Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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If you’re a gardener, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Add compost to improve the soil, feed the microbes that release nutrients, and grow better plants. But what if that isn’t always the case? Believe it or not, research by Oregon State University found too much organic matter can have a negative effect. Wait. What? There are the environmental consequences of fertilizer leaching and runoff, the expense and time to buy and apply the compost or other organic matter and, in some cases, plant...
Just when you’re ready for a long winter’s nap, it’s time to tend your fruit trees. If you don’t, chances are they’ll struggle in the coming season. Giving them attention now helps ward off insects and diseases, said Steve Renquist, a horticulturist for Oregon State University Extension Service who has taught hundreds of gardeners the basics of managing fruit trees. Applying dormant sprays – such as Superior dormant spray oil, copper, and sulfur – helps control nasty pests and diseases, inc...
Ignoring moisture and insect damage in the home leads to serious problems down the line. An annual inspection is essential to head them off. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone, start your inspection by checking out this article from the Oregon State University Extension Service on home moisture problems to help solve many problems you might encounter. If you plan to inspect, maintain, or repair yourself, begin by taking a tour around the exterior of the house. Does water wick up the...
While you’re battling the winter blues, make your own seed-starting mix and plan for the gardening days ahead. Home gardeners can start vegetable and flower seedlings indoors from four to 12 weeks before the last average spring frost in their area, which means it’s time to get started. Making homemade planting medium can be more economical than buying a sterile mix at the store, said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. A good germinating mix must...
In the moist Pacific Northwest, moss on roofs is inevitable. The ubiquitous plant clings to shingles, causing damage that can lead to expensive repairs and replacements. There’s nothing to be done about the moisture, but moss also needs shade to grow. The key to keeping it at bay is to trim trees so sunlight filters to the surface of the roof. “You can clean all you want but to keep moss at bay, the environment needs to change, said Jay Pscheidt, a plant pathologist with Oregon State Uni...
Winter-blooming indoor plants are a welcome way to take the edge off the chill and gloom of winter and make delightful gifts for the holidays. The choices go beyond traditional poinsettias and amaryllis. Colorful African violets, gloxinia, cyclamen, orchids, ornamental peppers, and Christmas cactus are blooming and readily available. Dress them up with bows and cellophane or combine a few in a basket with store-bought or garden-harvested moss and some decorations and present them as gifts or to...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its new Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the national standard by which gardeners can determine which plants are most likely to survive the coldest winter temperatures at a certain location. The USDA describes the latest map, jointly developed by Oregon State University’s PRISM Climate Group and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, as the most accurate and detailed it has ever released. PRISM, part of the OSU College of Engineering, stands for Par...
Six stellar shrubs to brighten the winter garden In January and February, the flowers of winter arrive, blooming as cheerfully as the showoffs of spring. “One of the coolest things about gardening in the Pacific Northwest is winter gardens,” said Neil Bell, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “Spring is overwhelming with flowers, but in winter it’s surprising. It’s nice to see something that’s so unexpected. And then there’s the scent; such an enjoyable thing.” One...
Research to prove or debunk current opinions remains scarce as the debate over whether native plants or their cultivars attract and nourish the most pollinators. The research that has been done – primarily on the East Coast – hasn’t been conclusive. In fact, according to a doctoral candidate in the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences who is completing her dissertation on native plants, their cultivars, and pollinators, the findings have been all over the map. “We were in...
Hazelnut, walnut, or chestnut trees in your home orchard can keep you supplied with nuts for months if you know the best ways to harvest, handle, and store them. Harvesting hazelnuts means gathering them as they fall from the trees – before autumn rains, if possible, said Ross Penhallegon, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. You can shake branches lightly, but in most cases, the nuts will fall on their own. Walnuts are mature as soon as the husk cuts free from the...
When it comes to plants, bulbs are about as easy as it gets, and now’s the time to get them in the ground. “You plant spring-flowering bulbs in fall, they grow over winter, flourish in spring, and go dormant in summer,” said Heather Stoven, a horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. “Once they’re in the ground, they do quite well over multiple years with little maintenance.” On top of that, bulbs are drought-tolerant. “That’s one of the great things about them,” St...
Mild days and cool nights this fall promised a spectacular show of color, and the promise came true. “This fall has been the best year for color in recent memory,” said Neil Bell, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “The weather has been perfect for the brilliant show we’re enjoying.” It takes a slow progression of cool to warm days and cool but not freezing nights to bring on such a glowing display, he said. That kind of weather brings on dormancy slowly and leads...
In spring garden centers stock a tempting variety of brightly colored tuberous begonias that are hard to resist. Gardeners have a tremendous choice of flower color in shades of orange, pink, yellow, white, and bi-colored. But these lush plants don’t grow over winter and must be protected. The tubers can be saved and planted again the next spring for another year of showy color. The tuberous begonias should not be confused with the low-growing wax begonias often called annual bedding begonias tha...
Reaching for a pesticide – even an organic one – should be a thoughtful act. Nothing used to kill pests is risk-free. First, decide if you need pesticides at all by practicing Integrated Pest Management or IPM, said Kaci Buhl, Statewide Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator for Oregon State University Extension Service. Buhl defines IPM as a way of thinking about pest management that values: * Using knowledge about the pest’s habits, life cycle, needs and dislikes; * Using the least...
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 summer isn’t a bad thing — especially with concern about water shortages — lack of irrigation does allow weeds to gain a foothold, he said. And regular wear and tear can cause com...
Anticipation of ripe pears and apples peaks in fall as fruits hang heavily from branches and begin their gravity-aided trip to the ground. But how do you know when it’s prime picking time? According to Steve Castagnoli, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service, the signs are different for apples and pears. “It’s much easier to recognize ripeness in apples,” he said. “Pears typically won’t ripen to eating quality on the tree so you can’t go out and taste one.” Still, th...
While the practice of no-till gardening is not new, information has traditionally centered on agricultural field crops. Now, home gardeners are catching on. “The concept of no-till has been around for a couple of decades, but research has been very focused on field crops like wheat and corn, things largely grown in the Midwest,” said Erica Chernoh, Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturist. “There’s not much on vegetable production or fruit. There’s a lot to learn, and research...
For most gardeners it’s been a normal or above-average year for the country’s most popular vegetable. “It was a fairly decent season for tomatoes,” said Brooke Edmunds, horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “We got warm enough and didn’t have any early cold spells. If you were irrigating, you probably had a pretty good year.” Some things – like weather – you can’t control. Tomatoes, which are actually a fruit, thrive at ambient temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees and...
Even as the days shorten precipitously during the onward march to the fall equinox, August heat is still a threat. Temperatures of 100 F and up are expected next week. Hydrate and stay cool! But when temperatures stay reasonable, your garden needs you — and you need your garden. There’s plenty you can do to help your garden. Your investment will be repaid in a multitude of ways. Gardens provide relaxation, peace of mind, food, an outlet for exercise, and just the enjoyment of a beautiful environ...
Controlling pests outdoors is a common summer activity for gardeners, but it’s also important to know how to safely and effectively protect against an insect that feeds indoors and can ruin clothing. Mothballs, one of the most common methods to control clothes moths, need to be recognized as a pesticide that can be harmful to humans or animals when misused, according to Tim Stock, Extension integrated pest management education specialist and director of the OSU Extension School IPM Program. ...
Roses have been adored as a symbol of beauty and love for thousands of years. If you haven’t grown them yet, you might have heard they are fussy – a rep earned by certain hybrid tea types – but the majority are very easy to grow. Choose garden-ready varieties, and follow their simple care requirements, and you’ll be rewarded with bountiful blossoms for decades. “They’re actually one of the easier garden plants to grow,” said Dan Estacio, president of Terra Gardens Nursery & Bark, a garden center located in Salem, Oregon. “They’ll survive both a...
The Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program and the nonprofit Oregon Master Gardener Association have recognized five Oregon gardeners with statewide awards that reflect their dedication and commitment to the practice. Lynn Kunstman of Jackson County and Marilyn Berti of Washington County shared the 2023 Statewide Master Gardener of the Year award. Dennis Brown of Multnomah County was honored with the inaugural Growing and Belonging Award. The statewide Behind the Scenes...
In the year since the emerald ash bud borer was detected in Oregon, questions have been pouring in about what to do if an ash tree becomes infested. Currently, the emerald ash borer has been found in trees only in Washington County, where a quarantine prohibits moving ash (Fraxinus) or fringe tree (Chionanthus) wood in or out of the area. Dave Shaw, a forest health specialist with the Oregon State University Extension Service, encourages homeowners to not take down their ash trees before they ar...
Drawing a line around the house with fire-resistant landscapes can mean the difference between a home consumed by flames and one left standing. “Fire specialists often show pictures of houses where people took adequate precautions,” said Brad Withrow-Robinson, a forester with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “I’ve seen lots of photos of land charred all around and a house left standing in the middle because the owners created a fire-resistant space next to it. Not always, but often...
Reality can get skewed when there are so many sources of information - books, magazines, newspapers, nurseries, and, most of all, the internet and social media open up lots of room for contradiction. So, how do you find the right answer to gardening questions? Experts from Oregon State University Extension Service stepped up to bust some common gardening myths. Read on to get some research-based answers to 10 common misconceptions. For additional questions, call the OSU Extension master...
