For a hedge, arborvitae has a place. It’s tall, skinny, evergreen, low maintenance and cheap. “Some people look down on arborvitae, but it fits in places that other things can’t,” said Neil Bell, a retired horticulturist for Oregon State University Extension Service. “And it’s about as low maintenance a plant as anything you can buy, […]
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Herbs: Multi-purpose Plants
Originally appeared National Garden Bureau Herbs are definitely multi-purpose plants. Traditional uses include culinary, medicinal*, fragrance, and dye. We have written records of medicinal uses of herbs in 5000 B.C.E. in the Middle East, and archaeological evidence of medicinal use back to 8,000 years ago in China. One has to wonder: who was the first brave […]
Dodge the raindrops and finish fall garden tasks
The rains may have started, but there’s still plenty that needs attention in the garden – if you’re up for it. Layer up and dodge the raindrops and you’ve got plenty of time to plant, transplant, evaluate and plan for next year. Gardeners tend to think of fall as the time to put bulbs in […]
Sweep wood ash from the fireplace to the garden
With last year’s storms, particularly the substantial ice event, there’s plenty of firewood around. Many homeowners wonder what to do with all the ashes left behind after the flames in the fireplace die down. As you clean the fireplace, do your plants a favor and sprinkle the ashes in the garden instead of throwing them […]
Choosing Shrubs: Why and How
Find the Right Shrubs for Your Space Originally appeared in Nation Garden Bureau Learn what shrubs can do for your garden and how to pick one to fit your space Can you feel it? Fall is in the air, with cooler temperatures, sweater weather, and pumpkin spice everything just around the corner. But along with cooler, […]
Start now to get color from last year’s poinsettias in time for the holidays
Holding onto poinsettias after the holidays is good for the pocketbook but hard on the ego when you can’t get them to color up the next year. Experts at Oregon State University Extension Service say now’s the time to start coaxing poinsettias back into color and bloom for December. Sensitive to day length, the poinsettia […]
Let’s address a dry topic
Previously, I have discussed some of the effects of the very dry summer season, not only in the Pacific Northwest, but in much of the western United States. Many readers and other gardeners commented about the article. Looking around my neighborhood in the Portland area in early September, I could see many mature trees that […]
Seize some seeds from the garden for planting next year
As the gardening season winds down and you pick the season’s last vegetables, you can let 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 […]
How to rebuild healthy soil this winter
You can rejuvenate and replenish your soil’s fertility and structure at the end of the growing season by planting cover crops. With the first chill of fall, many gardeners sigh with relief. Sweltering summer days filled with watering, weeding, and harvesting seems like a distant memory, while the promise of a winter rest entices gardeners […]
Flower Power in the Pollinator Victory Garden
Originally appeared in Nation Garden Bureau Flowers are some of the most important food sources for pollinators, but there’s more to it than planting flowers and waiting for pollinators to appear. A successful Pollinator Victory Garden achieves a balance between two seemingly disparate principles: plant diversity and plant sufficiency. Your garden needs to have a wide […]