Online Gardening Resources

DUG's gardening resource sheets are now available online!

 Click here for a directory of resource sheets and helpful links on:

• Organic gardening
• Organic Pest and weed control
• Crop rotation, companion planting, when to plant
• Soil amendment, fertility, and quality
• Extending the season, putting the garden to bed, etc.
• Water conservation
• Harvesting, preserving foods, and saving seeds
• Composting 

Working with kids? Our complete standards-based school garden and nutrition curriculum is also available online. Click here to view school garden curriculum. 

So much to learn!

Did you know that Denver Urban Gardens' complete school garden and nutrition education curriculum is available online? From Vitamin A to Worm Composting, from Bioburgers to Fat Sandwiches, it's all here and available to download. 

Our seasonal approach to teaching builds a bridge for students between gardening, nutrition and science. Between the classroom and garden, the full curriculum spans the 50 hours that evidence suggests is needed to impact individual behavior and knowledge in children. This year-round curriculum provides opportunities for student inquiry and investigation in earth and life sciences, with additional relevancy to math, literacy and social studies. Lessons are linked to Denver Public Schools Standards for easy integration into existing curriculum, and are written in a user-friendly format accessible to both teachers and volunteers.

Questions about our curriculum? Contact us at dirt@dug.org.

April Showers, May Freezes

Tis the season for flowing water! DUG's construction team is busy with water turn-ons at nearly 100 community gardens across the metro area. We are sometimes asked why water turn-ons don't occur earlier. It's a fair question, as peas, radishes, spinach, and other favorite veggies like an early start. Last night's snow flurries were a chilly reminder of why we wait until early-to-mid-May to get the water flowing. 

In Colorado, the average date for the last freeze is May 5th, and in recent years, the last dip below 32 degrees fell between May 10th and May 14th. Though we see some sunny, picnic-perfect weather in March and April, we wait until after Mother's Day to reduce to the risk of damage to irrigation systems. Freeze breaks are costly and time consuming to repair, and cause delays in water turn-ons and other building and improvement projects. A small staff means that we need to concentrate our efforts where it counts, and avoid unnecessary repairs where we are able. 

Community gardeners who wish to start planting earlier are encouraged to bring water from home to the garden site if they are able. If you have questions, please email us at dirt@dug.org. Happy gardening!