SHOW ARCHIVE

Episode 302 • October 26, 2013

VIDEO ARCHIVE

Has the summer returned? We are in the middle of one of the best falls we have had here in a long time. These warm days and cool nights are very refreshing. We are busy getting the garden put to bed when we are not enjoying these wonderful warm days. This week we did some lawn work, dug the last of our potatoes and even picked our dwindling late season raspberries. What are you working on? Enjoy this great weather and have a great fall, and Happy Halloween!

This week we featured...

Grimms Fall Mulch

Grimm’s Fall Mulch

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 (www.grimmsfuel.com, 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. Now is also the time to get your wood for the coming winter. Grimm’s not only has barks and mulches for your garden they also supply wood and heating oil too. Give them a call before it’s too late!

Jan’s October Tips

Jan’s October Tips

The fall season is starting to chase everyone indoors, including the plants! We met Jan McNeilan in her basement where she was busy setting up her plants for the winter. Jan doesn’t have a heated greenhouse so she is moving some of her temperature sensitive plants inside her home. She bought a cheap shop light at the hardware store and some ‘sunlight’ florescent bulbs and brought her plants indoors. She trimmed them back and will lightly water them during the winter months so they stay semi-dormant. To avoid bug problems she washed them off and took of the top 1 inch of soil from each pot. That top layer of soil is where most of the insect eggs and larvae make their home. This will help keep her plants nice and healthy during the winter months.

We then moved outdoors to the garden. Jan is also in the midst of planting garlic for next year. Planting cloves now will allow them to establish roots and then they will grow to be nice big bulbs by the end of next summer! For other fall gardening tips you can go to the OSU Extension website.

Winery Microclimates

Winery Microclimates

We have mentioned many times on the show that every garden is different. A lot of people think it is because of the differences between gardeners, but it also has a lot to do with Mother Nature. The changes between the east and west sides of the cascades are dramatic but did you know that they can be very different in your own neighborhood? We took a trip to visit a local garden on Chehalem Mountain near Newberg to talk to Melissa Burr. Her garden is at 850 feet above sea level. She told us that her garden can be up to 3-4 weeks behind typical gardens in the Willamette Valley. She gets her garden established later in the spring and looks for shorter season crops to plant. She is also on the northern side of the mountain and that can make it even cooler. But dealing with this cooler microclimate is not just isolated to her private garden, she has to deal with this at work as well.

We then took a trip down the mountain to her place of business at Stoller Family Estates (503-864-3404) where she is the winemaker. Here at the vineyard she also has lots of variations in her growing conditions. The vineyard jumps in elevation from 200 feet at the bottom of the hill to 650 feet at the top. The differences during harvest time between the bottom and the top of the hill can be up to 2 weeks. This also influences the grapes and how well they ripen. It can make a big difference in the wine that is made. Melissa and crew have been able to monitor these different conditions and still produce an excellent wine year after year. So if you are wondering why your garden is not performing better than your friends, it might have something to do with microclimates. If you want to see the differences microclimates can make in wine making, stop by the Stoller Family Estate at their tasting room and taste (and see the difference).

Lonesomeville Scarecrows

Lonesomeville Scarecrows

Getting your yard ready for Halloween can really tax the creative mind. If you are looking for something creative, you may be stuck with something plastic and mass produced. To get a different twist on decorations we stopped by Lonesomeville Pottery (503-774-5387). Every year the guys at Lonesomeville go over the top in their decorating. They have learned that the best decorations are not from the store, they can be from your backyard. William joined Wayne in the backyard to show him how they make scarecrows (effigies, according to Wayne) out of spare twigs and branches. They simply look for branches that can be used for any body part (think hands, feet, torso or legs) then they bind the various branches together with twine or florists wire and screw on a clay Jack O’lantern head that they make at Lonesomeville. They use battery lights on the inside of the head because the body is made out of dried wood. They also make a pretty good fake spider as well.

You can take a look at these scary creations today, October 26th, at their semi-annual sale from 5 to 8 pm. All of their pottery is on sale and you can pick up your own pottery Jack O’lantern, ‘scream’ mask, or even a little luminary. You can also check them out on-line any time of year for some wonderful pottery.

Standard Stainless Cleaner

Standard Stainless Cleaner

Getting those pesky handprints and smears off your stainless steel can be a big problem, and you don’t want to just use plain soap and water. We found out that stainless is the most popular finish on kitchen appliances, so we stopped at Standard TV and Appliance in Beaverton (503-619-0500) to see what they recommend. Edie met with Judy to show us the product that they recommend. Ecosential is the best thing they have found that works the best. Just spray it on a cloth and, working with the grain of the stainless, wipe it on. Edie said that you should only use soap and water if you have streaks of dried on food, but you should always finish the job with the Ecosential. For more maintenance tips you can always stop by your local Standard TV and Appliance location.
 

 
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