A gardener with a “green thumb” has some basic gardening knowledge that provides the joy and satisfaction of growing plants for food or beauty. A “green thumb” is learned, just like other skills in life. The learning process may produce a few failures, but each new lesson builds the knowledge required for success. However, gardening in Colorado can be challenging for even the experienced gardener.

Colorado State University has decades of Colorado gardening research and experience. Master Gardeners are trained volunteers of Cooperative Extension who assist in answering gardening questions. Websites are available for gardeners, like the Colorado University Cooperative Extension website www.ext.colostate.edu and www.planttalk.org. Below are a few questions to challenge your “green thumb” knowledge. Answers follow:

1. What is does the term “deadhead” mean?

a. The removal of spent blossoms on a flowering plant
b. A gardener who listens to the Grateful Dead
c. A gardener who has poor luck growing plants

2. What is thatch?

a. A special type of grass grown and used in making thatched roofs.
b. A layer of organic matter between the soil and the base of the plant.
c. A disease on plants caused by a fungus.

3. How high should I mow my lawn?

a. 2 inches all year long
b. 2.5 to 3 inches
c. 1 inch all year

4. At what soil depth can 95 percent of tree roots be found?

a. Top 6 inches of soil
b. Top 24 inches of soil
c. Below 2 feet

5. Which group of vegetables performs best in less than a half day of sunlight?

a. Root vegetables, such as carrots and beets
b. Leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach
c. Fruiting vegetables, such as tomatoes and squash

6. What do the letters NPK refer to when gardening?

a. Native Plant Kingdom
b. Natural Pacific Kelp
c. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium

7. What USDA plant hardiness zones encompass most of Colorado?

a. Zones 1 and 2
b. Zones 3, 4 and 5
c. Zones 6, 7 and 8

8. Which soil amendment is recommended in Colorado?

a. Epsom salt
b. wood ash
c. compost

9. How much precipitation does the Front Range receive?

a. 35-40 inches
b. 25-30 inches
c. 10-20 inches

10. Why do gardeners use crop rotation?

a. to make their garden look organized
b. to help prevent a build up of pests and diseases
c. to grow bigger vegetables

ANSWERS

1. (a.) Deadheading means to remove fading blossoms. This helps make the appearance of the plant neater, and it helps most plants continue blooming. Of course, if the gardener wants seeds, do not deadhead.

2. (b.) Thatch is the buildup of grass clippings and other debris that collects at the soil level. A small amount of thatch can help insulate roots from temperature extremes, but too much thatch will prevent water and air from getting to the plant’s roots.

3. (b) Research shows that lawns with a 2.5 to 3 inch tall leaf blade thrive because grass has a greater leaf surface for photosynthesis.
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4. (b) 95% of most tree roots can be found in the top 6-24 inches of soil. Roots extend horizontally and function for water and mineral conduction, food and water storage and anchorage.

5. (b) Vegetable gardeners faced with shade from trees or fences, should plant shade-tolerant, leafy vegetables. Fruiting vegetables require the most sun.

6. (c) NPK is the chemical abbreviation for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in fertilizer, respectively. These are the three nutrients that plants use most extensively, and labeling laws require that they be listed on bags of fertilizer. A bag of fertilizer labeled as 28-5-6 has 28 percent nitrogen, 5 percent phosphorus, and 6 percent potassium.

7. (b) Hardiness zones used for plant selection range from the warmer Zone 5 in the Front Range, to cooler Zone 4 foothills, and the cold Zone 3 of the mountains. Plants in Zone 5 must tolerate low winter temperatures of minus 20 degrees; Zone 4 to minus 30 degrees; and Zone 3 to minus 30 degrees. Choose plants wisely.

8. (c) Compost, sphagnum peat and low-salt manure are organic matter that will improve both clay and sandy soils for plant grown. Colorado’s alkaline soils are different from the acid soils found in the East and do not require lime or wood ash—these amendments will make an alkaline soil more alkaline.

9. (c) From a low of 11 inches of rain in Pueblo to 18 inches in Boulder, the Front Range is a semi-arid climate. Using Colorado water wisely is a necessity with population growth increasing the demand on water resources.

10. (b) If plant diseases or pests are present in a specific area of the vegetable garden, it is essential to grow different vegetables in that location to reduce future harm to plants. Crop rotation reduces the chance of re-infection for susceptible plants.

Regardless of your results, enjoy that glow of satisfaction that comes from knowing you are a gardener and will remain so for as long as you enjoy it. Be kind to the land, the plants and yourself.

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

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This page updated:  April 13, 2007