Bee-gin Planning for Next Year’s Garden

November is a month to look back to this year’s garden harvest and give thanks that so many things went well.

The weather cooperated this year so the vegetables grew abundantly.  Your millions of soil workers (micro-organisms) were busy underground supplying food to your vegetables’ roots.  If you were lucky, not too many critters decided that your garden was their supermarket! 

November is also a month to start planning what you

want to do differently next year.  Your vegetables need lots of different kind of pollinators to visit your garden through the season – bees, butterflies, even wasps.  Have you considered adding native flowers to attract native beesto your garden? They love to pollinate your vegetable flowers as well as native flowers.

Now is the time to plant the natives that they love so that the rains will naturally water the seeds in.  Consider planting the following:  Globe Gillia, Common Madia, Douglas’ Aster, California Poppy, Goldenrod, Varied-Leaf Phacelia, and Farewell-to-Spring.  You can also plant them in early spring, but why wait?

Share your Harvest

(list continued 

from last month)

Philomath Food Bank

360 S. 9th St., Philomathhttp://www.philomathcommunityservices.org

541-929-2499 ext. 4 

Philomath Community Gleaners

360 S. 9th St., Philomath  http://www.philomathcommunityservices.org/outreach-programs/gleaners/

541-929-2499 

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

501 NW 25th St., Corvallis.  Call ahead to donate 541-286-4193, please leave message 

South Corvallis Food Bank

1798 SW 3rd Street (behind Corvallis Furniture)

http://www.southcorvallisfoodbank.org

541-753-4263 

Stone Soup Corvallis

Weekdays, drop off at St. Mary’s Church

501 NW 25th St. 

Weekends, drop off at First Christian Church, 

602 SW Madison St.  http://www.stonesoupcorvallis.org/contact.html
Susan Dunham • 541-757-9725 

Two New NPKs are up -- perhaps in a Neighborhood near You!

Many thanks to Diana for catching a few shots of the installation process for us to share!  We work hard to bring a little color and garden news to the streets, but it's worth it.  This one is just south of the north co-op.

Digging the hole takes by far the most muscle.  Thanks a bunch Rich!

Trimming the post to the right height.  I never knew sawdust could look so pretty in the sunlight!

What a charming garden and home!

We also installed a new NPK in the east part of the Grand Oaks area, so keep an eye out if you're walking around there.  We hope you all enjoy learning and gardening with us!

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 and other plants 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. 

·  Cover favorite tender plants to protect from frosts.

·  Chemical fertilizers applied now will be largely leached away by rain and can pollute downstream areas.

Bioswales and rain gardens can be very simply shallow depressions in your yard that can hold a little extra rainwater until it has time to soak in.  Or you can have a lot of fun with planting and arranging stone; even build a bridge.  

Click here for the Oregon Rain Garden Guide

Planting and Propagation

·  Take cuttings from shrubs; propagate begonias from leaf cuttings.

Rosemary cuttings

This is slow green magic!  If you've never tried striking cuttings, you've got to experience the magic for yourself.  And don't worry - you can do it!  The magic is in the plants already, you just have to keep them moist and protected from too much sun or wind.  Try several cuttings of several plants to hedge your bets and see what happens.  The link below will give you some tips for improving your chances.

Click here for more information on taking cuttings

·  Plant window garden of lettuce, chives, parsley.

·  Good time to plant trees and shrubs. Consider ones that supply food and shelter for birds (Cascara, elderberry, currant, aronia, service berry).

·  Plant spring-flowering bulbs.

·  Plant garlic.

HARVEST THOUGHTS FROM THE EVENING GARDEN CLUB

With the first freeze inevitable, harvest upon us (green tomatoes, anyone?) and Thanksgiving approaching, pause to consider the vast changes in world diet brought about by the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, starting with Columbus. The staple foods of millions from Ireland to South Africa – potatoes, manioc and corn -- were unknown in the “old world” prior to the late 15thcentury. Imagine Italian food without tomatoes, Hungarian without sweet peppers or Thai without hot chilies. Chocolate, walnuts, vanilla and strawberries – how sad to imagine the great chefs of Europe creating without these original plants of the Americas.
So, as you cook for friends and family, give thanks for what food historians refer to as “The Great Exchange.”
and for those green tomatoes...a recipe
Green Tomato Chutney – makes about 1 quart – can be canned, frozen or kept in the fridge for at least a month – great on turkey sandwiches and with leftover turkey curry!
1 and 3/4 pounds green tomatoes, cored and chopped in about 1 inch pieces (about 6 med tomatoes, but you can use any type or size)
2 firm apples cored and cut into chunks, peeled or
unpeeled
1/3 cup (65 grams) chopped candied ginger – or use a little less fresh, grated ginger
1 cup golden raisins, raisins, dried cranberries, currants or a mixture
1 cup chopped red onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar (or less to taste)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds – yellow, brown or
black
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice, or 1⁄4 t cinnamon + 1/8 teaspoon each nutmeg and cloves
**Mix and boil gently together, stirring frequently, until desired consistency is reached—about 45 minutes. You can add the sugar after some of the cooking is done to get the desired sweetness.**
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The Evening Garden Club of Corvallis would be happy to welcome new members at our November 5, 2018 meeting when we will have an exchange of plants culled from our gardens along with tips, tricks and ideas. Everyone should bring plants and/or ideas to share and everyone will go home with new inspirations! We meet on the 1st Monday of the months from October to May at 7 p.m. (hall opens at 6:30) in the Community Room at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2650 NW Highland Drive, Corvallis. We have a December Greens Party where we make wreaths and decorations, and more talks, tours and workshops coming in the new year.

more at www.corvalliseveninggardenclub.org