Articles written by Mike Heath Laramie County Master Gardners
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Controlling and Using Snow
We're finally getting some decent moisture. Of course, it's the cold, fluffy stuff but moisture none the less. I hope you had planned for snow before winter as now may be too late to drive posts for a...
After the Drought is Over
At last, it looks like the drought may be ending. At least that's indication from the weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean. The La Nina in the North Pacific is diminishing and the storm systems are...
Peppers - Hot & Spicy or Cool & Sweet
If you research the history of peppers, you'll find most of the articles are on chili peppers. But there are hundreds of varieties in three basic types of pepper: black pepper, sweet peppers, and hot...
Are Food Dyes Safe or Harmful?
Food dyes have been used to artificially color foods for several decades. Primarily it's a marketing scheme used to make commercial foods more appealing to the consumer thus enticing them to buy....
Five Healthy Spices Probably in your kitchen Cupboard
Did you ever think that spices in your cupboard could be the key to a much healthier life? For thousands of years spices have been used for a wide variety of reasons. Some spices are used to preserve...
The Plants of Christmas- The Christmas Tree
As I write this article it's pretty cold outside, about 6 degrees below zero. By the time it goes to print it's supposed to be in the 40's. So goes Christmas in Wyoming. Cold or warm, we have one...
Poinsettia - Flores de Noche Buena
This year seems to have just zipped by without ever slowing down. It's hard to imagine that it's already December and Christmas is just around the corner. Even though I started writing about the...
Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
Deck the halls with boughs of holly...Fa La La La La. My granddaughter has been singing that Christmas classic for the last three weeks or so. This is a wonderful time of year in our household and... Full story
The Plants of Christmas - Mistletoe
We're entering a special time of year as Christmas approaches. Snow on the ground and a crispness in the air that seems to buzz with excitement and anticipation. The hustle and bustle of shoppers;...
We Celebrate Thanksgiving
One of the more important holidays of the year occurs this week...Thanksgiving Day. Started by a proclamation by President George Washington in 1789, this day was intended to be a national day of...
Storing and Preserving Potatoes
Now that the harvest is over and the potatoes have all been dug, what do you do with your bounty? This year I harvested 700 pounds of potatoes from 350 plants. When I planted last June I anticipated...
Planning Your 2023 Flower Beds
For the last few years nurseries ran out of seeds, shrubs, trees and nearly everything else we need to plant our gardens in the spring. Even more surprising, they ran out early in the season. It...
Laramie County is Losing a Gem
Catherine Wissner announced last week that she will be retiring on June 30, 2023. Not only is Laramie County losing a gem but this entire region is losing one of our best resources for horticultural...
The Next Great Pumpkin
Move over, Charlie Brown! There's a new great pumpkin in town. And a new state record. Andy Corbin of Cheyenne broke his own state record this year with a mammoth 1,854 pound pumpkin. In 2019, Corbin...
Plan Now for Next Year's Vegetables
If you haven't finished your harvest by now I'm sure you're close. I finally got the potatoes in and the garlic planted but I'm leaving the squash on the vines as long as possible. I was nearly six...
Hoop Houses and Green Houses
Once the harvest is finished, fall and winter brings our attention to planning for the following year. If your plans include building a hoop house or greenhouse to extend your growing season, this is...
That's one big watermelon
I've tried growing watermelons and didn't do well. They were tasty but very small. Really not even large enough for a serving for one person. So when I heard about the giant watermelons Tim and...
Foods for a Healthy Body and a Healty Mind
I think that most of us know that good nutrition is vital to our health. But did you also know that eating certain foods can reduce the risk of certain diseases and other health problems? In today's...
Xeriscaping Your Yard
I hope the drought we've been in for the past year has brought the importance of water and water conservation to the forefront of everyone's mind. I know farmers and ranchers are reeling from the...
Preserving Your Harvest
I harvested my first pinto beans yesterday to try a new baked bean recipe. It was good but not as good as my wife's recipe. That's the best way to use those vegetables you been growing all...
Farm to Table Vegetables
In 1985 the Air Force decided to move me from Rapid City, South Dakota to Spokane, Washington. Just a routine assignment as far as the base goes but the experiences outside of work were out of this...
Preparing for Winter
Although it's hard to believe, it's September and winter is right around the corner. Today I'm expecting another 90 plus degree day with no rain in sight and low humidity. That we're already dry is...
Fall is Coming and So Is Harvest Part 2
This is the first year I've tried potatoes so I'm completely unfamiliar with growing and harvesting. So far, the growing piece of the equation seems to be going well. The plants are about two and a...
Fall is Coming: And So is Harvest
Where has the summer gone? It seems like I just planted a few weeks ago and now it's the end of August and harvest is just around the corner. I've been harvesting tomatoes and peppers for the last...
Live Fire Farm to Table
Saturday night I had the unique opportunity to attend the Live Fire Farm to Table event presented by Visit Cheyenne and the Wyoming Department of Tourism and hosted by Rabou Farms north of Albin,...