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
Yellowjackets zeroing in on your steak and fruit salad as you dine al fresco can be irritating, but don’t get out the pesticide yet. “Yellowjackets have their place. Although they can be seen as pests due to their attraction to our food when we are dining outdoors, in typical scenarios they are beneficial insects, feeding
No one wants to go through the winter with no clothes, not even the soil that grows our plants. So jacket up the soil in cover crops. If you’re not acquainted with cover crops, here’s the rundown: These hardworking plants can add organic matter and aerate the soil, protect it from compaction caused by rain,
Impressed by compost’s contribution to the soil, gardeners conferred on it the nickname “black gold.” Even more beneficial worm castings could take the title “black diamonds.” Just ask true believer Larry Steele, an Oregon State University Extension Service master gardener who commends the rich nutrition of red-worm manure, also known as castings. “I started with
– A voracious insect – the bronze birch borer – is picking off beloved birch trees throughout Oregon. Common for many years in Eastern Oregon, the hard-to-control beetle first showed up west of the Cascades in 2003 in Portland, where it has killed hundreds of trees. It slowly migrated and is now found in abundance
No matter the stereotype, summers are dry in Oregon and gardens need to be watered regularly, especially in times of drought as the forecast calls for this year. Information is available from the Oregon State University Extension Service publication, “Growing Your Own,” a practical guide to gardening for first-time gardeners that can be accessed online.
In a perfect world, garden plants would feed themselves. As it is, we’ve got to help them along sometimes. Plants take up nutrients from the soil but when those nutrients are missing, it’s time for fertilizer. “Plants pull out nutrients as they grow,” said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “Unless
Stellar speakers, inspiration and new friends await gardeners attending the Growing Gardens conference July 13-14 at Linfield College in McMinnville. The event, presented by the Oregon Master Gardner Association in cooperation with Oregon State University Extension Service, was formerly known as Mini College. A wide range of speakers are in store, including Thursday’s keynote speaker
A new publication on some the best vegetable varieties for western Oregon gardens has been released by Oregon State University Extension Service. Vegetable Variety Trials 2017, co-authored by Brooke Edmunds, Shinji Kawai and James Myers, is the resurrection of a popular series that went on hiatus in 2011. “People really looked forward to making good
Honeybees get all the attention, but they aren’t the only bees pollinating our gardens. In Oregon, over 500 native bees are out doing their part, too. As National Pollinator Week nears June 18 to 24, it’s time to bring them into the limelight. Many are beautiful – like the metallic sweat bee with emerald green
Life is tough for plants sitting in a field without food or water. Such was the case for wild lilac (Ceanothus) when Neil Bell, a horticulturist for Oregon State University’s Extension Service, decided to evaluate the evergreen shrubs. He planted 45 cultivars at The Oregon Garden in full sun and poor soil with no water
In the garden of Laura and Mark Oldenkamp 400 dahlias bob with blooms as small as golf balls and as large a dinner plates. “We love how diverse they are,” said Laura Oldenkamp, an Oregon State University Extension Service master gardener. “There’s an enormous variation in color, form and size. It’s really astounding.” She’s not