Ignoring moisture and insect damage in the home leads to serious problems down the line. Annual inspection is essential to head them off. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone, start your inspection by checking out the publication, Home Moisture Problems, written by Oregon State University Extension Service experts to help you solve many
Gardening is a constantly changing hobby for many of us. When we visit garden centers, we are often not only buying plants that are familiar to us, but we are on the lookout for something new. Many private gardens have signature plants that might be a tree or shrub, or perhaps it is a plant(s)
The big, beautiful blooms of amaryllis are a wintertime tradition and persuading them to flower couldn’t be easier. Native to Peru and South Africa, the genus Amaryllis comes from the Greek word amarysso, which means “to sparkle.” Some botanists believe bulbs were brought to Europe in the early 16th century and arrived in Europe in
Wisteria delivers a beautiful spring display, but this vigorous vine needs plenty of pruning to keep it from swallowing the garden. “Wisteria are very vigorous vines and can climb easily to 30 to 40 feet,” said Neil Bell, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “They can be quite heavy and should be grown
In fall, gardeners settle bulbs under a blanket of soil and wait for spring to watch them flaunt their beauty. “It’s easy to create a stunning display that bursts into bloom in the spring or early summer,” said Heather Stoven, an Oregon State University Extension horticulturist. “But bulbs don’t have to be in the ground
Kris LaMar and Barb Cary live at opposite ends of the state and have never met, but they’ve got a lot in common. Both women are up to their trowels as Master Gardeners. A shade under 3,000 Oregonians join the two women who went through the intensive two- to three-month course that covers everything from
Garden jargon can leave a smart person feeling dumb, and let’s not even talk about Latin botanical names. Really, let’s not. Instead, we’ll concentrate on common terms used as if everyone should know them. Like what’s a cover crop or cold composting? What’s a hardiness zone? And what, for goodness sake, is an open-pollinated plant?
Rhododendrons say spring as loudly as football says fall. Both have fervent fans and enemies staring them down. The teams that feed on rhododendrons – called black root weevils – are tiny compared to the helmeted players at each end of a football field, but the damage they do aggravates gardeners who can’t figure out
As the gardening season winds down and you pick the season’s last vegetables, consider letting some plants go to seed and harvest them for planting next year. “Saving seed can be really fun and is a great way to learn about plants,” said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “If you choose
As more people pick up a hoe to grow their own produce, food safety becomes a concern. “Most people can’t believe that their own habits could possibly be the source of problems and are not aware what habits can cause risk,” said Jeanne Brandt, a family and community health expert with Oregon State University Extension
As they climb up trellises and trees unfurling large, lusciously colored flowers, clematis put on a special show in the garden. These garden favorites need a little special handling at the start but once established clematis (clem-ah-tis or cla-mat-is) grow and flower year after year. Clematis vines have three main requirements to thrive – sunlight
Help steward your favorite natural area park by volunteering with Portland Parks & Recreation! Help by removing invasive plants, planting native shrubs and trees, and beautifying our parks for wildlife and communities. All ages are welcome to attend; young children must be supervised by an adult. Don’t forget about No Ivy Day coming up this October!