Gail Vanik
Position: Gail's Garden

Soil: The roots of success

A customer came into the garden center the other day with a plant that was clearly struggling. We took one look at the roots and said, “Did you plant this in XYZ potting soil?” His mouth fel...

Harden off your seedling before planting

If you’re new to gardening, you might have heard the term “hardening off.” As a new plant parent, generally the first thing you are anxious to do when you bring your babies home, is to plant...

The gift of spring’s wind

The first spring we lived here, the winds were so strong that I thought half our backyard was sure to end up in Kansas! I soon learned that if you live in Colorado, spring winds are a fact o...

Gardening in the zone

Gardening at altitude in the high desert and mountains of Colorado presents a unique set of challenges, and there are some things you’ll want to know before you head to the garden center thi...

Bringing up baby

How to care for your new plant

Moles and voles thrive in warm winter

Here’s how to get rid of them

Water trees, shrubs during winter

Dry roots will weaken plants during summer

A flower with an unfair reputation

How do you care for the bestseller? In 1978, a plant known as P. Golden Emperor ‘Sweet’ was sold in Taiwan for $100,000. Now plants of this species have become a mass market commodity and ca...

How to care for your Christmas tree

One of the earliest memories many people have of the holiday season is that of the smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree. Cut Christmas trees are probably the most highly used greenery in ho...

How to beat the supply chain this Christmas

With the pandemic putting toys and other holiday gifts in short supply this year, you might want to consider some living alternatives for those on your gift list. The most obvious holiday pl...

Cyclamen will brighten up winter

There are a group of plants I call the “grandmother plants.” They’re the ones that you probably remember seeing on your grandmother’s windowsill when you were growing up. It seems like every...

It’s November. Prepare for spring

The arrival of November means that gardening season is truly over for most of our area. However, there are a few things you’ll still need to do to prepare for winter. Avoiding these fall gar...