The rain has been a blessing and we are mostly out of drought here on the front range for the first time in a year. Time to put in all those tender annuals and vegetables, but keep an eye on nighttime temps.
Keep control over weeds and retain moisture in your gardens by adding a generous layer of mulch. Pine needles, straw, bark, cocoa hulls and other possibilities are available at your garden center. If you are using bark, it will leach nitrogen out of the soil as it breaks down so you will need to fertilize.
Start deadheading (removing dead blooms) so you have healthy, bushy plants all summer long, full of flowers. Pinch flower buds off of your herb plants to preserve taste. You can start clipping back your herbs once they have reached a decent size and dry them for your winter pantry.
Garden Centers still have a great assortment of plants which will go on clearance as the heat escalates. Don’t have room or time for a garden? Go with containers. You can grow everything from vegetables and herbs to fragrant flowers and stunning foliage. Try some gallon size sweet 100’s, a few basil plants and some edible flowers like nasturtiums. I like to buy the larger pots of annuals and plant them in interesting combinations in a large container. Voila! Instant garden. Container gardens don’t take a lot of time, planning or weeding; just make sure you have good drainage and quality potting soil.
For your rusty garden tools, spray them down with white vinegar, cover loosely and let them sit overnight. Scrub them down with steel wool, oil them, and voila! Like new. Take a look at Colorado Gardener Monthly Magazine, https://www.coloradogardener.com for great articles and local events.