Corvallis Evening Garden Club Presents their April Speakers

March Means Spring is Coming!

Whether you are thinking of planting peas and potatoes around St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) or are ready to celebrate the Sun coming back to the Northern Hemisphere on the Spring Equinox(March 20th) in the garden, we are approaching the time to plant hardy vegetables in your garden. Hardy plants can handle temperatures that dip down to 25° and include spinach, peas, corn salad or maché, fava beans, and some lettuces.

But before you put in those seeds or transplants, be sure to prepare your soil and there’s the rub this year. Your soil has received a lot of moisture in February and so far in March, so be careful to wait to turn in your cover crops and/or other organic matter. The word this year seems to be patience.

First, make sure your soil is dry enough to work. Second, after you have turned in the organic matter, let the soil rest for a couple of weeks before planting. You will be better off not rushing the season.

Info in the Guide
Learning Opportunities 
Equipment & Supplies 
Bulk Soil and Compost 
Seeds and Plant Starts 
Specialty Plants 
Mushrooms 
Neighborhood Gardening Groups 
Community Gardens w/Individual Plots 
Community Gardens worked cooperatively 
Backyard Poultry Beekeeping



Pick up your copy today at 
Garden Spaces Sustainable Landscapes
Town & Country Realty
Garland Nursery and
Susan’s Garden and Coffee Shop.

Food Action Team – Edible Garden Group

What to do in the Garden in March

Planning and Planting

-       Plan your vegetable garden. 

-       Once soil is dry enough, plant cool season annual crops:  carrots, beets, broccoli, kale, leeks, parsley, peas, onion, lettuce, & radishes.

-       Plant insectary plants such as Alyssum, Phacelia, coriander, candytuft, yarrow, and dill.  Click this link for more ideas. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw550

-       Plant perennial crops- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, rhubarb, and chives.

 

Lettuce and kale seedlings, 2 weeks old

Propagation

-       Divide hostas, daylilies, mums, anemones, asters, yarrow, garden phlox, and other summer flowering herbaceous perennials. Most could also be done in fall.

Pest Monitoring

-  Watch trees for  leaf rollers.  Click this link for advice.  https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/hort/landscape/common/landscape-leafroller-leaftier

Leaf roller, photo courtesy of WSU

-  Watch for slug damage and bait with iron phosphate or use a trap baited with bread dough or cucumber.

-  Prune shrubs to allow air circulation, preventing fungal disease.

Maintenance

-  Spread compost

-  Prune spring flowering shrubs after bloom to allow air circulation, preventing fungal disease.

-  Add grass clippings (no herbicides!), yard waste, and kitchen scraps to compost bin

~What to do in the Garden in March~

Planning

•    Plan your vegetable garden for spring, summer, and fall vegetables that can be eaten fresh or preserved.  Container gardening might be a great option if sunny ground space is limited.

•    A soil thermometer can help you know when to plant vegetables. Some cool season crops (onions, kale, lettuce, and spinach) can be planted when the soil is consistently at or above 40F. You can also use this chart to estimate dates.  We are in 'Region 2'.   Planting Date Chart

Maintenance and Clean Up

•       Compost grass clippings and yard waste.  Avoid pesticides (including weed and feed, weed killers, or insect killers).

  If pesticides have been used, do not compost contaminated plant material.

•       Spread finished compost over garden and landscape areas.

  You can screen the compost for a finer appearance if desired.  See this link for tips

•       Prune spring-flowering shrubs after blossoms fade.



•       Fertilize caneberries using a complete organic fertilizer or composted manure.

•       Prune fall-bearing raspberries (in late-February or early-March).



Echinacea purpurea (Purple Cone Flower)

Planting/Propagation

•    Divide hosta, daylilies, mums, and other summer or fall blooming perennials that need dividing.

 See this link for tips.

•    Use stored scion wood to graft fruit and ornamental trees.

  This is an informative article from the University of Minnesota.  Please note that in Oregon we graft earlier in the year.

•    Plant insectary plants (e.g. Alyssum, Phacelia, coriander, candytuft, sunflower, yarrow, and dill) to attract beneficial insects to the garden. See Encouraging Beneficial Insects in Your Garden (PNW550).



•    If soil is dry enough, prepare vegetable garden and plant early cool-season crops (carrots, beets, broccoli, leeks, parsley, chives, rhubarb, peas, onion, and radishes). 

•    Plant berry crops (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and other berry-producing crop plants). See OSU Extension publications for berry varieties.

Pest Monitoring and Management

•    Protect new plant growth from slugs. Least toxic management options include barriers and traps. Baits are also available for slug control; use with caution around pets. Read and follow all label 

•    Learn to identify the predatory insects that can help keep aphids and other pests under control.

  See this article from Washington State University Extension.

•    Prune densely growing mature ornamental shrubs and trees for air circulation, which helps reduce fungal disease.  See this article from Purdue University about pruning shrubs and trees. 

•    Monitor landscape plants for damage or disease. Don't treat unless a problem is identified. Ask Master Gardeners if you're not sure about whether something is a problem or what to do about it. You can even email us a photo.
(541) 766-6750      4077 SW Research Way, Corvallis, 97333   bentonmg@oregonstate.edu

Garden Activities for March

~What to do in the Garden in March~

Planning

•    Plan your vegetable garden for spring, summer, and fall vegetables that can be eaten fresh or preserved.  Container gardening might be a great option if sunny ground space is limited.

•    A soil thermometer can help you know when to plant vegetables. Some cool season crops (onions, kale, lettuce, and spinach) can be planted when the soil is consistently at or above 40F. You can also use this chart to estimate dates. Planting Date Chart

Maintenance and Clean Up

•       Compost grass clippings and yard waste.  Avoid pesticides (including weed and feed, weed killers, or insect killers).

  If pesticides have been used, do not compost contaminated plant material.

•       Spread compost over garden and landscape areas.



•       Fertilize evergreen shrubs and trees, only if needed. If established and healthy, their nutrient needs should be minimal.



•       Prune spring-flowering shrubs after blossoms fade.



•       Fertilize caneberries using band fertilizer, broadcast fertilizer or a complete fertilizer or composted manure.

•       Prune fall-bearing raspberries (in late-February or early-March).



Echinacea purpurea (Purple Cone Flower)

Planting/Propagation

•    Divide hosta, daylilies, mums, and other summer or fall blooming perennials that need dividing.



•    Use stored scion wood to graft fruit and ornamental trees.

  This is an informative article from the University of Minnesota.  Please note that in Oregon we graft earlier in the year.

•    Plant insectary plants (e.g. Alyssum, Phacelia, coriander, candytuft, sunflower, yarrow, and dill) to attract beneficial insects to the garden. See Encouraging Beneficial Insects in Your Garden (PNW550).



•    If soil is dry enough, prepare vegetable garden and plant early cool-season crops (carrots, beets, broccoli, leeks, parsley, chives, rhubarb, peas, onion, and radishes).

•    Plant berry crops (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and other berry-producing crop plants). See OSU Extension publications for berry varieties.

Pest Monitoring and Management

•    Spray trees and shrubs for webworms and leafrollers, only if present.



•    Protect new plant growth from slugs. Least toxic management options include barriers and traps. Baits are also available for slug control; use with caution around pets. Read and follow all label

•    Learn to identify the predatory insects that can help keep aphids and other pests under control.

  See this article from Washington State University Extension.

•    Prune densely growing mature ornamental shrubs and trees for air circulation, which helps reduce fungal disease.  See this article from Purdue University about pruning shrubs and trees. 

•    Monitor landscape plants for damage or disease. Don't treat unless a problem is identified. Ask Master Gardeners if you're not sure about whether something is a problem or what to do about it. You can even email us a photo.
(541) 766-6750      4077 SW Research Way, Corvallis, 97333   bentonmg@oregonstate.edu