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Frequently Asked Questions

This is a list of frequently asked questions about permaculture in general and in particular about permaculture gardening in Fort Collins or the Northern Colorado Front Range, USA.

  1. What are the top three things I can do to get good harvests? First, lay down some compost if possible, then cover it with a thick layer (4-6 inches) of wood chip mulch or loose mulch (shredded leaves, dead plants), and third, get locally appropriate plants suited to our temperatures, soil, and precipitation. You want maximum diversity and photosynthesis.
  2. What types of plants grow best? In my experience, the most robust plants and trees germinate from seed in place, followed by bare-root plants, followed by potted plants/trees.
  3. What types of plants are cheapest? In my experience, the cheapest plants and trees germinate from seed in place, followed by bare-root plants, followed by potted plants/trees. Same answer as what grows best. :-)
  4. What are your personal favorite plants for the Northern Colorado Front Range? I like Desert Olive, New Mexico Locust, Nanking Cherry, Silver Buffaloberry, Mountain Mahogany, Woods Rose, Golden Currant, Osage Orange, Chocolate Mint, Stinging Nettle, and Sunroot (aka jerusalem artichoke, needs some shade). I also want to gain some experience with Siberian Pea Shrub and Black Locust.
  5. Should I remove weeds? No, only remove so-called "weeds" if you have something better that can grow in that spot that's ready to be planted at the same time as weed removal. Botanically there's no such thing as a "weed" — this is a propaganda/marketing term pushed by herbicide companies selling literal poison (some of which causes cancer). All plants photosynthesize and feed the soil carbon and root exudates, increasing soil fertility.
  6. What about bindweed? I've had bindweed in the yard. We spent hours and hours and hours pulling it out and fighting against it. When I finally let go and let it be, it stopped advancing and is now in retreat. If it's smothering an important plant, cut the bindweed at the soil level and leave it on top of your mulch as groundcover. Please recognize that so-called weeds are indicator plants, often telling you something about soil conditions, and that in living, they change those soil conditions, thus ending the characteristics that allowed them to temporarily thrive. So recognize that like everything in life, weeds "come and go" and just relax.
  7. How should I water my trees? Ask an arborist, but here's what I do: I water them up to a couple times a month in summer, using the hose, on a very low flow level. For large trees I move the hose around in 10 to 30-minute spans near the drip line to give the tree a thorough, deep watering. Same for small trees, but for less time. In spring and fall, do the same thing but once a month. In winter, once a month but specifically at a time that it's been warm enough to melt the snow away for several days in a row. Do this and your grateful trees will reward you with opulent shade and bountiful harvests.
  8. What diseases are prevalent here?
    • Fireblight is a very serious problem here. Any affected wood must be immediately removed with sterile tools. Always re-sterilize after finishing. Lysol works fine for this. The diseased wood should be removed from the property immediately. Then learn the lesson that fireblight is here and the appropriate action moving forward is to not plant susceptible trees.
  9. What are some varieties thought to be disease resistant?
    • Apples: For fireblight resistance, look into Liberty, William's Pride, Sansa, Galarina, and Sundance (though there are numerous others). Honeycrisp is NOT resistant to fireblight.
    • Pears: Some fireblight resistant pears are Warren, Seckel, and Honey Sweet.
    • If you have a tree that's overcome with fireblight, cut it down immediately. Keeping it around will only help fireblight spread, the tree won't be a producer, and you'll just deprive yourself the opportunity of using that space for something else.
  10. What "pests" are common here?
    • Emerald ash borer is in Boulder and Larimer counties. It's only a matter of time before it spreads to and kills virtually all ash trees in Colorado. I had our ash tree cut down years ago — it was used for firewood and the space it opened up now features multiple pear trees, a volunteer willow, an osage orange, comfrey, a bur oak, and a golden currant.
    • Pine beetle ravages local pine forests and is the source of "beetle kill" firewood.
    • Turn the problem into a solution: perhaps these pests give us an opportunity to get great firewood and mulch, while opening up space to diversify our canopy. Ash trees are something like 25% of the canopy in Fort Collins and that is not diverse at all!
  11. What things don't grow well here?
    • Acid-loving plants like blueberries and cranberries don't like our alkaline soil. Try silver buffaloberry, utah serviceberry, golden currant, and thimbleberry instead.
    • Maple trees grow alright but may need extra care as the alkaline soil reduces their ability to draw iron from the soil, a problem known as Iron Chlorosis. The best treatment is to improve soil health through compost, and especially woodchip mulching. The woodchips lead to a more fungal dominated soil, and the fungi in the soil lower the pH, thereby diminishing if not eliminating iron chlorosis. If that's insufficient, the wise response is to accept that the tree in question is not suited to the local environment, and replace it with something that is. Grow things that want to live here!