Trees, not knowing the calendar date, began to bud in early March. In Denver and across much of Colorado, temperatures remained unseasonably warm for months. And precipitation? Hard to come by.

By early March, , and one-tenth of the state suffered extreme or exceptional drought, including Denver and its surrounding areas. The conditions did not bode well for gardens this year.

For home gardeners, protecting trees, shrubs, flowers and produce means paying careful attention to watering routines and shielding as much water as possible from evaporation, experts said.

“It has been such a warm and dry winter — things seem to be way ahead of schedule,” said Chris Hilgert, the director of and a horticulture specialist at Colorado State University Extension.

Here are some tips from experts for gardeners looking to help their greenery survive drought.

Smart watering

If you didn’t water your trees this winter, it’s better to start late than never.

In a dry winter, trees need deep watering to stay healthy, said Jennifer Miller, the assistant manager of horticulture at the . Evergreen trees especially need the extra moisture because they keep their needles all winter and lose water to evaporation through their leaves.

“Trees are the biggest plants out there, and we don’t want them going into the growing season stressed,” Miller said.

Trees benefit from deep watering. Established trees should be watered around the perimeter of their canopy, as that’s where their roots reach. Once or twice a month, a tree needs approximately 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter.

Younger trees — a year old or younger — should be watered near their trunk, as their roots have not yet grown out as far. They need about a gallon of water, Miller said.

Miller uses 5-gallon buckets with holes drilled in the bottom to water her trees. She measures out the water and then places the buckets around the trees’ canopy lines, letting it drip down.

Be careful to water only when temperatures are above 40 degrees and the ground isn’t frozen, she said. Water can’t pass through frozen soil and won’t reach the roots.

Preventing evaporation

Once planting season comes around, gardeners’ primary challenge becomes minimizing evaporation.

The closer to the roots you apply water, the better, Hilgert said. Using a drip line reduces the amount of water lost to wind and evaporation.

Miller’s top tip is mulch — and then more mulch.

“I can’t stress mulch enough; it’s going to be your best investment,” she said.

Mulching around plants, trees and shrubs helps soil retain moisture, reducing the need to water.

Another simple solution? Weeding. Removing weeds from your garden leaves more water for the plants you are trying to grow, Miller said.

A garden’s water needs will depend on the specific plants, but Miller recommends watering one to three days a week for 30 minutes to an hour. Poking a finger into the soil is a good test to determine if more water is needed. If the soil is dry a few inches down, it’s time to water.

Grouping together plants that have similar water requirements can help reduce water waste.

It’s also important to water during the cooler hours of the day to minimize evaporation. Miller recommends watering between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. or, if that’s not possible, in the late afternoon or early evening.

Watering in the evening, however, can increase the risk of fungus, as the moisture sits on the plants’ leaves and stems longer, she said.

While planning your spring planting, don’t forget the birds and the bees, Miller said.

She suggested installing a water fountain or a bird bath to attract the important species to your yard. Leaving a few pieces of floating wood in the water can give bees a place to land while they take a drink, she said.

Smart plant choices

Gardeners can also prepare for drought in the long term by shifting toward , Miller said. Plants adapted to semi-arid climates, where temperatures can fluctuate widely, will do well with minimal human intervention.

Many Colorado seed companies sell varieties of flowers, vegetables and fruits that are adapted for Colorado’s climate, she said.

Hilgert also suggested swapping out thirsty nonnative lawn turf for more resilient native grasses, like or

While gardeners may be tempted to start planting early, Hilgert warned that cold snaps and snow are still possible through the end of April.

“Winter may still show up temporarily,” he said.

Q. It has been a warm winter and a warmer spring. Can I plant my tomatoes now?

A. Sorry, but although it’s tempting to get a jump start on the planting season with thoughts of tomato salads, sauces and salsas on the horizon, following the standard planting schedule regardless of drought conditions or the somewhat consistent springlike temperatures.

Want proof? There is a chance of snow this week! And since Colorado weather patterns can change vastly, even in a single day, you should still wait until late May to plant tomatoes.

Here is the information straight from CSU: “For optimal growing, tomatoes need warm temperatures: above 52ÂșF at night and above 60ÂșF during the day at transplant. They are readily killed by a light frost. A week of cool daytime temperatures (below 55ÂșF) will stunt plants, reducing yields. Soil temperatures are also important; soil temperatures must be above 55 ÂșF before transplant can be successful. With these warm temperature requirements, planting time along the Colorado Front Range is typically late May. Do not plant tomatoes out into a cold spell and make sure soil temperatures are warm.”

Want to read a “super sweet” story about tomatoes in the meantime. Check our tale of survival in the garden from last year, after a hail storm did its best, but our splendidly productive little cherry tomato plants stood tall

Cool-season vegetables can be planted now, and other vegetables can be planted by mid-May. Consider mulching vegetable beds to conserve water and to suppress weeds.

Q. Can I fertilize and aerate my lawn given the recent drought conditions?

A. Normally, these are good lawn care practices, but with the ongoing drought, these practices are conditional, and that condition is water.

If the lawn was fertilized in the fall and it is greening up, skip the spring fertilization. Fertilizing during drought has its risks. If you have to fertilize, proceed with caution. Apply a light application of an organic slow-release fertilizer, œ to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet, and be sure to water in thoroughly with œ inch of water. (Check local water restrictions and watering schedules.)

Similarly, aerating turf is usually done in spring and fall. Core aerating encourages deeper root growth and water infiltration and reduces compaction. After core aerating, water turf well to moisten the root zone.

To manage turf with reduced watering schedules, run the irrigation system using a cycle-and-soak technique; that is, running it multiple times and leaving time in between for water to soak in and not run off.

Kentucky bluegrass is resilient. It can be kept alive in a dormant state in drought situations simply by watering it every two to three weeks. This keeps the crowns of the plant hydrated even though the turf won’t green up. To make the best use of the water applied, look for persistent dry spots in the lawn. Check for clogged nozzles and alignment of nozzles.

Set out plastic cups to capture water and fix the coverage where there are irrigation gaps.

Martha Kirk is a master gardener in Arapahoe County.

The new rules, , also include levying a $2.15 drought surcharge per 1,000 gallons on customers who use more than 110% of their winter quarter average usage. That is based on a household’s water use in December, January and February.

Aurora’s measures went into effect immediately and based on address. No watering is permitted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and the filling of private swimming pools is prohibited, though topping off is allowed. The city’s water utility serves around 400,000 customers.

“We are asking our Aurora community to come together and help us achieve this 20% (reduction) by taking water restrictions seriously,” Marshall Brown, Aurora Water’s general manager, said in a news release Tuesday.

Customers can view the weekly watering schedule online at .

Aurora’s measure comes a couple of weeks after Denver Water, with 1.5 million customers across the metro, announced its own Stage 1 drought restrictions. Usage limits on customers of Colorado’s largest water provider include twice-a-week watering restrictions on assigned days and requirements that restaurants serve water only upon request.

The last time Denver Water implemented this level of restriction was in 2013. Its board is set to consider drought surcharges for heavier water usage on Wednesday morning.

Arvada also put in place Stage 1 drought restrictions on Monday, with many of the same limits as those being enforced by Denver Water and Aurora Water. They go into effect on April 15.

Colorado is experiencing its worst snowpack levels since record-keeping began in 1941. Statewide snowpack, as of Tuesday, was at 24% of the median — about a quarter of what the state typically has this time of year, according to data from the .

Thornton was the first large water provider in metro Denver to put in place Stage 1 drought restrictions, making its declaration about a month ago.

Last week, Boulder , which is a level of caution short of Stage 1. The city said it would reevaluate whether it needs to impose stricter limits by May 1.

We all dream of it: A breathtaking, lush, and makes us the envy of the neighborhood. And to make that dream come true, our first thoughts tend to focus on plants. But the garden is a structure, and like any structure, it requires a good foundation. That¶¶Òőap where soil health comes in.

Soil is not just “dirt.” It¶¶Òőap a living ecosystem teeming with nutrients, organic matter and billions of organisms like bacteria, fungi, insects and invertebrates like worms. That ecosystem is estimated to be home to 59% of all life, “making it the singular most biodiverse habitat on Earth,” according to a published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Soil organisms keep harmful organisms in check, break down organic matter into natural fertilizer, distribute oxygen and to optimize water drainage. Keeping it healthy is paramount to your garden’s success.

Make sure your soil meets plants’ moisture needs

Before planting, assess your soil’s structure. retains too much water. Neither will properly meet most plants’ moisture requirements.

Improve either soil type by spreading 3-4 inches of , or well-rotted manure over the area, then use a broad fork to gently turn it in 6-12 inches deep.

Don’t overdo it; the end result should be lumpy, not powdery.

Aggressive turning or tilling harms microorganisms, kills beneficial insects and earthworms, increases erosion, removes air pockets, releases carbon into the atmosphere and brings dormant weed seeds to the surface, where conditions are perfect for their growth. It also moves nutrient-rich topsoil down, replacing it with less-fertile soil from below.

In subsequent years, simply spread the organic matter over the soil and allow it to work its way down naturally as it decomposes.

Check your soil pH

What is your soil’s pH level? Each plant type thrives only within a specific pH range. Learn your plants’ target range, then with a home test kit. If its level is outside the ideal range, raise it by incorporating garden lime or lower it with elemental sulfur, following the dosing directions on the package label.

While you’re at it, check nutrient levels to ensure the soil is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — the three essential macronutrients for plant health. The results will guide your fertilizer strategy. You can buy a separate test kit or look for a combination pH-nutrient kit. Both are inexpensive and widely available. Alternately, call your local cooperative extension office; many provide soil tests and guidance for a nominal fee.

Healthy soil doesn’t happen overnight

For the best results, focus on building soil health slowly rather than relying on quick fixes, which are typically short-lived. This means opting for slow-release and organic matter, such as compost, rather than using fast-release synthetic fertilizers. Save fast-release options for emergencies when you need to resolve a nutrient deficiency quickly to save a plant.

Avoid walking on soil in beds, borders and the lawn. Doing so risks compacting the soil, which closes vital air pockets, inhibits water flow and makes it difficult for roots to grow through. Most plants growing in compacted soil will be stunted or otherwise fail to thrive.

Bare soil leads to erosion, nutrient deficiencies, moisture loss and the death of microorganisms. It also rolls out the welcome mat for weeds. Plant something or with a thick layer of undyed organic mulch like shredded bark, wood chips, straw or dry leaves.

Spread 2-3 inches of mulch around plants in beds and borders, too. It will retain moisture, keep soil temperature even and discourage weeds. Just keep it a couple of inches away from plant crowns and stems to avoid rotting.

Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for The Associated Press. She publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. for weekly gardening tips and advice.

For more AP gardening stories, go to .

Metro cities and utilities are starting to lay out various defensive strategies against what has become a crispy-dry 2026, starting with an alarmingly warm and dry winter in Colorado that’s been marked by .

Denver Water, which serves 1.5 million people, could follow a similar track to Thornton’s by month’s end. Aurora Water, which is relied upon by 400,000 people, may be right behind with its own Stage 1 drought declaration in early April.

“We’re looking for a 20% reduction in outdoor irrigation compared to last year,” said Shonnie Cline, an Aurora Water spokeswoman.

The Aurora City Council is set to have a study session on the city’s water situation on March 23, followed by a council vote on potential watering restrictions on April 6.

“We’re at the lowest snowpack we’ve been at since 1978,” Cline said.

Locally, that also translates to abysmal conditions in the Clear Creek basin, where Westminster gets most of its water. Last week, the Westminster City Council discussed enacting a drought watch — a less severe step than a Stage 1 declaration that would rely on voluntary cutbacks.

“The current trend is tracking just above the 2002 line for the Clear Creek basin, which is the driest year on record,” Westminster Mayor Claire Carmelia said.

Broomfield was the first metro city to , on Feb. 9.

Jason Ullmann, the state engineer for , said the drought of the last quarter century in the southwestern United States is believed to be . Things are particularly strained this year, with Colorado’s snowpack measuring in at just 61% of median levels for this time of year as of late last week.

Earlier this month, federal forecasters projected that the Colorado River this spring will deliver 2.3 million acre-feet of water to Lake Powell, one of the river system’s largest reservoirs and downriver from much of the mountain states’ snowmelt. That¶¶Òőap just 36% of the median of 6.4 million acre-feet recorded annually between 1991 and 2020.

Closer to home, the painted a grim weather picture based on conditions in Denver. Last month was the third-warmest and second-driest February in the city, while it was the least-snowiest February on record for Denver, tying 2009’s equally snow-starved February.

Exactly when the city — and region — will finally shake off their dessicated state is unknown, Ullmann said.

“There’s no guarantee we’re going to have a better year next year, so we can’t count on that,” he said.

What water managers can control sits on the demand side of the water ledger.

Thornton gets the bulk of its water from the Upper South Platte River and Clear Creek watersheds, which are both at “record low levels,” according to a memo accompanying last Tuesday’s council meeting.

Emily Hunt, Thornton’s interim infrastructure director, says the concern lies not so much with the summer ahead but with the summers to follow, assuming precipitation stays meager. Colorado’s sixth-largest city is presently at 83% of storage capacity . It stores a large portion of the water it consumes in Standley Lake, which is also a water source for Westminster and Northglenn.

“We’re going into the summer with good storage, but with this snowpack, we’re not going to be able to top off our reservoirs the way we normally would,” Hunt said. “We’re basically trying to keep the year in balance so that if the drought continues into next year, we’ll be in pretty good shape.”

Thornton’s new rules stipulate that watering can occur only between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. Violations of the twice-weekly schedule, which goes into effect May 1, will result in a warning for a first infraction. If not remedied within 10 days, households face a $100 fine, while commercial customers will pay a $250 fine. Repeated infractions, including the failure to address leaky pipes, will result in heavier fines.

The city provides a , which differ depending on the type of sprinkler head that’s used. Residents will be able to choose which two days of the week they water their lawns.

Denver Water operates in a forward-looking manner as well. Greg Fisher, its manager of demand planning and efficiency, said Colorado’s largest water supplier is taking on this summer’s challenges with 2027 and 2028 in mind.

“We are very much in drought preparation,” he said.

The good news is that Denver Water’s storage capacity is at around 80% — just a little lower than the 85% it typically sits at this time of year, Fisher said. And efficiencies in landscaping and indoor water use are a world away from where they were in 2002, with the average household using 35% less water than it did 24 years ago.

Fisher expects the utility’s to make a drought declaration by the end of March.

“With these dry conditions, I think we’re headed to a Stage 1 declaration,” he said.

Aside from a mandatory twice-weekly outdoor watering schedule under a Stage 1 declaration — Denver Water would assign watering days to households in its service area — the utility would also ask restaurants not to serve water to customers unless requested, and to ask hotels not to wash sheets or towels unless requested.

“If we get better weather, we can scale back on restrictions,” Fisher said.

But even under a mandatory water reduction scenario, green thumbs can still make their front and backyards sing this summer, said Cassey Anderson, a horticultural specialist with Colorado State University Extension in Adams County.

“You don’t have to water a lot to water well,” she said.

Trees should be a focus, Anderson said, with the most effective watering applied on the ground in a radius from the trunk all the way out to the tips of the branches. Kentucky bluegrass, a notoriously thirsty grass that has become a villain in the eyes of water experts and policy makers, will go dormant without water — but will be primed to bounce back in more auspicious conditions.

“You aren’t going to kill it by not watering it for a season,” she said.

Anderson cautioned that this summer might not be the time to put in a new drought-tolerant or native garden, given that new plantings require extra water to establish themselves properly.

Carmelia, the Westminster mayor, says there is nothing to do but hope that the supply side of the water ledger eases up after the start of spring on Friday.

“The silver lining is that March and April are typically the wettest months of the year, and there’s still time for Mother Nature to come through for us,” she said.

If you’ve dreamed of growing a but your backyard is too shady, is paved or is simply , consider the front yard. Planned properly, it will not only provide a nice harvest but might even bring new friends to your gate.

Such gardens were commonplace a few generations ago, their popularity shrinking over the years in favor of lawns, which became a suburban status symbol. Fortunately, front-yard vegetable gardens are making a comeback as more homeowners learn that , and that their upkeep risks polluting the environment, soil and groundwater.

Before plunging your spade into the ground for a vegetable garden, first check whether your municipality or homeowners’ association restricts what you can grow in street-facing gardens. It would also be a good idea to talk to your neighbors about your plans.

Look for lots of sun

Begin by scouting the yard for a good spot. Most edibles require at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.

You can right over the lawn. Fill short beds with high-quality topsoil and compost. Those at or above 3 feet deep are best filled in three equal layers: from cut trees (never use treated wood, which contains chemicals) on the bottom; sticks, twigs and branches in the middle; and equal parts topsoil and compost on top. Moisten each layer as you go, topping with more of the topsoil mixture to raise the final level after it settles.

In-ground beds should not be wider than 4 feet. This will allow easy access from all sides for weeding, pruning, trellising and harvesting.

Sketching your plan on graph paper helps you visualize and decide on the bed’s ideal shape and size.

Then create an outline for your bed right on the ground where you want it. This is best done with white flour (fill a zipper-top plastic bag with flour, clip off a corner and start “drawing”) or by laying down a garden hose to define the area.

Clear and prepare the ground

When you’re happy with your template, remove grass, weeds and other vegetation from the future bed using a grub hoe or sod cutter. Lightly till the soil 6-12 inches deep, mixing in a generous helping of to improve the drainage of clay, increase the moisture-holding capacity of sand and add nutrients. Remove any rocks you come across.

If you’re willing to postpone planting until next year, you can skip the digging by over the area, hosing it down, then covering it with at least 6 inches of compost or a 50/50 mix of compost and high-quality topsoil. In a few months, the lawn underneath will be dead, the cardboard decomposed and your back grateful.

Before planting, . Home test kits are inexpensive and widely available. Look up the recommended pH for the crops you intend to grow and amend the soil accordingly. If the pH is too low (acidic), add dolomitic lime. If it¶¶Òőap too high (alkaline), a soil acidifier containing elemental sulfur will lower it. In both instances, closely follow package directions geared to your target pH and the size of the bed.

Most fruits, vegetables and herbs will thrive in soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Some will tolerate higher or lower levels, but some have very strict requirements (blueberries, for instance, will not thrive unless grown in soil with a reading of 4.5-5, with no wiggle room.)

Finally, incorporate a slow-release, balanced fertilizer into the soil. However, if the bed is on a former lawn that was regularly fertilized, there will likely be plenty of nitrogen already present, so use a product that contains only phosphorus and potassium (too much nitrogen may adversely affect your harvests).

Synthetic fertilizers and lawn treatments remain in the soil for about three years, so keep that in mind if you intend to grow organically.

Keep things tidy

Because your garden will be visible to passersby, aim for . Arrange plants according to height, create mulched pathways between beds, keep the area well-weeded and remove dead plants promptly. Mixing in some flowers will add to your curb appeal and can even .

Don’t be surprised if you make new friends while tending your new garden. Parents pushing strollers, dog walkers and other neighbors are likely to stop for a chat.

Maybe offer them a zucchini or two.

Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up for weekly gardening tips and advice.

For more AP gardening stories, go to .

The agency isn’t aware of anyone in Colorado receiving unsolicited seeds in the mail, yet, this year, but other states, including Texas and Alabama, have already started receiving such packages, said Wondirad Gebru, director of the department’s plant industry division.

“These incidents began in 2020 and ’21 — that was a peak year,” he said. “It’s just picking up.”

Coloradans have received unsolicited packages of seeds since 2020, which the Department of Agriculture said at the time appeared to come from China and other countries. More than 1,000 people have received unsolicited seeds since then, including at least two last year, Gebru said.

The investigated the packages along with the and discovered a “marketing blitz,” he said.

“They did not really find concrete (evidence) of bioterrorism, but there could always be the potential,” Gebru said. “These are not vetted (seeds).”

Resident should not plant any seed packages they receive unsolicited through the mail because they could be a potential biohazard, the agriculture agency warned.

The seeds could have invasive species, pests and plant diseases that could damage the state’s $47 billion agriculture economy, according to a news release.

Anyone who receives a package of seeds that they did not order should not open the packet nor throw them in the trash, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Instead, the seeds should be left in their original packet, which should be placed in a sealed plastic bag with the mailing label and sent to the Department of Agriculture for testing, according to the news release.

The address to mail the package is USDA APHIS PPQ, 3950 North Lewiston St., Suite 104, Aurora, Colorado 80011-1561.

That’s a big selling point for Dylan Williams, the wildfire mitigation and resilience coordinator for Douglas County. He sees biochar — a carbon-rich, charcoal-like material produced with intense heat and little oxygen — as the “next level of wildfire mitigation.”

The $8 million , which will begin construction soon, is being billed as the first county-owned facility of its type in the country.

The process of making biochar releases little in the way of harmful emissions, experts say, making it a desirable method to process organic matter that land managers see as increasingly important to remove from the forest as the climate warms and becomes drier.

The material that’s produced brings another upside: Biochar can be added to farm fields, golf courses or home gardens, where it improves aeration and water retention in soil. It also stores carbon that might otherwise get released as planet-warming carbon dioxide through burning — or as methane, another greenhouse gas, if it were left to break down in a landfill.

“By converting woody debris and forest byproducts into biochar, we’re reducing wildfire risk, supporting responsible forest management, and creating a valuable resource that can improve soil health and support long-term environmental resilience,” Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon said last week.

The county has been moving quickly to get the plant up and running, said Nash Leef, a partner in Carbon Dynamics. Leef’s company works with local governments to stand up biochar operations and has been collaborating with Douglas County for about a year to prepare the plant’s debut, expected this fall.

“The technology to produce biochar at scale is nascent,” he said. “There are so many communities watching Douglas County to see if it will work for them.”

One set of interested eyes comes from Aurora. The county and Colorado’s third-largest city hammered out an agreement in December that from Aurora toward the development of the biochar facility.

Aurora Water spokeswoman Shonnie Cline said most of the city’s drinking water originates from forested areas west of the city, “where forest thinning and fuels-reduction projects are essential to reducing wildfire risk.”

But properly disposing of that potential wildfire fuel can be as difficult as removing it in the first place.

“From an operational standpoint, one of the greatest challenges associated with forest health work is managing the woody material generated through thinning projects,” Cline said. “Today, that material is often trucked to landfills, chipped onsite or burned in piles, which can be costly and generate higher emissions.”

Daniel Roberts, the assistant director of Douglas County’s public works department, said the plant’s future home off of U.S. 85 is just downhill from the Pike and San Isabel national forests, where wildfire danger lurks large.

Where trucks today haul tons of downed logs and leafy understory to distant landfills and other receiving sites in the state, Douglas County’s new facility could reduce those miles — and costs — substantially, he said.

But the new plant won’t just be for the big guys.

At an open house last week in Castle Rock, several dozen people turned out to learn about Douglas County’s biochar ambitions. A.J. Opp, the lead plant healthcare technician with Knothead Tree and Lawn, was in the audience.

His company, he said, would much rather turn the organic waste it generates into a useful product rather than just chucking it.

“I like it mostly because of the reusability of the product that I’m trying to get rid of,” Opp said, holding a sample bag at the open house. “This is instantly usable carbon.”

Biochar market is growing

Biochar as a material is not novel. It has been produced by humans for more than 2,000 years, of South America.

But churning out the material at an industrial scale is what’s newer, said R. Scott Summers, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.

While Douglas County’s facility will be a municipally run biochar operation, there are private biochar plants in the state. Most notable are Biochar Now in Berthoud and in Pueblo. Both companies got their start in 2011.

Summers has been experimenting with biochar production for more than two decades, using different methods, equipment and feedstock — the term for the input material that is to be turned into biochar.

He likes the equipment that Douglas County will be using — a $1.6 million Biomass Energy Technologies Pyrolysis Rotary Drum that decomposes organic waste at temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The machine weighs in at five tons and is 36 feet in length.

“At that scale, that’s the standard that is used,” Summers said.

Leef, with Carbon Dynamics, says organic waste is typically chipped down to 2-inch diameter wood chips and fed into the drum. After being exposed to a high temperature, the material is cooled and quenched with water. The limited oxygen involved in the process means little in the way of emissions is released, namely carbon dioxide.

“The vast majority of those carbon compounds are forced to bond with other carbon compounds (rather than oxygen),” Leef said.

According to a on biochar, the pyrolysis process “chemically and physically alters the composition of the biomass to produce a highly porous, stable form of organic matter.”

Biochar has multiple applications and uses, including yielding byproducts like bio-oil, syngas, wood vinegar, and thermal or electric power during its transformation. CSU also notes that biochar reduces greenhouse gas emissions by storing carbon and helps with water and nutrient cycling in agriculture.

Leef likens today’s biochar industry to where composting was 50 years ago — a quirky concept that will take time to gain widespread acceptance. But according to a December report from , the sector is poised to take off.

The firm estimated the 2024 value of the biochar industry at nearly $230 million, jumping to $258 million last year. By 2033, the sector is projected to reach a value of $652 million.

Sales of biochar, Leef said, could provide “an economic light at the end of the tunnel” for municipal leaders trying to make the numbers work.

Douglas County doesn’t see future biochar sales as a profit center — other than to set the project on a self-sustainable course. It expects the facility to reach the break-even point in just under a decade.

“The goal is to have more acreage treated and take the profit (from biochar sales) and put that into the mitigation program,” said Williams, the county’s wildfire mitigation expert.

Daniels, from Douglas County’s public works department, figures the plant can generate $2 million to $2.2 million annually from sales of biochar, while keeping annual operating costs at around $1.5 million a year.

Summers, the CU professor, had some questions about those numbers.

“If they’re dependent on that economic model, they really need to make sure the market is there,” he said.

That’s the job of Jared Tanaka, an environmental inspections supervisor for Douglas County. While homeowners will likely be able to get biochar from the county for free, Tanaka is working on developing a wholesale side to the operation.

That might include marketing biochar as a soil blender for horticultural and agricultural businesses, as well as for golf courses.

‘This is better’ than a landfill

As for ensuring there’s adequate feedstock for the biochar plant into the future, Williams said that’s not a concern.

The genesis of the idea of placing a facility in Douglas County, he said, came a couple of years ago during discussions with U.S. Forest Service personnel who were looking for a better way to dispose of forest waste.

Last month, the Forest Service , which will involve crews removing trees and other woody waste from the Pike National Forest along Rampart Range Road to .

Leef, the consultant, called the biomass that will be culled by the Forest Service over the next few years “ideal feedstock.” Free of barbed wire and nails, it provides the steady quality that works best in creating biochar.

“These units work best when you have a feedstock that is consistent and dry,” he said.

The facility itself will be being structured to have as little impact as possible on residents in Sedalia, Roberts said, including the construction of noise walls.

“Delivery of biomass and operation of the grinder and chipper will only be done during the day to minimize noise impacts,” he said. “Design of lighting will be done to minimize impacts while still providing needed illumination for security and safety.”

Forest Service trucks will arrive by appointment only so as not to overwhelm the neighborhood.

“We don’t want 50 trucks a day coming into this facility,” Roberts said.

Opp, with Knothead Tree and Lawn, said the new biochar plant will make his work feel more worthwhile and sustainable.

“I don’t want to see the wood chips we produce go straight to the landfill and do absolutely nothing for the environment,” he said. “This is better.”

“It sure helped CU when he first got the job,” . “But reliance on the transfer portal is dangerous.”

And in Boulder, three years into The Coach Prime Era, the Buffs are still living dangerously on the recruiting front. The early prep National Signing Day period opens Wednesday morning. As of late Tuesday afternoon, per Huffman and the 247Sports database,

And the Cowboys have been without a head coach since Sept. 23, when they fired longtime boss Mike Gundy.

“I’m of the mindset that the transfer portal is a nice, quick, healthy fix in Year 1 or Year 2,” Huffman continued. “By Year 3 or Year 4, you should have already by then focused on high-school recruiting …

“I think you’re seeing schools such as Florida State, they hit the jackpot with Jordan Travis. The next year, they’re back in the portal, and it blew up in their faces.”

Some shrapnel was felt in BoCo, too. The ’23-24 offseason brought a gold mine of transfers led by LaJohntay Wester from FAU and Will Sheppard from Vanderbilt, topping off one of the best passing games — and passing units — in CU history. The ’24-25 offseason, by contrast, brought QB Kaidon Salter from Liberty, who would lose his starting job twice, while defensive tackle Jaheim Oatis (Alabama) and tailback Simeon Price (Coastal Carolina) got hurt.

“At UCLA, (the Bruins) went with a ‘Moneyball’ approach this year (via the portal),'” Huffman said. “They said, ‘We’re going to chase elite recruits who aren’t playing at their schools.’ Once they came, you could see why they weren’t playing at their previous schools.”

Sound familiar? The 2024 Buffs already had a base in place a year ago that portal players could complement in a Heisman-worthy QB (Shedeur Sanders) and a Heisman-winning, generational talent in Travis Hunter. When that base was gone in 2025, players noted a void in locker-room leadership as well.

Keeler: CU Buffs’ 3-9 record proves Deion Sanders needs better coaches in his ear or another Shedeur on the field

“I feel like the leader, he doesn’t try to lead. It just naturally happens,” CU linebacker Jeremiah Brown told reporters after a season-ending loss at Kansas State left CU at 3-9, 1-8 in Big 12 play. “And we just, unfortunately, didn’t have very many of those.”

To remedy that, Huffman suggested, the Buffs need to reverse course, away from recruiting classes that are primarily transfers, and go young. He'd like to see Sanders focus more on high-schoolers and for CU to throw more revenue-sharing money, and reps, in their direction.

"Especially because, more often than not, if a player is going into the portal, they're going into the portal for a reason," Huffman said. "With revenue-sharing, fewer and fewer guys going into the portal are impact players, because they're getting compensated at the school where they're at."

Money talks. Mediocrity walks. While the Buffs changed admission standards to allow more transfers into CU when Sanders arrived three Decembers ago, Buffs administrators seem to be stymied and financially stressed by the fallout from House vs. NCAA — which, as of July 1, allowed up to $20.5 million of a Power 4 university's athletic revenue to be paid out to student-athletes. that Buffs athletics is anticipating a deficit of roughly $27 million in the '25-26 fiscal year, largely because of House payments and Sanders' $10 million salary. Athletic director Rick George, who told us in December 2022 that he was investing in Coach Prime with money the school didn't have, is retiring from his position in late June.

When asked about prep recruiting recently, Sanders countered that at least half of all prep recruits are more likely to transfer out within their first two years of eligibility. Coach Prime doesn't want to teach and nurture somebody for 18 to 24 months only for them to spend their best years somewhere else.

"Check the statistics so you understand the method to my madness," Sanders said. "You get 30, are they gonna be here in a few years?...  Nowadays, if kids aren't playing by that spring of that second go-around, they're out. They jump in the portal."

You get that. Huffman gets that, too. But isn't the retention of say, 50% of 30 prep recruits after two years a better program base than 50% of say, 10? Especially where depth is concerned?

Growing your own takes time. And money. And work. And patience. To the cynic, CU sounds like a program that isn't interested in investing enough in those high-schoolers — in skill development, strength development, academic development, you name it — to keep them around.

"If you're developing them," Huffman said. "They're not going to leave. They're more likely to stay if you're a Power 4 school and you're taking care of them the way a Power 4 school does. If you get my drift."

We do. Raising underclassmen is a grind that, more often than not, doesn't pay off. It is, effectively, talent gardening. The Coach Prime Method wants its meals prepared, even pre-packaged, so that all you've got to do is add the Sanders heat, pop the transfers in the microwave, and it'll start raining touchdowns all over Folsom Field. That's the theory, at least.

If 2024 was the ideal, we know what a peak Prime team is supposed to look like. The problem is that portal guys are a roll of the dice, even if you've done CIA levels of homework on the front end. Ideally, they're finishing pieces — a QB here, a wideout or edge rusher there — as opposed to your core and your spine.

Recruiting high-schoolers means legwork. Handshakes. Person-to-person relationships. Sanders has said he doesn't like to visit high schools. Or parents' living rooms. Coach Prime can close on a kid like Trevor Hoffman, but it's hard to replicate the bridges built from having your head coach actively on the road.

Sanders insists that's not part of his playbook. Huffman insists the Buffs won't progress — or stabilize — as a program if Coach Prime doesn't adapt.

"I realize college football has changed dramatically, but if you're going to be there for a long time, then develop from within and (strengthen) from within," Huffman said. "Then mix and match a few players here and there from the portal.

"If you keep focusing on the portal, you're not building the culture. You're not building sustenance. (The Los Angeles Times) did a story where Tim Skipper had to show the team a video going over the USC rivalry, because guys didn't understand the importance of it. There's no culture when you keep having one-year or two-year guys. You have to build from within."

You can still garden well past that. Days may still reach into the 50s and 60s, warming the soil enough to make it possible to stretch the gardening season. While the typical gardening months in the metro area run from May through September, cultivating a few cool-weather crops, including herbs, is possible — with a little help.

Days may still reach into the 70s and 80s, warming the soil enough to make it possible to stretch the gardening season well into fall. While the typical gardening months in the metro area run from May through September, cultivating a few cool-weather crops, including herbs, is possible — with a little help — as we head into the next few months.

Denver’s high-altitude location is not conducive to cultivating crops that might be exposed to freezing temperatures in the fall, but you can trap some of the beneficial heat from sunlight to keep growing greens and a few hearty vegetables. Crops that actually thrive in cooler temperatures and can be grown into fall, if protected from frost, include lettuce, chard, kale, collards, spinach, arugula, endive, beet greens, scallions, leeks, carrots and radishes.

In addition, a sizeable number of common culinary herbs that have been growing outside can also be divided, with portions brought in from the garden, to spend the colder months on a sunny windowsill.

There are a few easy methods to keep winter at bay. Some of the more popular ways include the use of floating row covers, cold frames and mini greenhouses. These outdoor structures are relatively easy to construct, with kits available at area garden centers and big box stores. There is also a wide selection of supplies online.

Keep in mind that plants growing in outdoor structures during the fall months may need additional heating as the weather gets colder. Portable greenhouse heaters are also available online.

Floating row covers

Row covers are made from lightweight spun polyester fabric that protects crops and allows light to penetrate. They come in various weights, lengths and widths and can be supported by a series of hoops or can be placed directly on the growing plants. Depending on the weight of the fabric, they can provide 2 to 8 degrees of protection against cold temperatures and frost.

When using row covers, consider mulching plant root zones with grass clippings or ground up autumn leaves for additional moisture and heat retention. Don’t forget to water regularly.

Cold frames

The purpose of a cold frame is to extend the growing season well into the fall and/or to start seeds on a smaller scale in the spring. This is achieved by controlling the growing conditions, without the expense or the work of building a greenhouse. The ideal place to locate a cold frame is near a south or west facing brick wall or wooden fence for maximum solar heat absorption. Crops can be planted in amended soil directly in the ground or in pots above ground.

Cold frames are also ideal for additional jobs such as forcing bulbs at holiday time to bring inside when ready to bloom, and for hardening off plants before moving them to the garden in the spring. Cold frames are relatively easy to build or easy to assemble from kits.

Mini greenhouses

Similar to a cold frame, a mini greenhouse is simply a larger version. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Use them to prolong the gardening season or for starting crops in the spring for later planting in the garden. They provide more space for pots and flats of plants than a cold frame. If purchasing a mini greenhouse, consider models that have flaps that can be opened or closed, depending on temperature and air circulation needs.

Growing herbs indoors

Bring the outdoors inside and enhance your favorite dish with fresh herbs grown in a windowsill garden. Locate it in a south or southwest window for maximum sun exposure. Common herbs well suited for growing indoors include basil, chives, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, mint, oregano, thyme and sage.

Several herbs won’t survive winter temperatures outdoors, so transfer the whole plant to a pot and return it to the garden in spring. These include basil, rosemary and cilantro.

Divide plants by gently digging up the entire root ball, slicing it in half with a sharp knife, and returning a portion to the ground to be replanted if desired. Water well. Herbs that are destined for indoor pots should be watered when transplanted to minimize the initial shock.

Care for herbs much like you would care for a houseplant. They need about 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight to thrive. Indoor conditions tend to be dry during the winter, so placing pots on top of saucers with pea gravel that is kept moist on a regular basis increases needed humidity and prevents leaves from desiccating. Rotate each pot often so light distribution is even. If plants begin to get leggy or lanky in lower light conditions, it may be necessary to supplement with LED grow lights, also widely available.

You don’t have to wait until next spring to enjoy the reward of growing delicious edible plants for a few additional months. Stretch the gardening season and enjoy fresh harvested greens, vegetables and herbs well into the cooler weather.

Judy Kunz is a Colorado master gardener.