The frost is on the pumpkin!  As these sunny cool days draw to a close it is time to think of the upcoming season ahead.  Take a walk through your garden and determine its needs in the colder weather.  Have you protected your tender plants?  Are your hoses and other garden tools clean and put away?  Are lawn chairs and other items for entertaining secured?  Are your gutters cleaned out?  A little planning now will make your winter chores easier.

Also, be careful this coming Halloween when you are out driving.  Watch for those little trick or treaters!

This week we featured...

Hoyt Color

Fall is here and the trees at Hoyt Arboretum (503-228-TREE) are putting on their annual show.  Cynthia Haruyama from the Hoyt Arboretum Friends took us on a tour to point out some showy specimens including three different colored purple-leaved maples that are all from the same species.  We also stopped by the Black Tupelo which is one of the most colorful of all the trees.  Stop at the visitor’s center to pick up a Fall Tour Map that will lead you to all the outstanding specimens in the arboretum’s collection.  The arboretum is a great place to take the family or any out-of-town guests.  It is open year round but the color show won’t last forever.  The show is just starting and will continue for the next few weeks!

Fall Rose Care

Now that the cold winds are blowing, your roses may be in need of some fall and winter care.  Chris Williams of Heirloom Roses (503-538-1576) showed us how to clean up your roses now to keep them healthy through the winter.  She recommended that you cut your plants down to waist high AFTER the first frost.  You avoid making your cuts until then to prevent the plant from adding new growth. You also cut them back to avoid wind damage to the canes and to keep them from being blown over in the wind.  It is also recommended that you remove the leaves and throw them away (don’t compost them) to prevent disease next spring.

Stark Street Chipper

Tree limbs and debris seem to be everywhere.  One way to get rid of it is to recycle it.  A chipper/shredder will help return that material to the soil where it will help your garden grow.  Scott Ashby from Stark Street Lawn and Garden (503-255-5393) in Portland walked us through the different types of chippers you can purchase and how to use them safely.  Stark Street has a great selection of chippers; we even saw one that lowers to the ground so you can scoop the debris into it.  One more benefit of buying a chipper, a tax credit on part of the purchase price.  Check out the DEQ website or any of the three metro area Stark Street locations for forms or details. 

Evergreen Shade Perennials

With most of your garden plants losing their leaves you may be itching for plants that will stay green through the winter months.  We paid a visit with Ken of Extra Perennial Nursery (503-628-1492) to see some of the wonderful plants that will thrive in those shady areas.  Ken started with a couple of gingers, the Chinese Wild Ginger and one named ‘Callaway’.  Then he showed us a couple of hellebores including ‘Mrs. Betty Ranicar’ and ‘Ivory Prince’.  He finished the ‘show and tell’ with Black Mondo Grass (which is really a member of the lily family) and a Plumed Soft Shield Fern.  William liked the fern so much; he bought one to take home!  We also found out that Extra Perennial Nursery is a chemically non-dependant nursery.  That means the plants are thriving without the use of chemical fertilizers and that makes them acclimate better to your garden when you get them home!  If you want to see a really cool nursery, check them out in the Scholls area. 

Kindergarden – Potpourri Hangers

Our kindergarden segment this week had the kids making decorative hangers out of fragrant potpourri.  It is easy to do.  Either cut designs out of flat foam pieces or buy pre-cut pieces.  Then apply glue (not hot glue) to one side.  Pick out small pieces of potpourri and apply them to the glue.  You can get the potpourri from any craft store.  After the first side dries you can flip it over and finish the second side.  It is great to hang from a window or you can even use it as a holiday ornament.