Hey Garden Club As we get closer to last frost here on the Front Range, this is your reminder: Don’t rush warm-season crops. Let the soil warm up first. These are great to direct sow after frost: beans, cucumbers, squash, corn, watermelon, okra, sunflowers, pumpkins, basil But the real key isn’t the calendar… it’s soil temperature. Most of these want 60–70°F soil to actually germinate and thrive. Planting too early = slow growth, rot, or just nothing happening. Simple move: 👉 Grab a cheap soil thermometer and check before planting And this season, I want to introduce a shift in how we think about water-wise gardening: Instead of mulching with materials… start mulching with plants. Dense planting creates living cover: • shades the soil • reduces evaporation • protects soil life • increases resilience Think of your garden less as rows… and more as a plant community. This is the direction we’ll be exploring at this season—designing beds that hold moisture not just with inputs, but with life. What are some of your favorite warm-season crops to grow?