They all convened in your back yard. Here in Grand Junction, even the weeds have died from the drought.

Well the weeds in the fields have died and become crispy but in my garden the bindweed/morning glory vine is alive and well. I don't remember have this much weeds to pull. The ants and earwigs are awful too. I guess since everything else is fried, they are going to eat the garden. Really I am just whining.

It is hot out here though, we had a couple "cooler" days but the heat is back!

Jen

If you just stick to the basics, gardening on the Western Slope is easy.

Ya got yer thistle,

Ya got yer Bindweed,

and ya got yer cheat grass.

Call it a "garden", then go fishing & hunting.

Seriously, Its a challenge. I've got a microscopic spider mite thats killing everything this year. Seriously, needed to go to the extension guy who had a microscope.

And I don't needdee no glassesss. Nope.

You know that is one thing, we have some insect pests but nothing to awful, at least I don't think so. My garden this year was ransacked by ants and earwigs but otherwise, it's the bindweed and dandelions. Now everything looks great and is getting huge. I think these cooler days in the 80s/low 90s have been good for the growing. I sure wish we could get some moisture though, when it does rain, it never reaches the ground here. I am fighting a losing battle with the unshaded portion of my backyard. *sigh* But I'd rather struggle than not garden at all.

You know the ironic thing is, if we all wanted bindweed, thistle, and cheat grass we'd never be able to grow it as prolific as it grows when you don't want it....haha.

Jennie

Hi Jennie,

I'm in Castle Rock. You know I started my vegetable garden this May in raised wooden beds 12 inches tall and I'm seeing bind weed sprouting in them. When I pull them the root goes all the way down the 12 inches. I also planted seeds of sunflowers, nasturtiums, carrots and radishes directly into the ground and I keep getting excited when I see little sprouts emerge until the next day they are 3X their size and it's a bind weed! But you're right I'd rather deal with it than not garden at all. I had a stressful afternoon and when I got home ran right to the garden for 1/2 hour and felt so much better...bind weeds and all :)

Charlene

Gardens are such good therapy. Good place to let go of frustrations.

You know, I am going through the same thing with my lettuce. I am trying to grow a different kind of red leaf lettuce and I keep thinking I am finally getting sprouts, then the next day it's obvious it is bindweed...*sigh* Does bindweed eat seeds?....LOL:)

Jennie

I live just east of I-25 but our gardening is a struggle here too. Drought and BINDWEEEEEEEEED! I read that the Jacob's sheep eats bindweed. Hummm? Wonder if that would work. I've read someplace that bindweed roots go down forever! Like 50' or something! Last year our extension service sold the bindweed mite which I put on a hill of bindweed. This spring, most of that bindweed is dead. Unfortunately, the extension service said it is too labor intensive to harvest and sell the mite again. I have bindweed everywhere in my yard and garden. I did find that where I water the grass and it is nice and thick and tall there is no bindweed. I planted some buckwheat to smother out the weeds so waiting to see if that works. It does seem easier to pull the bindweed out of the raised beds I built this year for my vegetable garden. Maybe I just see it sooner in a raised bed.
I have been trying to keep the bindweed flower picked or mowed off but I'm wondering if the flower, even picked from the plant, goes ahead and makes 500 seeds anyway.
Colorado is a challenge!
Sunny