Growing microgreens is easy
The most memorable weather event of 2017 was the devastating May 8 hailstorm, which caused more than $1 billion in insurance claims and buckets of tears from gardeners.
The hardest-hit areas were north and west Denver, north Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Golden and Commerce City. The rest of the Front Range had little damage, and residents there were plain lucky.
What seemed like rocks of ice, sized from cherry to large beefsteak tomatoes, pounded the area, damaging car windshields, house siding, shopping malls and many living plants.
Gardeners started posting photos and sharing their landscape damage reports later that afternoon and in the days that followed. Leafless trees looked sad and helpless. Plants from hardy roses to very tough manzanita shrubs were reduced to sticks.
Thankfully, in time, trees leafed out again, plants recovered or were replaced. Shakespeare couldn’t have said it better: “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.”
Indoors
With a little aftercare, seasonal plants provide continuous enjoyment. Water Christmas cactus, Norfolk pine and poinsettias as needed (when the top inch of soil medium dries); drain any excess water from the tray. Keep plants from cold drafts but near bright light, not direct sun. Fertilize poinsettias every two weeks, the Norfolk pine every few months, and Christmas cactus between April and October.
Consider holding on to holiday poinsettias, since they grow yearround. They will need particular care in spring to get them to rebloom next fall. In May, the plant can be trimmed and cut way back to stimulate new growth and side branching. It will look puny after pruning, but care for it like a houseplant until late fall when it will need complete darkness (13 hours) and light each day (11 hours) from midSeptember to Thanksgiving. For more on year-round poinsettia care, go to pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/ poinsett.htm.
Cut off amaryllis blooms when they fade, but wait to cut down the green stalk until it has turned yellow, forcing energy back into the bulb. Water when the top 2 inches are dry and fertilize every few weeks. It can be moved outdoors after the last frost or kept indoors and treated like a house plant until next fall, when it needs several weeks of low-light rest before coaxing it back to growth with water and light.
Recycle dried-out Christmas greenery or use them along with cut branches from Christmas trees to place over new plantings, including fall planted bulbs, for extra protection from winter freeze thaw cycles.
Denver County treecycling home pickup runs from Jan. 5 through Jan. 12, 2018. Set out nonflocked natural trees near your trash pickup area between these dates. Drop off spent trees and greenery through the 31st at the Havana Nursery or Cherry Creek Recycling Drop Off. For location addresses and information, go to denvergov.org.
Free mulch for Denver residents from recycled trees can be picked up at the annual May Mulch Giveaway & Compost Sale.
Christmas tree lights can be recycled at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop Off until Jan. 13. For additional information, go to denvergov.org.
Micro punch of nutrients
Got the winter can’t-plant-outside blues? Grow micro-greens inside. They take 10 minutes to plant, 10 days to grow and much less than 10 minutes to harvest. The flavors are wonderfully intense and fresh. They are a miniature essence of spring but with more crispness and kick. The antioxidants are off-the-charts healthy. Grow them for juicing or add these tasty little greens to salads, soup toppings or sandwiches. Growing micro-greens just may become your new favorite, beneficial habit in the New Year.
Micro-greens are the first seedlings of plants that are normally seeded outside and harvested when fully grown like lettuce, broccoli, basil, sunflowers, peas or custom seeds of mustards, cress and chard (and more). Purchase specific microgreen seeds in packets from garden centers or mail order. One caution: Parsnip seeds are poisonous, so only use them for seeding outside.
Anyone can grow micro-greens. No need to buy lighting equipment or heat pads, either, just use a container that drains, even a rinsed-out plastic lettuce carton works (poke holes in the bottom to drain).
Put sterile potting soil in the container, then sprinkle several seeds on top. Cover with a bit more soil, water, and then place near a sunny window or under grow lights. Check them often to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out; do not over water. Use scissors and cut them down to the top of the soil at the 1- to 2-inch height stage in roughly seven to 10 days. Rinse and enjoy.
Repeat the process for a continuous supply all winter. (You’ll need to use fresh seeds each time, but it is OK to re-use the soil unless disease sets in.)