For some Denver gardeners, winter is a
welcome reprieve from gardening. Others wish they could garden all
year. If you're in the latter group, you'll be glad to know that in
Denver, at least, you don't have to stop gardening when the snow
falls. Here's how you can garden throughout the winter in Denver.
November
The first day of winter is usually
somewhere around the 21st of December. That doesn't mean
it won't be nippy in Denver before then. Officially winter or not,
November is usually considered a winter month. In Denver, however,
it's still very possible to keep cold hardy vegetables like greens
and root vegetables growing right up until the first of December. If
you have a cold frame or greenhouse, you may be able to grow them all
winter. It all depends on how cold it gets.
In November, you can likely still
finish your garden
clean-up tasks. You may even still have some produce to harvest.
Yes, there will be cold days. There will also be warm ones. Take
advantage of them when they come to finish the last of your big
garden tasks, set up those cold frames, pick off the last of the
harvest and more. December is not quite as Denver garden user
friendly.
December
Denver Decembers can be bitterly cold.
They can also be seasonally warm. That's due, of course to the
semi-arid climate. While it may be possible for procrastinating
Denver gardeners to continue their garden clean-up into the weeks
prior to Christmas, there are no guarantees. A better bet would be to
use this time to wrap up those garden themed Christmas gifts. Your
homemade salsa, sauces, jellies, jams and even your excess squash and
pumpkins make a wonderful gift for those without a garden.
You can also start herbs indoors for
next year's garden and continue tending any hardy veggies you may
still have growing.
January
It's January already? In Denver,
January is typically frigid. Time for gardeners to stay primarily
indoors. Order and/or peruse those seed catalogs. Checking your seed
inventory first insures that you won't over-order. Believe it or not,
January is also a great time for planting onion seeds. Starting early
gives them time to develop into mature bulbs for planting.
Re-pot any herbs that have outgrown
their starter pots.
February
February is all about paper plans. Make
a scale sketch of your garden spaces. Take a look at the seeds you
have in stock. Consider the plants you plan to buy or grow. Pencil
everything in so you can make necessary changes easily. Take size and
height into consideration. In Denver, the general rule is to plant
your rows running from north to south. Taller crops should be planted
in the westernmost rows, shorter ones in the east, toward the rising
sun. This way, as the sun makes it's way across the sky, no plant is
shaded by another.
Don't forget to check that your
neighboring veggies are compatible.
It might surprise some newer Denver
gardeners to know that February is also a great time to start
tomatoes and peppers indoors or in a heated greenhouse. Once again,
that early start insures that plants will be a healthy size and in
good condition for planting when the time comes. They will have to be
re-potted, trimmed and fed as they grow.
March
Use March to start the rest of your
veggies indoors in Denver. There are also some crops like peas,
squash and corn that can be started from seed outdoors in late March.
If you're not sure which ones, check the Farmer's Almanac.
April/May
Winter is pretty much over by the end
of April in Denver. You should have your garden space tilled and
ready and a few hardy seed crops planted by May 1st. Some
can be planted sooner. You may still see snow or frost in April, but
the garden soil should be workable, for the most part.
By the first of May, you should have
most seeds planted. Tomatoes and peppers will have to wait until
mid-May or the first of June, weather dependent. Don't do any heavy
planting without checking weather reports. And remember, Denver is on
the edge of the tornado belt. Be ready to quickly protect plants from
those spring storms that begin in June.
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