Gardening: at altitudes above 7500 feet can be challenging...but if you put your heart into the passion it takes you can be successful in gardening. Enjoying the serenity of beautiful, lush flowers surrounding your home. There is a wealth of information online, at local feed stores, local gardeners and neighbors all around you.
The Challenging Aspects: at this altitude are... the composite of the ground, weather, placement of plants, watering, and the most challenging; the herds of deer.
The Ground: Much of our ground is crumbled rose granite which will require a lot of preparation. Mulching, aerating, and fertilizing . The ground at this elevation needs extra mulching so that the soil around the plants can absorb and hold the moisture around the plants roots. There are several ways to accomplish this: you can buy bags of soil and fertilizer or you can get rich soil from your own compost patch, and check out area farmers whom many will give away their herd's manure, which you can add to your compost patch (It only takes 14-21 days to break down compost into to a rich, wonderfully plant loving environment).You can buy Alfalfa meal or also use fresh manure, bone meal, blood meal, cottonseed meal, comfrey,(or even high-protein dry dog food,) as a compost activator.
For more information on composting, click on links below:
www.howtocompost.org
www.compost-info-guide.com/make_better_compost.htm
Weather: For the most part our summers are breezy, gorgeous, sunny days. The sun can be very intense on plants at this altitude. Then there are the hail storms that come thru and damage and possibly can wipe out a garden. For the most part, although spring can be wonderful, and many native plants like the pasque flower spring forth, there is still the potential for a freeze or even snow through Memorial day.
Placement of Plants is crucial: Just because the helpful little planting tags or a book states that a specific plant loves full sun doesn't mean it will at this altitude. The sun can be harsh and wilt the plant within a day, and burn leaves within several days. With some experimentation, you will find the perfect placement where your perennials will grow beyond your expectations. An example of this is on the northeast coast bleeding hearts grew and bloomed within the cooler late spring, early summer. Starting to die back during mid summer. Here in Teller County, the bleeding hearts start coming up in Mid-May and continue to grow and bloom in nicely shaded garden areas throughout summer into fall until a really hard frost hits them. (Of course, due to possible frost, from late August you should cover them at night, to prolong their life.)
Watering: You must water in the early morning and evening hours. This allows the water to penetrate the ground, and the plant roots to absorb the water. If you water during the day, you take the chance of potential leave burn from the sun hitting the water on the leaves, and absorbing the water rather than the plant roots getting enough for survival. Also, you should be aware that Colorado Law does not allow domestic well use for watering outdoor gardens or livestock.
See links below:
http://www.water.state.co.us/DWRIPub/Documents/wellpermitguide.pdf
http://www.water.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/SWRights/Pages/default.aspx
The Most Challenging Aspect:
Herds of Mule Deer!
Rabbits and chipmunks are just a few of the minor critters. The mule deer are the worst culprits of destroying, yes destroying your garden. Just a few deer within one dark, middle of the night visit can wipe out your beautiful flowering plants, blooms, leaves, even the roots. They won't just take a few nibbles...they will mow down your precious garden. So you will have to be prepared...to have a garden or not to have a garden? No joke...it takes time, expense, and persistence to manage keeping the deer out of your garden.
As you shop at garden centers you will over hear individuals telling others "oh...if you put marigolds around the garden it keeps the deer out...or plant only deer resistant varieties", ( no joke...some people will say to urinate or put strands of hair around the perimeter of the garden) or use coyote urine granules. But think about it...we live in a dry, lower rainfall area. The deer are going to visit where there is green, lush, foliage. Your garden is going to be a gourmet food festival, unless you put a six foot fence up around your garden, or have a six foot fenced in backyard.
So what do you do? There are a variety of methods that have been proven to work, if you conscientiously adhere to them. Granted keep in mind they are not failsafe. There is always the chance that a very hungry, determined deer will chomp throughout the garden wreaking havoc in it's path. But if you do a combination conscientiously and methodically you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.
There are deer deterrent products both spray and granules, brown plastic bells with dried deer blood within that you stake around the perimeters, and turkey feather mulch, you can make a concoction of cayenne pepper spray with water, or a spray of 20% whole egg, 80% water, or sprinkle coyote urine granules. There is black netting to keep deer out. This only works in conjunction with the above listed. ( Deer have been known to chew through the netting.) If you use any combination of these, the chances are much greater that the deer will leave your garden alone.
For more in-depth information on the varieties of plants for your high altitude garden, and a wealth of other information.
Click on the links below:
www.ext.colostate.edu
http://www.ehow.com/about_6669830_high_altitude-vegetable-gardening.html
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