High Altitude Nature and Gardening (HANG) – Winter, our backyards, and forests

By Janet Sellers

With snow on the ground and ice in the shadows, it’s hard to think about our gardens growing. We hunker down with a good book and some hot tea, staying cozy and comfortable indoors. Outdoors, our fallen leaves and pine needles are doing the same thing for plants as a mulch, keeping the ground and soil and landscapes safe and cozy. This mulch will insulate the ground and keep it from thawing and freezing too many times over the winter.

Even if we’re new to the area and we don’t know how to garden in the ponderosa forest climate, we can look to Mother Nature, who has known how since pine trees began. Pine trees have been on Earth for around 150 million years, originating in the mid-Mesozoic Era. It would be great to hear what they have to tell us, and yet we can find out what they know by watching and learning from them.

During winter, plants prepare for spring by storing nutrients and carbon in underground organs like their roots, stems, and rhizomes; this allows them to survive the winter and regrow in spring. They’re not dead, and the roots survive the winter because sugars in the roots act as natural antifreeze.

A lot is going on underground where the winter temps don’t go. All the wonderful sugars made from the green leaves have gone to the roots of our plants, and they’re doing a special job over the winter while the rest of our forest life seems to be sleeping. An amazing fact about leaves is that they continue to create our forests even after they’ve dropped to the ground. Our ponderosa pines help protect our own backyard forest ecosystems in many ways over winter. Evergreens can send needed nutrients to other plants in their environs through the complex forest underground life systems.

Ponderosa pine needles can be used to make pine straw.

Pine needles and pine straw are the same thing, and ponderosa pine needles can be used to make garden-ready compost that improves soil fertility and tilth. The needles can be 5 to 10 inches long. In some areas, people gather and sell pine straw as a harvest crop. Pine needle litter can hold a significant amount of water, making it effective at retaining moisture in the soil, particularly when compared to other types of litter. However, the exact capacity depends on factors like the species of pine and the density of the needle layer; studies have shown that pine needles can absorb a considerable amount of water relative to their weight.

Ponderosa pine is an important tree species for wildlife. Its seeds are consumed by many species of birds including wild turkeys, nuthatches, crossbills, grosbeaks, and grouse. They are also eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, and mice. In the past, Native Americans have used the inner bark and seeds of the ponderosa pine as a food source. It was also utilized by native peoples for medicine, dye, fiber, and firewood.

Let’s help our ponderosa forests stay healthy by leaving their needles on the ground. For optimal tree health, it’s recommended to maintain a layer of ponderosa pine needles on the ground that is less than 3 inches deep; this allows for proper air circulation while still providing the benefits of natural mulch.

Janet Sellers is an avid “lazy gardener,” letting Mother Nature teach landscape success. Send your high-altitude garden and nature tips to JanetSellers@ocn.me.

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