so as to repel pests and attract beneficial insects. Planting certain herbs and flowers, like calendula or sunflowers, can attract insects like aphids, distracting them from the edible produce.
“Good bugs” include ladybugs, bees, praying mantis and worms.
Knopf said he enjoys on-site consultations with clients to just talk plants.
“Master gardeners are always wanting to see what other gardeners are doing and create solutions for them,” he said.
“Don't be afraid to experiment,” added Wyman. “What’s the worst that could happen? Don’t be intimidated.”
(Morgan Schaefer can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or morgan@gunnisontimes.com)
TIPS & INSIGHT
For more tips and insight on home gardening, check out the Gunnison Valley Producers Guild YouTube channel. Watch recordings from the 7th Annual Farm to Table Conference “How to be Food Independent,” featuring keynote Dr. Adrian Fielder, Gunnison Gardens’ Sue Wyman and Mountain Roots.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here