Friday, December 8, 2017

What to do in the Garden in December


Maintenance/Clean up
Rake leaves to mulch flower or vegetable beds, adding extra layers over marginally tender plants.

·      Clearing weeds and mulch a few inches around tree trunks prevents rodent and rot problems.

·      Protect compost pile from heavy rains to save nutrients. Tarps or structures are great for this.

·      Hoe, pull, or thoroughly mulch winter weeds. 

·      Check stored bulbs, veggies, and fruit for rot. 

·      Protect newly planted trees from wind. Use tree chain, arbor tie, or even old bicycle inner-tubes to tie and/or windbreaks as needed.  Be sure to loosen them in spring to allow for more growth and movement.  The swaying of the trunk makes it grow stronger. Trees should never be tied in place longer than one year. 

·      Spread wood ashes thinly on vegetable garden.

Planting/Propagation-


·      Great time to plant trees and shrubs.

 Check that seeds are sealed up tightly and in a cool or cold area, though not freezing.

·      During heavy rains, watch for drainage problems in the yard. Ditching and French drains are possible short-term solutions. Consider rain gardens and bioswales as a longer-term solution and a fun excuse to landscape. 

Check out the Oregon Rain Garden Guide for plant choices and other ideas you can use in your own rain garden.  Once you click the link, look for the free pdf at the very bottom of the page -Oregon Rain Garden Guide

Winter Tips from EGC

Just another 24 days till the Solstice and the slow return of the sun!  Meanwhile – and for many weeks after, we’ll need some indoor cheer and tips for winter gardening. 
The Evening Garden Club welcomes newcomers to our annual Greens Party on Monday, December 4 from 6:30 p.m. on it will be held this year in the meeting room at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2650 NW Highland Drive, Corvallis - corner of Walnut & Highland Dr.  We craft wreaths and swags from a shared supply of greens and other materials from our gardens.  You can learn to do it from our members!

Bring clippers, gloves, wreath form and wire, or container, and whatever you can cull from your property to use and share.    
Winter Tips from EGC
Wear latex gloves under your gardening gloves to keep hands dry.
Use wrist warmers
Wrap your frost tender plants in burlap – here’s New Zealand Flax
Feed the birds! Attracting birds to your garden will help it all year round.  Here’s a recipe for suet they will love!
3 cups cornmeal
3 cups oatmeal
1 ½  cups flour
1 ½ cups lard (Winco has it)
1 ½  cups peanut butter  (Fred Meyer brand is thinner and easier to stir…)

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

What to do in the Garden in
~ November ~
Maintenance and Clean Up
·  Check potatoes in storage and remove any going bad.
·  Place a portable cold frame over rows of winter vegetables.
·  Place mulch around berries for winter protection.
·  Cover rhubarb and asparagus beds with compost and straw or leaf mulch.
·  Rake leaves and use as mulch to suppress weeds, define beds, and enrich soil.





·  Drain and store hoses carefully to avoid damage from freezing.
·  Last chance to plant cover crops for soil building.
·  Prune roses (tea and floribunda, but NOT climbers and ramblers) to around 3 feet in height to prevent winter damage. 


        ·  Use a tarp to move leaves easily.

Planting and Propagation

·  Take cuttings of rhododendrons and camellias for propagation; propagate begonias from leaf cuttings.
·  Plant window garden of lettuce, chives, parsley.
·  Good time to plant trees and shrubs. Consider ones that supply food and shelter for birds (sumac, elderberry, flowering currant, and mock orange).
·  Plant spring-flowering bulbs.
·  Plant garlic.

Pest Management 
     ·  Use slug traps or phosphate baits.




Sunday, October 22, 2017

MID-AUTUMN THOUGHTS, REMINDERS AND TIPS FROM CORVALLIS EVENING GARDEN CLUB (EGC)




   PLANT BULBS now through early December for spring beauty.  Try the less common Fritallarias (Checkered Lily) and Alliums in many sizes.  Remember the Snowdrop’s early spring magic!  Globemaster & Ambassador alliums are still available through Ruby Moon at Golden Crane to support CBUF.   Fritillaria below…
 When selecting TREES AND SHRUBS for your yard, remember winter and look for interesting bark, branch color or shape and/or berries.  In evergreens, look for golden varieties that make it look like the sun is shining even in the rain!
  It’s time to MULCH BEDS FOR WINTER!  Adding a layer of organic material, such as compost, shredded leaves or straw over bare soil at this time of year will give the worms a chance to incorporate it, giving you better tilth in spring.  Pull mulch away from trees, along with leaf litter, to avoid extra moisture at the base and deter rodents. See:


   This is a good time to DIG AND DIVIDE OVERGROWN PERENNIALS, replanting what you need and sharing the extra bounty with your neighbors. 
    DIVIDE & SHARE DAY Saturday, October 28, 2017 1:00 - 2:30 pm at The Giving Garden, 2650 NW Highland Dr., Corvallis. Bring your plant clumps to divide, pot up, exchange and share. EGC will provide potting soil, pots and blank labels.  Be sure to bring plant information: Plant name: Latin or common name, flower color, height, Culture - sun/shade etc. A flower photo would be an extra bonus!
BOOK RECOMMENDATION:
Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques  by Lisa Mason Ziegler
She suggests you seed out hardy annuals now for earlier cut flowers in spring. Try chartreuse Bells of Ireland to mix well with anything in a bouquet.  Also recommended: sweet peas, foxgloves, Sweet William, snapdragons, larkspur, delphinium and bupleurum (below)
 From the Corvallis Evening Garden Club – 

Membership Meetings: 
1st Monday Oct-May, 7 p.m., ALS Building, Basement Hort. Lab, OSU. 
Club supports community gardening grants and OSU Horticulture scholarship. Tours, Holiday Greens Party, Socials.  
         
More at www.EGCCORVALLIS.ORG