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HOME GARDEN
Your Guide to a Prosperous Home and Garden Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team
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Question
of the
Month
What is your favorite thing to plant in the spring? ➤ Chris Singleton “This year I am planting Strawberry Cough. I know everyone loves this strain—it’s mellow and makes excellent edibles.”
Paula Roelands
➤
“Well, I already planted 140 sugar snap peas and next month I’ll plant another 140. They’re a great finger food, go well in stir-fry and they’re delicious and nutritious.”
➤ Margie Carrasco “I like to plant vegetables. I guess my favorite would be watermelon or pumpkin— the things that take the longest to grow.”
Eric Hubbs “We plant annual flowers in the front every spring.”
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SPRING 2017
Creating space for seeds and humility Alive and Digging,
W
e are humbled in the garden. Immersed in tangible and mysterious life cycles, nurturing seeds that become bounties—we are energized and awe-struck time and again. It’s the fresh air, the connection to the earth, the slowing-down of time and the empowerment we feel. (Not to mention the super-fresh food we harvest along the way.) These are all profound gifts in and of themselves. But each works, too, to remind us of our modest and glorious existence as human beings. I know what you might be thinking: Is this a gardening column or some hippie manifesto? Hopefully it’s a little of both.
➤
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For so many of us, the garden is a portal into the untamed, natural world. It connects us to a realm that we’re often distanced from in our daily lives. Nature is a profoundly complex living thing. Add human cultivation, and nature becomes gardening: a vast array of jargon and tools, theories, practices, ideological camps, bare feet, straw hats and Latin names. The process of gardening can get as complicated as we wish, but the act of gardening is a simple one. And simplicity is what makes gardening so enchanting. Through this column-manifesto, I invite you to create a new kind of space, to venture into the gardening universe—humbly and vibrantly alive and digging.
Artists plan, too Whether you’re new to gardening or have been around the block, planning your garden from start to finish can be a helpful creative practice that inspires ideas and increases your garden’s efficiency.
By Paige Slaughter
Planning helps maximize space and resources, and it can shed light on what you can add or take away to increase the diversity of plants and nutrients that you grow. Use your plan to start a gardening journal that can inform future years of garden experiments. When planning your garden, take into account this tip from Lynn Gillespie of Paonia’s The Living Farm: Plant (and eat) one-third leafy greens, one-third color-rich fruits and vegetables and one-third sulfur-rich vegetables like cabbage, onions and turnips. Don’t forget to consider harvest time. It’s tempting to plant a dozen different kinds of tomatoes. While playing with new plant varieties is an important practice, doing so at the expense of a diverse, rich garden ecosystem has its drawbacks. Doodle, research and scribble your way to a detailed plan. Of course, you can and will adapt as you go.
Casting spring seeds Our high desert valley climate is full of surprises. Unless you have hoop houses or row covers, spend this month tending to cool season crops that can handle a frost. Sowing seeds for hardy greens like arugula, kale and spinach, and mulching with a thin layer of grass clippings will help suppress weeds while weather warms. Enjoy harvesting microgreens, young leaves and, later, mature greens continually as you thin. Seed thick beds of carrots, turnips, radishes and beets as well. Harvest nutrient-rich tasty roots and leaves as you thin, leaving room for the last remaining vegetables to grow to full size. Other cool season vegetables like cabbage and broccoli can be direct-seeded this month, too. ■
SPRING 2017
APRIL GARDEN CHECKLIST ❒ Plan your garden. ❒ Test your soil at the local agriculture extension (it’s inexpensive or free) to learn your soil’s acidity level and identify heavy metals.
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❒ Observe sunlight. Consider using sunflowers or a shade cloth to shield
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tender plants from summer’s sun.
❒ Rotate crops to enhance, rather than exhaust, the soil. Tomatoes especially are heavy feeders and need to move.
❒ Identify perennials and place large annuals (trellised tomatoes, squash mounds, corn) then fill empty spaces with greens, root vegetables, herbs, flowers and legumes. Plan for succession planting to avoid bare ground as much as possible. Blooms attract bees and other beneficial insects, and perennial root systems support healthy soils.
❒ Pull weeds; add compost or worm castings to rows, mounds and
Before
raised beds.
❒ Divide and transplant perennials before they bloom. ❒ Dig underneath the roots to lift the plant with minimal disturbance; soak the roots in water while you prepare new holes, filling holes with water and replenishing soil with organic matter; divide plant into small sections, transplant sections, pat down firmly around the base and cover with mulch.
❒ Direct-sow cool season plants, including arugula, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, chard, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, kohlrabi, onions, peas, potatoes, radish, rutabaga, spinach, turnips, beets, carrots and parsnips.
❒ Water seedlings and mulch with a thin layer of grass clippings or straw.
Meet our new columnist
P
aige Slaughter was called to the Grand Valley because of
a garden. There, she found beauty, wellness and simplicity, and fell in love. She immersed herself in local agriculture, farming practices and
r satisfaction you
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insights and ideas. Send your questions and comments to Paige in care of the BEACON, or email paige@fruitionstudio.com.
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SPRING 2017
Now is the time to plant perennials By Paige Slaughter
also provide habitats for birds, toads and other beneficial critters above ith so much to love about perennial plants, it’s a wonder ground. They’re low maintenance, aesthetthey aren’t overflowing from our ically appealing and long lasting. yards and public spaces. Once established, perennial plants Perennial plants are those that require little input or attention. live longer than two years, as opWith spring in full force, it’s a posed to annual plants, which burst great time to add perennial plants into life, produce seeds and die, all to your home landscape. In early in one season. While the fast and spring, many perennials are still furious life cycle of an annual is cerwaking from their winter sleep, tainly impressive, perennial plants so they feel less shock when being are crucial to the circle of life. They moved from one place to another. happen to be aesthetically brilliant, Buying locally grown plant starts too. is one of the best ways to ensure There are two types of perenniyour perennial will thrive. In our als: woody and herbaceous. Woody high desert climate, this rings espeplants, like trees, vines and shrubs, cially true. endure winter above ground and Valley Grown Nursery grows below. They are ready to photosyn- trees, shrubs and other perennials thesize as soon as they wake up, right here in the Grand Valley. Havor, in the case of evergreens, are ing already survived a winter, or a soaking up rays of energy all the few, their perennial plant starts are time. Herbaceous perennials die well-established and acclimated to back above ground during the win- our region. ter, and their roots stay alive. These Offering a fresh selection of trees perennials, including black-eyed and blooming favorites like panSusan and dianthus, re-sprout each sies, violas, snapdragons and roses, spring as their roots grow deeper Valley Grown Nursery offers valley and stronger every year. residents a variety of hardy and Perennials, with their deep, exbeautiful perennial possibilities. tensive root systems, feed the soil For more information, call them at in ways that annuals can’t. They 245-2634. ■
W
Welcome Spr ing
Coolloorraaddoo G Haarrddyy C Grroow wnn wiitthh H w Trees & Shrubs Evergreen Trees & Shrubs Annuals & Perennials Roses & Vines Grasses & Herbs Gift Certificates
680 24 ½ Road (¾ mile north of Mesa Mall) •
245-2634
SPRING 2017
HOME & GARDEN
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Get your patio ready for backyard entertaining By Jan Weeks
I
f warmer weather has you thinking about adding a patio, pathway, fireplace or flagstone walk, The Brickyard in Grand Junction and Montrose has whatever you need in the way of masonry supplies and barbecue equipment. This locally owned business has been around the Grand Valley since 1986. What makes it different from other masonry suppliers and big box stores is that all the products are manufactured right here in Grand Junction. Whether you want cement blocks for a foundation or decorative brick for a planter, you’ll find it at The Brickyard. The fact that they make many of their products locally is reflected in the names. For instance, you can buy Palisade Blend pavers,
as well as Redlands Blend and Kannah Creek concrete squares. The showroom features brick and stone veneers; concrete stains, cleaners and sealers; and equipment enough to satisfy the most avid DIY junkie, including masonry saws. You can buy gravel and sand for patio and driveway bases, too. The Brickyard also rents masonry saws and plate compactors. Also featured is a range of woodstoves. Owner Jamie Montgomery said, “We are the only locally owned and operated business doing [masonry] in Western Colorado. We carry a full line of masonry, landscape and barbecue supplies. We want our customers to come in here and be able to redesign their own backyard
to fit their lifestyle.” Wait a minute. Did she say barbecue? Yep. Besides supplying the finest stone and concrete products, The Brickyard also carries a full line of outdoor cooking supplies and equipment. “We focus on outdoor kitchen accessories, built-in barbecues and components, pellet grills, Big Green Eggs, and high-end stainless steel grills. We carry lots of different spices, and sauces and rubs that are not available anywhere else in
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town, as well as some local favorites like the Zesty Moose,” Montgomery said. The barbecue room will set mouths watering with its large assortment of gas grills, Big Chief smokers, grill baskets and other gadgets for the well-equipped backyard chef. Gas pizza grill, anyone? There’s even a grill that runs on wood pellets. The showroom also features indoor fireplace displays and outdoor kitchens. Although The Brickyard doesn’t build or install them, it has a long list of masons and other craftsmen it’s happy to recommend. The Brickyard in Grand Junction is located at 2860 I-70 Business Loop. For more information, call 242-5575. The Montrose store is located at 3672 N. Townsend Ave. and the phone is 252-7425. ■
Brick • Block • Decorative Gravel & Sand Fireplace Supplies • Flagstone, Strip & Ledge Stone • Garden Walls • Glass Block • BIG GREEN EGG • Built-in Grills & accessories
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2860 I-70 Business Loop, Grand Junction, CO. • 970.242.5575 • www.brickyardcolorado.com
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Soil matters
LOCATED AT
2920 D 1/2 Road
By Paige Slaughter
(in the center of Grand Junction)
W
LOCALLY OWNED
40 YEARS WE SELL:
Decorative Rocks, Gravel & Road-base, Sands, Garden Soils, Mulches & Bark, Boulders & Flagstone.
We Strive to provide high quality Landscape & Garden Supplies.
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www.sticksandstonesgj.com
hether we’re growing food in garden beds or enhancing our home landscapes (or both), soil matters. In the Grand Valley, our soil looks a whole lot like clay. It’s rich with sediments, full of rocks, and isn’t always soft and crumbly like the soils featured in home and garden magazines. Amending your garden soil will help shrubs and flowers thrive, adding beautiful blooms to your yard for pollinators. Amending the soil is not about combatting our tricky desert soils, but rather, it’s about working with our local soils to create more comfortable spaces for annual and perennial plants to grow. The types of amendments we make to soil depend on what we’re working with. Soil amendments include fertilizers like manure or compost, which provide plants with nutrients; materials like shredded bark for water
SPRING 2017
retention; lime to make soil less acidic; sand and gypsum for better drainage; among others. While we can add amendments to the soil in our backyards, we also have the option of adding amended soil to our garden beds and landscaping areas. This option is certainly less time consuming and more accessible for many. But buying amended soil that’s been amended for some vague and distant land is not so helpful. Locally mixed amended soil is a valuable resource that can do wonders in your garden and home landscape. Sticks & Stones, located at 2920 D ½ Road in Grand Junction, offers amended soil that’s ready to go. Their Mountain Garden Mix is tailored to meet the needs of local gardeners here in the Grand Valley. They also offer a topsoil rich in organic matter to add to your garden beds or around your perennial plants, bringing nutrients to your plants throughout the growing season. For more information, give Sticks & Stones a call at 245-4920 or visit www.sticksandstonesgj.com. ■
Over 50? Here’s how to get the most out of your home
A
re you relocating, downsizing or selling the family home? These life-changing decisions can be stressful. A major move can take several months, and may involve a lot of coordination and attention to detail. To make this process as seamless as possible, it’s important to find a real estate agent who will listen to your concerns and assist you in accomplishing your goals, which may be unique, especially if you’re 50 and older. If you fit the bill, you might benefit most by working with a Senior Real Estate Specialist. A Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) has the necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50 and older through the major lifestyle transition of buying
or selling a home. A good SRES will have a team of experts to advise you in all areas of the process, including reliable movers, painters, handymen, cleaners, estate sale companies, organizers and inspectors. A SRES will help you take care of the details, all while providing special attention to you and your unique situation. They will discuss with you the necessary steps to take in order to sell your home and how you can receive the maximum benefit. Carol Gerber is a Senior Real Estate Specialist with Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction. For a free consultation and market analysis, which can help determine the value of your home, call her at 234-2037. ■
SPRING 2017
Celebrate lavender at the Colorado Lavender Festival By Robbie Urquhart
J
HOME & GARDEN
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
uly is the perfect time to celebrate the harvest of one of the most beautiful crops in the area— lavender. Lavender fields are in full bloom, and local farms are sharing their bounty with lovers of this ancient herb. Don’t miss the seventh annual Colorado Lavender Festival, sponsored by Hummel Real Estate, on July 7-9. This celebration of all things lavender begins Friday with two culinary bus tours of local farms for samplings and demonstrations of delicious lavender treats. The VIP Culinary Tour will take lavender lovers to Belle Fiori Lavender Farm for lessons in how to incorporate lavender into pastries and sweets. The tour will also take folks to A Pinch of Lavender for demonstrations on using culinary lavender in spices, rubs, salts and peppers, and sugars. Then it’s onto Sprigs and Sprouts for samplings of oils, vinegars, jellies and other lavender delights. The tour ends with a delicious meal at il Bistro Italiano. The Culinary & Artisan Craft Tour takes folks to visit farms and orchards in the Hotchkiss/Paonia
area, where they will see demonstrations on the uses of culinary lavender at Conner Orchards; sample teas and soaps, and create their own hydrosol clay facial mask at Lamborn Mountain Farmstead; and enjoy a fresh farm-to-table lunch at Delicious Orchards. Buses are provided by Absolute Prestige Limosines. On Saturday, an arts and craft event will be set up in Palisade Memorial Park. Over 50 vendors will be selling their wares, including soaps, skin care products, decorative items, seasonings, baskets, jewelry and more. There will be music, food demonstrations, wine, wreath-making workshops, and seminars. On Sunday, lavender farms will be open for self-guided tours and will host their own activities and events. It’s a great way to wrap up a funfilled lavender weekend. The Colorado Lavender Festival is put on by the Lavender Association of Western Colorado, an organization dedicated to promoting lavender as an alternative cash crop through education, research, networking and market development. For more information, visit www.coloradolavender.org. ■
Immerse yourself In lavender
II
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July 7~9
PresenTs
UMMEL HREAL ESTATE
FRI July 7: Absolute Prestige Half-Day Motorcoach Tours
• •
VIP Sweet & Savory Culinary Tour: Visit 3 unique lavender farms, a lavender inspired lunch follows at Il Bistro Italiano Restaurant, Grand Junction. (TICKET) North Fork Culinary & Artisan Craft Tour: Travel to 2 scenic farms in Paonia and Hotchkiss. Lunch at Delicious Orchards, Hotchkiss. (TICKET)
SAT July 8: Colorado Lavender Festival in Palisade Memorial Park
Enjoy an intriguing array of lavender-inspired artisan products, food, cooking demos, music. 9a-4p (FREE ADMISSION). Seminars & wreathmaking. (TICKET)
SUN July 9: Self-guided Agri-tours Visit farms, orchards, retailers. Meet growers, crafts, food, music, U-pick, demos. Each location unique. Maps at Sat. Festival. (FREE)
coloradolavender.org
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SPRING 2017
How to save money on concrete repair T
he environment can do terrible things to even the hardest elements, including concrete. Breaking up, removing and replacing concrete can be expensive and time consuming. By comparison, slabjacking is usually faster and more cost effective. Most slabjacking projects can be done in a day or a few hours. Every situation is unique but property owners can save an average of 40 to 80 percent over the cost of removing and replacing concrete. Slabjacking can help prevent tripping hazards so you can stay safe around your home. Slabjacking lifts concrete by pumping grout through a small, strategically positioned hole that’s drilled through the concrete.
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Call us today at 970.249.3631 to set up your appointment
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Keep your home comfortable year-round: Spring is the best
time to inspect your furnace and AC
Black Hills Energy is offering YOU a $300 CASH rebate for upgrading your furnace to an Energy Efficient Unit!
942 N. Park aveNue
Mays Construction Specialties, Inc. uses a variety of substances, from special soil-cement mixtures to expanding polyurethane foams, to get your concrete back to its correct or desired level. The holes are filled in and the cement can typically be walked or driven on immediately. Mays Construction Specialties, Inc. has successfully raised over two million square feet of concrete in the last 25 years using their slabjacking process, saving over $13 million for their clients. For complete and reliable concrete repair and restoration, foundation underpinning and stabilization services, contact Mays Construction Specialties, Inc. at 245-0834 or visit www.mays-mcsi.com. ■
Coolings@Montrose.net
s the weather becomes warmer, your furnace is becoming less of a necessity and soon your home won’t even need it. But before you put it in the back of your mind, along with the winter cold, now is the time to give your furnace a little TLC. Heaters, like all machinery, require tune-ups to work efficiently and combat general wear and tear. The folks at Cooling’s Heating and Air Conditioning suggest getting a complete inspection of your furnace now so you don’t find yourself suffering if it breaks when you need it most. Spring is also a great time to have an expert inspect your air conditioner or swamp cooler. This
involves properly cleaning the condenser coils, checking the amount of coolant, replacing the air filter and recharging the unit, if necessary. This year, Coolings can help you get $300 back when you upgrade your furnace to a more energy-efficient model. Not only is that cash back in your pocket, but it will also save you money on your monthly utilities. Don’t let the seasons catch up to you. Keep your home comfortable year-round by making sure your heating and cooling systems are running correctly and efficiently. Call Coolings Heating and Air Conditioning in Montrose at 249-3631 to set up your appointment. ■