My kids noticed Moose long before he tried to eat my wife’s purse.

The massive, black draft horse is one of the biggest animal attractions at Four Mile Historic Park, one of Denver’s oldest public parks and arguably the last vestige of the city’s early agricultural heritage. Moose — whose name truly suits him — and his smaller, black-and-white buddy Jake were chilling in their corral when my children spotted him.

They’d never seen any animal that big outside of a zoo, so we stopped along the fence line to snap some photos.

The horses were curious and kind, as a park volunteer told us, and that was borne out as my wife (who grew up with horses) petted Jake’s head while I took a few pics. Moose then sidled up and wrapped his giant lips around my wife’s purse when she wasn’t looking, as well as my 8-year-old daughter’s hand, which was feeding him a treat from a volunteer.

They flashed strained grins as they wiped off horse saliva, while Moose photo-bombed the scene by nudging Jake out of the way and hooking his head over the fence.

Like the smattering of pigs, goats and chickens on this working farm, visitors can only get close to Moose and his gentle slobber in a supervised way. That’s a good thing, since the park hosts dozens of annual events, school groups and all-ages visitors. Its grounds are dotted with historic buildings — including Denver’s oldest standing structure, dating back to 1859 — and even on a muddy day like the one in which we visited, the park felt immediately welcoming.

That’s because you can stroll leisurely and still see the whole thing in a visit. Of course, you can stop and examine the indoor/outdoor collection of artifacts and reproduced Western gear — blacksmithing tools, saddles, stagecoaches and other late-1800s items — and the on-site experts are more than happy to give guided tours and share educational tidbits.

With a pair of kids in tow, it was the perfect location and amount of time for a Sunday outing in the city. Located on the banks of Cherry Creek, just east of Colorado Boulevard, it’s a Western oasis in a place that often feels markedly less Western these days.

Hand sanitizer is entirely optional.

Four Mile Historic Park is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday at 715 S. Forest St. in Denver, with more weekday hours starting in June. Tickets are $6-$8 per person, with discounts available, and free for kids under 6. Call 720-865-0800 or visit fourmilepark.org for more.

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Houseplants can be a cherished reminder when given as special gifts from family and friends. My sister and I have a pathos houseplant that started as a cutting from our mom, and before that her mother, most likely dating back to the 1960s or before (we can only guess).

Their aesthetic appeal is obvious, too: They add beauty, interest, warmth and vivacity to spaces throughout a home. Studies over the years say houseplants reduce stress, enhance moods and improve study and work performance. We might all benefit from having houseplants.

Houseplant maintenance simply requires time and attention. Learn to recognize ailments early on so they do not become unsightly, infect surrounding plants, or lead to plant demise. It is a sad day for anyone who has to take a sick or dead plant outside to the compost or garbage bin.

Let’s look at some of the common culture care and control issues. Next time, we’ll talk about pests and diseases.

Culture care

Since houseplants are confined to a smaller space in a container, their roots cannot spread wider or deeper for sustenance. Tthey totally depend on us for their care.

A plant’s cultural needs — watering, fertilizer, container size and house location — vary, so learning about each plant’s growing requirements is helpful for successful plant health and vigor.

Indoor, year-round house temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees (cooler at night) are agreeable to most plants. Read the plant tag, visit with the houseplant expert where purchased and research online for additional information.

Wilted leaves can mean the plant needs water, or the plant soil is too wet. Instead of watering on a weekly set schedule, consider the growing conditions around the plant. If the light conditions are low, plants generally need less water. When the heat is on and the air is dry, plants may need more water. In higher humidity conditions or cooler air, plants generally need less water.

There are easy ways to check if it is time to water. Lift the plant if possible; a dry plant obviously will be lighter than a well-watered plant.

Inspect the soil surface for dryness and poke your finger into the potting mix as an easy dipstick method. If it’s dry beyond the second knuckle, or over an inch or more down, and the soil looks lighter, it most likely needs watering. Cacti and some succulent plants are exceptions; they can take dryer conditions longer.

An inexpensive moisture meter is as handy as your finger to determine soil moisture levels. Check out some of the newer plant watering gizmos that have come on the market, like the inexpensive battery plant alarm moisture sensor that flashes red when water is needed.

Besides drooping leaves, underwatered plants can result in dried or yellow leaves, brown leaf tips, lackluster foliage or loss of glossy leaf shine. Unfortunately, these symptoms can often be the same as overwatered plants.

Hydrate by watering thoroughly, using slightly warm or tepid water. Plants can be sensitive to hard (alkaline) and soft (salty) water. Use a watering can that has a slender spout and can easily be moved to all sides of the container. Decorative watering bulb devices are not only handy, but they also provide a steady, slow supply of water to plant roots.

Some houseplants with sensitive leaves like African violets prefer being watered from the bottom. Simply fill the saucer with water and allow time for the soil to wick up the moisture. Add water until the soil surface is damp and avoid getting water on any of the leaves.

If the plant soil is dry to the point of seeing a gap where the soil has pulled away from the inside of the container, then normal watering using a watering can may not be enough. Try immersing the entire container up to where the bottom foliage meets the soil in a sink or bucket of warm to tepid water and allow it to soak for 20 minutes or so. Let the pot drain well before moving it back to its regular location.

Extremely dehydrated plants can recover with thorough watering, but any yellow or dried leaves will not turn green again. Trim off dead, brown and yellowed leaves with scissors so it is less noticeable.

Overwatering a plant leads to soggy soil that deprives roots of oxygen and can cause root rot. If that happens, it might be too late to save the plant. Confirm root rot by pulling the plant out of the pot and inspecting the roots. If they are mushy, brown or black, and sometimes have an odor, then root rot is probable. Drain any excess water from its tray and let the plant dry out. Cut off yellowed, browned and dead-looking stems. Move the plant into more light if possible and see if it recovers by sprouting new growth.

Fertilizing houseplants during their active growing season from early spring through mid-fall is necessary for positive plant health. Plus, regular watering constantly flushes fertilizers through and out of the soil. Plant food comes in different strengths and types including liquid and granular. Follow package directions and avoid using them when plants are sick and stressed.

Resource

Houseplant Care https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/

Betty Cahill is a freelance writer specializing in gardening.

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No matter the weather, now it is time to get your indoor seed supplies ready to go.

Below are my most reliable seed-starting tips. Have there been years when germination has been spotty or not at all? Sure, errors happen, or the operator (me) uses seeds that a too old, which is frustrating because time is lost and a do-over is required.

Test your seed viability by scattering several seeds on a damp paper towel, then fold the towel and place in a sealed plastic bag near a sunny window. If less than half the seeds have sprouted after 10 days, buy new seeds. Or do as I do: Trek to your favorite garden center, purchase new seeds every year, or every other year, and rest assured that germination will be good to very good.

Timing

The most important seed-growing information is right on the seed packet. The correct time to directly seed indoors varies by plant type, generally ranging from two weeks to 16 weeks prior to the final spring frost (which is around May 10 along the Front Range). This time frame does not include the days to weeks the seed needs to germinate or emerge from the soil.

This indoor growing time also does not include the week it takes to “harden off,” or toughen up the transplant to outdoor growing conditions. For instance, if the seed packet says tomatoes should be started five to seven weeks prior to the last frost date and seed emergence is anywhere from seven to 21 days, add seven hardening-off days and the best time to directly seed this tomato variety indoors is mid-March.

If the outdoor soil is too wet, or if there is snow on the ground around planting time, then the transplant will need to remain indoors and well cared for with water and fertilizer. Weather in Colorado has taught many a gardener all about patience when getting the spring garden planted.

Indoor seeding tips

1. In addition to store-bought seed starting trays and kits, don’t overlook items from home like yogurt cups, egg cartons and plastic produce packages to start seeds. Be sure to clean and sterilize all previously used containers with soap and hot water, then wipe them with diluted hydrogen peroxide or bleach and rinse well prior to use.

Biodegradable pots are popular, but in Colorado outdoor soils are generally too dry to be planted with the new transplant. Remove the plant first from the biodegradable container before planting for the best growth outcome.

2. Poke or drill drainage holes in all containers if not already done. Then use a label system for each plant or tray with purchased plant markers or cut up some of the plastic tubs or lids and make your own.

3. Always use brand-new potting soil designated for indoor seeding. If the potting soil bag label says there is added fertilizer, then take care not to add too much more fertilizer while the seeds are germinating and during the plant’s early growth.

4. Moist soil is easier to work with before adding seeds. Either add water to the bag of soil if it is dry or fill the planting container and moisten with water prior to seeding.

5. Fill containers with potting soil, poke holes to drop the seed in using a sterilized chopstick or similar tool. The seed packet tells how deep the seed goes in the soil, or if they can rest on top of the soil only needing light to germinate.

6. For vegetables: Drop two seeds in each hole, and later, when the stronger one is up and growing, cut off the weaker one to avoid damaging nearby roots. Cover the seed tray with clear plastic or a dome until the seeds emerge. The tray does not have to be under lights or near a window during this stage.

7. Using a bottom heat mat under the seed tray is one of the best investments for starting seeds since they warm up the soil which can speed up seed germination. Some gardeners find warmth for the seed trays when they are placed on top of refrigerators or other appliances. If using a seed mat, be sure to plug the electrical cord directly into the wall socket and not into the light timer, since the heat mat should always be on until the plants are up and growing well on their own.

8. Remove the plastic wrap or cover domes immediately after germination and then place the tray(s) under grow lights. Growing results are generally more reliable with either LED or fluorescent lighting than solely depending on a sunny window.

Place the newly emerged seeds close, a few inches undernearth the grow lights. Keep an eye on the foliage and move the lights up if plants begin to brown at the leaf tips.

Use a timer and keep the lights on for 14-16 hours each day, off for the remainder of the day.

9. Place a small fan near, not necessarily directly over, the seedling trays. Keep it on 24/7 at the lowest setting until the plants are up and growing well, usually after two or three weeks. Air circulation is the best defense against seedlings suddenly collapsing and dying (called damping off disease).

Seedlings prefer to be watered with room temperature water so fill a clean watering can with water and leave it close by. Use half to quarter strength liquid fertilizer for watering every other time.

10. To prevent damping off, avoid overwatering and never let the trays or containers stand in water for any length of time. Water lapses can lead to plant death, too.

My go-to for watering is using a capillary mat under the seed tray. They look and feel like felt and are very absorbent. They are sold in rolls or sheets at garden centers and online. Cut the mat to the size of your tray. Mats are reusable from year to year and machine washable on the gentle cycle (air dry). Simply pour some room temperature water over the mat about every other day or as needed and leave it to the soil and seeds to soak up the water they need.

11. Transplants can be potted up to a larger container as they grow. Look for at least three sets of leaves on the plant. Use a dull knife or spoon to carefully loosen the soil edges in the smaller container and move the entire root ball with soil to the next size container, usually from a 2-inch to a 3- or 4-inch size. Moist soil makes for easier potting up.

Now is the perfect time to gather friends together to exchange garden seeds for the upcoming outdoor garden season. Make it a real seed party by serving food and drinks. Then talk about gardening and the good times ahead.

Resources

• More in-depth primers including videos on seeding indoors, outdoors plus seed saving can be found at https://growgive.extension.colostate.edu/grow/general-gardening-info/seed-starting-and-seed-saving/
• The Simple Trials of Seed Germination https://csuhort.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-simple-trials-of-seed-germination.html

Betty Cahill writes and speaks about gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.

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Activities like direct seeding new plants and vegetables indoors take center stage in mid to late winter. Gardeners know that starting plants by seed indoors is a money saver once all the equipment is purchased, and there are opportunities to try new and unusual plant varieties. For some gardeners, seed starting gets in your system and mindset. It is akin to an innate sense to nurture and care for life; after all, those little seeds can eventually grow into beautiful blooming and delicious edible plants.

One of the most important tools for successful indoor seeding is light, and lots of it. Supplementing a home with artificial lighting is the most efficient way to get seeds to germinate and get growing. The artificial light fixture choices today range from a few dollars to, well, the sky is the limit. From little clip-on LED fixtures to mammoth light panels that are used by wholesale growers, there is a light fixture out there for you.

As much as I wish growing on a sunny windowsill would work well enough without supplemental lighting, and in some situations it does, relying on these conditions may not be optimal for thriving seed emergence and growth. Natural light from a window can be hit or miss with the obvious hurdles for the seeds in getting enough light, possible cold exposure from the windows and experiencing cloudy days which further limits natural light.

Indoor seed lighting

If you had asked me several years ago what changes would eventually occur in the indoor seed starting arena, I would have said to look for more seed introductions for plants to have longer bloom times or more resistance to diseases. I only know this because plant breeders have been working in these areas for many decades.

No way would I have guessed how much indoor lighting options have expanded and contributed to more efficient energy savings and low heat output. Plus, there are numerous choices of low-cost light fixtures with unique features and styles that make indoor plant seeding worthwhile and an almost must for any level of gardener.

One of the takeaways for making any plant light purchase, or changes to what you are currently using for seed starting, is to set your budget and determine how many plants you wish to grow from seed. Do what you can afford and what makes sense for your space. An inexpensive LED clamp-on plant light, strip lighting or a compact free-standing light fixture might suffice for a small tray of seeds, or works well as additional light for a houseplant or two. A fixture with two or more flexible gooseneck arms can easily be moved around for the best placement over seeds and plants.

If you need more space for several trays for scores of different vegetables and annuals, then framed stands with light attachments or setups using bookcases, ceiling hooks or other systems are available. Using the decades-old traditional fluorescent shop light bulbs still work well, too.

LED lights on the market today offer plant benefits (growth, health and development) depending on the color they emit on the visible light spectrum, which includes variations of green, blue, yellow and red. Generally, plants use violet and blue light waves for more vegetative growth, while red lights are used for more reproductive growth plus flowering and fruiting. Many of the hobby gardener indoor LED plant lights on the market today offer integrated full spectrum lighting, meaning they provide both red and blue and other light colors simultaneously to promote all stages of plant growth.

Another advantage of using different LED light colors is that plants not directly below the light fixture still benefit and will be illuminated.
(Color science can be very technical. There are many credible websites out there that delve into more theory if you are so inclined.)

When looking for what LED light system works best for your situation, shop at a reputable independent garden center. Box stores and online companies have a large selection of indoor plant seeding lights and equipment, too. I like to see the light setup in person, since there are so many choices and price ranges.

Add another layer of convenience and consider purchasing LED lighting systems with smartphone apps or voice commands so that lights can be controlled for brightness and specific plant needs. Before we know it, AI will be growing seeds instead of us in our own homes (but hopefully not in my lifetime).

In a future column, I’ll cover the all-important steps and insider tips to successful seed starting.

Betty Cahill writes and speaks about gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.

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“Since the pandemic, it’s been rediscovered,” said Georgia Garnsey, president of City Park Friends and Neighbors, a registered neighborhood organization. “Especially lately, with the two [bald] eagles hunting there, since they don’t usually appear in pairs. It’s a birder’s paradise.”

Duck Lake hosts more than just its namesake waterfowl, with cormorants, geese, herons, egrets and migrating birds from across North America, according to City Park Alliance. It’s distinct from City Park’s 24-acre Ferril Lake, and it borders the Denver Zoo Conversation Alliance (or DZCA, formerly Denver Zoo).

As such, it requires special attention, boosters said.

Problems with the knotty, tangled trees, for example, are being directly addressed as dying cottonwoods and chokecherries are removed and more climate-adjusted types are replanted, following years of bird-poop-covered blight. Those were the only sort of trees available to landscapers when Duck Lake was first built in 1891, as an overflow pond for Ferril Lake. Duck Lake was also the site of the park’s first pavilion, according to historical records.

Big changes at Duck Lake actually started about five years ago, said Ian Schillinger-Brokaw, Denver Parks and Recreation’s associate urban ecology planner. But some of them are just now becoming visible to park users, following a burst of work in late 2024.

“Water quality has improved substantially in the past five years with the efforts of [Denver Parks & Recreation] and the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment,” Schillinger-Brokaw wrote via email. “They reduced algae and vegetation issues and we have not had an outbreak of avian botulism at Duck Lake during that time.”

While improvements were led and funded by Denver Parks & Recreation, which manages the self-contained lake, neighborhood groups have gone all-in on the process. They also benefit from the shoreline restoration and new aeration system, the forthcoming “floating wetlands” experiment, invasive-plant removal, revegetation efforts, tree bracing, and “habitat structure installation,” according to Denver Parks & Recreation.

“The trees there are dying,” said Garnsey, who has lived in the same Park Hill home for 50 years. “But there are new kinds of concrete bird stands that would be the height of a tree — and they’re not falling down during storms because they’re weakened by poop.”

Duck Lake is the state’s fourth-largest rookery, or elevated breeding ground for birds, according to Denver Parks & Recreation. That little-known fact has led to collaboration with the Denver Field Ornithologists, with “field trip” group tours and daily visits from wildlife photographers.

The area has seemed contentious at times, Garnsey said. DZCA’s Toyota Elephant Passage expanded right up to the fenced border of Duck Lake and included the construction of new buildings in 2012. Then DZCA canceled a much-ballyhooed gasification project in 2015 that would have converted elephant dung into electricity.

The newly constructed buildings quickly became eyesores, Garnsey said, with few efforts to hide them or a white-walled box truck from Duck Lake visitors.

DZCA’s footprint isn’t solely up that nonprofit organization, according to Jake Kubié, director of communications at the zoo.

“(It’s) determined by Denver Parks & Recreation and the community. We do not have the ability to claim or return property independently,” he said. “We believe the development along Duck Lake was done within our historic boundary.”

Garnsey hopes a new mural and installation by artist John Pugh, which has been about eight years in the making and will depict more than 30 animals, will help soften the view.

“This is a challenging but adventurous installation,” Pugh wrote on Instagram in October. “We made a drawbridge to cross the little habitat creek over to the mural’s trailhead, and used a machete to blaze a passageway. Our neighbor in the center gap is a sweet teenage elephant (real) named Baylor. It’s a jungle out here.”

The ancient grotto-style project is still very much in process, Pugh added. But with 50 or so volunteers helping plant native vegetation as part of the Adopt a Flower program, and assistance from local youth groups to pilot the wetlands project, work around the lake is coming along quickly.

“It’s been a fight to preserve some areas of City Park (in general),” said Garnsey, whose husband Woody represents Save Open Space Denver. That group for years pushed for a city takeover of Park Hill Golf Course, eventually leading to an unprecedented land-swap deal that was brokered by Denver Mayor Michael Johnston, and announced on Jan. 15. It will reopen the disused park by summer 2025, and add momentum to broader strides toward park-system conservation, Georgia Garnsey said.

“We had to fight to keep the City Park Pavilion open for public use, and we had to fight to keep the big playground that’s now at Paco Sanchez Park out of City Park,” she said. “But with Nature Play and other projects from Denver Museum of Nature & Science (on the park’s eastern end), we’re seeing ways to preserve its beauty, keep it wild, and open it up for more visitors.”

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It is truly incredible what you can check out from a library – a bike! a guitar! seeds! backpacks! You can even use your library card in the community to expand your knowledge and experience.

To get the most out of them, have a current library card and clear up any fines. Always return your items on time so the others in the community can benefit from these opportunities, too.

Check out (pun intended) these Colorado libraries for their special sections:

Denver Public Library

When I think of the Denver Public Library and its many branches, I think of story time for kids and leaving with a stack of books to curl up with at home. I was surprised to learn that it also has a “Library of Things” for cardholders to rent things like Chromebooks (for up to three months!), bicycle repair kits (checkout onsite for two hours only), sewing machines (from the Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales branch only), and power check meters.

Plus, you can use your library card for “one carload” of people to visit a Colorado State Park or a local museum. Participating institutions include the American Museum of Western Art, the Clyfford Still Museum, the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Butterfly Pavilion, and several more places. Check with the museum first to see if a reservation is needed, and make sure you take your library card and current identification.

You can use your Denver Public Library card to set up a membership with the Denver Tool Library and rent a tool for up to a week. You must have a membership to use the Denver Tool Library, which start at $150 per year — a bargain considering what just one lawn mower or air compressor or sander might cost.

Phone-a-story is a different type of library service: You can dial a number listed on the library website and listen to a story based on the age and preferred language of the listener. For example, “for a preschool story in Spanish, press 1,” or “for a song, story, or rhyme in Amharic, press 7.” The stories, read by local volunteers, are updated weekly so you might hear a Denver City Council member or former Denver Nuggets player reading.

Pueblo County

In Pueblo, the main Rawlings Library, part of the Pueblo City-County Library District, includes a Hispanic Resource Center. According to its website, this is for “all who wish to expand their awareness and knowledge of Hispanic Culture and History.” The center includes an art gallery with work by local and Hispanic artists, a Citizenship Corner, weekly bilingual storytime, bilingual staff and materials.

At the Pueblo West Library, you will find the Music Box, a small professional recording studio that is available by reservation. The Lucero Library in Pueblo has Studio 1315 for recording sessions, also by reservation. Basically, you are renting or checking out time from the library here. The Rawlings Library has a Digital Memory Lab where you can digitize photos and videos. Need one-on-one tech support? The library also offers this service for cardholders.

Telluride

Wilkinson Public Library in Telluride has an expansive and well-organized “Unusual Items” department on its main level. Currently available items for loan to library card holders include a steam cleaner, trekking poles, an air compressor, a vlogging setup, a hiking backpack, an electric guitar, a violin, an assortment of tools, and much more. Imagine rolling up in Telluride and just borrowing a backpack and poles for a hike!

Mesa County

Mesa County libraries in Grand Junction have “take-and-make kits” for all ages available for checkout. The kits are released quarterly with different themes such as “handmade lavender soap for 19+” and “fall leaf hedgehog for little kids, ages 3-5.”

The libraries also have a Library of Things that is fairly tech-heavy with pre-loaded Launchpad tablets for kids and teens, wireless lapel microphones, portable CD and DVD players, LED lights, selfie stick tripods, along with some other old-school items like board games and an activity kit for people living with dementia that includes a painting kit and card game.

Larimer County

The libraries in Fort Collins and surrounding areas have a “Gadgets & Things” section filled with popular options like crochet kits, telescope kits, FitBits, Chromebooks and more. There are Discover Packs for exploring Larimer County Open Spaces nearby that include maps, a brochure about water safety regulations, a book about wildflowers, and a parking pass. The Curiosity Pass is for use by Poudre River Public Library District resident library card-holders who want to explore local attractions like the Gardens on Spring Creek, the Loveland Museum, the Museum of Art Fort Collins, the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, and other places.

Garfield County

Garfield County libraries in Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, and beyond have their own Library of Things that also include STEM kits for “multisensory learning.” An adult library card-holder needs to be the one checking out the kit and it is for one week only.

The State Parks Pass Kit includes a backpack with the necessary entrance pass, brochures and binoculars. (Be warned: The consequences for not returning this kit are more severe than an overdue book: a lost or stolen kit results in a $150 fine and a possible report to local law enforcement.)

At the Glenwood Springs branch of this library system, you can check out a guitar along with an instructional book to learn how to play and select some favorite new songs.

Pikes Peak libraries

The Pikes Peak Library District in and around Colorado Springs has a seed library. There are six garden locations, and two of these — High Prairie Seed Library and Manitou Seed Library — allow people to check out seeds (three packets per family per month) to grow at home or donate seeds for the collection. There are books (of course!), and classes to help beginner and expert gardeners find their green thumbs.

Boulder

Remember B-cycle? While it has disappeared from Denver streets, it lives on in Boulder, and you can use your library card to check out a bike to get around town. There is a bit of digital paperwork to complete online first, but once you have signed up you can find a docking station through the app and head out on an electric bike thanks to the library.

The Boulder Public Library also has a seed library that includes seed swaps and accepts donations, along with the lending (or giving?) out of native plant, vegetable and herb seeds. In addition, the library has an edible learning garden on site for people to learn more about the seeds.

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Turn any blues into New Year garden resolutions that can recharge your attitude and set January in motion — think and plan ahead to an abundant harvest and colorful landscape. Dreaming of spring is officially here.

Where to start? We all know the basics — what parts of the garden worked well and to your liking last year and what needs improvement. You can go as far as sketching out the current layout using internet tools to draw it to scale or do as I have done: winging it with lines and curves here and there along with x’s and o’s to distinguish trees from perennials. A visual blueprint helps you formulate an upcoming season game plan where you can make notes and play around with plant ideas and design.

If your budget permits, consider hiring a professional landscape designer or contractor, which I’ve also done with success over the years. They will see your outdoor digs with fresh ideas and help tremendously, especially if your goals include major plant conversions such as incorporating less water-thirsty plants, replacing turf areas or any other ideas you have. Always keep in mind when trying to conserve seasonal outdoor water that trees, shrubs and new plantings will always need water and your attention.

Now the fun begins (the dreaming of spring part,) whether you’re a DIY or working with a designer: deciding what plants are in the wrong place, need to be divided or, dare I say, moved on to the green pasture compost heap. Do the homework involved in researching new plants and suggested landscape facelifts or entire re-dos. This serves to confirm your choices and the final sign-off on proposals.

My plant homework includes reaching for my small library of garden books for plant and landscape ideas because they are regionally applicable, along with the help of my trusty computer search engine that often sends me on a three-hour plant thrill ride. Inevitably I find plants that shouldn’t be planted in a Zone 5 landscape. I eventually conclude that I can’t move to Arizona just so I can grow a Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) and Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi), two of my favorite plants that remind me of visiting my parents. who spent their retired winters living in their motor home parked in some of the most beautiful Arizona state parks.

To help with your research, don’t overlook the excellent garden education resources available locally. January is the time to sign up for a garden class or two from local, independent garden centers and botanic gardens. Check their websites for the latest class listings. Day-long garden seminars and symposiums are very popular up and down the Front Range through the winter months. Refer to the resources below for a list of workshops, events and more.

One of my often-used computer bookmarks takes me to the listings for CSU Extension free webinars, ranging in topics from seed starting, unique annuals and fire-resilient landscapes. Find the link under Planttalk below for recent past programs and new ones for 2025.

January is the perfect window to take stock of your seed-starting supplies and equipment and refresh your cache as needed. Outdoor seed starting for popular vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, and many annuals including zinnia, cosmos and sunflowers, won’t need to be started until March or later. If you’re using early planting equipment like cold frames, then getting seeds started sooner makes sense. Also, there are some plant seeds that need 10 or more weeks to germinate and be ready for planting outside. The short list includes artichokes, feverfew, chamomile, celery, angelonia, and bee balm. Planting charts which include annuals, herbs and vegetables timing and more information are under resources below.

Moisture has been very scarce along the Front Range. Our landscapes are dry. We need to act on behalf of our plants. Hook up hoses and sprinklers and deep water the newest landscape plants from last year, followed by trees, shrubs and perennials.

As you clear out and pack away past holiday decorations, do the planet a solid by recycling Christmas trees. Check with your local municipality if your county isn’t listed. Artificial tree recycling is doable, or consider donating or reusing, check the link for more tips.

Happy New Gardening Year!

Recycling Resources

Arvada Christmas tree recycling: arvadaco.gov/717/Christmas-Tree-Recycling

Boulder County Christmas tree recycling: westerndisposal.com/materials-management-center/#!/yard-waste

Broomfield Christmas tree recycling: broomfield.org/1031/Tree-Branch-Recycling-Facility

Denver Christmas tree recycling: https://www.denvergov.org

Fort Collins Christmas tree recycling: fcgov.com/recycling/atoz/items/?item=136

Greeley Christmas tree recycling: greeleygov.com/government

Lafayette Christmas tree recycling: lafayetteco.gov/2612/Christmas-Tree-Disposal

Littleton Christmas tree recycling: littletonco.gov/Community/City-Calendars/Events

Longmont Christmas tree recycling: longmontcolorado.gov/waste-services-trash-recycling-composting

Gardening resources

Colorado Gardener calendar: coloradogardener.com/calendar

How to recycle, reuse, or donate an artificial Christmas tree: marthastewart.com

Regional and timely garden information, including helpful online garden webinars: planttalk.colostate.edu/

Seeding and planting charts by Betty Cahill: https://gardenpunchlist.blogspot.com/2019/02/seeding-and-planting-charts-all-of-them.html

Winter watering: planttalk.colostate.edu

Betty Cahill speaks and writes about gardening in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Part of that answer can be found within the city’s libraries, which loaned cookbooks to thousands of hungry readers over the year. They include volumes on purely soups, one-pan meals and healthy and sustainable cooking. Ina Garten’s memoir from this year was a New York Times bestseller, but local readers also returned to her for her dinner recipes.

Related: 5 things I’ve learned from writing cookbooks

Below are the most popular cookbooks of 2024, according to the Denver Public Library system, which tracks e-book and physical book loans separately.

Electronic cookbooks

“Every Season is Soup Season: 85+ Souper-Adaptable Recipes to Batch, Share, Reinvent, and Enjoy” by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel (251 checkouts)

“Health Nut: A Feel-Good Cookbook” by Jess Damuck (184 checkouts)

“5 Ingredient Mediterranean: Simple Incredible Food” by Jamie Oliver (130 checkouts)

“Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking” by Margaret Li & Irene Li (129 checkouts)

“The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook: 500 Inspired, Flexible Recipes for Eating Well Without Meat” from America’s Test Kitchen (122 checkouts)

Print cookbooks

“Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” by Ina Garten (194 checkouts)

“Milk Street Simple” by Christopher Kimball (193 checkouts)

“Dinner in One: Exceptional and Easy One-Pan Meals” by Melissa Clark (175 checkouts)

“Skinnytaste Simple: Easy, Healthy Recipes Using 7 Ingredients or Fewer” by Gina Homolka (166 checkouts)

“Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files” by Deb Perelman (160 checkouts)

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The seventh and final move of my childhood was to the Texas Panhandle. My divorced dad had arrived a couple of months before in an oil-company transfer, and he couldn’t wait to show me a few of his favorite local gems: Lake Meredith, the red clay hills along the Canadian River, Sutphens BBQ restaurant and Lorene’s Mexican Kitchen — specifically for the chile rellenos.

He was trying to get me to think this move was a good thing.

At the age of 14, I had never had a chile relleno before, so I had nothing to compare them to. After eating this local treasure, I thought all chile rellenos had a wonderful ground beef filling in a long chile with a crispy coating served on top of a yellow queso.

But after graduating high school, I began ordering chile rellenos in restaurants in other cities and was disappointed. Cheese on the inside, a soft batter, covered in a chile sauce. None were like Lorene’s.

I soon realized Lorene’s relleno was the outlier. Yet to me, any chile relleno is better than any other Tex-Mex food as long as I can at least taste the chile beneath all the batter and cheese. And most of the time, what I was being served was a traditional relleno experience.

Since then, I’ve tried different versions, including one with raisins and pecans in it — a newfangled version of an old-fashioned picadillo variety. I have had the roasted poblano stuffed with cheese and one stuffed with chicken, both with no batter coating. Sometimes, the relleno is wrapped in either a tortilla or egg roll wrapper and fried. Sometimes I’ll order crispy, and it will come smothered, kinda softening the outer shell. I’ve even suggested that The Denver Post have a contest to find the best relleno. So far, my local favorite — a poblano stuffed with Oaxaca cheese — is from Machete Tequilas + Tacos, at 3570 E. Colfax Ave.

But Lorene’s relleno remains the one to beat. There was no visit home to Texas that didn’t involve at least one stop there near the circle drive on the north side of Borger, Texas. You would always run into someone you knew from the surrounding towns of Fritch or Stinnett.

In Colorado, a friend once drove me to a restaurant in Loveland to try its rellenos. They were great, and it was definitely worth the drive, but they were not the same. Did anybody make them like Lorene? Is it a regional difference? There was only one person to ask: Lorene Richardson.

Turns out Lorene retired at the age of 92; she will be 97 in February. Her children carried on the torch and now serve their mom’s favorite recipes to the community at Village Kids restaurant in Borger. Daughter Shelia Melton said her mom is still going strong.

Lorene’s opened in the 1960s. “My pop and his brother-in-law came up with the recipes,” Melton said. For the relleno, her dad came up with the secret ingredient for the batter. And I mean secret. The family owners mix the dry ingredients, and the staff has only to add the wet ingredients. They use Anaheim peppers, but have used Hatch peppers as well.

Melton said an employee once worked hard to try to figure out the recipe.

“She thought she had it down. She took it to a local restaurant here,” Shelia said, laughing. “She didn’t have it,” she scoffed.

Well, I don’t have it down either. But in my efforts, I came up with my second favorite version. And hopefully, with more practice, they will be as pretty as Lorene’s. But they will never be the same.

Crispy Chile Relleno with Ground Beef

Barbara Ellis, features coordinator at The Denver Post and a pretty good sous chef, helped me work out this recipe. I wanted a crisp but light batter on the outside, and wanted to taste the chile above everything else. So, we made a fine ground beef filling without overwhelming seasonings. To save time and effort, we used jarred queso, which worked great for our purposes. Remember, the point here is to have it lightly battered.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

6 large or 8 medium Anaheim peppers, long and straight

1 pound ground beef, 80 to 85%

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable oil

Fish fry mix, such as McCormick Golden Dipt Fish Fry Mix

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

Jar of yellow queso, for serving

Directions

Roast the peppers, over an open flame on a gas stove, on the grill, or in the oven under the broiler. Roast until skin is charred and then sweat the peppers inside a plastic bag for 15 to 30 minutes, until skin peels off easily. (It’s OK if some black char stays on the pepper, as long as most of the skin is removed so that the batter can stick to the pepper.)

Brown the ground beef with onion, diced serrano peppers, garlic, cumin, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper. You can add more salt to taste. Break up the ground beef finely to make it easier to stuff into the pepper.

Cut a slit near the top of the pepper, slicing through the inner seed pocket, without slicing through the bottom of the pepper. Then make a small vertical slit. Remove the seed pocket near the top, being careful not to rip too much pepper open.

Stuff the peppers, carefully, with the ground beef mixture. Use long toothpicks to close the peppers for frying.

Beat eggs with milk in a bowl long enough to accommodate the peppers.

Pour 1 to 2 cups fry mix into another bowl (also long enough for the peppers.) You can add more fry mix as you go.

Heat vegetable oil, about an inch deep, in pan or electric skillet.

Place peppers in egg mixture and spoon around the peppers to get them coated, but avoid getting egg mixture inside the pepper. Batter the peppers with the fry mix, also avoiding the inside of the pepper.

Fry in the skillet until crisp and brown, again avoiding getting oil in the interior. We used tongs and hold the peppers up while frying.

To serve, heat the queso and place on a plate in a long strip to place the pepper on. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Note: We used our same fry technique and batter to make cheese-stuffed poblano peppers, which made a great accompaniment to our beef-stuffed pepper. Using blocks of Oaxaca cheese stuffed in poblanos was easier to work with and we didn’t need the toothpicks to hold the sturdier poblano together. We served these topped with salsa.

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The Latkes and Lights event – which also featured vendors, a menorah competition and live music – attracted some of the biggest restaurant names in Denver’s Jewish and Mediterranean cuisine scenes, including Safta, Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery, Odell’s Bagel, Ash’Kara and Latke Love.

But the team that took home the coveted Golden Skillet was none other than Rosenberg’s Kosher.

“It’s important to host events like this because food brings people together, it’s a connector of our community – connecting people to their heritage and their roots,” said Joshua Pollack, owner of Rosenberg’s, which also won in 2022. “It’s also fun to play with other Jewish food operators and get a little competitive.”

The third annual competition – emceed by Ryan Warner, senior host of Colorado Matters on Colorado Public Radio – was judged by Eli Benel (winner of last year’s Citizen’s and People’s Choice awards), Bree Davies (host of Citycast Denver), Casey Gruber (CEO of HCA HealthONE Rose) and Koree Margaret (Denver food influencer @koree_margaret).

According to the judges, they were looking for a latke that achieved the perfect texture – crispy on the outside and a little softer on the inside.

“You don’t want your latkes falling apart or too soggy, it’s got to have a good crisp on the outside, and should hold up when you pick it up without flopping or breaking,” Pollack explained. “There should also be a hint of onion in there. Our mix includes onion and garlic powder, as well as scallions, giving it different layers of onion flavor.”

Another secret technique that Rosenberg’s employs is parbaking the potatoes before shredding them in order to avoid oxidation.

At its stores, Rosenberg’s serves the gluten-free latkes a la carte with the typical applesauce and sour cream, or as an add-on to any sandwich. During the event, however, the restaurant’s chefs let their creativity shine, with latkes topped with roasted artichoke mousse, shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil; as well as a peppered goat cheese with fig, balsamic jam and thyme.

“We like to get creative,” Pollack said. “Artichokes and figs are staples in Israeli cooking…we wanted to stay true to the theme of Jewish cooking while using flavors that work well together.”

Attendees also got to vote for their favorites for the People’s Choice award, which went to Latke Love. The Littleton potato pancake shop presented two varieties – one topped with raclette cheese with an olive tapenade, pickled red onions and a cornichon on top; and another with housemade applesauce, lingonberry jam and fresh thyme.

“I’m an apple sauce guy,” said Steve Shander, owner of Latke Love. “My family never really made latkes when I was growing up, so I had to do them as an adult.”

The Citizen’s competition had a great turnout as well. One contestant, Jeff Likover, traveled from Ohio to participate. In the end, though, the citizen’s award went to Rachel Shindman and Dylan Anderson for their hot green chile latkes.

“For me, the perfect latke is crispy, and the right potato-to-onion ratio is pretty important. Ours have green chilies which makes them extra special,” said Shindman, who entered the competition with Anderson despite the fact that they had never made latkes before. “The biggest thing is getting the moisture out of everything to make sure they’re not too soggy.”

Rosenberg’s will be offering a special Hanukkah menu from December 25-29 featuring six packs and 12 packs of their award-winning latkes with sides of apple butter and creme fraiche. The menu also includes sufganiyot, doughnuts filled with raspberry jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar, which are common Hanukkah offerings in the Sephardic Jewish tradition.

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