The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of Christmas tree sales in Oregon this year, according to Oregon State University Extension’s Christmas tree specialist. Supply should still be adequate — even better than the last few years – but some U-cut farms will bow out this year, said Chal Landgren, a professor in OSU’s College […]
Author: Kym Pokorny
Kym Pokorny is a garden writer with more than 20 years of experience writing for The Oregonian and other publications. She is currently a communications specialist with Oregon State University Extension Service. Kym can be reached at kym.pokorny@oregonstate.edu.
Take one more go at the garden before retiring for winter
We’re running right into the holidays, daylight is in short supply and rain comes down days at a time, but if you can get out in the garden or at least the garage, you’ll be happier come spring. A perennial question is whether to cut down plants now or in spring. The answer is not […]
What’s the real story? Garden myths debunked
Reality can get skewed when there are so many sources of information – books, magazines, newspapers, nurseries and, most of all, the internet and social media open up lots of room for contradiction. So, how do you find the right answer for gardening questions? Nine experts from Oregon State University Extension Service stepped up to […]
10 trees for fiery fall foliage
When trees get dressed with the colors of fall, it’s time to go shopping. “If you’re specifically interested in fall color, it will soon be the time to start looking,” said Neil Bell, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “There are already some trees starting to display color.” First, though, Bell recommends doing […]
Pot up some bulbs and dream of spring
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 […]
Leaf drop after ash blackout shouldn’t be of concern
The clouds of smoke and raining ash are over, but for some common evergreen plants the damage has been done. Don’t worry, it’s most likely temporary. “With the heavy smoke that pushed air quality off the charts, we have seen unusual defoliation in plants,” said Jay Pscheidt, Oregon State University Extension Service pathologist. “Much of […]
Control slugs now as they lay eggs to hatch in spring
Just as we begin to think about wrapping things up in the garden for the season, slugs slither out of their homes underground to lay their eggs for next year. That means it’s time again to slug it out with one of the gardener’s most familiar, frustrating and certainly slimiest pests. “What slugs want is […]
Know when it’s time to harvest apples and pears
Anticipation of ripe pears and apples peaks in fall as fruits hang heavily from branches and begin their gravity-aided trip to the ground. But how do you know when it’s prime picking time? According to Steve Castagnoli, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service, the signs are different for apples and pears. “It’s much […]
Take precautions when wildfire ash falls on fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables in the garden that have been showered with ash from wildfires should be safe to consume, according to Oregon State University Extension Service experts. Rinsing the produce outside and then again in the kitchen sink will help remove ash and the particulates that accompany it, according to Brooke Edmunds, associate professor and […]
Now’s the time to spiff up ragged lawns
Lawns languish in the heat of summer unless showered with the water they require to thrive. But not to worry, the grass isn’t dead. Come fall when the rains start again, grass greens up quickly, said Alec Kowalewski, turf specialist for Oregon State University’s Extension Service. While letting your lawn go dormant in summer isn’t […]