Colorado farmers are feeling the heat, and local produce is suffering
At the table, and in the garden, this summer's heat is impacting Colorado plants. The next few weeks of high heat will make it hard for farmers working on their final harvests of summer, and they're already weathering the fallout from a hot and dry year.
Flowers on a lettuce plant at one Denver urban farm are a sign that the lettuce is going to seed too early. It's a result of abnormally high heat this summer and it's having a negative impact on local farms.
"They are just going through their life cycle a little more quickly because of the higher temperatures," says Sally Herbert, founder of Altius Farms, an urban farm that grows produce outdoors and in a rooftop greenhouse in Ri-No.
"We grow leafy greens, herbs, and lettuces for restaurants, for grocery stores, and then some direct to consumer," Herbert explains.
Unfortunately, she says this year's heat is causing the plants to produce less.
"We sometimes get less of a yield because the plants are going to seed instead of producing lots of leafy greens that we can sell," says Herbert.
She estimates the indoor plants are yielding about 10% less product, and the outdoor ones 15%. They also require more water and labor to thrive in the heat. Herbert says she wouldn't necessarily consider the problem a shortage, but it could cause price pressure across the board. So don't be surprised if you see higher price tags when buying your produce.
But it's not just produce being impacted by the heat, the Denver Botanic Gardens is noticing their plants drying out and drooping.
"We're certainly seeing the stress of it," says Assistant Curator Mario Bertelsmann. The gardens are mitigating that heat with supplemental watering, and a shift towards native and drought-resistant plants.
"These are all more native plants that are all more suitable for our Colorado climate as we get hotter and drier," Bertelsmann says, gesturing towards the recently redesigned O'Fallon Perennial Walk.
To help your own garden, Bertelsmann has some tips.
When it comes to watering, think quality over quantity; watering deeply a few times a week is better than many quick waterings. He also recommends watering early in the morning, ad using deep root watering systems for trees and shrubs. It may also be a good idea to replace plants that use a lot of water with more drought-resistant ones.
