Understanding Front Range Soil

People moving to Colorado from other parts of the country are often surprised at how hard it can be to get plants to grow well here. Our windy, short-season semi-arid climate is obviously a major contributor to plant problems, but an even more important factor is the condition of the soil. Soil properties and the condition of the soil are the most common inciting factors to plant disorders on the Front Range, yet soil is the resource we usually know the least about.

Soil is the fundamental component of a landscape, providing plants with nutrients and water needed for growth, as well as oxygen needed for root metabolic processes. The condition of the soil is crucial to plant health; if the soil isn’t healthy, the plants won’t be either. So we need to know as much about our soil as we do about our plants if we are to have healthy thriving landscapes. Front Range soils are usually alkaline (pH greater than 7), many are calcareous (contain free lime) and have a high clay content, and most are naturally low in organic matter.

Raising healthy plants in our soils requires an understanding of how these soil properties influence plant health. Basic “soil savvy” is an important tool in a homeowner’s landscape management tool kit.

Featured instructor: Jean Reeder. In addition to teaching at the Gardens, Jean is a soil scientist and is on faculty at Colorado State University.

If you’re looking to become savvier about soil, join Jean on Saturday, November 6 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) as she teaches Understanding Front Range Soils at the Gardens.  Register here, or call 720-865-3580 for more information.  Class registration is required prior to attendance.