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I’ve been stuck in a predicament. All this moisture is such a godsend after months of dryness in 2017 and 2018, and when you live (and try to grow things) in a high elevation desert that typically...
DATE: June 4, 2019 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Last spring, I wrote about wanting to wait to see how my property fared after four distinct seasons. Now, I feel like I have a better understanding of how water (or snow) moves (or doesn’t move),...
DATE: May 6, 2019 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
People get scared when it comes to pruning, and I’m not sure why. I’ve done some pruning one-on-one with homeowners. I tell them to take about 30 percent of the live wood out of their backyard...
DATE: April 4, 2019 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
February was a bit snowy. My Facebook page is inundated with photos of “Snowpocalypse” and “Snowmageddon” – kids jumping off roofs, walls of the white stuff bracketing the driveway, dogs getting...
DATE: March 4, 2019 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
We all have our favorites – favorite pet, favorite car, and heck, even favorite child (don’t worry kids, I love all of you. Most of the time …). In the kitchen, I would be hard-pressed to think of...
DATE: Feb. 1, 2019 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
The snow finally fell. My shoulders are sore from shoveling, the downstairs mudroom smells like wet coats and hats and boots, and my gloves have the odor of gasoline from refilling the snowblower....
DATE: Jan. 7, 2019 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Over the past 10 years, I’ve written a couple of articles about Christmas trees and the role they play in the Parmenter family. Yes, there were years when we left our tree up well into late...
DATE: Dec. 2, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I fully realize how stepping into the garden this time of year can be a challenge – like waking up at 6:30 a.m. with the sky pitch black, buying carrots from the grocery store and not the farmers...
DATE: Nov. 2, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Former Major League Baseball Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti once wrote about America’s pastime: “It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when...
DATE: Oct. 5, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I’m a fan of September – if it had an Instagram page, I would follow it; a Facebook site, I would like it. The cool mornings, afternoons in the 80s and nights with open windows make up for the...
DATE: Sept. 3, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
You look for bright spots. No matter what you have happening in your life, you look for those times, those people or those moments when a bit of sunshine can make a world of difference. As Brandi...
DATE: Aug. 6, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
It would be pretty easy to write another article about the drought. As someone who deals with plants on a daily basis, I have seen the effects of this drought on trees, shrubs, lawns, weeds,...
DATE: July 9, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I am sick of this wind, and I don’t even have hair. It’s not uncommon to have blustery days in April, but as we enter June, I always thought they would start to die down. But not this year – the...
DATE: June 4, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I write this as the rain is finally coming down in the valley, wet snow in the high country. In Durango, moisture in two of the last five days has been a rarity, albeit welcome. Unfortunately, the...
DATE: May 7, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
A couple of weeks ago, I traveled across the Western Slope of Colorado, giving talks to multiple Master Gardener classes about backyard vegetable production. Same talk with 270 PowerPoint slides,...
DATE: April 9, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Last month was all about soil, and yes, soil is where everything starts. If you build it, plants, flowers and fruit will come. If you ask a farmer or rancher – and if they’re worth their weight in...
DATE: March 5, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I tried. I wrote an article about watering trees in the winter, I washed the car and I sold a pair of skis. But none of it did the trick. Our weather seems to get only warmer, and even the few...
DATE: Feb. 5, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
As our travels around the sun begin again, we seem to be traversing through a very, very strange and dichotomous winter. This week, we have winter storm warnings for Jacksonville, Florida;...
DATE: Jan. 8, 2018 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Over the years, I’ve written articles that seem to initiate a response from Mother Nature that completely eliminates the need to do what I’m writing about. So, in hopes of that happening again...
DATE: Dec. 3, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
You know time flies when you’re daydreaming in your office (extremely momentarily) about a topic for the monthly newspaper article and you see a certificate on the wall recognizing five years of...
DATE: Nov. 6, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
The autumnal tease is here. A couple nights of frost, the changing colors and the snow up high on the mountain tops signal the changing of the guard. We all scramble to get the wood chopped and...
DATE: Oct. 6, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
There are times during the year when your senses get the best of you: the sight of the first snow, the sound of coyotes while camping or the taste of fruit picked right from the tree. On a recent...
DATE: Sept. 2, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
As a kid, my memories of a backyard garden are somewhat vague, and honestly, none too pleasant. For me, summer was meant for baseball. Every day in June and July, the script was already written:...
DATE: Aug. 5, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Just like I predicted: June was hot and dry. Fans and window air-conditioning units were turned on before we wanted to. Upstairs bedrooms were too hot to sleep in. The Animas River seemed...
DATE: June 30, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
On June 9 and 10, something amazing is going to happen here in Durango. No, it has nothing to do with the end of road construction, the opening of another hotel or the start of some...
DATE: June 1, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
This past month, I have become pretty intimate with my neighborhood on the southside of Durango. After going through back surgery in early April, my primary means of exercise has been my own two...
DATE: May 4, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Last month, I wrote about ample space in the landscape, a luxury (or detriment depending on your interests) that many of us wish we had. I had some suggestions for large trees that could work if...
DATE: April 3, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
If I ever have questions about ornamental plant selection, I’m not afraid to ask others for their opinions. I’m a vegetable kind of guy, and the edibles tend to be in my horticultural wheelhouse....
DATE: March 1, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
The short days and long nights leave many of us in Southwest Colorado yearning for something: more powder and more turns, a long-lasting snowpack to fill our rivers this spring and summer or the...
DATE: Feb. 2, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Author and philosopher Albert Camus once wrote: “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Because Camus was a philosopher, I can only assume that...
DATE: Jan. 5, 2017 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
In Southwest Colorado, our coldest months are fast approaching. Allow me to remind you: In December 2015, we had 11 nights that registered below zero at the airport; January had 14 nights that...
DATE: Nov. 30, 2016 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Come November, I traditionally write the “end of the year” or “season in review” column. I lament on the dry winter, the cold spring, the brutally hot summer and even the sneaky end-of-the-season...
DATE: Nov. 2, 2016 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
When my family and I decided to move back to Durango a little more than four years ago, I didn’t quite know what to expect. My most recent background was in commercial vegetable production (imagine...
DATE: July 27, 2011 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Once upon a time, I worked in restaurants. I washed dishes at the Palace Restaurant, cleared tables at now-closed Father Murphy’s, and was a waiter and cook at Gazpacho’s. Then while in Montana, I...
DATE: Sept. 8, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Like many of you, I have stressed over my garden this year. I had mentioned in a previous article that my garden was not growing – even with silver bells and cockle shells – like I wanted it to....
DATE: Aug. 11, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I hope that I am not alone in the puny garden department this year. It seems as if the tomatoes, which were planted May31, haven't put on much growth. Seeds sown at the first of the month still...
DATE: July 1, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
My family and I went camping last weekend - the first of hopefully many weekends away from the house. This was themaiden voyage for the recently purchased pop-up camper, which is a luxury - albeit...
DATE: June 17, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
What message does your yard, or garden, or property convey? Is it one of indifference (i.e. rentals that haven't seen ahose, or mower, or trowel for years) or commitment? Does it display your...
DATE: June 2, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
In my last column, I introduced the idea of creating your outdoor space. It can be a daunting task, but if you take itstep by step, it can be much easier and useful.I wanted to finish a couple of...
DATE: May 5, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
A couple of years ago I wrote about my yard, and my outdoor living space. For an urban lot, it is relatively large andhad been neglected for years. We decided to start with a clean slate, with the...
DATE: April 22, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I am so excited that I can see my front yard. Over the last couple of weeks, the snow has melted, the grass is slowlyspringing to life and the buds on the plum trees are getting ready to pop.I love...
DATE: April 8, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
As many of my Colorado Master Gardener students and volunteers know, I am more of a fruits-and-vegetables" than aflowers" kind of horticulturist. Don't get me wrong, I like flowers. But for me,...
DATE: March 25, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I had two phone calls today that started My snow has fleas."Excuse me?" I replied, assuming that Snow" was the name of their cat or dog.However, in both cases the descriptions were the same....
DATE: Feb. 11, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I feel like I am risking what little journalism credentials I have - I majored in journalism for one semester at theUniversity of Northern Colorado - because this will be the second article in a...
DATE: Jan. 21, 2010 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Finally, it feels like winter.With all this snow, it is hard not to get in the holiday spirit. Although as I write this article, the seven hours Ijust spent moving snow is making it difficult to...
DATE: Dec. 10, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I feel pretty confident in saying that, other than Arbor Day, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Of course, on Arbor Day you don't get a free pass to eat whatever you want (why do you think...
DATE: Nov. 26, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
November and December are my down months. Typically, this is the time of year when I can catch up on all the thingsthat got buried on my desk; the time when the phone calls regarding horticulture...
DATE: Nov. 12, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
As I write this article on a gloomy and cold Tuesday, waiting for the forecasted storm to come in tonight and bring 3 to 5 feet (okay, maybe 3 to 5 inches - but it never hurts to wish) of snow,...
DATE: Oct. 28, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
The other day, I challenged myself – I was curious how many fruit trees I could find in my short walk to work.I started at my house and traveled the eight blocks to the office at the fairgrounds....
DATE: Oct. 15, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
The other day I visited a garden space at a local health-care center.It was one of those days when my wife, Andrea, was out of town on business and I had my youngest son in tow. Asher is pretty...
DATE: Oct. 7, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
By the time this article hits the Thursday edition, the first fall frost probably hit the Durango area. It is close to that typical time when temperatures usually dip below 32 degrees - near the...
DATE: Sept. 24, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
With school getting back in session, I thought it would be useful to give all of the readers an educational lesson.No, it isn't anything like using statistical analysis to forecast the first freeze...
DATE: Aug. 27, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Ah, Fair Week. The time of year when the fairgrounds and Extension Office are overrun with volunteers, kids, vendors and the occasional casserole dish to share.Yes, there will be a carnival here...
DATE: Aug. 6, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
I can honestly admit that I love the social aspect of the Durango Farmers Market. And I am not alone.I am confident that there are those who get to the First National Bank parking lot at 9 a.m. and...
DATE: June 25, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
So we thought that summer was just around the corner.Weeks of balmy temperatures led to a plethora of white legs sticking out of shorts, flies being cast on the Animas, and open windows and doors,...
DATE: April 9, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
DATE: March 19, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Ah yes, the middle of winter - the time at which writing an article about horticulture is always a challenge. Nurseries are all but closed, the ground is frozen, and even those wonderful Christmas...
DATE: Jan. 22, 2009 | COLUMN: From the Extension Office
Editor’s note: Get Growing, written by the La Plata County Extension Office’s Master Gardener Program, appears during the growing season. It features timely tips and suggestions for your garden and...
DATE: June 25, 2018 | COLUMN: Get Growing
Editor’s note: Get Growing, written by the La Plata County Extension Office’s Master Gardener Program, appears during the growing season. It features timely tips and suggestions for your garden and...
DATE: Oct. 26, 2017 | COLUMN: Get Growing
Gardening in Southwest Colorado is frequently challenging. We have deer, pocket gophers and voles. There can be frosts in June and September and rains that come down in sheets or just seem to...
DATE: April 6, 2011 | COLUMN: Get Growing
In honor of those who participated in the 2010 La Plata County Fair, here are some suggestions of things that you can do to support the local food economy. b Plant a garden and grow as much of your...
DATE: Aug. 18, 2010 | COLUMN: Get Growing
In an effort to try and beat the heat this summer, you may want to think about using vines to help shade the favoritespot in the landscape. Recently, I planted vines near a willow archway to help...
DATE: June 24, 2010 | COLUMN: Get Growing
Editor's note: This is the final column of the season for Get Growing, written by the La Plata County Extension Office's Master Gardener Program. It features timely tips and suggestions for your...
DATE: Oct. 29, 2009 | COLUMN: Get Growing
Editor's note: Get Growing, written by the La Plata County Extension Office's Master Gardener Program, appears every other week during the growing season. It features timely tips and suggestions...
DATE: July 30, 2009 | COLUMN: Get Growing
Editor's note: Get Growing, written by the La Plata County Extension Office's Master Gardener Program, appears every other week during the growing season. It features timely tips and suggestions...
DATE: July 2, 2009 | COLUMN: Get Growing
