Growing Onions 101
Our onion, leek, and shallot sets have just arrived, which means it’s soon time to plant them! These flavorful plants are a clear favorite for cooking around the world and are surprisingly easier to grow than most expect. But there’s a first time for everything we understand, so with the recent arrival of these bulb producers, we thought we’d write an easy guide to allium care! So, don’t sweat about day length, fertilization, fungal disease, and soil types; we’ve got you covered!
Onion Day Length Guide Explanation
Figuring out and finding an onion that fits your area’s “day length” standards is initially intimidating. “Day length, that is, the duration of daylight hours within 24 hours, is influenced by the Earth’s tilt. Thus, various amounts of light reach different parts of the Earth throughout the year. Likewise, latitude influences what onions you can and can’t grow. Places with higher latitude (the closer you get to the poles), your day length is extended in summer” (Jameson). This is flipped for places closer to the equator in winter. Certain onions won’t survive beyond the equator, while others won’t survive near the equator, as onions are extremely light-dependent. Now, to keep it simple, our store typically only carries onion varieties suitable for Colorado, which typically has Intermediate-day summer growing periods. You can likewise grow Long-day onions further North in our state. To find out what day-length range your state is, click the link here: Click me!
Planting Time
“Plant onion sets from April to early May (for zone 4) or four to six weeks before your last frost date. If your soil isn’t workable, onion sets can be stored for roughly three weeks in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space” (Dixondale). DO NOT put them in water.
Perfect Soil
One perk about onions is that they grow well in a variety of soil types! “So long as your soil has excellent drainage, to avoid rot, you can grow onions in sandy or clay-dense soil” (CSU). Just make sure to amend said soils with organic material to generate better aeration (especially for clay soils). We recommend organic materials, such as Cotton bur compost or humus, to help. The onions wouldn’t shy away from nutrient-dense soil! “To amend soil for onion beds, you’ll apply 1 1/2” of green compost or humus over the desired beds, and work said material 8” deep into the soil” (CSU). Likewise, the spot onions will be planted in MUST HAVE good sun (exemplified in the day-length paragraph).
Fertilizing
Start strong with fertilizing your onions by testing your soil. You’ll want a nutrient-rich soil with a balanced NPK ratio with no excess. “Onions require a good dosage of nitrogen; however, too much leads to early maturing and produces poor bulbs. While liquid fertilizers are fine for onions, slow-release solid fertilizers are better, especially if they’re organic. You’ll side-dress onions to fertilize them by scratching in the slow-release fertilizer above ground six inches away from the onion plants. You will want to do this after roots establish and only once or twice per growing season” (UM).
Watering
“Onion roots are shallow and thus sensitive to changes in moisture. Make sure to water frequently, never allowing their soil to dry out. If you allow them to dry during the bulbing stage, bulbs will be small and leathery” (CSU). Our 2025-2026 winter has been dry, and our summer will be too (most likely), so make sure to water your onion sets from now until harvest. An inch of water a week should be perfect, but keep a close eye on them regardless. “Cease watering entirely by August, or when the tops of the plant lie over on the ground. The food made in the leaves will supply the onion with nutrients from this point on” (CSU).
Fungal Issues & Insects
Sadly, it’s not all champagne and caviar with growing onions. “One infamous insect that loves onions are thrips” (CSU). These tiny flying lice-like bugs feed by puncturing leaves and sucking out the sap. They especially love onions, so non-systemic insecticides are essential for keeping them away and exterminating them. Onions also suffer from various fungal issues and diseases, from purple blotch to mildew. Always stick to organic fungicides when protecting onions and never systemics, otherwise you won’t be able to enjoy your crops! If you’re interested in learning more about onion diseases and fungal issues, check out a few articles featured below:
Disease & Fungus: Click me!
Insect Control: Click me!
Soil-Borne Diseases: Click me!
Weeds
Onions are susceptible to weed choking. “Get onion beds free from weeds with organic preemergents (such as corn meal), raking them into the top inch of the soil” (Dixondale). Preemergents will halt weed seed germination for six weeks, but established weeds will remain. Do not use any other herbicide and weed by hand with a hoe, dandelion popper, etc.
That’s just the basics when it comes to growing onions, shallots, and leeks from sets. For further questions, we highly recommend you check out the sources below or the others featured within this article. Feel free to visit the store for help from our staff or email Colorado State Extension Q&A for questions. Don’t let the onions frighten you, happy gardening!
Jameson, Molly. “Understanding Short-Day vs. Long-Day Onions | Panhandle Agriculture.” Ufl.edu, 2024, https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2024/07/26/understanding-short-day-vs-long-day-onions/
“1808 – Growing Onions from Seed – PlantTalk Colorado.” Colostate.edu, 2025, https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/vegetables/1808-growing-onions-seed/
“Growing Onions in Home Gardens.” Extension.umn.edu,https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-onions
“Onion Planting Guide – Dixondale Farms.” Dixondale Farms, 16 Apr. 2020, https://dixondalefarms.com/onion-planting-guide/?srsltid=AfmBOopg3208TqFNnzA7QA7bRfa1G1ElBS05UPDSmU2tczB506uMrrrB
2026 Tomato & Pepper List
Colorado Seed Starting 101: Advice From Rick’s Grow Team
If you want lots of fruits and veggies come summer, the best gardening advice we can offer you is to start early and indoors. Colorado’s growing season is too short for many garden favorites. Eggplants, peppers and tomatoes do not have enough time exclusively outdoors to produce a bountiful harvest. That being said, we’d like to share some of our own techniques for extending the season. Starting seeds inside is the best way to get this jumpstart on the season. And I can thank our spectacular Grow Team, particularly Emma & Jenn, for the helpful advice! If you are a seasoned gardener, or this is your first season growing a garden, enjoy some of our best tips for being successful at seed starting.
Days To Maturity & Pre-Planting
As previously mentioned, Colorado’s growing season is short. When I visited Missouri one time, I was amazed that communities had tomatoes ready to harvest by June, and all of them were grown outside, from seed! Colorado gardeners can have full bushels of tomatoes come June also; we just have to start early and indoors. The best way to plan for this is to research days to maturity for each plant and start according to these specifications. Depending on when the plants reach maturity, you should sow seeds indoors an additional 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date. For example, peppers need about 85 days to reach maturity. With a bit of math, 85 days turns into 12 weeks. Maturity refers to the number of days it takes the plant to produce fruit. Add four to six weeks on top of that for germination, then research your area’s last frost date through a trusted weather channel. Colorado Springs is typically on May 8th or even Mothers Day. Just to be safe, we’ll use Mother’s Day as a guide for our planning going forward. Subtracting roughly 14 weeks from May 10th means the optimal planting date is January 18th. A little late, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plant peppers; they’ll just fruit a little later! You can find maturity information on the back of seed packets. We’ll also provide a link below this paragraph to one of our favorite references, Colorado State Extension, and their incredible Colorado Vegetable Guide. Click here to read!
Drainage, Drainage, Drainage!
A major seed killer is overwatering, which is easy to do. However, raw seeds need to remain moist until cracking appears, which creates a conundrum in terms of watering. Both Jenn and Emma recommend a combination of fine-draining growing medium and special watering techniques to avoid this. In terms of growing medium, our Grow Team actually starts seeds in vermiculite. It has to be coarse for the best aeration, but if you water less, fine-grade is alright. Seedlings will stay in vermiculite for two weeks, then will be transplanted into a special seed soil or Foxfarm’s Happy Frog soil. Why do we not keep seeds in vermiculite permanently until they can go into larger pots? Vermiculite isn’t great at storing nutrients for seedlings, which obviously isn’t a benefit if you want to grow delicious, healthy, and strong vegetable plants (or any plant). And in terms of watering, we use misters, not watering cans or a hose. Keep the medium moist but not soggy. It’s the Goldilock’s ideal for the seeds!
Warm Bottoms, Cool Tops
A trick to creating a perfect environment for seeds, Emma told me, is to keep the following phrase in mind: warm bottom, cool tops. She and her grow team raise a majority of our vegetable starts in one of our many greenhouses, including a major crop of our tomato varieties. In the greenhouse, we have enough space to use heating mats, and regulate temperature with a greenhouse heater. We also understand many readers aren’t as lucky when it comes to such growing conditions. If you live in an apartment, a small home, or are on a budget, where do you even start, much less keep in mind the mantra “warm bottoms, cool tops?” Let’s translate the quote and make alterations. Seeds should have a warm and inviting substrate to thrive in, preferably one heated by a heating mat. Hence, the “warm bottoms” of the first half of the mantra. Whether growing in a greenhouse or at home, we always recommend a heating mat. It emulates summer growing temperatures that vegetables, like peppers, need. We carry various heat mats, some with timers and others without, that would work perfectly for a smaller grow setting. These mats should be set between 80 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
What about the meaning of “cool top?” In our greenhouse, there’s the heater, but even now, the environment is still considered “cool” compared to summer temperatures. The contrast between soil and air tells the seed which direction to grow, establish roots in the warm earth, whilst the stalk should reach to the cool air above ground. The air cannot be too frigid, however (hence the greenhouse heater), or else the sprout will have stunted growth or die. In a home operation, we recommend growing seeds in a warm spot with full sun, using a plastic greenhouse cover only when the sun moves away to keep in the heat. The space you plan to grow seeds in, shouldn’t go below 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Light On The Subject
This is essential for growing seeds at home, Jenn mentions, “as much light as possible is essential for starting seeds.” And we’re not talking about keeping seeds by windows. We’re talking grow lights, which sounds like overkill to many, but if you want to avoid leggy plants they’re a must. Have you ever grown seeds at home and noticed that as they mature, they become long, stringy, and weak? This is what we mean by leggy. These plants are desperate for light, but without enough, they cease to function since photosynthesis depends on sunlight. Jenn recommends keeping the grow light as close as possible, and eventually “upgrading” seed domes (which is where the grow light can rest upon). This is the best way to avoid leggy seedlings.
Quick but helpful tips (we hope) to Colorado seed starting! We know gardening can be expensive, and some of these supplies will be, but in the end, nothing beats the pride of using your own plant starts for the summer. Plus, your wallet will thank you in the long run, too! Happy gardening!
The Importance of Winter Watering
The Importance of Winter Watering
While your favorite ski resort may be open for business, snowfall in the mountains as well as the front range is down this year. Reports show that snowpack levels across the state are 47% of normal levels. The southern Colorado region has below-average snowpack for this point in the season. While snowfall has been variable and not consistent even as far back as the 1800’s, there are some trends that we need to consider as gardeners. While not very strong, there is a correlation that has become apparent for lower elevation areas in the state (and could be an indicator for us in future years). If the first snowfall is not until November or later, this correlates to a lesser snowfall total for the area as a whole. This concern aligns with recorded temperatures, indicating that our region is experiencing warmer and drier autumns. This is significant for our landscape plants: trees, shrubs, and perennials. To break it down further, without any supplemental water, our outdoor plants are going longer without moisture after the main growing season and receiving potentially less water even when they do finally get snow. Additional food for thought includes that every foot of snow is roughly one inch of rain.
This corresponds to what we hear and see from our customers who come in the spring to replace plants that have experienced “winter kill.” While the term winter kill is traditionally used to describe icy or extremely cold temperatures that cause plant death, customers are using this term to describe plant death in general over the winter season. The type of death these plants are experiencing is completely preventable. They are dying of dehydration. Dry soils do not insulate roots, and thus plants are more susceptible to freeze damage and the swings of freezing/ thawing that we experience in this region.
When we have mild months, like this past November or December, we need to be winter watering. Winter watering requires you to manually water after irrigation or sprinklers are turned off prior to a freeze. Manually watering sounds labor-intensive in our world of automation, but it is rather simple. Remember, dear reader, gardening is one of the last bastions of manual labor. Enjoy the little labor it takes to have beautiful plants! There is a reason the phrase, “labor of love,” exists after all. I digress. Take a garden hose, if you are up for connecting and disconnecting a hose to a spigot, and let the hose trickle at the base of your plant(s) for a little bit. If you have a mature tree, let it trickle for about an hour or two. Less for smaller or less mature plants. If you don’t want to deal with a hose, take a bucket of water and pour it at the base of the plant for a drink. If you want to water your tree properly, you are shooting for ten gallons of water per inch of the tree trunk’s diameter. Which may be even more work than just pulling out your garden hose, that may or may not be mangled under your lawn mower. Pouring buckets of water repeatedly in the same spot may also cause some erosion, so I prefer the slow trickle method. Do this at least once a month on warm days (above 40- 50 degrees Farenheit).
Some individuals look for quick fixes, so they do not have to manually water. I caution against these methods, even if we carry the implements at Rick’s. Tree donuts, water gators, or water bags that have been designed to slowly water trees should only be used during the growing season, and outside of freezing temperatures. If the tree donut freezes at the crown of the tree, this can also cause death. This invention does not mimic snow. Snow slowly melts without creating a solid barrier. A frozen tree donut of ice prevents the tree’s surface roots from “breathing” or completing their nutrient exchange and absorption. Do not look for a shortcut on winter watering.
While many people believe that plants go to sleep during the winter and therefore do not need any care, this is not the case. This would be like a human being in a coma, but never being given an IV. An IV is to ensure that they are receiving liquids and nutrients until they wake back up! Apply this metaphor to your landscape plants. When we do not have the winter moisture and fail to winterwater our landscape plants, they die a perfectly preventable death. Enjoy the sunshine that is common in a Colorado winter, and pull out that garden hose to give your tree a drink!
How To Plant Amaryllis & Paperwhites
Our holiday bulbs are here! Make way for Amaryllis & Paperwhites! Because these plants need to be planted about eight to ten weeks in advance, to flower around Christmas, we thought we’d provide this care guide now. Caring for and planting these bulbs is surprisingly easy!
How To Plant Holiday Bulbs
Ingredients:
-Bulbs, one Amaryllis or ten to eight Paperwhites.
-Well-draining soil (we’re using Fertilome Ultimate Potting Soil).
-8 Inch Container.
-Bulb fertilizer (we’re using both blood meal and bone meal).
Step-By-Step Guide
1.) Let’s start with the substrate. To prevent rot, pick soil with excellent drainage for these bulbs. We prefer Fertilome Ultimate Potting Soil, but Fox Farm’s Happy Frog works too. Gardners occasionally plant Amaryllis in a succulent mix, replicating their natural arid environment. Be cautious with this approach because it requires more watering due to extremely well draining soil.
2.) Once your soil is selected, fill about two-thirds of the container of your choice. Here, for both paperwhites and amaryllis, we’re using an 8 inch nursery injection pot. But you can use any kind of container. Having a hole for drainage is essential, and bulbs need some wiggle room.
3.) We advise fertilizing bulbs with a slow-release organic fertilizer. Whilst bulb-specific fertilizer, like Espoma Bulb-Tone, is ideal due to phosphorus levels, a flower fertilizer likewise works. Here, we choose to use blood meal and bone meal, high sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. We’ll eyeball the amounts because with them organic and a slow-release fertilizer burn isn’t a high concern.
4.) Plant your bulbs! Make sure roots are pointing down to the bottom of the pot, tip pointing to the sky. In fact, about one-third of the top of the plant should be above the soil. Amaryllis should have an inch and a half of space around the bulb and enough depth to properly root out. Paperwhites can be planted close together, but bulbs shouldn’t be touching. Think of how an egg carton is arranged! They should also have good depth for their roots to grow.
5.) Now, give the bulbs a light water. This helps pack them in. Rot is the primary cause of death for bulbs, so maintaining a good watering schedule is essential for their survival. We recommend watering every other day in a dry environment, less so in a humid environment. Lower watering to once every four days once green sprouts appear.
2025 Fall Donations: Giving Back to the Local Community
By Katherine Placzek
November is the month where humans best emulate nature-we participate in the magic of giving without the expectation of receiving in return. I hope you all find abundance in your lives, and pass it along to others in small and big ways.
This fall, Rick’s Garden Center donated over $22,000 worth of trees and shrubs to local organizations that benefit the Colorado Springs community. Read on as we highlight their missions. Maybe you can find a way to support their mission or be inspired to find another non-profit group you can volunteer at, or share your monetary gifts. Rick’s vision has always been to help beautify El Paso County and beyond with plants. What is yours?
Mountain Song Community School
An elementary and middle school (grades K through 8), Mountain Song Community School, is a public school that is also a member of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education. The Waldorf model nurtures the body, mind, and heart of each student. Mountain Song’s curriculum also includes the Agricultural Arts- something Rick’s Garden Center can get behind! Our donation helped further build the berry and native plant portions of their gardens. You can check them out here: Click here!
Flying Pig Farm
Flying Pig Farm is an educational farm located in Manitou Springs. They “… nourish our community and the land we steward by hosting school and community groups and events, facilitating workshops, supporting community gardens, consulting and collaborating with partners, cooking and sharing food, promoting creative expression, holding seasonal festivals, and advocating for healthy relationships with people and the planet.” What a cool mission! They consistently create exciting new community events and educate the local population of all ages about agriculture and self-sustaining techniques. Our donation helped build a “fledgling hedgerow” to offer further privacy and a noise barrier on the farm property. Please check out their programming here: Click here!
TESSA of Colorado Springs
TESSA offers immediate safety for victims of abuse. They have safehouses for women, children, and other victims. They empower and support these individuals while helping them build a safer future. They have several sister programs and are an important part of our community in Colorado Springs. We were able to help re-landscape a portion of their office outdoor space to feel welcoming, but still safe. TESSA provides space for victims to know they are worthy of goodness. This donation will allow them to know they are worthy of beautiful things. Support them in their brave mission: Click here!
Rock Ledge Ranch (in Partnership with the CSU Extension Office)
The Rock Ledge Ranch is a historic ranch, and park at the cusp of the Garden of the Gods Park. They have educational programming while maintaining historic grounds. The CSU Extension is working with them to rehabilitate soil and build a historically authentic greenhouse that will further their educational offerings. We were able to donate native trees/shrubs as well as berry bushes that will help make their grounds feel appropriate to the time, while continuing to support the vision of soil restoration. To support their continued efforts in raising money for the greenhouse construction and to attend their programs, head here: Click here!
Colorado Springs City Horticulture Department and Forestry Department
Our city runs on the funds from the local sales tax. When consumers slow buying, or there is a dip in tourism, like we saw this summer, that revenue becomes strained for our local city departments. Some departments are beginning to see budget cuts or hiring freezes. We were able to help both the Colorado Springs City Horticultural Department and Forestry Department. They both obtained trees/shrubs for beautifying our city and community spaces. Berry bushes and grapevines will be planted in community gardens, and shrubs and trees will find homes in parks, medians, and other public recreation spaces. Check out the City of Colorado Springs website here: Click here!
A Visit To Scotland: Learning About Gardening From The Scots!
By Katherine Placzek
Recently, I was able to go to Scotland for vacation. While I was there, I was blown away by the plant life, of course, but I also learned so many new ways to garden! In this blog, I want to share my main takeaways with you!
- Plant Small
I was able to briefly chat with someone who worked at McLaren’s Nurseries in Lugton, Scotland. This man told me that most of their plants are grown in smaller sizes because Scotland’s conditions are very harsh. They deal with a lot of wind, adverse weather, and salt from the ocean. With these conditions in mind, they think younger and smaller plants have a better chance of successfully transplanting and thriving. Many plants have severe transplant shock if they are larger. This made me think of what I have discovered on my own. Starting plants by seed or in smaller sizes in our harsh region has proven incredibly prosperous for me. I believe the premise is the same here in Colorado!
- Plant Wildflowers In Your Yard & Even In The City Roundabouts
The Scots are pollinator warriors! They interseed their lawns and roundabouts with wildflower seeds. They will mow a neat border, following the perimeter of the curb or the boundaries of their yard. BUT they leave the interior tall with poppies, scabiosa, daisies, other small wildflowers, and grass seed heads. It feels like a bit of the countryside has been transported into the heart of the city! I was happy to see bees and butterflies, as well as birds, enjoying the small habitat. What a beautiful way to encourage a little bit of wilderness into your yard, while keeping it tidy.
- Honor The Weeds
Scotland’s national flower is the thistle. The thistle. You read that right. We Americans have a vendetta against weeds- I just sold some Thistledown (a broadleaf chemical control for Thistle and its cousins) this morning. We do not see how beneficial weeds can be. The Scots have a different approach. Thistle is everywhere! In yards. By the sea. In the pasture. In the Highlands. Growing in a crack by a restaurant. It is honored in all forms of artwork in Scotland. It is found on postcards, in small artist studios as their main muse, below the statue of William Wallace in Sterling, and even on the handle of the sword of state held in Edinburgh Castle (gorgeous- btw). And it is not just thistle. They allow and sometimes even encourage the brambles- the wild blackberries. Brambles are by a stone wall overlooking the ocean. They skirt the perimeter of a park. They creep along the edges of a city forest. They climb over a rock wall where a couple of tourists are eating lunch. The brambles are even sometimes featured in local alcohol with the phrase, “sun-kissed bramble fruit.” All of these little corners where weeds are allowed to thrive remind us that we are part of nature, despite how much we try to separate ourselves. Pollinators and other wildlife benefit from these little habitats, also!
- Garden Even If The Plant Will Not Stay Perfect
I was able to visit many seaside towns in Scotland. While some shops and gardeners had given up on planting in the sea-sprayed side of town, many had not. They still planted window boxes or patio pots with begonias, impatiens, salvia, petunias, and the like. Many of these plants are not resistant to the salt in the seaside wind or spray from the ocean. There were pots that were protected from this, and they looked great, but others got the full brunt of the sea and looked very ragged or brown. It reminded me of Colorado. While we could throw up our hands and say that we live in the land of hail, deer, squirrels, and grasshoppers, and that “this is no place to be a gardner” we do not. We replant our tomatoes after hail. We install semi-permanent cages around tender trees and shrubs from the nibbling deer. Gardeners will garden, no matter the conditions. We believe in plants and we believe in beauty. We plant even if we know that the planter full of beautiful flowers will not stay perfect forever.
- Plant A Hedge
Hedges were the first fences. They border the road and soften sound pollution in Scotland. Hedges also create boundaries along property lines and offer privacy. I think that more hedges should be planted here in Colorado. While hedges sometimes are monocultures of one plant or shrub, they can also be very diverse. I saw Scottish hedges with cotoneasters, privets, various plants from the prunus family, shrub roses, beeches, etc. While many of these hedges were manicured, they had incredible diversity. Again, a variety of pollinators and other wildlife could find food and shelter in these hedges. If you are not into the “traditional hedge” that is trimmed into straight lines, feel free to check out Floret’s hedgerow guide. I think it is an excellent “new world” take on an “old world” idea. You can find that guide here: Click me!
Although building out a hedgerow can be expensive, if you go back to the first point (#1- Plant small), you might have a much better success rate and a less expensive ticket at the end of your hedgerow project. Some nurseries will even ship small seedlings if you want to start very small.
While Octorado Native Plants Nursery is only Wholesale, more nurseries are heading this way! Read more here!
- Plant In A Pot
Many people live in cities in Scotland, and you would expect those who live in small apartments or places without a yard to forgo gardening altogether. Not at all in Scotland! Window boxes and patio pots adorned nearly every block. Some may have been neglected or battered due to sea salt, but plant life was abundant and encouraged even in apartment living. Gardening really is for everyone!
- Develop Around What Already Exists
While Europe is known for its broad-scale deforestation in its historical past, we did see several old trees or portions of forests left intact. We saw an ancient yew tree that was the size of a building! This was in the middle of the city, Stirling. It was sitting close to a parking lot and was in the middle of the hubbub. This made me realize that city developers had left the tree. They purposely designed the parking lot around the tree. When development occurs in the States, oftentimes, we scrape the entire lot and then re-landscape with smaller trees and shrubs, denuding the lot of any remnants of what was there originally. I personally think this is sad. Think of the stories that you are removing from the land to put in a new shopping mall or a suburb. That yew tree had to be at least a century old. What a life to preserve and honor! I am glad someone decided to leave the yew tree.
- Make Plants Part Of Your Weekly Ritual
We were able to visit the city of Glasgow’s Botanical Gardens on a Sunday. While I know botanical gardens are not typically free in the States, these botanical gardens were free! It was packed. Small and large clusters of people walked the paths, exploring the grounds or the glass greenhouses, and lounged in the open spaces. Many of these people were locals, and this is how they had chosen to spend their leisure time. We also saw Scots recreating in the rural spaces-hiking, playing by the beach, running into the ocean, and taking picnics. It seemed that Sundays, especially when other things might be closed, were a time to reconnect with nature and enjoy the simpler things in life with loved ones. I think implementing a ritual or a regular habit of connecting with plants or nature is something Coloradoans could get behind!
- Water Is A Resource-Protect It
Several times we saw advertisements on bus stops or buses that had the message: “Water is always worth saving. Help protect your precious resource.” Scots are very proud of their water, and even brag about how it tastes. It really does taste very clean and refreshing! Scots receive their drinking water from rainfall. There are towns that are experiencing a lack of water due to recent dry spells, and have had to have water trucked in. This sentiment of protecting water can be applied to Colorado. Coloradoans receive much of our drinking water from snowmelt. We are also dependent on precipitation for our water needs. In dry years, watering restrictions are put in place. While this year was relatively wet, there have been decades of dry years along the Front Range in our recent past. I think we all should be mindful and proud of our water, like the Scots! One way to protect our water is to be aware of how we impact our watershed- and those downstream of us. Here is a throwback blog on how to protect our watershed while gardening, click the link here.
Travel is part of a gardener’s education. But you do not have to go abroad to learn about how other gardeners approach plants or garden resources. The public library has a wealth of information on various gardening techniques that are from other cultures or other regions. I also think it is valid to check out other gardens in Colorado. Paonia and Berthoud both have independently claimed the title of “Garden Spot of Colorado.” Visit a high altitude garden in Aspen- Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. Or see a world-renowned crevice garden in Arvada -APEX Crevice Garden. When you travel, ask gardeners what they do in their garden. What works for them might be your new way of gardening too!
The Short & Sweet Fall Bulb Guide
Fall bulbs, also known as hardy bulbs, are always much anticipated in the garden center. Capable of surviving (and often requiring) cold, through the gloom of winter, hardy bulbs provide beautiful early spring flowers! Compared to tender bulbs like dahlias, gladiolus, and begonias, hardy bulbs are easier to work with and rarely need to be dug up for storage. However, like with all plants, they do benefit from a little help. In this article, we’ll talk about how to best care for fall bulbs!
Selecting A Site
Before choosing any bulbs, we recommend selecting a planting site first, as this is a major contributor to their survival. Bulbs given a poor growing site aren’t given the best situation to survive over winter. Soil quality, drainage, light availability, and soil richness should all be considered for bulb planting. The most important aspect for bulbs is aerated soil (CSU Extension). Dense soil will retain water and prevent root displacement, causing rot or bulbs to over-exert their energy. Aeration can be done by digging up the area and adding organic material to not only enrich the soil but also increase porosity, allowing water and air to flow freely. If your soil bears heavy clay, we recommend using EKO Clay Buster, Tree & Shrub Mix, or humus. Avoid animal manure, as this can burn bulbs unless evenly distributed after planting to act as fertilizer.
Light is essential for bulbs, but depending on placement, it can cause disruptions in dormancy. Avoid planting hardy bulbs close to a southern-exposed foundation, as the heat can wake bulbs early and cause death (CSU Extension). Likewise, hardy bulbs need general amounts of sunlight, about 8 hours per day. Avoid planting bulbs in total shade. You cannot count on the sun to insulate bulbs. After planting bulbs and especially after the first freeze, it’s recommended to apply mulch over the area to keep in extra heat (CSU Extension). Cedar mulch works best, but any fine mulch will do. Using shredded leaf mulch is also excellent as it will return nitrogen to the soil and feed the bulbs over winter. Avoid places where high wind tears through or where frost collects (UM Extension).
Colorado soil contains poor nutrients, so planting bulbs with bulb fertilizer is a wise idea. Pick a bulb-centered fertilizer, like Espoma Bulb-Tone, as it will provide the ideal amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and additional minerals over winter and into spring. Oftentimes, it’s recommended to plant this fertilizer into the hole for the bulbs. Manure can be laid over the bulbs after planting to act as fertilizer, but only after the bulbs have been buried. Mulch will be laid on top, so think of it as an earthen lasagna in a way. Bulb, soil, manure, mulch. As snow soaks into the ground over winter, the manure’s nutrients are absorbed into the soil and, in turn, absorbed by the bulb.
Picking Bulbs
Hardy bulbs are designed to survive long winters. They contain nutrients to keep the plant alive for months and even require cold in order to break dormancy (University of Minnesota). There is thus a direct correlation between the size of a bulb and eventual flower size, as the larger the bulb, the better and bigger the flower due to stored nutrients (CSU Extension). Choose firm bulbs, as squishy textures or mold signify poor health. The best bulbs are chosen from open-air containers, not packets (CSU Extension). There are exceptions, as if packages have air holes to increase circulation.
Bulb Depth
Bulb species determine appropriate soil depth and spacing. Larger bulbs demand more space and depth. Tulips and daffodils, for example, are considered to be large hardy bulbs. They can be spaced 4 to 6 inches apart, while small bulbs can be spaced 1 to 3 inches apart (CSU Extension). A general rule for bulb planting depth is “four times the height of the bulb between soil surface and tip of the bulb” (CSU Extension). Bulb distributors often have fact sheets or planting guides attached to or on bulb packaging. If provided, it’s recommended to follow those instructions for each varying bulb species.
When you’re planting bulbs, make sure to place the bulb within its hole with the pointed end facing up towards the sky (University of Minnesota Extension). Not doing so will cause the bulb to grow in the wrong direction and eventually die. Planting should be done in September to allow ample root growth to form before fully going dormant, but October is sufficient(CSU Extension). The earlier they’re planted, the longer they have to establish. After planting, water the bulbs to allow them to settle and get a drink after their long travels from the farm to your garden (University of Minnesota Extension). Snow and rain are expected to water the garden throughout the year however Colorado often has dry winters. The occasional soak throughout the winter months will greatly benefit your bulbs (CSU Extension). If bulbs sprout prematurely, simply prune them back.
About Garlic
How does garlic differ from hardy bulbs? In all honesty, hardly at all! Garlic too is a hardy bulb, though obviously its not flowers you’re after, but the cloves. There are two “types” of garlic, hardneck and softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic is typically larger and more flavorful, sometimes even spicy! Hardneck garlic varieties include Meteichi and Rocambole. Hardnecks are also the hardiest of the hardy and thrive in our winter climate. Softneck garlic is the more commonly found garlic in supermarkets and has a milder flavor. They have a longer shelf life than hardneck varieties but aren’t too winter hardy, preferring mild winter weather. Softneck garlic includes Pueblo Early and Inchelium Red.
Applying more fertilizer to the garlic is really the only difference compared to fall flower bulbs, as the more food garlic is fed, the larger the cloves you’ll get! We recommend keeping the fertilizer organic, as synthetic fertilizer isn’t always the best to ingest—even if its absorbed through the plant. You might also want to plant garlic in mid-October rather than September so as not to prematurely wake it (Denver Urban Gardens).
Sources Used:
Colorado State Extension: CLICK HERE!
Denver Urban Gardens: CLICK HERE!
University of Minnesota: CLICK HERE!
Encouraging Kid’s Green Thumbs
There is a saying that “green thumbs are not born, they’re grown.” And here at Rick’s we heartily agree! Green thumbs come in all shapes and sizes, and even ages. Today we want to encourage younger green thumbs- kiddos! Kids are naturally attracted to dirt, worms, flowers, bugs, watering cans, seeds, berries and even veggies that are unique. It really is quite easy to get them hooked on becoming gardeners. Some may balk at including kiddos in the garden. What if they mess things up? I counter, adults also mess things up in the garden- often without trying. Let the kids learn, experiment, play and succeed in the garden. If you are a parent, teacher, guardian, devoted auntie, grandparent, or other care giver, these tips will get you started on introducing kids to the wide world of science and beauty of plants.
Gardening is an adventure into math, science and art. Math is used when discussing how far and deep seeds are planted, as well as in the conversation of, “If we have three eaters in our home, how many zucchini plants do we need to plant?” There is no right answer for this conundrum, because you typically end up with too many zucchini in general. But having that conversation with a child allows them to think of the production of one zucchini plant, how to extrapolate how many ways they and other eaters can eat zucchini, and to problem solve with what to do with any extras. Maybe the neighbor next door would like some?
Science takes a look at the immediate needs of a plant; nutrients, water and sunlight. But as a kiddo becomes more advanced in their gardening skills, you can begin talking about seed production, pollination, photosynthesis, soil biology, mushrooms, diseases, pests and the list goes on! Perhaps most importantly, it may be wise to share why gardening is so important to embark on in this time and age. This can cover creating habitats and safe zones for pollinators, building food sovereignty and security while avoiding supply chain disturbances, farming for the purpose of carbon sequestration, etc. And the variations on this theme grow infinitely from there.
Of course art goes hand in hand with gardening. Design and edibleness are dependent on aesthetic values. A child will love choosing pansies (some look like tiger stripes!), colorful zinnias, snapdragons, and other annual flowers for their container garden. Consider taking them through the perennials section for in season cut bouquets, including daisies, black-eyed Susans, Penstemons, and Yarrow. They may want to try purple carrots, purple tomatillos, purple beans or peas, or eggplants if the kiddo’s favorite color is, you guessed it- purple! Challenge them to create colorful dishes with the veggies you all grow. “Can you create an all orange meal? All green? Red? Can you have every color of the rainbow represented on your plate?” Growing vegetables for their colors is not only fun, it is healthy! Produce that have unique colors often are chock full of vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that we may neglect to get through our Standard American Diet (SAD).
Other ways to encourage the gardener in every child:
- Pick out seeds together to grow by inviting them to take a look at a seed catalog or a seed company’s website. If you are looking for wild and very colorful seeds, Baker Creek Seeds is a great start!
- Grow sprouts or microgreens if you are lacking space, but want a child to see the life of a plant from seed to germination to the plate. See our other blog this month for details on how to grow microgreens!
- Grow things that create awe and wonder like:
- Sunflowers
- Beans
- Pumpkins
- Small cherry tomato varieties (Spoon is a great variety, because it is abundant and kiddos love the “baby” tomatoes)
- Raspberries and blackberries
- Plant a tree, and talk through how trees are important for creating habitat, providing oxygen, cooling of the climate and are a generous resource for paper, fruit, and wood.
- Plant fall or spring bulbs for children who may need an example of delayed gratification. Plant the popular daffodils in the fall and watch them bloom in the spring. Or plant gladiolas now and watch them pop up late summer.
- Build an observation habitat: Plant flowers and other plants that will attract hummingbirds or other pollinators that the children love (butterflies, bumble bees, etc). Place a bench beside the habitat and have children tell you what they see, hear, smell, feel, etc. This prompts quiet patience and the building blocks for scientific inquiry.
- Begin a worm or compost bin. Collect kitchen scraps, shred old school work, or bills and throw in a generous community of worms. Children will be amazed to watch these items turn into worm castings, or worm poo, and how it can be used in the garden or with house plants.
A kiddo who eats their first carrot or snap pea from the garden will never forget that moment. While gardening is magical as a child, being an adult and witnessing the magic is priceless. Green thumbs can grow at any age and stage, but it is a true gift to give the love for gardening to a child. They have the rest of their lives to grow with it!
Rick’s Garden Center believes in the power of people and plants. All of our blogs and content are written and edited by real humans with their own unique creative perspectives. Any use of our publications to ‘train’ generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generative text is expressly prohibited. Any typos or errors are our own
2025 Garden To-Do’s Recap 1#
Here are the gardening references we shared over the past month. We’re big fans of Colorado State University extension, so you’ll see us referencing them all the time. However, we also have some written articles just for you under our blog! There will be more gardening references for the year, so stay tuned!
Relative Houseplant Care/Rescuing House Plants:
Listen…shhhhh…if you listen closely, you can hear that neglected plant in the corner crying for help. You did not mean to cause harm. Whether you left for your holiday travels in a rush and failed to give your plants some extra TLC before you left, or you do not know the plant’s needs, the stress is equally killing you. You are at the point of not knowing what to do to make your plants happy again. No worries! We got you on our blog!
Starting Seeds Indoors:
We know it seems early, but the sooner you start your seeds the better. For tomato and pepper plants it’s recommended you start them outside once soil temperatures reach 50 degrees at night. This however doesn’t work well for Colorado’s short growing season. To get the most produce out of your vegetables we recommend starting seeds indoors now and in February! All you need is a seed-starting soil mix and a grow kit!
Seed Starting Troubles:
Have you been waiting for your seeds to pop up and still nothing? No matter what you do, your seedlings perish. There are multiple factors as to why your seeds may not be sprouting. Seed age, crusting soil, and temperature fluctuation are just a few. In the article below by CSU Extension, scientists review why your seeds may not thrive as they should. Fear not, solutions are provided to fix issues and to get those seeds growing! Happy gardening!
Winter Watering:
If air temperature is above 40 degrees it’s time to winter water! Read more about winter watering rules below!
https://www.csu.org/blog/winter-watering-tips
Do’s & Dont’s of Transplanting:
Want to get bang for your buck when starting transplants? Learn the dos and don’ts of growing transplants by copying and pasting the link below! And if you need containers we wanted to remind you we have a free drop off/pick up bin behind the store in our parking lot-perfect for starting seeds or other transplants (once they’re clean that is)!
Garden Planning:
Now’s a great time to start garden planning for spring! Remember to consider space when mapping your beds and companion plants! The links below will lead to more information about early garden planning and companion plants!
General Info:
Companion Plants:
General Onion Care:
Intimidated by growing and planting onions? How about storage, before and after planting and growing these flavorful bulbs? And what the heck does daylight have to do with all of it?
Among the hundreds of questions involving onions you may have, we’ve contacted the experts for their advice. Learn the essentials for onion care from Dixondale Farms!
Growing Potatoes at Home:
Want to try growing potatoes this season in your home garden? We have a link for you! We recommend reading Colorado State University article on the subject!
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/potatoes-in-the-home-garden-7-617
Spring Bulb Care:
Intimidated by growing spring bulbs? Don’t be with Colorado State Extensions help! Learn how to keep beautiful spring bulbs, corms, and roots alive by reading the article below or in our story/highlights. The article provides everything from choosing a perfect planting spot to planting depth for certain favorites Happy gardening!
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/spring-planted-bulbs-corms-and-roots-7-411
Rick’s Tree Planting Guide:
We know many of you are familiar with our Tree Planting Guide, so here it is again! This guide is perfect for those interested in buying a tree or about to plant a new one. We also sell mulch, root stimulators, and mycorrhizae for tree planting! Happy gardening!
https://www.ricksgarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Ricks-Tree-Shrub-Planting-Guide.pdf
