Two Important Tips For Gardening In Laramie, Wyoming
As everyone who lives here knows, Laramie is notorious for its windy, cold, dry climate. That can make gardening here challenging to say the least! But there are some secrets that can make it easier to grow and keep beautiful plants that can add beauty and curbside appeal to your home or business. And there are even ways to do it that don’t use much water and don’t require a lot of maintenance. In this article, we’re going to talk about a few of the ways to help a garden thrive here in Laradise.
Secret #1: Know Your Plant’s Hardiness Zone
In an effort to help people successfully grow gardens, the USDA has a handy map that classifies the entire United States into zones. These zones are based (mostly) on how cold the winters are in any given area. There are 13 zones, and the higher the zone’s number, the warmer the climate is. For example, Hawaii and Puerto Rico hang out in zones 10-13. On the flip side, almost nowhere in Wyoming gets above Zone 5.
By most accounts, Laramie tends to fall in the Zone 4 range. This means that, generally speaking, plants that are rated for Zone 4 or below will do well here. When you’re choosing plants for your garden, be sure to check their preferred Zone to make sure they can happily live here before buying them. Most seed packets or live plants will have that plant’s hardiness zone printed somewhere on the label. If you’re shopping local, then you’ll probably have no trouble finding plants that will do well during Laramie’s short growing season and long winters!
Some great options for Laramie in particular include:
- Lilacs
- Sunflowers
- Bleeding Hearts
- Daisies
- Sumac
- Daylilies
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
There are many other plants, shrubs, and trees that can thrive here in Laramie. Visit local gardening places and ask around to see what people are successfully growing!
Secret #2: Don’t Underestimate Xeriscaping
If you’re familiar with the word ‘xeriscaping’, then we’re impressed! If not, keep reading.
Xeriscaping refers to landscapes that are low-water and low-maintenance. They usually make use of elements that are native to the area, which in Laramie would include things like:
- Yucca
- Sage
- Russian Sage
- Granite boulders
- Native grasses
- Junipers
- Pines
- Aspens
- Wood elements
There are also some non-native species that do well in Laramie that can be used to add variety and extra color to your landscaping. Our experts here at Tough Guys can give you some ideas on what elements can make a great xeriscape that’s easy to maintain but still gorgeous.
If you have questions about gardening in Laramie or want to enlist some of our Tough Guys (and Gals) to help you out, please give us a call at 307-745-9670.