Foundational Colorado Front Range Gardening Techniques

Based in Thornton, Colorado, Mark Moynier, DDS, leads Bright Now! Dental and provides a host of coordinated services that encompass periodontal and orthodontic care. In his free time, Dr. Mark Moynier enjoys outdoor activities such as mushroom hunting and organic gardening. 

A 2016 Denver Post article brought focus to a “no-strain" method of organic gardening developed by Larry Stebbins and detailed in the e-book The Backyard Vegetable Gardening Guide: A Monthly Primer for the Organic Gardener in the Colorado Front Range and Beyond. 

A foundational principle is to avoid tilling the soil after the initial working of the soil in order to add amendments. Frequent tilling disturbs habitats of beneficial organisms, such as earthworms. At the same time, tilling also unearths other seeds that have been buried, which can amplify weed issues. 

Other core principles detailed in the book include composting, growing plants in raised beds, and utilizing immediate-succession planting methods in ensuring a continual harvest. Savvy gardeners also select vegetable varieties known to thrive in the Front Range region just east of the Rockies. These include beans, peas, tomatoes, and broccoli, with plum tree varieties also thriving in the area. Coordinated strategies can significantly boost garden production, which can be challenging at high elevations.