SHOW ARCHIVE

Episode 394 • May 7, 2016

VIDEO ARCHIVE

Happy Mother’s Day! We hope all the mother’s out there are having a great start to their weekend. I also just heard that this is considered the ‘Super Bowl’ weekend for garden centers! A lot of people are getting their hanging baskets, vegetables and other bedding plants this weekend, and it is a great time to plant. Most experts will tell you that, even if you didn’t get your plants in the ground in April, your plants going in the ground now will catch up with those early planters! So get out and start planting those plants. Now, I will warn you… some models show a warm spring, but we have had late season frosts before and they might happen again, so be sure to protect those very tender flowers and veggies until mid to late May.

Mother’s Day weekend is also a great time to take mom for a drive. The fields at Adelman’s Peony Gardens and Schreiner’s Irises are starting to look stunning! So a short drive down to exit 263 off of I-5 might be in order. Other places to visit are the Beaverton Farmer’s Market which opens on Saturday for their summer season, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden for their big Rhody show and sale, and Garden Gallery Iron Works in Hubbard. GGIW is having a huge Mom’s day celebration on Saturday with lot of stuff going on. For more information on any of these places you can just watch this week’s show or catch the stories listed below.

 

This week we featured...

 

Planting Tomatoes

 

Planting Tomatoes

Now is the time to plant your tomatoes and there are a few things you can do to ensure a bountiful fall crop. One thing you can do is to plant your tomato deep! Tomatoes will grow roots along their main stem as long as you leave a portion of the leaves above ground. Also, by adding a small amount of garden lime to the soil you can avoid ‘blossom end rot’, a condition that causes a brown spot at the end of your tomato. If your night time temperatures are still a little cool you may want to protect your new plants with a cover, like a cloche, or use a product like a Wall-o-Water. Don’t forget to set your tomato cages up as well. Use a couple of these tips now and you will have a great harvest this fall.

 

TOW - Plant Tag Ring

 

Plant Tag Ring

Our tip of the week is all about memory! If you are like us you have planted wonderful plants in your garden and then forgot what they were. Or, you may have planted the tag at the base of the plant, or put it in a file or envelope on your desk only to lose them when you move things around. This tip tells us to simply punch a hole in the tag with a hole-punch and then string the tag on a wire or string. Then you can hang it up in your garden shed or garage and always have the plant picture, growing instructions and other information at your fingertips! No more trying to remember every plant in your garden!

 

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

 

Crystal Spring Rhododendron Garden

We went to see the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden for their big Portland Rhododendron Show and Plant Sale that happens every year on Mother’s Day weekend. Dick ‘Red’ Cavender talked to William about the warm weather they have been experiencing in the garden. This early heat has a lot of plants blooming early. That just means that the season will be a little shorter and that the blooms are coming on all at once, making this weekend a prime time to come and view the flowers. We also talked about the ‘azalea lace bug’ problem that has been affecting gardens all around the area. Some gardeners have taken out their azaleas and rhododendrons; in fact some in the print media have written that it may be the only way to completely get rid of this pest. Red told us that you don’t need to go to that extreme! In fact there are many ways of treating the problem including chemical, organic and mechanical means of control. You can apply a systemic chemical to the plant, but either do it before blooms appear or after they have died back. If you want to do an organic treatment, there are soaps and oils that can be applied, but will need to be done multiple times during the season. Or, you can try a mechanical means of treatment which may just be a high pressure spray to knock the bugs off the plant. Any of these treatments will be much cheaper than tearing out your plants and replacing them with new plants. He also covered all the events happening at the garden this weekend. There is the plant sale in the parking lot, which is free to the public. There is also the cut flower show which is in the middle of the garden and can be seen with the normal admission charge, and don’t forget the wonderful garden itself! We also talked about the benefits the garden has enjoyed because of the generosity of gardeners and rhododendron lovers around the state. The garden is maintained by volunteers and the plant sale that the Rhododendron Society is conducting helps to raise funds for the garden. If you would like to learn more about the garden and about volunteering check out the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden website, or call 503-771-8386. You can also find out more about the Portland Chapter of the Rhododendron Society at http://rhodies.org.

 

Micro Greens

 

Micro Greens

The Beaverton Farmer’s Market opens today (May 7th) and one of the vendors that we heard about, Strata Farms (503-913-5216), will be there. Strata Farms is known for their Microgreens. They grow their product by means of vertical gardening. This is essentially gardening on racks. Multiple layers of racks, plant trays and lights allow for more efficient use of resources, and year-round production. Dan filled us in on the differences between garden sprouts and microgreens. Sprouts are just the germinated seeds, microgreens are the actual plants, just harvested when they are very small. When plants are harvested at this tiny height, studies have shown, they are more flavorful and packed with more nutrients. An OSU study said that, depending on the variety, they can have up to 40 times the nutrients, per weight, as the larger mature plant. Dan had brought out 5 trays of different plants for us to look at and they included basil, amaranth, peas, sunflowers and a radish mix. These plants only grow from 7 days to 3 weeks before they are harvested. To harvest you simply give them a haircut! Take a clean scissors and cut off the plant above the soil line!


If you would like to try some of these tasty micro plants you will find Strata Farms at Beaverton Farmers Market, PSU Farmers Market and New Seasons Markets to name a few. A complete listing of retail locations can be found on their website.

 

Plant Pick - Lewisia

 

Lewisia

Our plant pick from Little Prince of Oregon for this week is a beautiful little native, Lewisia. The lewisia got its’ name from Meriwether Lewis from the Lewis and Clark expedition. He wrote of the species in 1806 during their ‘Corps of Discovery’ trip. Native Americans knew of this plant long before that, using it as a medicine for sore throats.


Mark from Little Prince absolutely loves this plant and he invited us to Garden Fever (503-287-3200) in NE Portland to tell us more about it. There we saw our old friend Lori who filled us in on the growing conditions this plant loves. It is primarily an alpine plant and likes rocky places in the hills and mountains. That means it is pretty hardy if you give it some really well-drained soil. It is found on the north side of cliffs in the mountains so it really prefers drier conditions. Mark told us that the newer varieties are stretching the color palate as well, with more pinks, oranges, reds and whites showing up from growers. If you would like to add one of these to your garden, be sure to check out Garden Fever or any of the other retailers that carry Little Prince plants. You will find a listing of retailers on their website.

 

Adelman Peony Gardens

 

Adelman Peony Gardens

We are in the middle of May and that early spring heat means the peonies are blooming. These easy and worry free plants are great in the garden and the best place to see them is Adelman Peony Gardens (503-393-6185) near Brooks. We visited the display garden the last few years, but this year we headed out to the fields! The display gardens still look fantastic but the fields feature waves of color! The plants are in full bloom and we are being treated to a show like we haven’t seen in years. Carol Adelman showed us around the fields and filled us in on the different styles of peonies. There are 3 basic types; herbaceous, tree and intersectional peonies. The herbaceous peony is one that will die back to the ground during the winter. Not to worry these plants are a favorite in the upper Midwest and can handle our coldest winters. They will return year after year. Then we talked about the tree peony. This is not really a tree, but a peony with a woody stem. These will lose their leaves but will also return every year and reward you with great blooms. These can be pruned back but you need to be careful not to cut off too much. The final type is the intersectional or Itoh peony. These were first hybridized by Mr. Itoh in Japan and combine some of the best attributes of the 2 other forms. They have wonderful foliage and great bloom color, plus they are hardy in all areas of Oregon! In the past she has told us about common problems that the home gardener might be experiencing. She showed us how to get a stronger plant by pulling off the side buds from your peony stalks. This lets your peony stand tall if it rains. Of course you can leave the side buds on and that will give you more blooms. We also asked about ants on peonies. A lot of people are worried about the ants on their plants. There is nothing to worry about. They are there because the plant is pushing sugary sap up the stems to the buds and the ants are just enjoying the feast. It is not causing harm to your plant. They will disappear after the flower blooms because the sap is gone! They are open every day from 9 to 6 until the 12th of June. They also have events happening every weekend so check out their website for more information.

 

French Prairie Gardens Hanging Baskets

 

French Prairie Gardens Hanging Baskets

We are getting close to Mother’s Day and that means it is time to get your hanging baskets, but how do you take care of them once you have them. To learn some care tips we stopped by French Prairie Gardens (503-633-8445) in St. Paul and chatted with Katie. French Prairie grows all their own baskets from tiny cuttings and they pick their own unique mixes of flowers. Like most growers they grow 2 types of baskets for their customers, sun and shade. There is a big difference between the two. As Katie told us the shade baskets don’t like ‘sun on their heads’. That means light sun (possibly morning sun) and then shade in the heat of the day. The sun baskets are different. They like full sun most of the day. We also looked at a few of the newer varieties of flowers they are using in their baskets this year. The first one was a petunia called Segunda Salmon. Very large and a beautiful color for a basket. The second one had a new verbena called Sparkling Ruby, and the third new plant she shared was the newest Super Bells ‘Holy Moly’. The final new plant was the verbena ‘Candy Cane’, which looks so good you could eat it! She warned us that we have to keep these plants well watered since they are in baskets and can dry out faster. Plus most of the varieties of plants they use are heavy feeders, and that means they like lots of fertilizer. They fertilize their plants at the farm once every 2 weeks with a balanced 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer. If you follow these simple rules you will have great color all summer long. If you are looking for some really great hanging baskets stop by the farm and pick some up. While you are there enjoy in a little time in the country with a pastry from the bakeshop and check out their expanded retail space. Don’t forget their list of wonderful summer events, check out their website for the scheduled dinners and other great events.

 

Mosquito Plants and Products

 

Mosquito Plants and Products

It is mosquito season and if you are out at night you might feel like a pincushion sometimes. There are lots of sprays and other topical products that you can use to keep the little buggers at bay, but what if you don’t want to put anything on your skin? Well, we found a few suggestions at the Al’s in Woodburn (503-981-1245). The first thing you could do is plant some mosquito repelling plants. They don’t seem to like plants with a strong fragrance. If you look up plants that tout mosquito repellent properties, they all seem to have a heavy scent, either from flowers or foliage. Some of the plants that people have had luck with include citronella grass, basil, catnip, rosemary, marigolds, geraniums, cedar, verbena, pennyroyal, lavender, pine, cinnamon, lemon balm, thyme, allspice, garlic, and peppermint.


There are also 2 new products from ‘Skeeter Screen’ which contain all-natural products that they say will keep the biters away. The first was a pellet form that you spread around your patio or sitting area. As it breaks down it sends off an aroma that keeps the mosquitoes away. The other product is an egg shaped oil diffuser. You hang the egg, fill it with a lemon grass oil and let it do all the work.
Of course we all know that standing or stagnant water is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. If you can dump out the water, that will go a long way to getting rid of the problem. It you have standing water in your bird baths, water feature or pond then you can add a mosquito dunk. These ‘dunks’ contain Bt which is an organic compound that helps kill the mosquito larvae.


For more products or plants to help you keep mosquitoes away naturally, stop by your local independent garden center.

 

Garden Gallery Mom's Day

 

Garden Gallery Mom's Day

Moms deserve the best! Garden Gallery Iron Works (800-452-5266) knows that and like they do for a lot of the holidays, they throw a party. Judy met with Don Sprague to talk about gifts for Mother’s Day and some of the thing they have for mom on Saturday. Don started at the BBQ supplies. Most people take mom out for dinner on her big day. Don was wondering if a simple cookout might be better! They have the supplies that you need to have a great grilling. There were plates and bowls, and even a sweet red pepper relish to try. Don even showed us their new bar made out of rusted metal for her to enjoy. Plus for the gardening mom’s there is a lot more. First they will have a sedum bar. Moms can pick out a cute little container and then they can plant them with a wide selection of sedums. There’s also a cut flower bar. Pick out a vase from their inventory and choose some cut peonies to fill the vase. Plus they also have raised garden beds that any mom would love to have. There are going to be special cocktails and lots of great gift ideas. Saturday will also be the unveiling of the new petunia tree for the coming year. Stop by and check it out!!!

 

Pacific Coast Native Iris

 

Pacific Coast Native Iris

A lot of people want to add native plants to their garden but can be disappointed by the lack of color in some native selections. One plant that doesn’t disappoint is the Pacific Coast Native Iris. This little plant packs lots of color. To learn more about this plant we stopped by the home of our favorite hybridizer, Kevin Vaughn. Kevin is a plant fanatic. He crosses and hybridizes hundreds of new plant every year and Pacific Coast Iris are one of his favorites! We started out at a bed where he had one and two year plants. The Pacific Coast Iris is very easy to hybridize. In the spring of the year, Kevin does a pollen exchange between plants that have colors or characteristics that he likes. These flowers are then marked by a little tie or marker. When the fall comes he takes those seed pods and collects the seeds. These he will plant in a small garden plot and mark the seedlings in the following spring. These plants will then grow out and produce a flower in their first year, something that takes many years for other types of flowers. These hundreds of different flowers are then narrowed down to the best of the bunch and they are grown out a second year to see how they perform. Once Kevin finds something very unique, and new to the market, he will contact a larger grower and they will mass produce these plants so they can end up in your local garden center or retailer. Kevin has a lot of new varieties in the pipeline! If you would like to try this wonderful plant in your garden, check at your local independent garden center, or you can try Leonine Irises (206-235-7358) in Washington state. They do mail order and they will send the plant right to your door!

 

Moles, Voles and Gophers

 

Moles, Voles and Gophers

These 3 are the big names in large garden pests. Everyone will blame one of these 3 if they have damaged plants or bulbs in their garden! Sometimes we don’t even know they are around until we see a mound in our lawn. We met with Dana Sanchez from OSU on the campus in Corvallis to learn more about Moles, Voles and Gophers; and to see if what we had heard was true. Dana first told us how to identify these different animals. The pocket gopher is typically the largest of the 3. It has a mound of dirt that sometimes looks like a horseshoe shape with one end open. The mole is generally just a mound of dirt, sometimes with a small crater or hole in the center. The vole is the smallest and is more likely to have trails above ground right at the soil line. People sometimes confuse the different diets that these animals have as well. The gopher is most likely a vegetarian. He will eat your bulbs and plant roots. The mole is going after grubs (though, if you have a large mole they can eat bulbs and roots as well), so if you have them in your lawn it is a sign that you have critters in your lawn. Now the next question is do you need to get rid of them. If they are in an area where there isn’t a lot of activity or a part of your yard that isn’t important, then it might be better to leave them alone. They do good things with the soil by rotating it, moving nutrients around and breaking up the clay. If you do need to move them or get rid of them, the best methods are poisons and traps. The poisons can be placed in the ground and so there is not as much exposure to other animals in your garden (it is always good to keep these baits away from pets and children). The other effective method is with a gripping trap like the Cinch Trap. The things that don’t work so well are the vibrating methods, which are supposed to scare them away and things like chewing gum. There has not been a lot of studies to prove that they are effective. If you would like to find out more you can check out the OSU Extension site. They have an ‘Ask an Expert’ link where you can send in your questions and get a good science based answer.

 

Terra Casa Outdoor Entertaining

 

Terra Casa Outdoor Entertaining

Summer is the time for entertaining in the garden. Setting up an inviting place to dine and entertain isn’t hard and it doesn’t need to be expensive either. To get some ideas we stopped by Terra Casa (503-577-8242) in Damascus and met with owner, Diana Helm. Dressing up your outdoor table can begin simply, with just functional pieces. Outdoor placemats and napkins are a nice place to start. Diana had a couple of reversible placemats (two different patterns is always nice) and added a table runner to add a classy touch to the bare table. On top of the table runner she had a bunch of flowers. She has silk ones at the store, but you can get fresh ones too. In addition Diana had added candles to the table. These were not just ordinary candles, these were battery operated and could be turned on by a handheld remote. A nice touch and they won’t blow out in a breeze! These candles also had a slight fragrance too. She recommended that you use a candle with a slight fragrance so it doesn’t over-power your meal. Simple plates and silverware almost completes the picture. But what about the drinks? Diana had that covered as well, and I mean covered. Not only did she have some cool glassware, she also had nice covers for that glassware so the bugs don’t get into your drink!

All of this was on top of a beautiful table and chairs. This furniture set was made out of recycled plastic and was heavy duty!! The weight of the chairs alone pretty much guarantees that they won’t blow away in the wind, and under the table was a very decorative outdoor rug to complete the look. If you are looking for some help in setting the table (or even getting a new table) for your outdoor entertaining stop by Terra Casa and check out all the great items they have.

 

 
main page this week

plant of the week

tip of the week tool shed how to gardens to see sponsors events calendar the happy spot
streaming video read our blog join our twitter e-mail us archive press relations links to other websites
 

Website design and content ©2006-2016 Gustin Creative Group.  Please send website inquiries to gustingroup@comcast.net.  This page last modified July 08, 2016.