Gardening in Larimer County

We all remember when we would pick a fallen apple up off the ground, clean it on our shirt and eat it without a thought that it could make us sick.  Fruits and vegetables are a very important part of our diet but we are now finding that improperly grown and prepared fruits and vegetables can be linked to some food-borne illnesses.  Pregnant women, infants, children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems have the highest risk factors, but anyone can be susceptible.  Washing produce with water or with a bleach solution can help reduce the number of disease producing pathogens.  Use 1 to 3 teaspoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of water and always rinse the bleach solution off with plain water.  This bleach solution can also be used to sanitize cutting boards that have been used for meat and vegetable preparation to protect against cross-contamination.  Ground meats should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Changes in microorganisms that are naturally present in soils have contributed to the increase of food borne illness.  Produce can be affected by parasites, viruses, contaminated irrigation water and improperly prepared manure.  Unpasteurized products are also a concern.  Human contact with insects, reptiles, birds and mammals can also cause illness.  Hand washing with soap and water is recommended before and after handling and preparing food.  Of the various pathogens that can be present on home grown and imported produce, E.coli 0157:H7 is of major concern. Severe illness can quickly develop in high- risk individuals, resulting in life-threatening complications.  It can be killed through pasteurization or by cooking thoroughly.

Steps can be taken to reduce your risk of E.coli 0157:H7 contamination in your home garden.  These include the location of your garden, the type of water used and the use of properly composted manure.  The garden area should be kept free of animals and be as far as possible from manure sources.  Water runoff should not be allowed to bring manure contamination into the garden from your or your neighbors’ properties.  Drinking-quality water should be used to water your vegetable garden whenever possible.  When using surface water on your garden, check for possible sources of contamination.

When using manure to amend soil, use of commercially composted manure is best.  When composting at home allow the compost pile to reach an internal temperature of 130 to 140 degrees F. for five days.  Turn the compost pile several times and allow it to heat back up to insure that all the material has been heated.  Safer compost can be made without manure by using only plant materials.  Keep in mind that aged manure can have E.coli present.  When using aged manure, apply it to the garden area in the fall and mix it in well.  Try to plan your harvest for 120 days after the application, subtracting days when the soil is frozen. Always wash clothing and garden tools after handling anything that contains manure.

By taking some simple steps you can make your produce safer for you and your family. For further information on food safety for the home garden see Fact Sheet #9.369 - Preventing E.coli From Garden to Plate

Q:  I have heard that I should not fertilize my lawn this fall because of the drought.  Is this true?

A:  It is not a straight yes/no answer.  Fall fertilization of cool-season lawns is a common and recommended practice for Colorado lawns.  When irrigation is not restricted, fall fertilization increases turf quality during the fall and following spring and promotes healthy fall and spring rooting.  Watering restrictions and cutoffs have created situations where this practice should be modified or not practiced at all.

If your grass is green and actively growing and lawn watering is not restricted it will probably benefit from fall fertilization. Irrigation of 1/2-inch of water should be provided just after fertilization to provide the greatest benefit.  Additional irrigation will increase fall benefits while early water cutoffs will postpone the appearance of some benefits until spring.

In the case where water applications have been restricted and the lawn is spotty brown and green, fall fertilization can benefit the grass next spring if the fertilizer is applied and water can be applied.

Fall fertilization of already dormant lawns especially those that have been dormant a month or more, will provide little or no benefit this fall (although spring green-up of dormant, still-living bluegrass lawns will be enhanced).  Some tall fescue and other lawns that have been brown for 2-3 months may be partially or totally dead or will die during the winter.  If there is a reasonable certainty that the lawn is dormant but sill alive, an application of slowly available fertilizer may provide spring benefits.

Prune suckers at the base of trees as these suckers use energy needed for normal tree growth.  Trees will also benefit from placing 4 inches of organic mulch within a circle bounded by the drip line allowing 6 inches of space between the mulch and tree trunk.

Protect young smooth bark trees from warming winter sun by wrapping tree trunks from the ground up to the first branch with tree wrap.  Susceptible trees should be wrapped from November through April.  Be sure and remove the wrap next spring to prevent damage from water and insects.

Late September is an ideal time to plant bulbs.  This helps them to root before the ground freezes.

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

Gardening and Insect Fact Sheets are available on-line by clicking HERE.

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This page updated:  March 28, 2003