Articles written by Mike Heath
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Compost - Black Gold
Of all the soil amendments we could use in the garden, compost is the undisputed top of the list. This is the "Black Gold" of gardening. It adds organic material to the soil which is fantastic for...
Water is Essential - Getting it to Your Plants
We all know that living things, both plants and animals need water to survive. Some more than others but water is a necessity of life. Animals can at least move around to find water but plants are dep...
Planting Time is Almost Here
We've had some really beautiful weather for the past few weeks. As I write this I'm thankful for what some people would call terrible weather. But after two years of drought, I think the rain has...
Preserve Our Pollinators
Finally! The spring flowers are starting to bloom. That means the bees and other pollinators won't be far behind. I haven't seen any yet but I have seen a few ladybugs out already. Except for root...
Planting and Growing Potatoes
Last year I tried growing potatoes for the first time with unexpected success. I always try to grow varieties that are out of the ordinary so I ordered Kennebec seed potatoes rather than the russets t...
The Death of a Nation - Part 4
If you watch the national news you may be wondering what in the h*** is happening to our country. Chicago has always had an abnormally high number of shootings every weekend but it’s nearly doubled in the last few years. Then the riot that broke...
Spring Chores for the Garden
It looks like spring has finally sprung even though we had about five inches of snow last week and nighttime temperatures are still below freezing. That means that it's time to dust off the garden glo...
The Death of a Nation - Part 3
God save America cried the heroes. God save America cried they all. Whether from the gallows high.Or from the battlefield they died. God save America was their cry. Adapted from an Irish patriotic song. Many of our Founders were veterans of the...
Firewise Planning
If the drought of the past two years has taught us anything it should be that we should be planting more native species of plants and plants that will help protect our homes and property from fire....
The Death of a Nation - Part 2
Last week I discussed the usurpation of the general welfare clause in the Constitution to the point where it’s now being used to the benefit of elected officials. The benefit could be for their campaigns to keep them in office, for the profit of...
Dalmation Toadflax - A Common Noxious Weed
It's starting to get warm and new grass is coming up. Unfortunately, so are the noxious weeds. I walked the pasture this week and found dalmatian toadflax poking its first growth out of the ground. To...
The Death of a Nation - Part 1
The United States of America, the country I grew up in and love, the country I fought for and dedicated my life to, the country my brothers and sisters in arms throughout the centuries fought for, many dying for our freedom, the last light freedom,...
Succulents and Cacti
Many people think of cacti as succulent plants. A succulent is a plant that stores water in various parts of the plant against those times when water is short. The common picture we envision is the...
A Woke Military is a Broke (n) Military
After retiring, I’ve had little reason to visit the Air Force base. Then, last week we went on to renew an identification card and I couldn’t believe what I saw. An NCO passed me with two pig tails trailing halfway down her back. After doing a...
Education Week in Laramie County
Some people say there is nothing to do in Laramie County. That wasn't the case this past week. If you're into learning you had plenty to keep you busy. The Wyoming Bee College, the Garden-to-Market Co...
Lawn Maintenance and Diseases
Last week we talked primarily about getting a lawn started and annual fertilizing. The one thing I forgot to mention last week about fertilizing is that you should only fertilize in the spring and onl...
The 2023 Legislature - Part 6
The 2023 Legislature had a few great successes but multiple failures. I began watching the legislature in earnest in 2002 when I was tasked by the Department of Family Services to collect legislative material for the Director every morning then to se...
Spring Lawn Care
It's that time of year again when we all start thinking of our lawns. I'm seeing some of the native grasses starting to green-up but surprisingly some of the non-native plants, like toadflax and...
Designing a Vegetable Garden
It's hard to believe spring is just around the corner. Days are getting longer and temperatures are rising. That's not to say that we're aren't going to have some cold days and snow yet, but there's...
The Value of a Free and Honest Press
“The firmness with which the people have withstood the late abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct...
Trees for the High Plains
It's spring and everything seems to be coming to life. Warm weather birds are moving in, yards are turning green, and trees and shrubs are starting to form buds. This is the perfect time to get ready...
2023 Legislature - Part 5
The Wyoming Legislature is starting to wind down and, as usual, there have been failures and successes for the citizens of Wyoming. Some of the failures are catastrophic. HB0007, Underage Marriage Amendment is one of the few successes of this session...
Bare Root Tree and Shrubs
Spring is coming and the Laramie County Master Gardeners' Bare Root Tree and Shrub Sale is in full swing. This isn't your normal sale making great profits then dropping everything onto your...
Our Founders Vision for Our Government
This week I came across a pictorial depiction of our government by our Founding Fathers to describe their view of the government and the separation of powers. We call it the three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The...
Pollinators- The Monarch Buttlerfly
Monarch butterflies are fascinating creatures that are invaluable to pollination. Unfortunately, their numbers are declining. In the U.S. there are two groups of Monarchs, Eastern and Western. The...
