🌱 The Garden Wise Journal — August 2026
“Gardening is more than a hobby; it is a lifestyle.”
Welcome to The Garden Wise Journal
August is a month of transition in the Colorado garden. Summer is still holding strong, but the first hints of fall are beginning to appear. Harvest baskets are filling, trees are preparing for the season ahead, and the choices we make now can have a lasting impact on our landscapes.
In this issue, we are taking a closer look at the Emerald Ash Borer and what its arrival means for Colorado homeowners with ash trees. Early identification and a thoughtful plan can make all the difference when deciding whether a tree should be treated, removed, or replaced.
We are also introducing the Bigtooth Maple, a beautiful native tree known for its resilience and brilliant fall color. In our monthly garden tips, Keith explains how to recognize when garlic is ready to harvest and how to cure it properly for months of storage.
Finally, we are clearing up the myth that a compost bin needs full sun to work. As it turns out, microbes care much more about air, moisture, and organic material than whether your compost pile is sitting in the sunshine.
So grab a cup of coffee, take a walk through the garden, and let’s keep growing something beautiful together.
Feature Article of the Month
Emerald Ash Borer Has Arrived: What Colorado Gardeners Need to Know
The Emerald Ash Borer is no longer something Colorado gardeners can think of as a distant problem. This invasive metallic-green beetle is already spreading along the Front Range and poses a serious threat to ash trees in neighborhoods, parks, and home landscapes.
The most damaging part of the insect’s life cycle happens beneath the bark, where the larvae interfere with the tree’s ability to move water and nutrients. By the time thinning leaves, bark splits, D-shaped exit holes, or winding tunnels become visible, the infestation may already be well underway.
If you have an ash tree, now is the time to identify it, inspect it, and decide whether treatment or replacement is the best long-term option. Early awareness gives homeowners the greatest opportunity to protect valuable trees and prepare for the future.
DISCOVER THIS MONTH’S FEATURED ARTICLE
Plant Profile
Plant Profile: Bigtooth Maple
The Bigtooth Maple is one of Colorado’s native treasures. This adaptable tree brings dependable shade, attractive structure, and spectacular fall color to landscapes that have enough room for it to grow.
Its leaves resemble those of the familiar sugar maple, but the Bigtooth Maple is naturally better suited to the dry conditions and challenging climate found throughout much of the Interior West.
For gardeners searching for a beautiful native tree that can provide wildlife value, seasonal interest, and greater landscape diversity, the Bigtooth Maple deserves serious consideration.
DISCOVER THIS MONTH’S FEATURED PLANT
Monthly Tips
Harvesting and Curing Garlic
Harvesting garlic is one of the most satisfying moments in the vegetable garden, but proper timing makes the difference between firm bulbs that store for months and bulbs that split or deteriorate quickly.
Watch the leaves closely. Garlic is generally ready when approximately half to two-thirds of the lower leaves have turned brown while several of the upper leaves remain green.
Rather than pulling the plants by their stems, loosen the surrounding soil and gently lift each bulb. Move the harvest to a shaded, well-ventilated location and allow it to cure for approximately three to four weeks before trimming and storing it.
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Garden Myth Busting
A Compost Bin Needs Full Sun to Work
Your compost bin does not need full sun to break down garden and kitchen waste successfully.
The heat inside an active compost pile is produced primarily by microorganisms as they consume and decompose organic material. Sunlight may warm the outside of the bin, but it is not what drives the composting process.
What matters most is maintaining the proper balance of airflow, moisture, green material, and brown material. Place your compost bin in the sun or shade, wherever it will be convenient enough for you to use and maintain regularly.
The Garden Wise Guy Radio Show
The garden does not stop when the newsletter ends. Join Keith on the Garden Wise Guy radio show for timely seasonal advice, real garden stories, and thoughtful answers to the questions gardeners are actually asking right now.
Every Saturday from 7 to 9 am MST on Legends 810 AM.
Follow along on social media for steady inspiration between episodes, and if something is happening in your own yard, bring it to the show. Your question might shape the next conversation.
Have a question about your own garden?
Ask Keith a question for the next radio show
Keith Funk
The Garden Wise Guy
