– 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
During the busy spring months, when blooming flowers are everywhere on nursery tables, it’s easy to overlook plants that don’t show off their color until late summer. I have many plants in my garden that are just coming into peak flower in August and September. Whenever we open our garden to guests that late in
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
Whether dipped in chocolate, tossed in a fruit salad or eaten naked, strawberries say summer in a big way. But they aren’t always cheap or sweet when bought at the store, so save money and get the freshest by growing your own. The first thing you need to know is what type of strawberry you
With their sweetly scented flowers and sweet-tart flavor, Meyer lemons are a no-brainer for container gardening in the Northwest. Even though they are not cold hardy in any but the warmest climates (Zone 9-10), Meyer lemons have many fans. Actually a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, Meyers are sweeter than regular lemons
If you have a good strong trellis, are a bit of a gambler and have a love of kiwifruit, there’s no reason not to grow your own crop. As vigorous as they are, though, don’t expect to plop these vines into the ground and stand back. Kiwifruit need some attention to yield the large amount