As the gardening season winds down and you pick the season’s last vegetables, here’s a tip. Consider letting some plants go to seed so you can 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 […]
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.
Create gardens accessible to all
Gardening is one of the more therapeutic things a person can do — emotionally, mentally and physically — but for some it seems out of reach. Good design and practices can make gardening accessible for everyone. “We all have challenges if we live long enough,” said Corinne Thomas-Kersting, a retired speech-language pathologist and five-year Oregon […]
Tips for keeping rats out of home and garden
Seeing rats in the backyard — or, worse yet, in the house — can send people into panic mode, and for good reason. “There are definite social norms that say if you have rodents living near you it’s associated with dirtiness, garbage and waste products,” said Dana Sanchez, wildlife specialist for Oregon State University Extension […]
Know garden pests before deciding on a path to control
You look around the garden and see aphids sucking the life out of your rosebuds, flea beetles chomping on the cauliflower and cabbage butterflies laying eggs that will turn into voracious caterpillars. What to do? Don’t automatically reach for the spray can, said Heather Stoven, an entomologist for Oregon State University Extension Service. First, determine […]
Western Oregon conifers continue to show damage due to drought
Even though we’ve had a mild summer, conifers in Oregon are still getting hit hard by several years of drought, to the point that many are dying. “Beginning in 2013-14, we started to see significant impact on Doug-firs in western Oregon,” said Dave Shaw, a forest health specialist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “Since […]
No need to baby your corn to get miniature ears
If you grow corn in your home garden, then you might want to harvest fresh “baby” corn ears this summer. Baby corn, those tiny ears of corn popular in Asian cooking and a favorite in salad bars across the United States, is largely imported from East Asia. It is usually processed and sold in cans […]
10 low-water perennials that thrive in dry situations
Pacific Northwest gardeners are faced with the pleasant dilemma of choosing from an encyclopedia-length list of perennials that grow in our friendly climate, and many of those thrive in low-water situations. To transition the landscape to water-wise plants, start with a small area such as a parking strip or an already-dry area of the garden, […]
Pull weeds as they pop or desired plants will suffer
Unsightly and seemingly uncontrollable, weeds have a way of taking over the garden in the time it takes to put the hoe away. Keeping weeds under control takes time and patience, but the effort is worth it, said Chip Bubl, horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. Plants – especially vegetables – have a hard […]
Rev up for another season of harvest by planting now
As we settle in at the table of summer’s harvest, savvy gardeners pause long enough to consider the coming season. “Most folks are familiar with and love summer vegetables, but if you want to maximize your food and nutrition, then growing fall crops is a great strategy,” said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with Oregon State […]
The powerful beauty of peonies makes them a favorite in the garden
Along with hydrangeas, sweet peas and roses, peonies pack a wallop of nostalgia, bringing to mind romantic gardens of old. It’s no wonder their popularity continues to grow. Joyce Heinke was bitten by the peony bug 40 years ago and now has 58 plants on 1 acre and more coming along all the time. “I […]