Si Pak Tani

By Abi Saeed Coming out of a challenging 2018 filled with record high temperatures and severe to extreme drought designations through most of Colorado, we are all thinking about our yards, gardens, trees and shrubs for 2019. Although many areas have received some precipitation over the past couple of months, recovering from a drought takes time, and we need to work towards tending to our drought-stressed landscapes in order to set ourselves up for a successful 2019 season. Supplemental watering in the winter is a reality for Coloradans, especially in the Mountains, where the air is drier. Most trees have shallow roots, found in the first 18 inches of the soil. These sub-surface roots are vulnerable to dry conditions, and require supplemental watering in particularly hot and dry seasons. A drought-affected landscape has depleted its subsurface soil moisture content, requiring extra care in the fall to restore soil moisture for plants. Fall and winter care is critical in restoring that s...

By Jan Boone Picture courtesy of Colorado State Forest Service We all have watched with dread the fires that have ravaged both Northern and Southern California in the past months.   As someone with family members and friends impacted by several of these fires in my home state, I can’t help but think it’s time to re-examine the more serious aspects of safety in foothills living and our gardens, for the off chance our turn will be next. According to the Colorado Climate Center, as of January 2018, 99% of our state’s population is being impacted by some degree of drought.   The Foothills and surrounding Metro area is still classified as Moderate, but as we all know weather patterns can impact us very quickly. This includes the scary fact our snowpack is currently between 50-70% of average.   Yes, our typical snowiest months are March and April, so as I write, we are halfway through March and we’ve only received half our normal snowfall.    Follow their website at (...