Colorado Master Gardeners - Arapahoe County

Mulching the vegetable garden reduces water loss, stabilizes soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and can extend the growing season. Grass clippings work well in 1/4-inch dry layers, but avoid clippings treated with chemicals. A couple of sheets of newspaper beneath clippings can help control weeds. Certified weed-free straw, compost, or thoroughly rinsed coconut coir are good mulches if free of herbicide residue. Avoid plastic in summer heat, and avoid wood or bark chips. Read more here: https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/mulches-for-the-vegetable-garden/

Feeling blue this summer? Blue in the garden soothes the senses. Cool colors create serene, calming spaces, and add optical depth. Fewer than 10% of flowering plants have true blue blooms, making blue a striking focal point.

Visit the Cheyenne-Arapaho Park Community Garden during the August 8 Gardens of Distinction Tour to learn about regenerative gardening and soil health. The educational plot, tended by Arapahoe County Master Gardeners, demonstrates compact, productive planting. In 2025, 1,158 pounds of produce were donated. Registration link here: https://col.st/j28ov

Bon appetit, squirrels? If squirrels are a problem in the vegetable garden, there are 3 different deterrents:
1. Physical barriers: Place a row cover, anchored with stones or sandbags, to protect seedlings from squirrels. Tulle-like fabric or row covers can hinder squirrels.
2. Sensory deterrents: Spray plants with pepper or garlic, or use motion-activated sprinklers to startle them with water and sound.
3. Resistant plants: Grow strong-scented herbs like sage or mint to mask the scent of vegetables and deter their feeding.
https://extension.colostate.edu/gilpin/resource/rabbit-ground-squirrel-and-deer-resistant-plants/

Root weevil vs. leafcutter bee damage: which is which?
Root weevils chew jagged, uneven notches into the edge of a leaf, while leafcutter bees create smooth, circular cuts to harvest leaf pieces for nests. Leafcutter bees are important native insects and are great pollinators.
Information on root weevil control: https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/root-weevils/
Information on leafcutter bees: https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/leafcutter-bees/

Geum chiloense 'Totally Tangerine' (aka Avens), is a bright, beautiful, long-blooming perennial. Performs well as a border plant reaching 18" tall and 12" wide. Likes full sun and attracts pollinators!

Annuals add beautiful color to the landscape. CSU Flower Trials annually evaluates a variety of plants to determine “the best of” for our unique environmental conditions. 2025 Best Of Annuals includes Salvia ‘Mystic Spires’, Calibrachoa ‘Double Grapefruit’, Begonia ‘Shine Bright White’, and Coleus ‘All That Lava’. https://flowertrials.colostate.edu/

John Murgel, Douglas County Extension Specialist, offers information on the top 20 drought tolerant perennial flowers for Colorado. Read his article here:
https://engagement.source.colostate.edu/top-20-drought-tolerant-perennial-flowers-colorado/

"There are 1006 native bee species in Colorado.... Unlike honeybees that are social and live in large colonies, 90% of native bee species found around the world are solitary. Approximately 70% of these bees nest underground in the soil, and about 30% nest inside hollow stems of plants and in pre-existing tunnels."

Read more about Colorado native bee populations:

https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/attracting-native-bees-to-your-landscape/

https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/creating-pollinator-habitat/

Attracting Native Bees to Your Landscape | Colorado State University Extension Of all the pollinators found in gardens, agricultural fields and natural areas, bees are the most common and efficient. There are over 20,000 bee species