Spring Clean Up Day---Fun!!

The Third Annual Spring Clean Up Day was a huge success! About 50 folks showed up at 8:30am for coffee and Krispy Kremes and then various jobs of pulling weeds, picking up trash and planting flowers in our entryways. The work was easily accomplished by 11:30 and the break for a catered lunch was delicious and a treat as we had a wonderful talk with Cherry Creek Park Ranger Bob Tole. He explained future plans for the Park, the Jordan Road closure and answered questions of all kinds. It was informative and interesting and we thank him for his coming to speak to us. Make plans to join us next year; this event just keeps getting better and better! And boy don't we all love the results.

Many Thanks…

To Janet & Ralph Hanna for the coffee in their garage, to Anne Murlin for getting us juice and pop, also to Becky Palsmeier for picking up the Krispy Kreme donuts for Spring Clean Up. A special thank you to Andy Tysler for the beer and coolers he donated for lunch. We appreciate you!

AH, ASPEN!

Aspen may be the tree we love to hate. It is probably the only small tree that clearly identifies itself as perfectly "Colorado" to all. Its high mountain loveliness of attractively barked, multi-clumped trunks, wind-chime leaves and green-golden beauty prompts us to plant it in our landscapes. We save a weekend every fall to catch it at its peak during a drive in the Rockies.

But bring this lovely tree into our urban climate and it suffers. Aspen prefers the slightly acidic, well-drained, moist soils found at higher elevations, not the compacted, clay alkaline desert soils of most of the Front Range. Even a well-cared-for Aspen may not live out its short expectancy of 20 years. In urban areas it becomes stressed and susceptible to disease. Aspen is known as a "succession" tree. It quickly reproduces by seeding in with those lovely spring flowers and by extensive suckering from the mother tree, usually into a lawn or garden or where you least want a tree. And it doesn't care - it wants to grow in a grove!

Should you plant an Aspen? Yes, if you can watch for diseases and are prepared to put the tree out of its misery when disease or insect infestations occur. Or if Aspen suckers "naturalizing" in your lawn is your idea of great landscaping. Select a seed-grown or nursery-grown tree. Aspen dug from mountain groves are doubly stressed due to the digging process and small root ball and have difficulty adjusting to our poor Front Range soils.

Here are some other small, multi-stemmed trees that grow well in our area. A tree that closely resembles Aspen in appearance is the Paper Birch; white trunk bark and leaves that turn yellow in fall. Serviceberry is another fine choice, can be grown as a shrub or small tree, having white flowers in spring, good fall color, and edible blue fruit that birds love. Also consider Callery Flowering Pear, a small tree with white flowers in April, glossy green summer foliage and reddish fall color. Choose Chanticleer, Cleveland Select or Stone Hill for hardiness.

Submitted by Linda Cantrill, a Denver resident and licensed Master Gardener. "Plant Talk" Colorado - www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk - is sponsored by Denver Botanic Gardens, Green Industries of CO and CSU Cooperative Extension.