Dear Flora,

I am starting to plan for my garden space this season. I was wondering if you could tell me the advantages of raised bed gardening.

Thanks, Beddy Green

Dear Beddy, 

There are many reasons that you might want to garden in raised beds: 
• Beds can be any shape, size or depth. Raised beds can be built at height to reduce bending/kneeling and to accommodate the gardener’s physical needs.
• Beds can be accessed without stepping on the soil (reduces soil compaction).
• The soil in raised beds warms up quickly in the spring (up to 12 degrees warmer than in-ground beds).
• Beds can be filled with organically rich soil, amend native soil with compost or needed fertilizers, or use other ingredients to improve soil drainage.
• Beds can be located almost anywhere — for best solar exposure/convenience.
• Raised beds can produce more vegetables than traditional in-ground beds.
• Beds are easy to adapt for insect, critter and frost protection. You can add hardware cloth underneath to protect from rodents. You can add netting to prevent insect infestations. Row covers can protect from frost and larger critters that like your tasty crops too!

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Dear Flora,

Can you tell me the benefits of using row covers?  Could you recommend some types of row covers that help to extend our Sublette growing season?

Shari Rowe

Dear Shari, 

Row covers are so valuable in our climate! Row covers help trap warmth and provide wind protection to create a microclimate that promotes plant growth. The covers benefit our veggie and fruit production by keeping out unwanted insects and larger predators that love to devour everything they can get to. Row covers can be layered to increase the level of thermal protection on our frosty nights. Row covers do require hoops for frames and clamps or some type of weight to keep the covers in place.  

Some garden club favorite row covers include:
• 1.5-ounce Agribon cloth (frost protection down to 24 degrees)
• 2-4 mil poly row covers (add 3—6 degrees of frost protection)
• Dio-Betalon 550 (absorbs dew and frost between layers, provides wind protection while allowing water to permeate through, can add additional cover for frost protection when needed).

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Dear Flora,

The voles at my house last year ate everything! Do you have any ideas on how to get rid of them?

Harry Trapper

Dear Harry, 

It was a record year for voles last season. Many local gardeners have been struggling with your same problems. Voles will eat the roots of bulbs and perennial flowers. They tunnel and burrow into garden beds eating everything in sight. They need to eat their weight in plant food every day because their metabolism is so high. They can breed year round having up to ten litters per year.  This creates a big problem for gardeners!

Once again, our local Sage & Snow garden club members have a few suggestions:
• Mow grass and trim perennials very short and bag it in the fall to remove food and cover.

• Remove hiding places like boards, pallets, straw, leaves and mulch.
• Use ½ inch wire mesh hardware cloth under raised beds. Use stock tanks, lick tubs or other tall planters for planting. 
• Use inches of gravel in plant holes to protect plant roots.
• Trapping is effective — use Jawz Mousetraps or the Better Mouse Trap by Intruder. Change kinds of bait, place traps in burrow paths and up against walls (since they like to scurry along edges).
• Voles don’t like the smell of castor oil pellets or predator urine-soaked pellets like “Shake-Away Rodent Pellets.” Try these products in your yard.
• Poison them — use Kaput Bait Stations or poison bombs in their tunnels. (Warning — this option can be dangerous for dogs, cats and wild predators).

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Dear Flora,

Where can I learn more about gardening in Sublette County?

Ever Grateful,

Sage Snow

Dear Sage,

The Sage & Snow Garden Club has information about our many club activities and membership, go to our website @ https://www.sageandsnowgardenclub.org/

Arlinda McLaughlin, Master Gardener, has a wealth of information she is willing to share on gardening in Sublette County. Contact her at 307-231-9402 or email ajmclaughlin47@gmail.com.

Happy Gardening!