Mountain West Regional Reports

  • bearberry conifer
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Firewise Plants for the Mountain West

    Those of us who live in the Mountain West know that our forests are filled with large stands of conifers such as Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga menzisii, Zones 4–6), ponderosa pines…

  • scorched trees along a river
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Firewise Landscaping in the Mountain West

    In 2020, wildfires raged across the west, with Colorado having three of the largest wildfires on state record. Just west of where I live in Fort Collins, the largest of…

  • Xeric plantings
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Xeriscape Gardening

    If you’ve lived in the Mountain West for any period of time, you know the importance of water. Throughout our winters, we watch snowpack totals accumulate in our mountains, and…

  • Albyn dwarf Scots pine
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Dwarf Pines for the Mountain West

    The forests in the Mountain West are made up of huge swaths of pines, such as lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta, Zones 4–8), ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa, Zones 3–7), and many…

  • Prairie Smoke
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    4 Outstanding Spring Plants for the Mountain West

    We all have certain plants that immediately come to mind when thinking of a garden in spring. For many, these are daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths skirting the trunks of flowering magnolias,…

  • Collecting seeds
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Propagating Native Plants From Seed in the Mountain West

    When I think about growing plants from seed, I usually think about my vegetable garden. I direct-sow many types of these seeds, such as beans, carrots, and squash. I follow…

  • knocking snow off branches
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Protecting Trees Through Unpredictable Winters in the Mountain West

    Drought, 60° to 70°F temperature fluctuations in a 24-hour period, and early and late season snows are hard on trees in the Mountain West. While we can’t control Mother Nature,…

  • Cyclamen
    Mountain West Regional Reports

    Mountain West December Garden To-Do List

    Purchase houseplants for the holidays. I love to add living color to holiday décor. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima, Zones 10–11), amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp. and cvs., Zones 8–10), Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera spp.…

  • Mountain West Regional Reports

    Amazing Autumn Bloomers for the Mountain West

    As the heat of summer wanes into the cooler days and chilly nights of fall, our gardens undergo another seasonal transition. While we often focus on the golds, russets, and…

  • Mountain West Regional Reports

    Growing Chilis and Hot Peppers in the Mountain West

    The Mountain West is known for hot pepper selection, with New Mexico as the home of the Hatch green chili and Colorado as the home of the Pueblo chili, so…