The rains have returned.  Do you get everything covered and put away?  If not, you may have to wait until the next dry day a few weeks from now.  With the colder weather it has us thinking about the coming holidays, so you will be seeing more stories on Garden Time about Thanksgiving and Christmas as the weeks go on.

This week we featured...

Cornell Farms

Deby Barnhart and the crew at Cornell Farm (530-292-9895) are known for the great container plantings that they do.  Deby joined William to show him some containers and how they replaced some of the summer plantings of flowers and grasses with smaller camellias and trees.  The first one she had was a planter that had a grass in it, which she replaced with Camellia ‘Yuletide’.  Other planters included a Dwarf Alberta Spruce named ‘Jean’s Dilly’ and a Colorado Blue Spruce.  She also showed us how to brighten up the planters with holiday lights.  She had a couple of strands that were battery operated.  If you are looking to freshen up your containers, have the Cornell Farm staff give you a hand.

Winter Mulches and Compost

Believe it or not, now is the time to start thinking about your summer garden.  If your garden is getting tired and needs a boost, then you should be adding garden compost now.  It is also the time to add mulch to your garden to protect your plants and add nutrients to the soil.  Jeff Grimm from Grimm’s Fuel (503-636-3623) showed Judy all the different mulches and composts available and the benefits of each one.  You can even use some of them for erosion control.  We also found out the differences between all the different barks that are available, plus if you don’t want to spend time shoveling, they can even blow it in for you.

Pruning Climbing Roses

A couple of weeks ago we were out at Heirloom Roses (503-538-1576) to get some tips on pruning your hybrid tea roses.  This week we return to Heirloom and visit with Christine Williams to learn some how-to’s on pruning your climbing roses.  There are various ways to prune climbers, but the standard rule is not to prune them now.  They are different than your standard hybrid teas.  Climbers should have been pruned in the late summer.  What you can do now is the thin them out.  Pick the oldest canes and take them out at the base of the plant.  This will promote new cane growth and better plant health.  If you have specific questions, you can always contact Heirloom Roses.

Bird Feeds

Watching birds in your garden is a wonderful thing, but to attract them during the winter months you need to use the right types of feeds and feeders.  Scott Lukens of the Backyard Bird Shop (503-635-2044) joined Judy to discuss the different types of bird food, feeders and other tips for feeding your feathered friends.  Tips to remember, keep the feeders clean.  Feeders are where the birds congregate and that is where they can spread disease.  Wash your feeder regularly with a light bleach solution.  Also, keep your feeder full, the birds like fresh clean food.  And don’t forget water.  Leave plenty of places where they can have access to clean water.  For more tips on bird care you can stop by or call any Back Yard Birdshop location.

Chinese Garden – Fall Plants

Never twice the same is a great slogan for the Portland Classical Chinese Garden (503-228-8131).  We took a fall tour of the garden with Jodi Gurtov to see what is blooming right now.  First we stopped to see the amazing fruit on the Hachiya Asian Persimmon.  It has huge fruits that are almost pulling the branches to the ground.  Right underneath the persimmon is the Blackberry Lily ‘belamcanda chinensis’.  This lily is starting to die back for the winter but the fruits are looking spectacular.  They look like little blackberries!  We then went to the Courtyard of Tranquility to see one of the signature plants in the garden, the Variegated Holly Leaf Osmanthus.  This plant, or TREE, is huge and just reaching the end of its bloom cycle.  It is so fragrant in the fall that you can smell it for blocks!   We also saw one of the newest, and smallest, additions to the garden the Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis).  This small wonder is looking great in both its bloom and foliage.  Take some time to check out the garden now, before the seasons change!

Kindergarden – Seed Mosaics

Our kindergarden segment this week plants the seed of creativity.  The kids at Al’s Garden Center (503-981-1245) created seed mosaics.  Amy Bigej printed some pictures off the internet, but you could also use pictures from coloring books, and then the kids glued seeds to them.  The seeds included different varieties of beans, peas and even wild bird feed.  They turned out fantastic and are a good project for those rainy winter days!