April showers bring May flowers is not the song we sing here in the Four Corners, or anywhere in the Southwest. I check the weather every day, just for the fun of seeing if it is the same report I saw yesterday, or if it has radically changed to reflect an impending storm or heat wave. Two weeks ago, I got a bit of sun on my face as I worked outside in a T-shirt and shorts, but today I am enjoying a sweater and turned up my space heater. Ah, spring in the mountains is not for the faint of heart.
But what should we as gardeners and farmers be doing, whether it’s while we hide by the woodstove, or run outside when the sun comes back? Well, there are a lot of things we can do right now. One is plan. Whether you are planting a giant vegetable garden, or a few flowers, this is a wonderful time to get out pencil and paper and create a design or planting schedule (I have those in the office if anyone needs one). Figuring out what crop goes where and when it goes into the ground is akin to an elegant spreadsheet. New or old garden beds can also benefit from a good plan each spring. Looking at what was there last year, or starting from scratch, we can create lovely designs; what colors do you want to see, when will things bloom and for how long, and are you drawn more to annuals with their showy goodness, or the hearty perennials that are waiting for you to remove last years growth, largely because it didn’t break down over the winter.
The second thing we can do when the weather is a mystery is step back and observe whether your property is truly firewise in its design. Here are a few tips to help you ensure your property is safe and gorgeous. 1 to 5 feet is Zone 1: this is our ‘hardscape’, with things that cannot ignite; think porches, patios, walkways, etc. Zone 2: is 5 to 30 feet away from our homes and an important zone for usable ‘defensible space’. Typically, this is an area where we might have our flower and/or vegetable gardens. This is also an ideal area for grasses, smaller fruit trees and shrubs. The idea is to keep things lower in this area, so sparks are not heading toward our roof tops. Lastly is Zone 3: 30 to 100 feet away. This is where we might have the largest percentage of trees on our property. Whether you are in Edgemont or Durango West, Hermosa or Three Springs, it is ideal to keep the lower branches of your beloved trees pruned up and away from the ground. It is also important to maintain your lawn or ground cover to be kept low and away from the base of your trees.
We never know what the weather will bring to our region every spring and summer, but we know we live in a fire-prone place that happens to be among the most beautiful in the world. So, we must be smart and plan, be aware, reach out for information, and be creative with our landscape.
So now that I’ve told you why it is important to plan(t) wisely, here are some fantastic planting resources to get your garden off to a good, safe, and waterwise start.
If you want a glorious splash of color, consider Blanket Flower, Wine Cup, Penstemons, and Sulfur Flower are all pollinator loving, native plants. If you want to add a little height, a few shrubs you might consider Cheyanne Mock Cherry or Prairie Smoke, and you can never go wrong with Yucca and Prickly Pear in the landscape. Lastly, for the low growing plants that can fill in around other plants or rocks I would recommend Pawnee Sand Cherry or the ever-adorable Pussytoes.
Shameless plug as a CSU Extension employee; my colleagues are brilliant and have put together some spectacular resources and I have included a link below that includes some of these plant suggestions:
https://engagement.source.colostate.edu/top-10-fire-resistant-native-plants-for-colorado-landscapes/
Heather Houk is the Horticulture and Agriculture specialist for the La Plata County Extension Office.
