For that I would suggest local knowledge. A good landscaper, local Master Gardeners, etc. Your county extension agent can probably connect you with the Master Gardeners.

Whatever you do stick to the primary rule of planting what grows well in the native soils and you should do well, although all of the plants may be new to you.

Based upon my very limited experience with CO soil, I you have any appreciable amount of clay you may be fortunate. Most of what I've seen was largely rock. You will probably also need to adjust to a different kind of soil - if I recall correctly, the Boulder area is known for alkaline soils with a lot natural limestone.

You are definitely going to need to adapt to the local soils from Illinois. I have a friend that moved there from Ohio. She has had a heck of a time figuring out what to plant. The vegetables are probably best in raised beds. The clay is going to need organic matter. And you need to get a soil test.

The easy way to figure out what to plant, how, and when is to contact the Master Gardeners at your county's Extension Service office.

Find your county's office with this interactive map:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

Here is a link that might be useful: locate your county's Extension Service office

This post was edited by jean001a on Wed, Aug 14, 13 at 21:02

ALL really helpful! Thank you...looks like we have our work cut out for us. I figured raised vegetable beds - easier to deal with anyway. Thanks again for all the tips.

Westy

PS - Yes, LOTS of rocks!!!

Do not accept anything that is simply called "topsoil" since that is a meaningless term that is defined as the top 4 to 6 inches of soil from someplace. Decide what it is you want in soil and look for that. If you want something like loam, a soil defined as about 45 percent clay, 25 percent silt, 25 percent clay, and 5 percent organic matter, look for that and do not accept anything less.

Here is a link that might be useful: CSU CES

As nil13 pointed out, the right place to start before you do ANYTHING is a good soil test. CO is known for having a complex mix of soils, and an equally complex set of soil issues - from highly alkaline calcerous to sodic soils to high heavy metals. The good news is CO State U. Has a top notch soils lab. See the link below. They also publish, as part of the Extension service some of the best Master Gardening notes around.

Here is a link that might be useful: CO State soil lab

You might head over to the Rocky Mountain Garden Forum on GW, there are often discussions on how to deal with the soil and climate. In sum, Toto: this ain't Kansas.

But generally you're going to have much better results in the long run by amending the existing soil than anything else.

Raised beds for veggies are common.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rocky Mt garden forum

If you do end up doing a wholesale addition of organic matter to the sides and back, if you till it in and then plant your cover crop or whatever instead of leaving it on top, it won't look like a feedlot to your neighbors. But I second the advice to check with local experts before you dive in.

BTW - here is a link to the CMG GardenNotes provided by the CO State U Extension. A lot of good information!

Here is a link that might be useful: CMG GardenNotes

I learned a few things 2 1/2 years ago when I completed building a house and put in gardens. When the foundation is started they dig down into the subsoil and remove it to pour footings et.al. Generally that is the dirt sitting around a construction site during the building process and when it comes time for a final grading that subsoil ends up on top and usually pushed against the house where you will want foundation plantings. Subsoil is lousy growing medium and yet it invariably gets put right where you want to grow expensive landscaping. So make sure you talk with your contractor (I actually struck up dialogue with the guy operating the heavy machinery!) so that you actually have a PLAN for ending up with good topsoil on top and not subsoil on top and they don't just push the crap against the foundation.

Secondly, remember dirt is dirt and compost and amendments aren't dirt. This is important because when you're grading and putting in gardens if you replace what ought to be dirt with amendments those amendments break down over time and you end up with shrinkage.

Don't be afraid of clay just because it's clay. It is full of minerals and other great things for growing plants. Amended and managed for compaction it can potentially be wonderful. I love my clay--copious amounts of horse manure later...

Get local knowledge. I used a local garden designer (NOT a "landscaper") as a consultant and it was worth every penny. It is MUCH cheaper to do it right the first time than to do it wrong a couple times before you get it right!

This post was edited by subk3 on Thu, Aug 15, 13 at 18:15

Just to clarify, dirt is the stuff you track into the house and get hollered at for doing. Soil is what plants grow in.

Thanks for that post kimmsr - calling soil dirt makes me nuts! I always said 'dirt is what you get on your clothes' - soil is what things grow in. :)

I agree that checking with local resources is going to be the most helpful.

I would also urge you to find at the library (or purchase through Amazon) a book called The Undaunted Garden by Lauren Springer Ogden. She is a nationally recognized garden designer and author and the above text relates her experiences with regards to climate, soils and other growing issues in her three Colorado gardens. The book is an inspiration for anyone growing in a difficult climate but should prove particularly useful to the OP.

Gardengal - you reminded me of that book! I had heard about it and forgot it's title. I'm going to order NOW. Thank you so much!
Westy

"Just to clarify, dirt is the stuff you track into the house and get hollered at for doing. Soil is what plants grow in."

So is there some sort of magical barrier that changes soil to dirt when you go through a doorway? I assure you when I muck about in my gardens and track it in to my mudroom it is the same stuff and often of a quantity that swept up I would have enough to grow things in! Which begs the question: is "mud" room the right verbiage? What is mud? Water plus dirt or water plus soil?

Plus no one yells at me for tracking anything in--my house, my rules...

Ha - well, it's of course part humor and part semantics - and then there's the PhD botanist perspective. (An instructor I had in Chicago). And yes, if you add water to either one, it's MUD.

Westy

When it's where it supposed to be for growing plants and the like, it's soil. When it get's on other things (you, the kids, the dog, your tools, your vehicles, the carpet, etc.) and is viewed as a contaminant it becomes dirt. Same stuff, but a different word to describe a different feature. Add enough water to soil that it becomes fluid you get mud, which then can also become dirt when it ends up where it's not supposed to be.

Then, just for fun, there are soilless growing media, which is never soil but when they get on things as a contaminant also become dirt.

So, dirt is a contaminant that detracts from cleanliness. Works in politics too. :P

And a weed is just a plant growing somewhere that you don't want it.

Try walking into a room full of gardeners and declaring "I'm dirty" versus "I've soiled myself".

;-)

Lloyd

tox - yeah, except in WA and CO where weed is, well, value added.

This post was edited by TXEB on Wed, Aug 21, 13 at 11:41

Well played sir!

The next green gardening movement ...

Pull weeds, Grow weed.

;-)