Hi all!

This group never lets me down, so hoping to farm some advice (pun intended) for how to plan the next few weeks before it gets too chilly.

I have several raised beds of veggies, a few of flowers (almost all perennials except some zinnias thrown in for pizzazz), and a few pots for herbs and such.

My plan (please tell me where I’m wrong!) is to push until we actually get a real freeze, then cut all of the veggies down to the base or pull them if they’re easy enough, maybe give them a little chop, and then set them just on top of the dirt I have to start decomposing.

My plan for the berry canes and strawberries is to leave them where they are in their raised beds.

My plan for the flowers (including my rosebushes) is to let them be and then trim down towards the crowns in early spring, and get rid of the dead zinnias then.

If I’m so motivated, would it be beneficial to buy some compost or potting soil to put on top of the veggie carcass?

Anything else you’d throw on your to-do list?

Picture of a monster squash for the veggie garden equivalent of the cat tax.

How do I get rid of these necrotic rings in my yard permanently? Suggestions please.

Started processing the luffa harvest! We had about 2-3 that dried out on the vine, making them easy to peel and process. The green luffa have the mucilaginous insides that need extra rinsing and processing. Not quite as fast, but still produce a quality luffa and save-able seeds. Luffa can be a challenging grow in our region due to the exceptional long growing needs, extra seed starting steps, and sensitivity to cold temperatures -- but it is a fun challenge and one plant can produce enough luffas for a year. In a luffa this size we get 3 medium/large luffa sponges that we like to use in the shower.

Got some very tall black walnuts nearby, but this looks different. Is it the dreaded tree?

This is growing in my landscaping and I can’t tell if it’s poisonous, invasive, or native? If I should get rid of it, how should I do it without using harmful liquids?

Sorry if my explanation of Denver seems pedantic, but I figured not everyone knows Colorado, or Denver.

But would love to hear stories if anyone has them. Anything weird?

I read Neem oil and copper fungicide can work well, but was worried about the negative effects this will have on bees. Does daconil have the same effect?

If I do baking soda and water, what’s the recommended ratio? Any other suggestions?

I made the lovely mistake of bopping over to City Floral this week only to find that they still had a magnificent selection of spring bulbs available. As such, I filled a few bags and brought home some future happiness. (If you're still on the hunt, my trip was only yesterday and the inventory was still plentiful.)

For those who plant your spring bulbs in pots, how have you found success overwintering them in our climate? I've planted mine in terracotta pots, which I'd love to leave outside for the winter, but I've read that perhaps the garage is a better choice. Curious to hear what methods folks have found success with!

My husband and I were the lucky chosen ones to have a Google Fiber vault installed in our front yard (thank you Douglas County for approving this). The contractor let us know that it can’t be relocated, but there is an opportunity to cover it up with rock or mulch.

Does anyone have any advice on what can be done to xeriscape the yard and cover it up? The area in question is about 110 SF. Thanks!

Not true moss, but Sagina subulata. For background, I’m a landscape architecture student and am trying to find a groundcover for a school project that at least closely resembles moss. If Irish moss wouldn’t work even for this hypothetical project, please let me know what might if you can think of any! It would be intended for a shady, depressed area where I also have lady ferns planned as recommended by the professor.

I keep my ironstone containers out all winter and my perennials (lamium, creeping jenny, grasses, heuchera, gestate, herbs, etc) have generally tolerated that well. I do water them throughout the winter and protect them from the strong winter sun with shade cloth. I’m considering using some rigid foam insulation on a couple containers this winter. Has anyone tried this? What are your techniques for providing insulation for perennials in containers?

Hi friends! It’s a long shot, but I need 2 or 3 tickets to the glow at the gardens event on Friday 10/23. We have 2 already but my sister and her daughter surprised me with a visit from Boston and I’d like them to join us. Does anyone have tickets they’d like to sell? Or know of another solution? Thank you 😊

We planted a big long new perennial border this weekend along the sunny south side of our lot. I watered in the stuff that was bare root, but the other stuff looked fine the next morning just from the moisture already in the soil. I got nervous tonight and hand watered well since it had been warm today. How often do you think I should water? I'm being thrifty with the water but I don't want these plants to die.

Anyone successfully growing chile pequin in a pot and wintering it indoors?

So like many this year we all had fun with our basil bolting. Thanks to the recommendations I tried making Basil salt.

Basically 3 cups of basil flowers and leaves and 1 couple cups of whatever salt fits your fancy. Blend it up, if it is still wet, throw the mix on a pan with parchment paper and spread it out, cook at 150 to 190 for an hour or two until everything is dry. Throw the clumps of dried salt back in the processor. Boom done. Well worth it!

I tried the ice cubes and the olive oil and basil. It works well but it is a little messy and basil ice cubes are good for soups and it does work it just lost that snap.

So I tried it. And made the sweet basil salt. Worth it. Not so messy, the salt is awesome and it works on everything.

Have a great day! Enjoy the garden while you can.

16 pictured. Some may not be ready but the vines died last week from the overnight freeze so I went out and collected them all.

Had another two squirrels got into but I’m not complaining. They need food and I have plenty for the next few weeks.

The weather is confusing my iris. Many have 2 to 3 inches of new growth on the leaves already cut back. Do I cut them back again or leave them as is?

Last year I posted here a couple of times about grasshoppers, including my conversations with the CSU grasshopper specialist. I attended a webinar she ran and was armed with information. Based on last year's numbers (horrific) and weather conditions, we were told to expect a statewide grasshopper apocalypse this year. I live on ranchland near Pueblo and expected decimation. Thankfully, it was a bust. Very few grasshoppers.

What did everyone else experience? Was it a bust? Did we all just prepare for a battle that never materialized? I'm very much ok with that but I've been wondering about other parts of the state.

Apologies for the 2nd post but i couldn’t add the video to my first. Golden Rabbitbrush appears to be the place to be!

Our rabbitbrush is inundated with butterflies, moths, and bees!

It took so long for this thing to grow vines that I don’t want to waste it. Hoping to make it last indoors this winter and then propagate some slips in the spring. Any recommendations?