2026 Tomato & Pepper Book
Growing Onions 101
Our onion, leek, and shallot sets have just arrived, which means it’s soon time to plant them! These flavorful plants are a clear favorite for cooking around the world and are surprisingly easier to grow than most expect. But there’s a first time for everything we understand, so with the recent arrival of these bulb producers, we thought we’d write an easy guide to allium care! So, don’t sweat about day length, fertilization, fungal disease, and soil types; we’ve got you covered!
Onion Day Length Guide Explanation
Figuring out and finding an onion that fits your area’s “day length” standards is initially intimidating. “Day length, that is, the duration of daylight hours within 24 hours, is influenced by the Earth’s tilt. Thus, various amounts of light reach different parts of the Earth throughout the year. Likewise, latitude influences what onions you can and can’t grow. Places with higher latitude (the closer you get to the poles), your day length is extended in summer” (Jameson). This is flipped for places closer to the equator in winter. Certain onions won’t survive beyond the equator, while others won’t survive near the equator, as onions are extremely light-dependent. Now, to keep it simple, our store typically only carries onion varieties suitable for Colorado, which typically has Intermediate-day summer growing periods. You can likewise grow Long-day onions further North in our state. To find out what day-length range your state is, click the link here: Click me!
Planting Time
“Plant onion sets from April to early May (for zone 4) or four to six weeks before your last frost date. If your soil isn’t workable, onion sets can be stored for roughly three weeks in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space” (Dixondale). DO NOT put them in water.
Perfect Soil
One perk about onions is that they grow well in a variety of soil types! “So long as your soil has excellent drainage, to avoid rot, you can grow onions in sandy or clay-dense soil” (CSU). Just make sure to amend said soils with organic material to generate better aeration (especially for clay soils). We recommend organic materials, such as Cotton bur compost or humus, to help. The onions wouldn’t shy away from nutrient-dense soil! “To amend soil for onion beds, you’ll apply 1 1/2” of green compost or humus over the desired beds, and work said material 8” deep into the soil” (CSU). Likewise, the spot onions will be planted in MUST HAVE good sun (exemplified in the day-length paragraph).
Fertilizing
Start strong with fertilizing your onions by testing your soil. You’ll want a nutrient-rich soil with a balanced NPK ratio with no excess. “Onions require a good dosage of nitrogen; however, too much leads to early maturing and produces poor bulbs. While liquid fertilizers are fine for onions, slow-release solid fertilizers are better, especially if they’re organic. You’ll side-dress onions to fertilize them by scratching in the slow-release fertilizer above ground six inches away from the onion plants. You will want to do this after roots establish and only once or twice per growing season” (UM).
Watering
“Onion roots are shallow and thus sensitive to changes in moisture. Make sure to water frequently, never allowing their soil to dry out. If you allow them to dry during the bulbing stage, bulbs will be small and leathery” (CSU). Our 2025-2026 winter has been dry, and our summer will be too (most likely), so make sure to water your onion sets from now until harvest. An inch of water a week should be perfect, but keep a close eye on them regardless. “Cease watering entirely by August, or when the tops of the plant lie over on the ground. The food made in the leaves will supply the onion with nutrients from this point on” (CSU).
Fungal Issues & Insects
Sadly, it’s not all champagne and caviar with growing onions. “One infamous insect that loves onions are thrips” (CSU). These tiny flying lice-like bugs feed by puncturing leaves and sucking out the sap. They especially love onions, so non-systemic insecticides are essential for keeping them away and exterminating them. Onions also suffer from various fungal issues and diseases, from purple blotch to mildew. Always stick to organic fungicides when protecting onions and never systemics, otherwise you won’t be able to enjoy your crops! If you’re interested in learning more about onion diseases and fungal issues, check out a few articles featured below:
Disease & Fungus: Click me!
Insect Control: Click me!
Soil-Borne Diseases: Click me!
Weeds
Onions are susceptible to weed choking. “Get onion beds free from weeds with organic preemergents (such as corn meal), raking them into the top inch of the soil” (Dixondale). Preemergents will halt weed seed germination for six weeks, but established weeds will remain. Do not use any other herbicide and weed by hand with a hoe, dandelion popper, etc.
That’s just the basics when it comes to growing onions, shallots, and leeks from sets. For further questions, we highly recommend you check out the sources below or the others featured within this article. Feel free to visit the store for help from our staff or email Colorado State Extension Q&A for questions. Don’t let the onions frighten you, happy gardening!
Jameson, Molly. “Understanding Short-Day vs. Long-Day Onions | Panhandle Agriculture.” Ufl.edu, 2024, https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2024/07/26/understanding-short-day-vs-long-day-onions/
“1808 – Growing Onions from Seed – PlantTalk Colorado.” Colostate.edu, 2025, https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/vegetables/1808-growing-onions-seed/
“Growing Onions in Home Gardens.” Extension.umn.edu,https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-onions
“Onion Planting Guide – Dixondale Farms.” Dixondale Farms, 16 Apr. 2020, https://dixondalefarms.com/onion-planting-guide/?srsltid=AfmBOopg3208TqFNnzA7QA7bRfa1G1ElBS05UPDSmU2tczB506uMrrrB
2026 Tomato & Pepper List
Colorado Seed Starting 101: Advice From Rick’s Grow Team
If you want lots of fruits and veggies come summer, the best gardening advice we can offer you is to start early and indoors. Colorado’s growing season is too short for many garden favorites. Eggplants, peppers and tomatoes do not have enough time exclusively outdoors to produce a bountiful harvest. That being said, we’d like to share some of our own techniques for extending the season. Starting seeds inside is the best way to get this jumpstart on the season. And I can thank our spectacular Grow Team, particularly Emma & Jenn, for the helpful advice! If you are a seasoned gardener, or this is your first season growing a garden, enjoy some of our best tips for being successful at seed starting.
Days To Maturity & Pre-Planting
As previously mentioned, Colorado’s growing season is short. When I visited Missouri one time, I was amazed that communities had tomatoes ready to harvest by June, and all of them were grown outside, from seed! Colorado gardeners can have full bushels of tomatoes come June also; we just have to start early and indoors. The best way to plan for this is to research days to maturity for each plant and start according to these specifications. Depending on when the plants reach maturity, you should sow seeds indoors an additional 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date. For example, peppers need about 85 days to reach maturity. With a bit of math, 85 days turns into 12 weeks. Maturity refers to the number of days it takes the plant to produce fruit. Add four to six weeks on top of that for germination, then research your area’s last frost date through a trusted weather channel. Colorado Springs is typically on May 8th or even Mothers Day. Just to be safe, we’ll use Mother’s Day as a guide for our planning going forward. Subtracting roughly 14 weeks from May 10th means the optimal planting date is January 18th. A little late, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plant peppers; they’ll just fruit a little later! You can find maturity information on the back of seed packets. We’ll also provide a link below this paragraph to one of our favorite references, Colorado State Extension, and their incredible Colorado Vegetable Guide. Click here to read!
Drainage, Drainage, Drainage!
A major seed killer is overwatering, which is easy to do. However, raw seeds need to remain moist until cracking appears, which creates a conundrum in terms of watering. Both Jenn and Emma recommend a combination of fine-draining growing medium and special watering techniques to avoid this. In terms of growing medium, our Grow Team actually starts seeds in vermiculite. It has to be coarse for the best aeration, but if you water less, fine-grade is alright. Seedlings will stay in vermiculite for two weeks, then will be transplanted into a special seed soil or Foxfarm’s Happy Frog soil. Why do we not keep seeds in vermiculite permanently until they can go into larger pots? Vermiculite isn’t great at storing nutrients for seedlings, which obviously isn’t a benefit if you want to grow delicious, healthy, and strong vegetable plants (or any plant). And in terms of watering, we use misters, not watering cans or a hose. Keep the medium moist but not soggy. It’s the Goldilock’s ideal for the seeds!
Warm Bottoms, Cool Tops
A trick to creating a perfect environment for seeds, Emma told me, is to keep the following phrase in mind: warm bottom, cool tops. She and her grow team raise a majority of our vegetable starts in one of our many greenhouses, including a major crop of our tomato varieties. In the greenhouse, we have enough space to use heating mats, and regulate temperature with a greenhouse heater. We also understand many readers aren’t as lucky when it comes to such growing conditions. If you live in an apartment, a small home, or are on a budget, where do you even start, much less keep in mind the mantra “warm bottoms, cool tops?” Let’s translate the quote and make alterations. Seeds should have a warm and inviting substrate to thrive in, preferably one heated by a heating mat. Hence, the “warm bottoms” of the first half of the mantra. Whether growing in a greenhouse or at home, we always recommend a heating mat. It emulates summer growing temperatures that vegetables, like peppers, need. We carry various heat mats, some with timers and others without, that would work perfectly for a smaller grow setting. These mats should be set between 80 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
What about the meaning of “cool top?” In our greenhouse, there’s the heater, but even now, the environment is still considered “cool” compared to summer temperatures. The contrast between soil and air tells the seed which direction to grow, establish roots in the warm earth, whilst the stalk should reach to the cool air above ground. The air cannot be too frigid, however (hence the greenhouse heater), or else the sprout will have stunted growth or die. In a home operation, we recommend growing seeds in a warm spot with full sun, using a plastic greenhouse cover only when the sun moves away to keep in the heat. The space you plan to grow seeds in, shouldn’t go below 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Light On The Subject
This is essential for growing seeds at home, Jenn mentions, “as much light as possible is essential for starting seeds.” And we’re not talking about keeping seeds by windows. We’re talking grow lights, which sounds like overkill to many, but if you want to avoid leggy plants they’re a must. Have you ever grown seeds at home and noticed that as they mature, they become long, stringy, and weak? This is what we mean by leggy. These plants are desperate for light, but without enough, they cease to function since photosynthesis depends on sunlight. Jenn recommends keeping the grow light as close as possible, and eventually “upgrading” seed domes (which is where the grow light can rest upon). This is the best way to avoid leggy seedlings.
Quick but helpful tips (we hope) to Colorado seed starting! We know gardening can be expensive, and some of these supplies will be, but in the end, nothing beats the pride of using your own plant starts for the summer. Plus, your wallet will thank you in the long run, too! Happy gardening!
AI & The Garden: A Hard NO
If you’re a gardener, you should be aware that relying on AI can be dangerous. Running the AI data centers are detrimental to the environment, consuming 10 times the normal electricity compared to other search engines (UNEP, 2024). And what’s the point if it’s inaccurate? We’ve had numerous issues with AI spouting nonsense to all our wonderful customers and we don’t want your gardens, landscaping projects, or interior decorating ruined because of it. In this article, we’ll go over how to spot AI and what to use instead.
AI is transforming the plant industry at an exponential rate and not for the best. Sure, you can get information about plants, gardening techniques, and more using Chat GBT or a AI-run plant app but how accurate is this information? AI pulls its data from various sources across the internet, from downloaded books to “even those funny Reddit threads” (Climate Vault, Dec 2024). We’re sure you can recognize a red flag here: AI pulls information from ANY data online. AI can be trained to select data from certain sites but it can’t differentiate between reliable and unreliable sources. This leads to false information being shared on plant apps, the Google search settings, and even AI-generated images as fact. We can’t tell you how frequently misinformed customers come in because of AI. We have a good rule of thumb to keep in mind when it comes to AI identification: if it’s too good to be true, that’s because it probably is.
Too Good To Be True
Have you been recommended home remedies to care for sick plants? Or have you been shown images of plants that seem unreal, like deep blue leaves or neon magenta flowers that glow? These are all examples of AI displaying “too good to be true” facts and images. Gardeners in the know are aware there’s no such thing as a fully blue colored plant, that’s impossible because plants absorb light from blue and red light waves and reflect the green wavelength. Some plants appear blueish or even purple yet are never the color displayed by AI, exemplified below. Another sign (and poor recommendation) of AI is through plant apps’ advice. As we mentioned before AI absorbs and relays information from collected data all over the internet, including from memes (online jokes), unprofessional advice from Reddit and other websites, and non-scientific sources. AI in plant apps thus recommends that knowledge be treated as fact when it comes to identifying or recommending products to treat sick plants. Customers come in all the time with spotted leaves on houseplants and outdoor plants and through a plant apps “advice” been recommended inappropriate care, like supplying fertilizer when it’s a fungal issue. The fertilizer might help the plant bounce back but doesn’t eliminate a fungus, only a fungicide will do that. AI will also recommend homeopathic “remedies” for plants based on this collected data, like using honey to stimulate root growth on cuttings or using dish soap to treat for insect eggs. Sounds too good to be true right? You are correct, these claims are advertised as cheap but aren’t rooted in science and are often pulled from untrustworthy data. Honey has been shown to have limited effect, but very minimally, and rotting often occurs before root take a hold. And using dish soap on plants will kill your plants before killing insect eggs. Seasoned gardeners and plant people would be suspicious of these recommendations but those new to the lifestyle may be caught unaware and taken advantage of.
How to Spot AI Via Images
AI learns and thus it becomes increasingly difficult to differentiate real photos and AI-generated photos. Realistic but not perfect, thankfully there are still techniques to spot AI in photos:
Strange Details: Focus on the details of a photo you question. Are plant leaves melding together? Or do flowers seem way too bright? Almost glowing? No matter how small the detail something will be wrong with its appearance, indicating AI-usage. Data is collected and generated into a new image yet AI isn’t tuned enough to make it appear natural. Another great detail to look at is if a blossom appears identical to another in the picture, AI is essentially just copying and repeating the same feature in one photo.
Too Perfect: Aesthetics are important when it comes to internet images. Things must be perfect and AI tends to make things too perfect. AI-generated photos tend to lack realistic details, forgetting about the tiny hair like roots of a potted plant or a certain leaf pattern, instead giving an airbrushed appearance to the photo. Or the background environment might be incorrect for the plant featured in a photo, like tomatoes being displayed in a cold setting. Too perfectly aesthetic are red flags and their source, information, or appearance should not be trusted.
These are only techniques to handle photos, however. Rely on the professionals, like academics and scientists, for plant knowledge.
How to Spot AI: Discovering the Source
There’s a final trick up our sleeves for discovering what images or data snippets are AI-generated or not and it involves a little extra work. Are you familiar with the reverse image search?
Google Image Search: Have you ever downloaded a plant picture and are suspicious of its authenticity? Introducing the Google Image search. Simply open up a tab in Google, click the little camera in the search bar, upload that mysterious picture and you should be able to trace its origin. If the image comes from an academic source, a college, a published research magazine, or an established agricultural company chances are the plant displayed in the said photo is the real deal. If the image is tracing back to a single source and it’s on a shady website or a single page on Amazon chances are not only did you stumble upon an AI-generated image but it’s being used in a scam. Distrust the photo immediately and continue to rely on the professionals.
The Professionals: Who to trust
The best sources for plant advice ALWAYS come from professionals: academics, scholars, and scientists. Academic websites, university & college websites, scientist-run online journals and blogs, and more are all excellent places to source plant information and research. Science is evidence-based, meaning scientists study topics through experimentation. To think about the reliability of science is to think about the reliability of the car. “Most of us trust our cars, ” says Naomi Oreskes, a professor of the history of science at Harvard, “The modern automobile is the product of the collected work and wisdom and experience of every man and woman who has ever worked on a car. And the reliability of the technology is the result of that accumulated effort (Oreskes, 2017).” Real people analyzing trusted research, not just general data, is why science and thus academia should always be trusted and referenced. AI has no peers to check it and keep it real, though in time that may change. But in the meantime stick with the professionals.
We Ricksters use Colorado State University Extension as our main source for information. There are hundreds of free articles on whatever subject you could imagine. And there’s even a Q&A panel where you speak with real researchers, not an AI-driven help bot! To check them out, click these links:
Colorado State University Extension Page: CLICK HERE!
Colorado State University Extension Q&A: CLICK HERE!
Another great source of FREE information is the library! A librarian may not be a gardener but they’re trained in the art of finding trustworthy sources and good material. Use them or the library’s search features to hunt down trustworthy authors and information.
From college websites to libraries, there are numerous trustworthy sources for your plants. And even though AI is learning every day and becoming better, no one can do it like the pros. Plus, AI is bad for the environment, and using it is not cool. It uses thrice as much power as normal search engine, uses rare earth materials, and produces crazy amounts of electronic waste. Happy gardening and happy researching!
Sources:
“Industry News from 3BL Media: The Impact of AI on Carbon Emissions.” My Green Lab, December 4, 2024.
“AI Has an Environmental Problem. Here’s What the World Can Do about That.” UNEP. Accessed July 7, 2025.
Oreskes, Naomi, “Why Should We Believe In Science,” TED Radio Hour, February 24th 2017, 13 Minutes.
How To Plant Amaryllis & Paperwhites
Our holiday bulbs are here! Make way for Amaryllis & Paperwhites! Because these plants need to be planted about eight to ten weeks in advance, to flower around Christmas, we thought we’d provide this care guide now. Caring for and planting these bulbs is surprisingly easy!
How To Plant Holiday Bulbs
Ingredients:
-Bulbs, one Amaryllis or ten to eight Paperwhites.
-Well-draining soil (we’re using Fertilome Ultimate Potting Soil).
-8 Inch Container.
-Bulb fertilizer (we’re using both blood meal and bone meal).
Step-By-Step Guide
1.) Let’s start with the substrate. To prevent rot, pick soil with excellent drainage for these bulbs. We prefer Fertilome Ultimate Potting Soil, but Fox Farm’s Happy Frog works too. Gardners occasionally plant Amaryllis in a succulent mix, replicating their natural arid environment. Be cautious with this approach because it requires more watering due to extremely well draining soil.
2.) Once your soil is selected, fill about two-thirds of the container of your choice. Here, for both paperwhites and amaryllis, we’re using an 8 inch nursery injection pot. But you can use any kind of container. Having a hole for drainage is essential, and bulbs need some wiggle room.
3.) We advise fertilizing bulbs with a slow-release organic fertilizer. Whilst bulb-specific fertilizer, like Espoma Bulb-Tone, is ideal due to phosphorus levels, a flower fertilizer likewise works. Here, we choose to use blood meal and bone meal, high sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. We’ll eyeball the amounts because with them organic and a slow-release fertilizer burn isn’t a high concern.
4.) Plant your bulbs! Make sure roots are pointing down to the bottom of the pot, tip pointing to the sky. In fact, about one-third of the top of the plant should be above the soil. Amaryllis should have an inch and a half of space around the bulb and enough depth to properly root out. Paperwhites can be planted close together, but bulbs shouldn’t be touching. Think of how an egg carton is arranged! They should also have good depth for their roots to grow.
5.) Now, give the bulbs a light water. This helps pack them in. Rot is the primary cause of death for bulbs, so maintaining a good watering schedule is essential for their survival. We recommend watering every other day in a dry environment, less so in a humid environment. Lower watering to once every four days once green sprouts appear.
The Short & Sweet Fall Bulb Guide
Fall bulbs, also known as hardy bulbs, are always much anticipated in the garden center. Capable of surviving (and often requiring) cold, through the gloom of winter, hardy bulbs provide beautiful early spring flowers! Compared to tender bulbs like dahlias, gladiolus, and begonias, hardy bulbs are easier to work with and rarely need to be dug up for storage. However, like with all plants, they do benefit from a little help. In this article, we’ll talk about how to best care for fall bulbs!
Selecting A Site
Before choosing any bulbs, we recommend selecting a planting site first, as this is a major contributor to their survival. Bulbs given a poor growing site aren’t given the best situation to survive over winter. Soil quality, drainage, light availability, and soil richness should all be considered for bulb planting. The most important aspect for bulbs is aerated soil (CSU Extension). Dense soil will retain water and prevent root displacement, causing rot or bulbs to over-exert their energy. Aeration can be done by digging up the area and adding organic material to not only enrich the soil but also increase porosity, allowing water and air to flow freely. If your soil bears heavy clay, we recommend using EKO Clay Buster, Tree & Shrub Mix, or humus. Avoid animal manure, as this can burn bulbs unless evenly distributed after planting to act as fertilizer.
Light is essential for bulbs, but depending on placement, it can cause disruptions in dormancy. Avoid planting hardy bulbs close to a southern-exposed foundation, as the heat can wake bulbs early and cause death (CSU Extension). Likewise, hardy bulbs need general amounts of sunlight, about 8 hours per day. Avoid planting bulbs in total shade. You cannot count on the sun to insulate bulbs. After planting bulbs and especially after the first freeze, it’s recommended to apply mulch over the area to keep in extra heat (CSU Extension). Cedar mulch works best, but any fine mulch will do. Using shredded leaf mulch is also excellent as it will return nitrogen to the soil and feed the bulbs over winter. Avoid places where high wind tears through or where frost collects (UM Extension).
Colorado soil contains poor nutrients, so planting bulbs with bulb fertilizer is a wise idea. Pick a bulb-centered fertilizer, like Espoma Bulb-Tone, as it will provide the ideal amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and additional minerals over winter and into spring. Oftentimes, it’s recommended to plant this fertilizer into the hole for the bulbs. Manure can be laid over the bulbs after planting to act as fertilizer, but only after the bulbs have been buried. Mulch will be laid on top, so think of it as an earthen lasagna in a way. Bulb, soil, manure, mulch. As snow soaks into the ground over winter, the manure’s nutrients are absorbed into the soil and, in turn, absorbed by the bulb.
Picking Bulbs
Hardy bulbs are designed to survive long winters. They contain nutrients to keep the plant alive for months and even require cold in order to break dormancy (University of Minnesota). There is thus a direct correlation between the size of a bulb and eventual flower size, as the larger the bulb, the better and bigger the flower due to stored nutrients (CSU Extension). Choose firm bulbs, as squishy textures or mold signify poor health. The best bulbs are chosen from open-air containers, not packets (CSU Extension). There are exceptions, as if packages have air holes to increase circulation.
Bulb Depth
Bulb species determine appropriate soil depth and spacing. Larger bulbs demand more space and depth. Tulips and daffodils, for example, are considered to be large hardy bulbs. They can be spaced 4 to 6 inches apart, while small bulbs can be spaced 1 to 3 inches apart (CSU Extension). A general rule for bulb planting depth is “four times the height of the bulb between soil surface and tip of the bulb” (CSU Extension). Bulb distributors often have fact sheets or planting guides attached to or on bulb packaging. If provided, it’s recommended to follow those instructions for each varying bulb species.
When you’re planting bulbs, make sure to place the bulb within its hole with the pointed end facing up towards the sky (University of Minnesota Extension). Not doing so will cause the bulb to grow in the wrong direction and eventually die. Planting should be done in September to allow ample root growth to form before fully going dormant, but October is sufficient(CSU Extension). The earlier they’re planted, the longer they have to establish. After planting, water the bulbs to allow them to settle and get a drink after their long travels from the farm to your garden (University of Minnesota Extension). Snow and rain are expected to water the garden throughout the year however Colorado often has dry winters. The occasional soak throughout the winter months will greatly benefit your bulbs (CSU Extension). If bulbs sprout prematurely, simply prune them back.
About Garlic
How does garlic differ from hardy bulbs? In all honesty, hardly at all! Garlic too is a hardy bulb, though obviously its not flowers you’re after, but the cloves. There are two “types” of garlic, hardneck and softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic is typically larger and more flavorful, sometimes even spicy! Hardneck garlic varieties include Meteichi and Rocambole. Hardnecks are also the hardiest of the hardy and thrive in our winter climate. Softneck garlic is the more commonly found garlic in supermarkets and has a milder flavor. They have a longer shelf life than hardneck varieties but aren’t too winter hardy, preferring mild winter weather. Softneck garlic includes Pueblo Early and Inchelium Red.
Applying more fertilizer to the garlic is really the only difference compared to fall flower bulbs, as the more food garlic is fed, the larger the cloves you’ll get! We recommend keeping the fertilizer organic, as synthetic fertilizer isn’t always the best to ingest—even if its absorbed through the plant. You might also want to plant garlic in mid-October rather than September so as not to prematurely wake it (Denver Urban Gardens).
Sources Used:
Colorado State Extension: CLICK HERE!
Denver Urban Gardens: CLICK HERE!
University of Minnesota: CLICK HERE!
Helping Pollinators Through Fall
Fall will be fast upon us, and no one knows that better than native pollinators. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees all continue to toil before cool weather hits. Many of them are either gearing up to migrate to warmer places, like Mexico or South America, or hibernate over the winter. So why not give them a helping hand before winter starts? We have a few tips to help our local pollinators!
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds migrate to and from Colorado two times a year. They arrive to stay the summer in May and June and leave for the winter between August & September. Many of our native hummingbirds fly to Mexico for the winter to subsist on the tropical flowers there. That’s a 1,392-mile journey!!! Amazing, but no feat is too steep for a hummingbird. After all, the Aztecs’ war god’s sacred animal was a hummingbird. These birds are fierce! In order to help them prepare for the long flight to Mexico, we recommend planting pollinator-friendly perennials with hummingbirds in mind. Native Beard Tongue, Giant Hyssop, Native Bee Balm, and Native currants are all wonderful for hummingbirds. They may not bloom this late in the season, but planting perennials in the fall is ideal! Most perennials are done flowering this time of year, so they’re putting all their energy into establishing roots for the winter. They adapt faster when planted in fall, though Fertilome Root Stimulator helps them establish quickly. Once established, those perennials will bloom for next year’s hummingbirds.
In the meantime, annuals are another great option. Salvia, Petunia, Geranium, and Fuchsia are all excellent options for hummingbirds, especially if the flower is red, purple, or pink! And if plants aren’t an option either, we sell hummingbird feeders with hummingbird sugar. We recommend a hummingbird feeder with red plastic flowers as the best choice. It’s also extremely easy to make your own sugar water for hummingbirds too. We’ll provide a link below this paragraph. When buying hummingbird sugar water, though, AVOID any with red colored dye, as it’s difficult for the little birds to digest. No one likes being car sick on roadtrips, not even hummingbirds! Hummingbird water made with white sugar, not powdered or brown sugar, is the best option.
Hummingbirds also need shelter in case it gets cold or stormy. While we don’t sell any hummingbird-specific houses, as hummingbirds tend to avoid birdhouses in general, providing them with areas or plants to roost in is a better option. Hummingbirds roost on fragile branches and stems of shrubby plants. Lilac and boxwood are popular choices for a hummingbird, but anything not easily penetrated by wind or cold is a good choice. Consider holding off from pruning the inner shoots of these plants and only prune those exposed to the elements at this time of year.
Perennials & Annuals Best for Hummers: Click here!
Sugar Water Recipe: Click here!
Butterflies
We all love the dazzling butterfly, and our flowers especially love them. Some butterflies, like the Monarch butterfly, migrate similarly to the hummingbird to Mexico over winter. Butterfly enthusiasts often plant Milkweed for hungry monarchs to feed on during their travels. We also sell Milkweed seed! Spreading these seeds in the fall is the best time for Milkweed to be exposed to cold temperatures to break natural dormancy. If you’re interested in other flowers for butterflies, check out our Beauty Beyond Belief Monarch Rescue blend or Butterflies & Birds blend. Because these are all native perennial and annual blends, putting down the seed in the fall breaks their dormancy as well. If you’re deadset on planting other kinds of perennials other than milkweed, here’s a great list to reference: Click here!
Butterflies are more delicate when it comes to shelter, and a storm can easily kill them. That’s why we recommend buying a butterfly house to keep them sheltered! Similar to a bird house, this little wooden structure has vertical slits carved into the front for butterflies to come and go as they please. With how narrow these entryways are, birds and other insects are deterred from entering. Attach a butterfly house on a solid structure like a fence or garage, and voila! A butterfly shelter! It’s ideal to place them around the flowers that butterflies frequent.
Bees: Native Bees & Honey Bees
America has diverse bee species. Numerous native bees pollinate our flowers and often live solitary lifestyles, whereas the European Honey bee has adapted to life in America and pollinate alongside its American brethren. These bees are also a popular choice for Beekeepers! Whatever kind of bee you’re trying to cater to, we have plants for you!
All bee species enjoy blue, violet, and red colored flowers. This is because bees see in the ultraviolet light spectrum, and these flowers are especially vibrant! That being said, they won’t turn away from orange or yellow flowers either; they are just more interested in things with a blue hue. Great plants to attract bees includes Blue Flax, Yarrow, Goldenrod, Rabbitbrush, Rocky Mountain Bee Balm, and the Common Sunflower. We carry grown perennials of many of these varieties; however, Rocky Mountain Bee Balm and Sunflowers grow best from seed. We have numerous sunflower seed blends and even bee-targeted seed blends, like Bumblebee Bonanza, Honey Source, and Bee Rescue blend (all by Beauty Beyond Belief). Spread seeds in the fall and watch them grow, and feed bees next spring and summer! Sometimes bees will take advantage of honeybird feeders too and use them alongside the hummers. Wasp will as well, which isn’t always desired, but wasps are also pollinators (if you don’t believe us check out this article: Click here ).
Native bees, unlike the honey bees, often don’t create hives. Instead, they’ll find shelter in dead trees, dense shrubs, logs, hollowed-out reed grasses, and nooks and crannies of houses. Sometimes, like the Mud Dauber Bee, they’ll create their own homes out of various materials nature provides them. And oftentimes it’s the female bee who builds the nest, as they’ll lay their eggs there. If you want to give these insects a helping hand, start collecting materials to make a bee nest! Deadwood, dried plant stems, or a pile of dead leaves are all excellent materials. Even leaving a spot covered with mulch bare for burrowing bees would be excellent! Keeping around that dead stump or avoiding pruning perennials likewise provides shelter to native bees. But if you prefer maintaining aesthetics or prefer not to have fire hazards lying around the yard, we recommend establishing a bug house/hotel. It acts just like a butterfly house, except it’s stuffed with hollowed reeds and sticks. Some just have tiny drilled holes for shelter, too. These materials are similar to the crannies and structures native bees inhabit in the wild, making these shelters cozy for winter-long stays. Sometimes they attract other insects like ladybugs and spiders as well, but that’s fine! The more beneficial insects, the better for your garden. You can create bug houses easily by following the instructions below. We also sell premade bee and insect houses.
Attracting Native Bees: Click here!
Attracting Sweat Bees/Native Bees: Click here!
Building Bug Houses: Click here!
More on Bee Houses: Click here!
Water
Setting up a water station also attracts pollinators. While most hummingbirds get their H2O from feeding off nectar, butterflies and bees appreciate a bit of water straight from the source. Creating water stations for insects can be difficult; a bowl can’t be too deep, or they drown. It also has to be clean water, so it should have a bubbling or filtering feature. Finding an exact product that does all this is difficult, and it might not be just a single product. Beekeepers who visit our store mention making their own insect watering stations out of saucers and coco coir. They load the saucers with little floating squares of the coco coir and fill them daily with water. The bees will stand on these “rafts” and lean over the edge to drink the water. Another technique we’ve seen is a saucer filled mostly with gravel or clay pebbles (aka lecca) and filled halfway with water. So long as the water is changed daily and insects have an easy place to land and stand, the saucer can be any size!
DIY Bee Water Station: Click here!
DIY Bug Water Station: Click here!
Pollinators are the reason our gardens thrive and continue to fill the world with beauty. To show our appreciation, especially in these unpredictable times, let’s lend them a helping hand as fall approaches. With some TLC, we guarantee pollinators will come back both next year and also for our children’s children to admire.
Protecting Tomatoes Against Heat
Temperatures are rising, and plants are taking a beating, especially tomatoes. From blossom loss to poor growth, this South American fruit can’t always beat the heat. “Tomatoes grow best at uniformly moderate temperatures between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit,” claims Colorado State University, “This is why a high altitude, semiarid climate like Colorado with wide daily temperature swings is not a favorable area for tomato growing (PlantTalk, 2025).” It’s important to identify heat stress compared to fungal issues. We’re going to go over some techniques for identifying heat stress and keeping tomatoes cool!
Heat Stress Signs
Are your blossoms falling off the tomato plant? Or has their growth suddenly halted? What about wilting? These are all signs of heat stress in tomatoes. Blossom loss is caused by high temperatures interfering with pollination. Dry winds don’t carry pollen well, so blossoms go unfertilized and die off. Halted growth is caused by cool night temperatures and scorching hot day temperatures, the contrast induces stress. And wilt is caused by numerous factors, not just heat. If the soil is dry, then it may be caused by accelerated evaporation due to heat. Fungal wilt disease is another issue caused by heat, due to the combination of a moist environment and then sudden heat. There are several varieties of fungal wilt, so we recommend checking out this article to fight them accordingly: Click here!
Fighting Heat
Time to beat the heat! Anything that retains moisture and shields plants from the sun will protect your tomatoes. We recommend a shade hail cloth, preferably one with a percentage like 30% light blockage. This filtered shade cloth will allow the tomatoes to get enough light while also creating a cool environment. Shade cloth shouldn’t be draped on the plant, it should be supported by PVC pipe or a tomato cage. Plus, it will also protect against hail when it hits!
Applying mulch will help retain moisture. Apply mulch in vegetable beds and containers. Make sure not to layer mulch right against the stem of the plant. Leaving space between mulch and plants helps prevent further fungal infections. Make sure the mulch isn’t dyed either. Dye isn’t safe for human consumption. Leaf mulch will also do the same thing! Leaf mulching involves shredding leaves that fall from trees to make your own mulch! It retains moisture like shredded wood mulch but also gives back precious nitrates, helping your tomatoes grow! To make leaf mulch you can buy a leaf mulcher or smash them with a weed whacker or mower. It’s obviously July, so leaves aren’t expected to fall until autumn but garden centers often have leaf mulch piles people drop off for others to take. We certainly do! Give us a call before driving home to make sure we have bagged.
Regardless if you choose to add mulch you may have to water more as the heat increases. We recommend following Colorado Springs Utilities for watering times. But when watering, water deep. Use a bubbler sprinkler or slow-release irrigation system and water in intervals. This is so the water penetrates the soil and soaks deeper, ensuring lower evaporation rates. This also helps strengthen roots and drought immunity in the plant!
Fighting heat isn’t easy, Colorado is a semi-arid high desert after all. Not all tomatoes will survive super hot summers, but these cool techniques will help preserve them! Plus, these techniques can be used on other plants too, from vegetables to annuals!
“Colorado State University.” PlantTalk Colorado. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/vegetables/1835-tomato-questions-abound-heat/.
Planning For Trees
Gardening is for everyone, and that includes those who want a tree! How can this be? Not everyone has the space for these kinds of big plants. Not so fast-trees also include bonsai and indoor citrus too! Whether you want something decorative, fruiting, or just plain cool, we will help you pick and care for a tree that will thrive!
What To Look For: Location, Location, Location!
Trees are surprisingly delicate plants. Selecting the right plant, planting it at the optimal time, and choosing the ideal location is crucial for a tree to thrive. We’ll first go over site selection. Trees need space both above and below ground. Their canopies need to spread alongside their roots so they can establish themselves easily and live a long time. Keep in mind a tree’s full size before purchasing. If you’re lacking this space, a dwarf tree variety or even a shrub would be better.
Drainage also is important. Most soil in Colorado retains moisture poorly, however there can be areas with poor drainage in any environment. Picking a drought-tolerant tree would be best for soil that poorly retains moisture, the very best being a native tree. For a tree in a wet area pick one that enjoys damp soil, just don’t forget to water during the drier months!
Lastly, sunlight exposure is essential for trees (and generally all plants). Generally, trees need full sun but some don’t like bright hot light and prefer partial shade. Most trees we carry in our nursery will have little information packets attached to their branches about light requirements. If they don’t, our Ricksters are always happy to help!
What To Look For: Healthy Trees Please!
Now we get to the fun part: picking out the tree! Picking a healthy tree will benefit your wallet and the health of your garden or yard. An unhealthy or sickly tree can transmit disease and decay to other plants, so knowing what to look for while shopping is essential for everyone! Tree leaves shouldn’t be wilting, have discolored bark, odd spots, or oddly colored leaves. You shouldn’t buy a tree that has non-beneficial insects, like aphids or mealy bugs, on its leaves, branches, or bark. Trees should have evenly spaced branches and a central branch that acts as the main trunk. The Colorado State Forest Service suggests, “Tree foliage and branches should be distributed on the upper 2/3 of the tree.” Study the tree roots too. Are roots circling, appear pot bound or are suffocating the stem and trunk of the tree? These are all bad signs and this tree shouldn’t be purchased.
Why Natives?
Some trees will do better in Colorado than others. Native trees in particular are hardier and built for our drastic climate. Generally, they will also need less maintenance, like less watering, pruning, and insect control. Natives will thrive in Colorado hardiness zones, though there are always exceptions. A great place to check out native trees and shrubs is at Colorado State University Extension. Alongside pictures, each tab is filled with information about the plant’s preferred elevation, habitat, and more. Click the link to learn more: https://csfs.colostate.edu/colorado-trees/colorados-major-tree-species/
Planting
Trees have specificities when it comes to planting. When you choose to purchase a tree from our nursery, we’ll typically send you home with one of our tree-planting guides. It’s also available on our website, link located here for ease: https://www.ricksgarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Ricks-Tree-Shrub-Planting-Guide.pdf .
We want to remind you to NOT FERTILIZE your tree for the first year! This can damage and even kill a tree. Trees are getting established in their new home and this is a stressful time. Applying fertilizer adds unnecessary stress in the first year.
Whether you choose a flowering crab apple or go the native route and pick a tree that easily establishes in our area, finding the right fit tree is what we should all strive for. A chosen tree should be picked to thrive in your yard’s microclimate. Once established, trees return the favor. Providing shade, habitats for animals and birds, cleaning the air and water, and limiting rain runoff are just a few of the reasons a tree can benefit the community. Likewise, trees increase property value and cut noise pollution! Trees are legacy gifts to the environment and to future generations. Whatever your reason is for choosing a tree we’re happy to help you do it right. Happy gardening!
