Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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As water runs down roofs, over driveways and patios, and off other impervious surfaces, it might pick up pollutants as it flows directly into streams, wetlands, lakes, and groundwater aquifers. Stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces has been routed directly to streams through stormwater pipes and ditches with little infiltration or treatment, according to Derek Godwin, Oregon State University Extension Service water management and conservation specialist. That’s because municipalities f...
Gardening is one of the more therapeutic things a person can do – emotionally, mentally, and physically – but for some, it seems out of reach. Good design and practices can make gardening accessible for everyone. “We all have challenges if we live long enough,” said Corinne Thomas-Kersting, a retired speech-language pathologist and nine-year Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener. “We have different challenges. Even when you’re young and healthy there are things to do to pr...
Most gardens have a diversity of plants, usually with a representation of at least one or two categories. This would include annuals, perennials, shrubs, vines and trees. In the urban gardens of many homeowners today, there may be fewer trees and more shrubs due to limited space. Sometimes the distinction between a shrub and a tree is very subjective, but usually, a shrub will be shorter than a tree with multiple branches. Of course, this is not a hard and fast distinction because some trees...
Tips for picking pollinator-attracting plants for your garden Pollinators need our help. From birds and bees to butterflies and other crucial insects, pollinators’ numbers are declining as loss of habitat, weed pressure, and climate change chip away at delicate ecosystems. The myriad ways they support the planet include helping to create one out of three bites of food we take. But there’s good news — homegrown habitats can make a difference. In “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservat...
With a swish of his cape, Count Dracula ruined the reputation of bats forevermore. Maybe. In the 125 years since Dracula came on the scene and spooked us into believing bats are bad, we’re beginning to get a grasp on the truth: Their voracious appetite for insects turns them into a living pesticide that saves farmers billions of dollars a year and helps rid our backyards of insects like mosquitoes, moths, grasshoppers, flies, and beetles. Some species are critically important pollinators for c...
David Coon is on a mission. Not exactly a Mission Impossible save-the-world mission; more of a quest. He’s out to educate others about the potential for unusual vegetables in the garden and the kitchen. Coon, an Oregon State University Extension Service master gardener, knew he was on to something when he’d be stopped in the grocery store by shoppers fascinated by the produce he was sending through the check stand. “For instance, a few years ago when I could finally find fennel in the store...
Gardeners increasingly look to drought-tolerant varieties that beat the heat The summer of 2015 was a turning point in the Northwest, which suffered the longest heat wave in 75 years. Portland had more days above 90 F than any other year in recorded history up to that time. That year marked a noticeable shift in gardeners seeking low-water plants to include in their yards. But 2015 had nothing on 2021, the year of the heat dome, with some of the most extreme weather events globally and...
In 2011 Jim Myers did something no one had done before. The Oregon State University vegetable breeder released the first purple tomato containing the same healthy compound found in blueberries. The Indigo Rose tomato, which took Myers, a professor in the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences, and his team 10 years to develop, took the market – and other breeders – by storm. People liked the tomato’s novelty but the benefits from the anthocyanins in the skin were the draw. Interest in antho...
When starting a garden, the first step is often deciding what will be in the garden. Will it be a vegetable garden? Will flowers and fruits be included too? These are important questions to answer ahead of time. Another important question is whether to use seeds or plant starts in the garden. Though both have their pros and cons, they are both valuable in gardens for their unique qualities. Seeds are typically more affordable, though require more effort. Plant starts are more durable but can...
Ezequiel Lopez-Reyes will never forget the taste of fresh fruit and vegetables brought straight from his father’s farm field when he was a child in Mexico. In honor of that memory, he established a plot of his own in Oregon. Lopez-Reyes, Oregon State University Extension Service Open Campus and Juntos student success coordinator, has been growing his home garden for five years. It’s full of peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, epazote and cilantro. He grows so many pepper plants, they often overflow i...
There are worthwhile reasons to grow your own foods in a raised bed garden No matter how often we resolve to eat healthfully, it can be a challenge. From waking early to shop at the farmers' market to managing the grocery budget as droughts and supply chain issues cause food prices to soar, finding fresh, affordable produce seems exhausting. Don't give up. Instead, enjoy the pleasure and convenience of growing your own food and flowers in a raised bed garden. With a sunny space, a bit of...
Weeks of cold temperatures and rain have unsettled the gardening season. You may be raring to get your garden – but hold. Sowing seeds or planting seedlings at the wrong time will bring nothing but heartache. “One of the biggest mistakes people make is to plant too early,” said Weston Miller, a former horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. “They get excited when it’s sunny for a few days, put plants in the ground, and think they will grow. But the seeds either ro...
The expansive lawns in Europe and the invention of golf in the late 1900s launched America's obsession with a perfect plot of grass. The invention of the rotary mower and the development of climate-adapted grass varieties made a landscape of turfgrass more accessible for homeowners. As time went by, homeowners relegated the vegetables and herbs typically grown in the front of the house to the backyard, and monocultures of grass were installed in the front. A healthy green lawn - the bigger the...
Spring arrives in March, and that’s when the gardening season really takes off! You might not be at a loss for what to do. But if you are, our friends at Oregon State University Extension Service have their March garden calendar, which is full of ideas. Here are some: * Plan your vegetable garden. * Check soil temperature to know when you can plant veggies. Some cool-season crops can be planted now, provided the soil is consistently above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. * It’s time to start mowing the...
Learning to recognize 400,000 species of plants is more than daunting; it’s impossible. But making a start by learning how to identify family characteristics can help you manage a healthier garden. “It’s important for gardeners to be aware of how to ID plants,” said Karen Pleasant, Oregon State University Extension Service master gardener coordinator in Josephine County. “It will tell you what the correct cultural needs are, and what kind of problems they may have. Knowing which plants yo...
Gardeners hear it often enough: right plant, right place. It’s a fundamental rule of gardening, said Heather Stoven, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service, and one that applies to houseplants just as much as outdoor ones. “Make sure you buy for location,” she said. “That will help solve many problems that can come down the road.” Plants can go downhill in a hurry when placed in unsuitable sites. Environmental stress sets a plant up for aggravation from pests and disease...
If conifer tree planting is on your late winter or early spring to-do list, there are some things you can do to improve your success. When it comes to planting conifers, timing is everything, according to John Punches, Oregon State University Extension Service forester and associate professor in the OSU College of Forestry. Punches recommends planting when the upper 10 inches of soil is moist, the soil is not frozen more than a half-inch deep, the snow cover is less than two inches and the air...
The calendar doesn’t say spring, but gardeners are ready to go. Turning vegetable seeds into plants helps satisfy the urge to put your hands in the soil. It’s best to seed cool-season crops such as lettuce, cabbage, kale, and broccoli in flats in late February to early March in western Oregon, said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant should be sown in late March to early April. Eastern Ore...
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? Nine 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 g...
Struggling with rose diseases often converts affection to frustration for the millions of gardeners who grow the beloved shrubs. Instead of cursing the big three – black spot, powdery mildew, and rust – take the advice of Jay Pscheidt, a plant pathologist with Oregon State University Extension Service, who steers people to roses that enjoy immunity to the threats of these diseases. “Save yourself a lot of hassle and plant disease-resistant roses this spring for trouble-free bouquets in the s...
Once grape vines lose their leaves, the plants fade into the background of the winter landscape. That's the time to take action and get out the clippers. January through the first of March is the season to prune your vines, said Bernadine Strik, a berry specialist with Oregon State University Extension Service. First, though, you've got to know how to do it properly. "Home grape growers don't prune their vines enough," said Strik, who is the author of Extension's Growing Table Grapes...
Bees and other pollinators out and about during the dark days of winter look to gardeners for the nourishment that keeps them going until the more abundant seasons of the year arrive. “Black-tailed bumblebees are out as early as January,” said Andony Melathopoulos, a bee specialist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “Native bees are just starting and will be seen more often later in February when the wild willow starts blooming.” Though there are winter-flowering plants growing...
Any time of year is a good time to start a budget, but the new year when resolutions are in the air seems especially suitable. Since the gardening season is still a few months away, there's a good stretch to set priorities. "Gardening is like any other hobby," said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. "It takes some level of investment. But it doesn't have to be that expensive. There are shortcuts." Some of them are easy. Buying smaller plants is a...
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 of the showiest of the cold-weather shrubs is...
The harvesting of peat moss used by gardeners and the nursery industry to improve drainage and retain water in soil contributes to climate change, according to an Oregon State University Extension Service soil scientist. Peat moss is harvested from bogs and fens around the world, but primarily in Canada and Russia. These water-logged bogs have taken carbon from the atmosphere and sequestered it for 10,000 to 12,000 years, according to Linda Brewer, soil scientist in the Department of...
