Gardening in the Semi-Arid North Fork Valley
of the gardening experience in this part of the world. If you are informed about the soil, water needs, the altitude and the atmosphere you can make your landscape bloom with only mild augmentation of what nature gives you to work with.
First, soil. The soils of this region are alkaline with a pH of 7.2 and trace their ancestry to the violent volcanic history of the mountains to the east. The ‘dobie hills of the area are basically ash dunes. Our soils are often described as “heavy clay” and are relatively low in organic matter.
If this sounds like an obstacle, don’t let it be! Clay soils can hold water well, but only if the tithe of the soil is enhanced with organics – otherwise the precious rains will have a tendency to run off and do little good. Organics are important for aiding in water retention, but also for increasing the oxygen holding capacity of our dense soils. However, in augmenting the soils with organics (which can mean compost, straw, leaves, dead plant debris, manure etc.), there is one negative effect; namely, that the decomposition of the organic material will rob the soil of nitrogen. Consequently, it is recommended that you add nitrogen in either synthetic or organic form at least 4 times a year (Good fertilization dates are Memorial Day, The 4th of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving). A common form of synthetic nitrogen is ammonia sulfate. Organic nitrogen can be obtained in several forms, but a popular one is “fish emulsion”. If you are thinking that sand might loosen up the soil, stop now. Sand + ashy soil = concrete!
Now, about our altitude and atmosphere. The inhabited portion of the Valley sports elevations consistently over 5,000 ft. with some locations over 7,000 ft. This means that we have 5,000 – 7,000 ft. less protective atmosphere than much of the rest of the country. What does this mean to your garden? Our daily temperature variations are greater than in many places. For instance, 70°F days with 30°F nights are common in April (the last average freeze date is May 17). The higher the elevation, the cooler the nights. And, as you have doubtless noticed if you have visited the high country, the sun is more intense here. That means that you cannot normally locate plants that suggest “partial shade” in a sunny location without ending up with crispy results! (As a note, greenhouse plants normally come with tags bearing general care instructions that are written for customers in a different part of the country. Therefore, you might want to take the information with a grain of salt). When purchasing plants, your wisest choice is to take advantage of the expertise of one of our local horticultural experts. The Valley’s greenhouses are brimming with helpful staff who know the requirements of our unique environment. And keep in mind that many small greenhouses carry only Colorado-grown and acclimated plants. There’s no telling where the “big box” stores get their plants…
Now, for watering advice. All you really need to imbed in your subconscious is this mantra – “DEEP & INFREQUENT”. Frequent watering floods the soil and expels oxygen, but most importantly, keeps your plant’s roots near the surface. If you go out to the ‘dobie hills you will not find plants with shallow roots. Only deep rooted plants are sustainable in this environment and the way you get deep rooted plants is to water heavily and not too often (about once a week is a good rule of thumb). Lazy, over watered plants will not “seek” water.
Other aspects of our climate that you will come to appreciate are our abundant sunny days and low humidity. You’ll catch on. Happy Gardening!
If you fancy yourself a future commercial organic grower (produce, fruit, and winemaking – even organic meat producer) you will want to contact the Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA). Contact VOGA at their website: www.vogaco.org.
Contributed by: Nathan Sponseller
First, soil. The soils of this region are alkaline with a pH of 7.2 and trace their ancestry to the violent volcanic history of the mountains to the east. The ‘dobie hills of the area are basically ash dunes. Our soils are often described as “heavy clay” and are relatively low in organic matter.
If this sounds like an obstacle, don’t let it be! Clay soils can hold water well, but only if the tithe of the soil is enhanced with organics – otherwise the precious rains will have a tendency to run off and do little good. Organics are important for aiding in water retention, but also for increasing the oxygen holding capacity of our dense soils. However, in augmenting the soils with organics (which can mean compost, straw, leaves, dead plant debris, manure etc.), there is one negative effect; namely, that the decomposition of the organic material will rob the soil of nitrogen. Consequently, it is recommended that you add nitrogen in either synthetic or organic form at least 4 times a year (Good fertilization dates are Memorial Day, The 4th of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving). A common form of synthetic nitrogen is ammonia sulfate. Organic nitrogen can be obtained in several forms, but a popular one is “fish emulsion”. If you are thinking that sand might loosen up the soil, stop now. Sand + ashy soil = concrete!
Now, about our altitude and atmosphere. The inhabited portion of the Valley sports elevations consistently over 5,000 ft. with some locations over 7,000 ft. This means that we have 5,000 – 7,000 ft. less protective atmosphere than much of the rest of the country. What does this mean to your garden? Our daily temperature variations are greater than in many places. For instance, 70°F days with 30°F nights are common in April (the last average freeze date is May 17). The higher the elevation, the cooler the nights. And, as you have doubtless noticed if you have visited the high country, the sun is more intense here. That means that you cannot normally locate plants that suggest “partial shade” in a sunny location without ending up with crispy results! (As a note, greenhouse plants normally come with tags bearing general care instructions that are written for customers in a different part of the country. Therefore, you might want to take the information with a grain of salt). When purchasing plants, your wisest choice is to take advantage of the expertise of one of our local horticultural experts. The Valley’s greenhouses are brimming with helpful staff who know the requirements of our unique environment. And keep in mind that many small greenhouses carry only Colorado-grown and acclimated plants. There’s no telling where the “big box” stores get their plants…
Now, for watering advice. All you really need to imbed in your subconscious is this mantra – “DEEP & INFREQUENT”. Frequent watering floods the soil and expels oxygen, but most importantly, keeps your plant’s roots near the surface. If you go out to the ‘dobie hills you will not find plants with shallow roots. Only deep rooted plants are sustainable in this environment and the way you get deep rooted plants is to water heavily and not too often (about once a week is a good rule of thumb). Lazy, over watered plants will not “seek” water.
Other aspects of our climate that you will come to appreciate are our abundant sunny days and low humidity. You’ll catch on. Happy Gardening!
If you fancy yourself a future commercial organic grower (produce, fruit, and winemaking – even organic meat producer) you will want to contact the Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA). Contact VOGA at their website: www.vogaco.org.
Contributed by: Nathan Sponseller