What’s New, Broomfield!

Broomfield County Extension collaborates with businesses, organizations, and other counties to extend the reach of programming. Check out new programs and opportunities.

Learn More	Green School Registration Now Open If you love gardening and are looking for in-depth, Colorado-specific classes, look no further! CSU Extension offers a certifying FULL COURSE and multiple SHORT COURSE options to meet anyone’s needs. The Certified Colorado Gardener Full Course is identical to Colorado Master Gardener training, but without the volunteer commitment. Registration is open through Oct. 25 and the fee is $530. Enroll anytime for Green School Short Courses, bundles of self-paced, online classes offered in four areas: Colorado Gardening Foundations, Landscape Management Basics, Plant Diagnostics, and Grow Your Own Food. The price is $195 per course. Classes begin the week of Oct. 30. For more information, please email csuextension@broomfield.org
Learn More	Free Caregiver Workshop Series CSU Extension is partnering with national speaker, Jane Barton, to explore a variety of issues related to caregiving: the personal impact of caring, health care options, advance directives, community resources, and more. Workshops will be held virtually on the second Wednesday of the month from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Register now for the Oct. 11 class, “THE Conversation.”
Learn More	Plant Select® Announces 2023 Selections Every year, Plant Select introduces a new set of plants to garden centers and wholesale suppliers that have been selected to do well in this climate. Plants are trialed and tested for 2-5 years at Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University, and public and private gardens. The 2023 selections have just been announced, and their motto, “Plant Smarter,” says it all. Check them out for some great waterwise additions to your landscape.
Learn More	Free Gardening Webinars CSU Extension has released the 2023 lineup of free gardening webinars, covering everything from cold-hardy succulents to summer turf woes to plants that will kill you! Classes are presented by horticulture experts from across the state. Visit the CO-Horts Blog website for topics, dates, registration links, and recordings of previous classes!
Get Directions	A Garden for All Seasons Thinking about converting turf to xeriscape next year? Winter is a great time to peruse magazines and websites for water-friendly designs, but it’s also helpful to see firsthand what the plants will look like in all seasons. Will they provide winter interest or help sustain wildlife year-round? Find out at the Broomfield Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, home to a large selection of waterwise perennials, trees, and shrubs. It’s open all day, every day, and you never know what (or who) you’ll see there!
Learn More	Visit the CSU Flower Trial Garden If you missed the Public Evaluation Day on Aug. 5, don’t despair! CSU’s trial garden is open daily to the public during daylight hours, and it’s free! Here are just a few testimonials: This is one of the best trials in North America, maybe THE best in North America. So very lovely. A real gem in Fort Collins. Listed as #5 of “Best Things to Do in Colorado” by VacationIdea Magazine. Absolutely beautiful place. Full of joy and happiness.
Join Now!	Join the Seed Library The Broomfield Seed Library is officially open! If you haven’t signed up yet, submit your Membership Form now so you can start borrowing (and donating!) seeds. Look for the seed collection in the repurposed card catalog located on the second floor of the Broomfield Library. The selection varies depending on donations and seasonality, so you’ll want to check frequently to see what’s available.
Current Schedule	Ask a Master Gardener! Throughout the growing season, Broomfield Master Gardeners are available to answer horticulture-related questions at convenient community locations. Visit Compass for current dates, times, and sites. Master Gardeners currently have walk-in hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the CSU Extension Office in the Broomfield Library. Prefer a call-back? You may leave a message anytime on the Master Gardener Helpline at 303.464.5554, or submit your question(s) using this online form.
Learn More	CSU Flower Trial Winners Each year, Colorado State University’s Annual Flower Trial Garden tests and analyzes the performance of more than 1,000 varieties of annual bedding plants in Colorado’s harsh growing conditions. Learn more about CSU’s Flower Trial Garden — the largest of its kind west of the Mississippi — and the newest award winners.
Learn More	Plant Select® “New for 2022” List Each year Plant Select® brings new plants to garden centers and wholesale suppliers that have been specially developed for this area. Plants are trialed and tested for 2-5 years at Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University, and public and private gardens. Visit the Plant Select® website to learn about the seven new plants introduced this year and where you can find them.
	Disaster Resources Available CSU Extension has published a guidebook in English and Spanish to aid individuals and communities impacted by the recent Boulder County fires in the recovery process. Here are the links for downloading: After the Disaster Guidebook – Boulder County Después del Desastre Guía – Condado de Boulder
	A Little Free Library, Garden-style! CSU Extension recently installed a Little Free Library at the Broomfield Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, but there’s a twist: the books for both adults and children are horticulture-related. Consistent with the “Take a Book, Share a Book” philosophy, visitors are invited to borrow a book. Gardening book donations also are welcome at this Little Free Library!
	Broomfield 4-H Interested in joining 4-H in Broomfield? The group is accepting new members and is open to anyone ages 8-18 for 4-H, and ages 5-8 for Cloverbuds. Broomfield projects range from archery and rocketry to showing fancy poultry, gardening, and scrapbooking. For more information, email Broomfield4H@gmail.com.
Upcoming Classes	Online Cottage Food Safety Training Are you interested in producing food items from a home kitchen to sell to the public? If so, the Colorado Cottage Foods Act requires you to complete a food safety training course. CSU Extension offers online training that meets this requirement and (upon passing) provides you with a certificate of training valid for three years. Check this schedule for online courses offered statewide. Registration is $50 (plus fee).
Submit a Question	Ask a Master Gardener! Broomfield Master Gardeners are available year-round to answer horticulture-related questions. Send an email to BroomfieldMG@colostate.edu, call the helpline at 303.464.5554, or submit your question using this form. You may also consult this list of local Horticulture FAQs, which is organized by season.
Watch Video	Residential Lawn Care If you missed it in real time, you can watch a recording of this GREEN series class taught by Sarah Schweig, Broomfield County Extension Director & Horticulture Agent.
More Information	Learn, Grow, Share! Grow and Give is a modern victory garden project with an Extension twist. Started in 2020 to make a local impact on food security, Grow and Give connects backyard and community gardens with food donation sites across the state. CSU Extension’s Grow and Give website offers a TON of great gardening resources in English and Spanish. Be sure to check it out! Register your garden to join the Grow and Give community and log your donations to friends, family and neighbors. Looking for a place to donate? Visit the Grow & Give website to find a site near you – there are two in the Broomfield area!
	Container Vegetable Gardening Did you miss it in real time? Watch a recording of this class taught by Sarah Schweig, Broomfield County Extension Director & Horticulture Agent.
	Native Bee Watch Check out the new native bee house recently installed at Broomfield’s demonstration garden! If you’re interested in helping monitor the bee population in Broomfield, read more about CSU Extension’s Native Bee Watch program.
View Recording	Virtual Seed Starting Class You may have missed it in real time, but you can watch a recording of this class taught by Sarah Schweig, Broomfield County Extension Director & Horticulture Agent. Topics include supplies, timing, and techniques for starting vegetables and annual flowers indoors.
Finance Resources	Money Management Basics Learn to stretch your money through these free online workshops offered by Broomfield FISH in conjunction with the City and County of Broomfield and CSU Extension. Check back for the next financial literacy workshop dates. In the meantime, here are resources from the previous series: Budget Basics Understanding Credit Your Financial Wellness Plan de gastos
Más información	¡Recursos Nuevos en Español! CSU Extension’s statewide horticulture team is working hard to offer more gardening resources in Spanish, including videos, numerous publications, and an in-depth Colorado Vegetable Guide. An English version of the guide also is available.
Submit a Question	Need Gardening Advice? Broomfield Master Gardeners are available year-round to answer your horticulture-related questions. Call the helpline at 303.464.5554, send an email to BroomfieldMG@colostate.edu, or submit your question using this form.
View Video	Watch our AmeriCorps Team in Action CSU Extension’s dedicated AmeriCorps members created and distributed more than 650 take-and-make STEM kits to Broomfield area children in the second half of 2020. This effort included a stop at Centennial Elementary in partnership with Community Food Share and the Broomfield Library. Team member Diamila Konate, pictured left, helped hand out STEM kits and free books. Watch this video to learn more about this community outreach effort. Didn’t receive a kit? No problem! Most of the kits can be recreated using common household items. You can follow along with these instructions.
Learn More	Making a Difference in Broomfield! CSU Extension now has three AmeriCorps service members working out of its Broomfield office. These important team members develop and deliver STEM programs in out-of-school settings to local students.
	Our Location Broomfield County Extension is located in the Broomfield Library. We are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with live horticulture help on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To request a specific appointment time, email csuextension@broomfield.org.
	Look what we made! CSU Extension Broomfield and CSU Extension 4-H STEM specialists joined staff from Broomfield Library and Broomfield Open Space and Trails in a full-day outreach event at Centennial Elementary School on Jan. 24. Students built and decorated bird houses, learned the basics of birding, and contributed their bird sightings to the Broomfield Naturalists citizen science project.