Ask Flora—Summer 2025
by Sage & Snow Garden Club
July 28, 2025
Dear Flora,
I recently started to work on designing flower beds in my yard. The whole process seems a little overwhelming—can you help me with some basic information and suggestions for flowers that will grow well here?
Gratefully—Pansy Willow
Dear Pansy,
I would love to help! Let’s start with Flower Gardening 101 level of information first. There are two main types of flowering plants—annuals and perennials.
- Annuals—plants that live only one year. These have to be started from seed or purchased as bedding plants from a nursery every year. They provide beautiful sparks of color and are great for hanging baskets and pots. Annuals are a nice way to fill in flower beds with quick color and are fun to experiment with in your spaces. Most annual flowers bloom all summer long—some examples are petunias, pansies, lobelia, marigolds, and zinnias.
- Perennials—any plant that lives longer than 2 years. These plants usually die back after the first frost and re-emerge in the spring. Perennials can take up to 3 years to fully mature and can live for many years—some examples are columbine, daisies, see list below.
When developing my flower beds, I tend to focus on selecting perennials. I find that perennials provide structure to any space and allow for beauty season after season. Perennials can be divided after a few years to plant in new areas or shared with friends—which makes them cost effective over the longer term. Spring blooming plants can be divided in late summer, summer bloomers are better divided in early spring. Dig up the entire plant, use a sharp spade to divide into 2-4 clumps, and replant immediately. At the end of summer, bargains can often be found at local nurseries—just plant them right away so they can get established before the weather turns cold. Always water those new plants and mulch for best results.
It is best to focus on easy-care perennial plants which are long-lived, are resistant to disease and pests, are not invasive, and those that can survive our Zone 3 climate. Some local favorites are Bleeding Heart, Salvia, Yarrow, Phlox, Bearded Iris, Peonies, Dianthus, Blanket Flower, Catmint, Daylilies, Lupine, Penstemon, Columbine, and Asiatic Lilies.
Our library has some wonderful books on garden designs. Local garden club members are also a huge resource for knowledge on plants that they have success with here. They might even invite you into their yard for a tour!
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Dear Flora,
Isn’t summer in Sublette County amazing? My garden is coming right along now with the warmer weather and recent moisture. I was hoping that you could provide some tips for fertilizing my vegetable plants? I used compost in my soil when I planted but it seems like my plants could use a mid-summer boost.
Sincerely-Fred Ferty
Dear Fred,
You are correct. Many of our vegetable plants can use a little extra help throughout the season. We have such a short growing season; we have to give our plants the nutrition that they need to thrive. Adding compost and working on soil amendments is an important part of producing a successful crop—you can get a soil test done through Colorado State University to aide in that process. This information can guide you in determining your soil deficiencies. Throughout the season plants can also benefit from a boost of nutrients that are immediately available for uptake. Water soluble fertilizers fit into that category—they can make nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) available in an easily absorbable format for plants. This sounds like what your plants could benefit from right now.
Here are some good commercial liquid fertilizer suggestions—
Neptune Harvest Liquid Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer, Dr. Earth’s Liquid All Purpose Fertilizer (Wind River Gardens), or JR Peters Jack’s Classic All Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food (recommended by Frosty Gardens). Dilute and apply per manufacturer’s instructions every 10-14 days for best results. Some local gardeners make their own homemade tea recipes using worm castings, manure, or compost. Arlinda has her recipe for fish and kelp liquid fertilizer—see contact information below to request these recipes. Remember, different plants have different levels of need for fertilizers. Peas and most herbs are low feeders with minimal needs for extra fertilization. Plants like lettuce, beans, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers are medium feeders. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, garlic, and spinach have a high need for supplemental fertilization. Adjust your side-dressings of liquid fertilizers accordingly. Happy Gardening!
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Dear Flora,
I would love to learn more about gardening in Sublette County. Does the garden club have any upcoming activities that I could participate in?
Ever Grateful-Sage Snow
Dear Sage,
The Sage and Snow Garden Club welcomes gardeners, from novice to expert, to join our club to learn more about successful techniques and plants that grow in Sublette County. Watch for Gardens of Beauty selections in the local newspaper and more information about our annual garden tour—scheduled for Saturday, August 9th, 2025.
For more information or to ask questions for our next Ask Flora column, go to our website at https://www.sageandsnowgardenclub.org/ or contact Arlinda McLaughlin, Master Gardener at 307-231-9402.
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