Denver - Climate - GOOD, BAD, TREES, SOIL,FLOWERS ??? (Holly: appointed, homes)

[Bear4me]

Although I have never been there - we are moving to Denver (job). Can you tell me about the climate - I am from Upstate NY - so I can relate with the snow and seasons that I love..I have also lived in FL ..Please tell me the good, bad, and great things about Denver - THANKS

[denverian]

OK - I'm an avid gardner who moved here from Orange County, CA, where I could stick any tropical plant in the ground and it thrived, so Denver has been a bit of a challenge. I love the summers here and they're similar to So. California - warm to hot afternoons, evenings cool enough to enjoy sitting out on the front porch or dining outdoors, low humidity and few bugs. The other three seasons the temps can fluctuate wildly, much more than you'd be ussed to. For instance, it was 70 degrees on Christmas in 2005, but it could just as easily be a high of 10. It's a lot sunnier than NY and the cold actually feels better (if it's not windy) due to the low humidity.

Although you may get tricked in March on very warm days into thinking winter is over, it's not. April tends to have a few heavy, wet snows that melt very fast inbetween warm days. I plant sommer flowers and a vegetable garden around May 15th, which can last up to early October. The soil is bad - clay! I usually ammend the soil with new topsoil when planting anything new. All sorts of deciduous trees grow well in Denver, but since it's an arid climate, you don't see forests outside the city where it's irrigated, unless you head into the mountains where it's pines and spruce trees. In older parts of the city, you'd never know it's arid because there are huge trees everywhere, forming a canopy over many streets.

Coming from California, I like to have green in my yard year round, so I've planted 2 varieties of Boxwood, 3 varieties of Holly, Rhododendrun, Inkberry and a few varieties of Euonymous, all broad-leaf evergreens that are doing well. Just give them acidic fertilizer twice a year. I also have a nice Spruce, although it's still young.

[onthamove]

snowy occasionally in the winter but really mild in comparison to what most think about it, the mountains to the west block alot of the storms that deliever feet of snow to the resorts, normal annual snowfall in denver is 50-70'' depending where you are in denver areas such as golden and arvada get closer to 70 while DIA and aurora and strasburg (further out into the plains) get less snowfall, avg jan high is 44, its not the ice and snow box everyone thinks it is, still i'd def consider winters harsh at times but the weather changes so fast at a mile high, one day you can have several inches of snow the next day it can be 70 and sunny hope this helps,

[jazzlover]

There is already a sticky thread on Front Range weather and climate. Suffice it to say, in most respects, the Denver climate is not like upstate New York--relatively few similarities.

Soils vary considerably by location--but are generally fairly poor. Late frosts in spring and early frosts in fall are quite common, so growing seasons vary considerably from year to year. The region is semi-arid and year-to-year variation in precipitation is significant. Irrigation is a requirement for most garden plants that are not native.

The predominant landscape color is brown--7-9 months per year. ("Colorado" means "ruddy" or reddish in Spanish.) Snowcover in Denver generally does not last in winter--with melting to bare ground frequently between snows. Things usually don't "green up" until April. Many unirrigated areas may turn brown by mid-July if rain is short.

The Colorado State University Extension Service has a lot of information on gardening, etc. in Colorado.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

There is already a sticky thread on Front Range weather and climate. Suffice it to say, in most respects, the Denver climate is not like upstate New York--relatively few similarities.

Soils vary considerably by location--but are generally fairly poor. Late frosts in spring and early frosts in fall are quite common, so growing seasons vary considerably from year to year. The region is semi-arid and year-to-year variation in precipitation is significant. Irrigation is a requirement for most garden plants that are not native.

The predominant landscape color is brown--7-9 months per year. ("Colorado" means "ruddy" or reddish in Spanish.) Snowcover in Denver generally does not last in winter--with melting to bare ground frequently between snows. Things usually don't "green up" until April. Many unirrigated areas may turn brown by mid-July if rain is short.

The Colorado State University Extension Service has a lot of information on gardening, etc. in Colorado.

I'm pretty sure Colorado means "colorful" in Spanish.

I wouldn't say it's brown that many months. By April the grass is greening up and stays green into October. I fertilize mine and have green grass from mid March all the way to December. And then the mountains never really look brown since they're covered in evergreens.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by denverian

I'm pretty sure Colorado means "colorful" in Spanish.

I wouldn't say it's brown that many months. By April the grass is greening up and stays green into October. I fertilize mine and have green grass from mid March all the way to December. And then the mountains never really look brown since they're covered in evergreens.

See this http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108189.html . Colorado, indeed, does mean "ruddy" or "red." One of the first things taught in Colorado history class. (Go to a Mexican restaurant and order a bowl of "chile colorado" and see what you get.)

As to the forests in the Colorado mountains being a lot of evergreens--true. But, the OP was asking about Denver. Last time I checked, Denver proper was not in the mountains . . .

It is usually in April (some tree varieties as late as mid-May) before Denver's trees are leafing out, they are usually turning no later than the end of September or early October. Native unirrigated grasses usually are dormant from at least late September to mid-to late April. If rain is not sufficient in summer, they may go dormant as early as mid-July. I've only been watching and studying Colorado climate, weather, and plants for about 50 years, but who's counting?

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by Bear4me

Although I have never been there - we are moving to Denver (job). Can you tell me about the climate - I am from Upstate NY - so I can relate with the snow and seasons that I love..I have also lived in FL ..Please tell me the good, bad, and great things about Denver - THANKS

I am from Western New York; I have been here almost 30 years.

The absolutely main issue here is: very little water.

Denver is on the Great Plains, not in the mountains. It is a semi-arid grassland. In New York when you built homes--you knock down trees. Here--when we built homes--we plant trees because in most cases there were none-just brown grass.

People will try to tell you that these mountains are thick with trees--they are not. There are very few leafy trees, undergrowth and bushes--most trees are coniferous and it is sparse in many areas and that is why it is called Rocky Mountains--it is not like the Castskills or the Adirondacks with the lush , thick green. You will not see the dramatic colors in the fall. People like to talk about the gold aspens but it is really nothing if you seen an eastern fall.

There are few to none natural lakes. Most are reservoirs. These reservoirs do not have the growth around like natural lakes you will see Upstate New York. Water sports is not as good. There are no beaches and swimming in the reservoirs--well the water is cold.

There are very few rivers and they are small--the rivers you see can be equivalent to creeks in New York. They are not commercially navigable, only for canoes and white water rafting.

The previous posts have given you the correct information about soil and climate.

When I came here--I came from Texas and I already traveled much after leaving New York. But I missed rainy days--there is not that many; the smell of rain; the smell of moist earth. I missed overcast days--most days are sunny. Now rain and overcast days-I do not like---I want the sun.

But I like it because of the what causes you to initially miss the east--little water.

Little water means low humidity. It is much more comfortable here in the summers and the winters feel much milder than the temperatures. I grew up near Buffalo and 30 degrees in Buffalo is cold but mild here because of this low humidity.

Little water means little standing water and that means less mosquitoes. You do not see the swarms as in New York.

Little water means less moisture and less humidity and I have very bad arthritis--I could never take the cold and wet weather in New York, again.

Little water means dry basements--you can store shoes without getting moldy and basements are very livable.

Now Denver is not as Hot as Phoenix--you can actually survive without air conditioning---you could not do that even in Florida. In the summers, it cools off dramatically at night and with low humidity--it is very comfortable.

If you like the four dramatic cold seasons in New York which are the result of precipitation--you will be very disappointed. However, if you want a milder climate and can accept the topography and the climate for what it is---then you will love Colorado, as I do.

There is very many misconceptions about Colorado in the east. I grew up in an area that had more native Americans--The Seneca Indian Nation. However, people think Colorado has many Indians--it does not.

Western think that New York is all city and that that Colorado is more of an Agricultural state than New York--it is not. New York soil is more fertile and produces more diverse products. So what you will miss, as I did, is the fruit orchards, grapes and vegetables stands along the roads. Yes, there many in some here in some areas--but not as pronounced. However, what you find here is good and there are pockets of good agriculture.

Colorado does not have all those small little idyllic towns that you see in New York. Most towns are hard scrabbled agricultural communities and the mountains towns are mostly poor--though there are those exceptions that people brag and talk about. -There is not many people outside of the Front Range. This is a big state in land but a small state in population and livable areas. However, the parks and open space in the Denver Metro area is unbelievable huge and then we have the mountains and the wide open plains--it is stunning.

I have given this information because we share common areas of upstate New York and to give you a perspective. This is not meant as saying that one is better then another. I cannot tolerate New Yorker who come here with their mouth: "New York this and New York that". I heard enough of that because I grew up near Buffalo and the people from New York City were constantly criticizing the rest of the state--everything that was upstate was bad and they were the greatest. Well, I grew up in Western New York and it has its own good characteristics.

This state is not New York and I resent when people try to make it a New York with huge lawns that have to be maintained with wasteful watering and fertilizing. This state is not New York and I do not want it to be New York. As I said I have accepted the climate and the land. However most of all I have accepted the differences in people and I believe that they have accepted me. I am a Coloradan.

Colorado means to me toleration and understanding of all people. Where I grew up there was tremendous ethnic strife. Here it is much much less. The Denver area is a pleasant area to live for all.

Those who bring their prejudices and want to establish it here, I want to tell you that Colorado means---STAY AWAY.

Livecontent

[Bear4me]

Thank you for your reply.I am from Rochester and appreciate your input and information. I can really relate to your comments. I am eager to live in Colorado !