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


Saturday, October 14, 2017

Become a Master Gardener!


OSU Benton County Extension
(541) 766-6750
pamela.monnette@oregonstate.edu


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Programs to donate extra garden produce to

Have More Food from your Garden
than You Can Eat or Put Up?



Consider donating your surplus to one or more of the follow programs:

Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV)  4786 SW Philomath Blvd. M-F, 9 am-5 pm. Call Hotline Advocate for info. cardv.org • 541-754-0110

Community Outreach Inc.  865 NW Reiman Ave., Corvallis. Shelter and food pantry. 8 am-9pm Mon-Sat, call ahead to donate. communityoutreachinc.org • 541-758-3000

Jackson Street Youth Shelter  555 NW Jackson Ave.
9 am-7 pm daily. Call ahead. www.jsysi.org • 541-754-2404

Jammin’ for the Hungry  Fresh or frozen fruit only.
Call for locations and times. Sara Power • outreach@corvallisfumc.org • 541-231-6772

Marys River Gleaners at Pioneer Park (south of Philomath Blvd between 15th St. and downtown exit). Fri. 8 am-2:30 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-1:30 pm. Cookie Johnson • cookiej3@msn.com • 541-497-9019

Neighbor to Neighbor (Philomath)  College United Methodist Church (Social Hall), 1123 Main St, Philomath. Drop off: Tues. 9:30-11:30 am; Dinner: 5:30-6:30 pm Glenda • collegeumc.com • 541-929-2412 or 541-929-6614

OSU Emergency Food Pantry  Call ahead to donate and for directions. 541-737-3747 or 541-737-3473 studentlife.oregonstate.edu/hsrc/osu-emergency-food-pantry • foodpantry.hsrc@oregonstate.edu


An Energy-Efficient
Food Garden Tip

Copyright 2015 Owen E. Dell, RLA, ASLA 

DON’T WASTE FOOD.
Forty percent of all food is wasted in the United States. Think about the energy waste that goes along with that!  With proper planning, most food waste can be eliminated.

WHAT TO DO: Food waste starts in the garden. Pick produce when it’s ready. Store food properly so that it doesn’t spoil. Keep an eye on what’s in the back of the fridge, planning meals carefully to use up food before it goes bad. If you do have to toss food, put it on the compost pile, not in the trash. But remember that compost food releases methane gas, a dangerous greenhouse gas.  So share food with your neighbors, or develop an integrated neighborhood food system with each household growing the crops that do best for them.  Also donate food. (There will be more places to donate to listed next month.)

Calories of wasted food: 40% of available
Calories lost from not wasting food: minimal