Harlequin's Gardens

HOME-GROWN FRUIT

Mikl — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:53:34 +0000

Many fruits can be grown successfully here on the Front Range of Colorado. At one time, there were commercial apple orchards in Boulder and Fort Collins, commercial sour cherry orchards and canneries between Loveland and Fort Collins and commercial raspberry production in various places. Cheap shipping, more reliable weather and harvests in other regions, and a raspberry disease chased these operations to other states. However there is great potential here for the home gardener to grow tree- and bush-ripened fruit that is delicious, organic, fresh and economical.
Conventional agriculture has an economic priority, that places the emphasis on quantity over quality, on shelf-life and ship-ability over flavor, and on cosmetic appearance, over nutritional value. You may know the song about “…two things that money can’t buy; and that’s true love and home-grown tomatoes.” Well, the same holds true for home-grown strawberries, home-grown peaches, home-grown plums, most home-grown apples, and, in fact, for all the fruits.
At home we can nourish our soils so the soil life flourishes and the fruit is more nourishing. Recent studies found that you have to eat two apples today to get the nutritional value that was found in one apple in the 1940s. We can choose the really great-tasting varieties to grow like Ogalalla Strawberry, Anne Raspberry, Stanley Plum and Cortland Apple that cannot be found in the supermarkets. And we can grow them without pesticides, so we don’t have to feel like the witch from Snow White when we hand our child an apple. We can leave the fruits on the tree, bush or vine till they are fully ripe with the starches changing to natural sugars, so they taste really good. We can eat them fresh while they are vibrant with the Life Force. We can feel proud that we are not buying food that was produced and shipped great distances with petroleum fuels that produce greenhouse gases. Nor are we buying food grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers that poison our fragile planet.
Fruit crops are often so abundant that, not only are they cheap to grow, there is often so much food that we can feel generous about sharing with friends, neighbors and the Food Bank. This kind of community wealth not only goes around, but comes around, so the gal giving apples could get plums.
Wow, this sounds really good. And it is! Is it really easy? Not really. Neither is it really hard. But it is harder than growing ornamentals. The economics of Nature are very simple and direct: if you put more in, you get more out; if you put little in, that’s what you get back. Most fruit plants like soil that is rich in organic matter, so add compost and/or composted manure or organic fertilizer every year. They need water, especially between flowering and ripening, but they need oxygen in the soil too. If the soils are soggy, there will be more disease problems. Fruit trees don’t like much competition; plant them far enough apart so they have good air circulation and sun. They need pruning: cut down the old canes, thin and shape the trees and replace old plants of strawberries.
And then there is the work of the harvests. Many fruits have to be processed somehow or they won’t keep. You can dry them, can them, freeze them and share them. In a weak economy, and to strengthen community, a cornucopia of fruit could be celebrated. We have much to learn, much to do and much to be gained.

Mikl Brawner Harlequin’s Gardens
copyright 2010

Of course gardening in Colorado isn’t that easy…

Mikl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:13:50 +0000

Greetings Friends and Fellow Gardeners,
We have been requested to write a blog and so we are going to give it a try. I apologize for beginning with an apology but I must say up front that we cannot return emails. Sorry. So many questions, so little time. However if I write one blog a month, I could answer some questions I’ve received at that time.

I grew up in Iowa and my first gardening experience was growing vegetables. If I were writing a blog about gardening in Iowa, it could be short: “put seeds in deep, rich earth; never watered; spread a little cow manure; weeded a lot; the neighbors finally stopped us from bringing them our surplus.”
Of course gardening in Colorado isn’t that easy so I will have plenty to say. And since it is not cliché for gardeners to talk about the weather, I will begin that way.
We were having a nice fall when on October 15 the temperature dropped to 15 degrees with 3” of snow. Many plants and trees still had their leaves. Ouch! Then a week later a high of 83, then 30” of snow the last 4 days in October. (really? That’s what records say) Then a “normal” November and then the first two weeks in December brought near zero temps with 12 below zero on Dec 9, and zero again the day before Christmas. See how we suffered this winter. But the plants had it worse; they are outdoors being jerked around by these extremes.
Cold tolerance of plants is not only their hardiness to an absolute temperature, but is affected by when the cold comes. If the plants had not hardened off when the real cold arrived, there could be some die back this spring or even some dead plants. And if woody plants had not sealed the openings where the leaves connect to the stems, then we may see serious fungus problems this year. In addition, young plants with small root systems are not as strong as adults, nor have they built up their starch reserves to get them through til spring.
Those that made it through the coldest weather may need water. This has not been a very dry winter, but I would recommend hand watering your evergreens and any plants that were planted in late summer or fall. It is best to winter water in late morning to give the water a chance to sink in before freezing night temperatures descend.
In Iowa when spring begins, it doesn’t go back to being winter for two weeks, then spring for a week, then winter, then summer, then spring. And it rains. So you don’t have to be such a good gardener.
Here we have to try harder, be smarter, experiment, replant and keep building our soils. I’ve never met so many very knowledgeable amateur gardeners as I have in Colorado. It is one of the reasons why I love running a plant nursery with my wonderful wife, Eve. I get to constantly learn from you smart and observant gardeners and from Eve and from the plants. And I spend most of my time outside in Colorado’s mostly wonderful climate, breathing the fresh air and working 7 days a week trying to keep up with the constant changes and frequent surprises. What could be more fun than that?

Joyful Gardening,
Mikl

We’re blogging!

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:40:33 +0000

Stay tuned for more frequent updates!

HARLEQUIN’S GARDENS FALL PLANT SALE 2009

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:25:09 +0000

Dear Friends and Fellow Gardeners,

2009 has been a good year for gardening-mostly. Hail was devastating in some areas and the coolness which was so pleasant, wasn’t so good for tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. It was an excellent year for xeriscape since even the hills were green all summer. And we all had a lot of successes in planting.

It’s really hard to second-guess Nature, like to plan for certain weather, but it seems obvious that if we support Nature, Nature will provide, and support us. But if we keep burning things to make energy, it may take years to recover from the climactic changes. So our choices matter: reduce, reuse, recycle, and harvest home-grown energy where possible. See www.350.org to help on Oct.24.

Fall is the best time to plant for me. The energy of the plants is going to the roots and that process is enhanced when we support the soil life with our recycled plant wastes like composts and mulches. There are now reliable sources of beneficial fungi and bacteria that can help increase soil life and broaden the diversity of microorganisms. Fall is also an excellent time to fertilize with our organic fertilizers to strengthen plants for winter and for next spring. And, of course, we have lots of plants we would rather you take care of this winter.

So we would like to invite you to our FALL PLANT SALE. This sale is not our strategy to dump the half-dead dregs of our inventory. This is your best opportunity to get our healthy Harlequin’s plants at discounted prices.

Members,for your special support, you get first pick of the plants at the Members Sale, August 25,26, 27,28,29,30 with 20% off all plants and 25% off books. (For info on membership, ask one of our staff, or see our website.)

The next week, September 1,2,3,4,5,6 the Fall Sale begins for everybody with 10% off most plants except roses. 10% off books & 10% off soil products in big bags. Also the Deep Discount section will be opened.

The third week September 8,9,10, 11, 12,13, enjoy 20% off perennials, shrubs & trees and 20% off most roses And 10% off books and soil products in big bags.

The fourth week, Sept.15,16, 17,18, 19, 20, take 25% off all perennials, shrubs and trees and20% off most roses and10% off books and soil products in big bags.

The fifth week, Sept.22,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, take 30% off perennials, shrubs and trees and 20% off roses, and 10% off books and soil products in big bags.

The sixth week, Sept.29, 30 and Oct.1,2,3,4, there will be a 35% discount off perennials and shrubs, 20% off roses and 50% off trees. And 25% off soil products in big bags.

We will continue to offer these prices every Thursday, Friday & Saturday in October.

Gift certificates will be available for the holidays and year-round by calling the nursery, 303-939-9403.

Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9-5; Thursday 9-6

October: Thursday,Friday and Saturdays only 9-5

www.harlequinsgardens.com 303-939-9403

Sincerely,

Mikl and Eve Brawner

Here is a sampling of the great plants you will find at our Fall Sale:

Excellent Xeriscape Perennials:

Hidcote Lavender-rich, purple flowers; 16″ high, very fragrant; one of the hardiest

Veronica oltensis-evergreen, thyme-like leaves, ½” mat x 24″, blue flowers, low water

Cold-hardy Ball Cacti-7 species including Mt. Ball, Claret Cup, the local Coryphantha etc

Papaver pilosum-toughest of the soft orange poppies, self sows but not suckering

Salvia grandiflora-4′-6′tall native, true sky blue flowers, late summer, xeric

Thymus ‘Clear Gold’-4″ tall creeping thyme, beautiful golden leaves, lavender flowers

Penstemon Pikes Peak Purple-purple flowers on 16″ stems, long-blooming, Plant Select

Russian Sage-3′-5′ tall, blue-violet flowers in summer, long-blooming, xeric & easy

Reiter Thyme-Rich green, 2″x30″ steppable ground cover, or “lawn”; lavender flowers

Penstemon pseudospectabilis-Nevada/NM native, hardy, hot pink flowers, 3′, hummers

“Tough As Nails” Paronychia-1″ high groundcover; like thyme, more xeric, white bracts

Teucrium cossonii-very silver Germander is evergreen, 8″x14″; purplish-pink flowers, xeric

Silver Edge Horehound-M. rotundifolium: beautiful foliage, 8″x24″, very xeric, behaves

GRASSES: Not rootbound. Many reports of success with Sept. planting of our grasses.

Blue Grama-CO State Grass, 1′-2′ clumps, seed heads curl downward like eyelashes, xeric

Little Bluestem- 2′-3′ tall native, blue-green foliage turns copper-red in fall, xeric

Alkali Sacaton- 2′ tall with bluish foliage and airy seed heads, good in dry, poor soil

Wrights Sacaton-very ornamental native grass, 4′ with showy seed heads to 6′, xeric

Sand Love Grass-Lovely, native 3′-4′ tall with showy reddish pink seed heads, xeric

Miscanthus ‘Gracillimus’ (Maiden Grass)-narrow leaves arching 5′-6′, coppery tassels

Pennisetum ‘Hameln’-perennial fountain grass, 2′-3′, white, foxtail seed heads, showy

Eragrostis ‘Wind Dancer’-graceful 2′-3′ narrow bluish foliage, airy seedheads , xeric

Sideoats Grama-curly 3″-6″ leaves; delicate pendant seed heads; xeric native

Calamagrostis brachytricha-3′-4′ arching form,large purple-pink plumes, ‘09 Plant Select

Boulder Blue Fescue-the bluest 12″ fescue, selected in Bldr Co., very attractive

NATIVES

Gayfeather-Liatris punctata-spikes of feathery lavender flowers 16″ draw butterflies

Wine Cups-trailing stems from big taproot, wine-red poppy-like flowers all summer

Clematis ligusticifolia-10′-20′, masses of white flowers, showy seed heads, tough

Agave parryi-bold blue-green blades, 12″x18″, dark maroon spines, sculptural

Cercocarpus intricatus-Littleleaf Mt. Mahogany, fabulous dwarf 5′ xeric evergreen

Aster porteri-showy white flowers in fall, 12″-24″, xeric aster, grows around Boulder

Chocolate Flower-copious yellow daisies with dark eyes, chocolate aroma, 12″x30″, xeric

Sphaeralcea sp.-upright very xeric perennials, 3′-5′, soft orange, pink or lavender flowers

New Mexican Privet (Forestiera)-8′-12′ shrub/tree; beautiful screen or specimen, xeric

Tall Blue Rabbitbrush-blue foliage, yellow flowers in late summer, dramatic, xeric

Desert Mahonia-M.haematocarpa-blue, evergreen foliage, yellow flowers, red fruit, 6′-8′

Fern Bush-4′x5′ shrub with fern-like leaves, clusters of creamy flowers, very xeric

Apache Plume-4′ high, spreading, white flowers with plume-like seed heads, very xeric

Sand Cherry-3′-5′ high with white flowers-spring; black fruit, reddish fall color, xeric

Douglas Hawthorn-25′ tree, white flowers-spring; red fruit, red fall color, low water

Penstemons:pseudospectabilis, linarioides, strictus, secundiflorus, pinifolius & Mersea Yellow, rostriflorus, mensarum, nitidus, eatonii, clutei, cardinalis, jamesii and more

GREAT PLANTS FOR DRY SHADE:

Geranium cantabrigiense-weed smothering, xeric, beautiful; fragrant foliage turns red

with medium pink flowers, ‘Biokovo’ with light pink, ‘St. Ola’-wine buds, white flowers

Geranium m. ‘Bevan’s Variety’-12″ high, deep magenta & red, fragrant foliage-deer resist

Anemone tomentosa-rose pink flowers in fall on 2′-3′ stems, good cut flower

Euonymus f. ‘Kewensis’-compact dwarf, mounding, can climb, tiny evergreen leaves

Plumbago-true blue flowers in summer, great red fall color, spreading ground cover

Hardy Boxwoods-evergreen, round leaves; compact to 3′, deer and rabbit resistant

Plus: Geranium “Johnson’s Blue”, Sweet Cicely, Coral Bells, Baltic Ivy

VINES

Honeysuckle Lonicera ‘Old Dutch’-vigorous to 15′; fragrant pink and gold trumpets

Monkshood Vine-20′, very attractive cut leaves, fast growing, orange berries, at Teahouse

American Bittersweet- woody, vigorous, xeric, grows in any soil, to 20′, showy orange fruit

‘Aunt Dee’ Wisteria-hardy, drought-tolerant, blooms more reliably than others, violet-blue

AND dozens of varieties of Clematis grown tough at Harlequin’s Gardens

And more vines

TREES

Hackberry, Burr Oak, Western Catalpa, May Day Tree, Thunderchild Crab, Scotch Pine; Radiant & Spring Snow Crabs, Aspens, Arizona Cypress, etc.(Apples, Plums and Peaches are available now, but Not On Sale)

We have the best selection of hardy ROSES on their own roots in the state with too many varieties to list here: Heirloom, Shrub, David Austin, Minis, Species and Canadian

PLUS: many, many other great plants like: New colored Echinaceas, Gambel Oak, Red Kansas Hawthorn, Cutleaf Black Elderberry, Solidago rigida from Boulder County, Eight kinds of Sedums, Goldflame Honeysuckle, 2 kinds of miniature yuccas, a low-water Black-Eyed Susan, Norton’s Gold Oregano, Organic Herbs, Native Asters and more and more.

And we have: great tools, gloves, books, organic supplies and seeds for fall-sown, cool-weather greens like kale, chard and lettuce

Landscape Consultations:Eve and Mikl are available for consultations year-round. If you schedule a consultation to take place between Nov 1 and Feb 28, we will give you 15% off a one-time purchase of plants at Harlequin’s Gardens.

We can help you to 1) clarify the use of the space 2) identify site opportunities and limitations 3) evaluate health and value of existing landscape and make non-toxic recommendations for pest and disease problems 4)make plant lists for specific areas 5) make design suggestions with rough sketches 6)help to xeriscape and save water 7) identify, evaluate and make recommendations for tree care. We do not do complete garden designs or installations. Call 303-939-9403 or 720-291-7826 to schedule.

Newsletters by Email: Please choose to receive our newsletters by email. As the cost of printing and postage goes up and as our forests continue to come down, we are hoping you will like to receive our mailings and special offers by email. Please go to our website @ www.harlequinsgardens.com and click on the Subscribe link in the left margin of the home page, enter your name and addresses and press submit. Or leave your information at the front desk at Harlequin’s Gardens any day except Monday.

Visit five of the best private gardens in the Denver Area (including Marcia Tatroe’s, Rob Proctor’s, Dan Johnson’s): Sept. 12, 10am-4; 1-888-842-2442; www.opendaysprogram.org