Gardening/Sprinklers Time? (Colorado Springs: home, live, stores)

[lsayala]

Hi there,

I am new to Colorado Springs. My hubby, children, and I moved here last July from Phoenix, AZ. Our home came with an awesome garden with quite a bit of overgrowth. So much so that we didn't really get to figure out what all it had in it. We are hoping to clean out the garden a bit and add some additional veggies. I am wondering if anyone has knowledge on a good time to do this around these parts? We are very new to this, and don't have a whole lot of knowledge on gardening.

Also, the "blowing out sprinklers" was a new thing for us. So we're curious as to when everyone starts turning their sprinklers/drip systems back. Weather's been great lately, but from what I hear and can swiftly change and there can be an occassional snow storm as late as May/June.

Any info is great appreciated!

[Terytee]

You'll probably get a lot of different opinions on this un. I don't turn the sprinkler system on until late April or early May.

My first year here, I turned the sprinkler system on in late March...it was nice... and the pipes froze...bad idea.

Many folks will use a regular lawn hose and sprinkler earlier in the spring, and avoid turning on the sprinkler system until later. It's a little bit of a gamble every spring.

As for planting....I got nuthin.

[Bullitt007]

Welcome to Colorado Springs!

Here's a good link that may answer your gardening questions: PPUG - Gardening Tips (http://www.ppugardens.org/gardening_tips - broken link)

Weather in the Spring is very "hit and miss". Just when you think it's warming up nicely, we get a hard freeze and pipes break. I'd suggest you play it safe and wait 'till May, possibly mid-May until you turn them on. Terytee's advice is good advice...for now, just water by hand to play it safe.

Cheers!

[kristie73]

I've been following the after Mother's Day rule for the last 4 years I've been here (transplant from San Diego) and it's been fine. I also use this forum for any questions I have in regards to gardening.

Rocky Mountain Gardening Forum - GardenWeb

[reginhild]

Harding Nursury, a local business since 1957, at the corner of Powers and Platte/I-24 has a free booklet with info. They also have some good information on their website: Harding Nursery

The "Water Returns" course sponsored by Cherokee Metro Water is a great course over several months that teaches you about gardening in this climate and water conservation: http://www.cherokeemetro.org/waterco...turnsFinal.pdf

[MMichelle]

kristie73 has it right, "after Mother's Day"! The garden stores start selling planting material now - it's always tempting ... but don't do it.

[love colo summers]

The "water by hand" advise is good. I've heard you should water your trees, shrubs, and grass periodically by hand througout the winter on our warmer days at least once per month.

[beezle1]

Here is a gardening tip that has worked well for me. I live up on the Palmer Divide, and it seems that if I plant vegetables before July 4, they will get hailed on. A few years ago, we built a screen and wooden frame that is the size of the garden bed, made of wood and metal screen (not window screen - more coarse than that), that sits on legs to raise it up about a foot off the ground. We put that out over the plants until it seems that there will be no more hail for the summer. It lets the water and sunlight in, but keeps the hail out. Hail that late in the season is probably not as bad a problem down in the Springs as it is up where I live though.

[Lainy]

I have a landscaper turn on as well as blow out my sprinklers every year. you can do it in April but be careful....I usually wait until the first part of May.

they do start putting out gardening stuff early and I'm always itching to start planting but usually don't until Memorial Day because of the cold nights.