COLORADO SPRINGS — There is snow falling in Colorado Springs yet spring planting is underway at the city greenhouses.
“Our seedlings are started in January and February and then we spend the rest of the season until we can plant safely at the end of May, growing these plants up, giving them bigger pots and getting them ready to go outside,” said City of Colorado Springs Horticulturist, Alex Crochet.
There is also an evolution happening with the types of plants greenhouse crews are jumpstarting for city flowerbeds.
They are sowing a lot more native plants and flowers.
“You get good color in the flowerbeds from the annuals,” said Crochet, “You also get really strong and healthy plant material with the perennial plants, they need a lot less maintenance overall compared to the annuals.
Native plants are good for pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Birds also like them.
“Little Bluestem is a favorite, and those plants, we leave the seed heads on those plants for the entire winter so that the birds have a food source, which is pretty exciting,” said Crochet.
The sustainability shift also includes a strategy of self-mixed planting material.
Rather than purchasing planting mix, soil is created outside the greenhouse with a mix that includes composted plants from the previous season.
“[Plants are] transplanting better and looking better without a transplant shock compared to some of the plants that are grown in the traditional peat mix,” said Crochet, “Also in doing the composting programs what we're doing, we're saving a lot of money out of our budget, which ultimately saves money for taxpayers.”
This year is the 20th anniversary of Springs in Bloom. It is the program where community members volunteer to plant the city beds.
There are still some slots remaining for people who want to volunteer.
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