Blog

These white-blooming plants can brighten up landscapes — Part one of two Scroll to the bottom of the page for slideshow. Blooms come in all variations of color and hue, but there is a special place for white blooms in a garden or landscape. “White goes with everything,” said Justin Hancock, senior director of marketing at […]

With deeply lobed silver leaves and a 3-foot stature, the artichoke unfolds as much mystery in the garden as it does on the dinner table. The can be used to set off any color in a perennial border, as a striking specimen plant or as the flagship of a vegetable garden. But the reason most […]

Originally appeared at National Gardening Bureau. 1. I started bell pepper seeds indoors and they looked great. Hardened them off and transitioned outside. Still great, just zero growth in 3 weeks. Is that normal? Peppers thrive in warm weather and really struggle under cool, wet conditions. If the soil temperatures are too cool and/or too […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired millions of people to grow vegetables, but many don’t have room for traditional gardening. Don’t let lack of yard space keep you from gardening this spring and summer. Many vegetables grow well in containers on a patio, porch, balcony or windowsill. Small spaces make it hard to grow some of […]

For decades, Oregon State University Extension Service relied on face-to-face interactions to provide gardening education to Oregonians. That all changed with the COVID-19 crisis and Oregon’s actions to limit the spread of the virus. To satisfy a public that has become keenly interested in gardening, particularly edible gardening, OSU Extension Master Gardeners are answering questions […]

After we have had a few warm, dry spring days, gardeners usually begin thinking about planting tomatoes. We seem to be finally warming up and seeing more sun breaks than showers, so it’s time to get them in the ground. First, make a list of the varieties you want to grow this year and work […]

Originally appeared at National Gardening Bureau. 1. Plant for a succession of blooms throughout the growing season. Different pollinator species emerge at various times of the year and have different lifespans and periods of activity. Create an ongoing pollinator buffet throughout the growing season by planting a succession of overlapping blooms. 2. Include some native plants […]

Jesse Garcia likes kale – he really likes kale. So, when his crop got infested with cabbage worms, he came up with a novel approach to pest control. Garcia, an Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener, moved to the Willamette Valley in 2016 and planted a substantial vegetable garden two years later. Late that […]

Great Plant Picks program highlights selections that perform consistently in the Pacific Northwest Over the last several years, many areas around the country have experienced prolonged droughts, excessively hot temperatures, and a noticeable decline in the population of pollinators. No one can deny that planting to increase insect diversity and lower water use is a […]

Originally appeared at National Gardening Bureau. Today’s gardeners have more options for where and how to start their gardens than the original Victory Gardeners. Of course, in-ground is always an option, as are container gardens for your Victory Garden 2.0. Raised beds are another option. Don’t be intimidated, we’ll explain how easy it is to […]