Gardening in the Rocky Mountains

I love to have vegetable and herb gardens and a lot of houseplants. There is nothing better than going out to pick fresh vegetables for dinner and using fresh herbs to season said dinner. I was a beginner in Jacksonville. My houseplants were pretty good, but my vegetable garden left a lot to be desired. In Rhode Island, my vegetable garden improved, although it shrunk in size as I rented, and my houseplants thrived, though I tried to keep them to a minimum since I knew I'd be moving eventually.

When I moved to Colorado Springs, I thought I knew everything. Well, not everything, but enough to do what I wanted to do well enough. I heard my dad when he said he watered his outside plants every day and his houseplants quite often. I heard, but I wasn't listening. He passed away shortly before I moved here. My sister knew her gardening ability, or lack thereof. She agreed to hang on to dad's plants until I arrived. He had a very green thumb. But, then, he was the type to leave a light on so the plants would have more light. Anyway, when I arrived, she was very proud of her accomplishment, that being my dad's plants were all still alive. Soon after my arrival she went on vacation and left me to care for them for a couple of weeks. As I said, I heard but wasn't listening to dad. All the flowering plants outside died. Several of the houseplants became very thirsty. I really didn't appreciate what he told me. I have learned a few things since then. I have read many books on gardening in Colorado.

One thing they say is to water every three to five days. What?! No way. Outdoor vegetables and herbs must be watered every day, especially if they are in full sun. Indoor plants need watering frequently as well depending on where they are located. In a sunny location they need watering more frequently than those in partial sun. What were those authors thinking? Colorado is high and dry. Colorado Springs is at just over 6,000 feet. Humidity, compared to locales on either coast, is virtually non-existent.