Ashland Garden Club

Garden of the Month: June 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:22:00 +0000

1390 Romeo Street

AGC members can preview this AAUW tour garden on Friday, June 8, between 9 and 11 am at 1390 Romeo St. in the Millpond area.
(The AAUW tour is June 10.)

Tammy Van Eycke and Kevin Casey, relocating from Albuquerque, moved into the new home on a double lot in the summer of 2005. They were especially attracted by the year-round Roca Creek that runs through the property and a large willow tree on its bank.

In collaboration with Kathryn Casternovia of Elemental Design, Tammy (with some help from Kevin) has developed a half-acre miniature paradise, replete with pond and mini-waterfall (the goldfish have reproduced from 5 to 30), fruit trees, herb, vegetable, and flower gardens, roses and many other ornamentals, a grape and current arbor, kiwi arbor, hops, several types of raspberries, a strawberry-blueberry patch, and a goumi sweet scarlet berry bush. Their two daughters, 6 and 10, enjoy pretend fishing in the pond and bouncing on a huge trampoline by the creek.

Tammy and Kevin hired Lomakatsi to restore the creek banks. The creek now meanders prettily through the garden and into a neighborhood open space. Carlos Sanchez helps with garden maintenance.

The property is protected by an 8-foot deer fence and lovingly created bamboo gates, but the deer still find a way in. Everything is started in the greenhouse, and by the time of the tour, two beehives should sit near the creek. Paving is made of reclaimed wood rounds.

When the empty lot across the street became available, Tammy and Kevin bought it with the intention of continuing its use as a community garden. It is irrigated with well water and neighbors are welcome to use the garden as they please. Currently it includes fruit trees, herb and vegetable gardens, and flowers. Tammy has hired Jessie Jones to oversee the process; massive soil amendment with horse and llama manure, compost, and straw is underway. Tammy hopes the garden will also serve as an educational center for children and a neighborhood gathering place.

Kevin is co-owner of the Ayurvedic herbal products company, Banyan Botanicals, and Tammy is a massage therapist.
– by Julia Sommer

2012 PLANT SALE FUNDRAISER

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:48:00 +0000

ASHLAND GARDEN CLUB 32^nd Annual Plant Sale

Saturday, May 12^th

Ashland Safeway Parking lot

9am - Noon

Veggie starts, Tomato Plants, Annuals, Perennials, Herbs, Succulents, Container Gardens, Hanging Baskets, Garden Art, Garden Decor and
Much...Much...MORE!

Mother's Day Bouquets made on site!

Proceeds fund our SOU Environmental Sciences / Studies scholarship.

May Horticulture Report: Peony Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Peony report

By Gena Goddard

I think that May should be Peony month. The glorious peony is already known as the Memorial Day flower. Why not celebrate it all month? My first peonies have already started blooming. The first to bloom is always the tenuifolia, fern leaf peony and probably one of the original flowers which was bred into the myriad of varieties we have today, the most common being the full double. The hybridizers of the 19^th and 20^th centuries started with average sized flowers with many yellow stamens and turned the stamens into staminoids which they were able to turn into petals. Sometimes science is a bit magical and hybridizers capitalized on that petal formation to make a huge fully petaled blossom sometimes 6” across.

The next to bloom are the tree peonies (paeoniasuffruticosa). I stuck two bushes together which bloom at the same time The first bush to bloom has dark magenta flowers, then a taller bush with large white flowers bloom above a week later. These blooms are large and the texture reminds me of crepe paper flowers made in Mexico. Then the yellow tree bush blooms. It is an older bush at least 10 years old, but retains its small stature of only about 3 feet tall.

After the tree peonies are done there is a little lull of about a week or two and then the herbaceous peonies (Paeonialactiflora)start. I have the old standard, ‘festiva maxima’ white double with red flecks which blooms early and then my favorite pink Mrs. F.D.R. It is so delicate with its longer petals. Then finally the reds like Karl Rosenfeld. By that time the month of May is over and so I fertilize with an all-purpose 5-5-5 and relax and let all my plants have a leisurely summer storing energy for next year.

When fall arrives the leaves turn a dark red and just before the first frost I cut them back to a couple of inches above ground so that I know where they are for next spring. This fall I plan on digging up many of my plants and dividing them because the grass has invaded the whole bed and needs to be eradicated before I replant them back. When dividing dig up root, wash off most of the dirt so you can see the eyes for next year’s growth. Saw the root so that you have 3-5 eyes per root. I am not looking forward to this task. When I replant I will make larger holes about 2’ diameter and in depth. I will also put lots of compost mixed with the native soil into the hole so that the eye is no deeper than 2” below the ground level.

There isn’t a peony that I have seen that I don’t like. I saw a native peony at Hyatt Lake and it’s little brown blossom was demurely hidden under the leaves.

Places I recommend for herbaceous peonies are Adelman’s Peonies in Salem, Oregon and Deason’s Peonies in Ashland, Oregon . For tree peonies, I recommend Brothers Herbs and Peonies in Wilsonville, Oregon.

Plant Resources:
Deason’s Peonies: http://www.deasonpeonies.com/
Adelman’s Peonies: http://peonyparadise.com/
Brothers Herbs and Peonies: http://www.treony.com/

How to: Grow Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Instructions Provided by: Siskiyou District Garden Clubs

Read more here: http:/growing-potatoes-in-a-laundry-basket

Source: Fine Gardening 2009

2012 OSFGC STATE CONVENTION

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:37:00 +0000

OSFGC STATE CONVENTION COMING UP IN JUNE

The OSFGC State Convention will be held June 19 -21 in Wilsonville, Oregon.
Information on attending is on the state web site: oregongardenclubs.org , or google Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs.

You can find the complete program on the state web site.

The cut-off date for the special rate is May 18th.

Tomato Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Sun, 06 May 2012 05:52:00 +0000

2012 Plant Sale: May 12th

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:10:00 +0000

Garden of the Month- May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:17:00 +0000

Shannon Wolff's beautiful garden at 450 Lit Way has been a fourteen year process. Shannon is the third generation in her family to garden in Ashland. Her grandfather moved here in the 1940s and raised vegetables on land behind the Presbyterian Church. Her mother has always had a garden, and still does, and Shannon continues her mother's tradition of planting daphne as close to the entry of the house as possible.

When Shannon moved into her house, the roses were already growing, but not much else. Her former husband built the raised bed for vegetables on the right side of the front yard. Other than that, Shannon has done all the planning, planting, and weeding in her organic garden herself with occasional help from her son, Sam, and her daughter, Gracie, both students at Ashland High School. Shannon's garden reflects the fact that children grew up here. A birch tree in the front lawn has a wonderful fort in it. Her daughter used to make potions from the lavender and mint still growing in abundance in the middle garden. The swing set allows a great view of the vegetable garden.

Pasque flowers (Pulsatilla) are a favorite of Shannon's, and she has a wonderful collection, many of them from Kathy Allen's rock garden in Central Point. Another favorite is the jasmine that covers a trellis outside the kitchen door, creating a wonderful, and delightfully scented, place to relax after a long day of teaching at the John Muir School.

The daylilies in the front yard came from a farm Shannon visited in New England about ten years ago. They're not blooming yet, so be sure to walk by again in June!

Shannon's garden, including the middle garden (not visible from the street) which is brimming with strawberries, rhubarb, spring bulbs, flowering trees and shrubs, will be open for viewing from
10:00 AM till Noon Sunday, May 6th.

submitted by: Terry Tobey

Firewise Week:Protect Your Home, Protect Your Community

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Ashland’s First Annual Firewise Week

May 5- May 12th

Sunday May 6th Clean Up Day
9AM to 4PM

Clean Up Day Flyer

BE READY for wildfire season! Learn how at www.ashlandfirewise.org

WILDFLOWER TOURS at Rough & Ready State Park

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:09:00 +0000

Rough & Ready Forest State Park in Oregon is a unique, desert-like botanical landscape growing in a place that gets more than 60 inches of rain annually. If you want to take a longer hike after the tour, there is a road that goes for about a half mile through the botanical area to Seats Dam.

Tours begin at the parking area next to Highway 199 at Mile Marker 34,

located five miles south of Cave Junction.

April 28 at 9:30AM - Suzanne Vautier tour leader on behalf of the Native Plant Society

May 12 at 9:30AM - Kathy Lombardo tour leader on behalf of the Illinois Valley Garden Club

Maps and more information:

http://www.highway199.org/events-page/2012-wildflower-tours/

You can read more about this unique area at:

http://www.highway199.org/unique-places/rough-ready-forest-state-park/

2012 Plant Sales - Southern Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:53:00 +0000

APRIL 28th 2012– Medford Garden Club's Annual Plant Sale

Location: Umpqua Bank parking lot at Biddle and McAndrews.

Time: 9 am to 2pm

MAY 5th – Grants Pass Garden Club's Annual Plant Sale.

Location: Abby’s pizza parking lot on Williams Highway.

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

MAY 5th & 6th- Jackson County Master Gardener’s Spring Fair

Location: Compton Arena, Jackson County Expo

Time: Saturday 9 to 5pm, Sunday 10 to 4pm - Admission $3

May 12th - Ashland Garden Club's 32rd Annual Plant Sale

Location: Ashland Safeway Parking Lot

Time: 9:00 AM to Noon

May 12th - Jacksonville Garden Club’s 47^th Annual Plant and Bake –

Location: Jacksonville Courthouse grounds, 206 North 5^th Street, in Jacksonville

Time: 9:00 to 2:00

May 19th – Illinois Valley Garden Club's Annual Plant Sale

Location: Corner of Lister St. and Redwood Highway – County Building

Time: 9AM until sold out!

Growing Shiitake Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 03:34:00 +0000

An article in the Medford Mail Tribune’s January's HOMELIFE magazine inspired me to order shittake mushroom spawn from www.mushroompeople.com . I called several tree pruners before I could obtain five white oak logs for growing the mushrooms, each logs was about 4-5 feet long and 4"-6" inches in diameter. My husband drilled holes in them every 6" and then we hammered in the pegs with the shiitake spawn. I didn't use any wax to seal the holes as suggested, I just hammered the pegs in and called it good. Like the article says, all the work is done in a day, and then you just lean the logs in the shade, water them when it gets really hot and wait to see what happens.

by Melody Jones

Read the Homelife article here: http://www.mailtribune.com/HOMELIFE/mushrooms

Garden of the Month – April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:15:00 +0000

It's daffodil time! If you are eager for a touch of spring stop by 826 Holly Street (on the corner of Liberty) and you'll find the home and garden of Carol Walker. If you're lucky enough to catch the sun shining, the view will be all the more golden, but just a hint of what's to come as more buds unfold. (The pictures don't do it justice.)

Beginning in 1994, when Carol purchased the home, there were few daffodils to be seen, only lawn and the occasional grazing deer – regretfully, now more often than occasionally. Looking for drought and deer resistant plants, Carol began with 250 daffodil bulbs ordered from White Flower Farm in Connecticut. The lawn was removed, the daffodils planted and the front yard saw the first of many improvements.

Today the yard is filled with daffodils – many different varieties to assure blooms from February into May. In addition, Carol's front yard is planted with other deer resistant plants – lavender, rosemary (seen cascading over a small retaining wall) crocus, grape hyacinth and sage. Interspersed among these are Japanese maples, kwanzan cherry, blue spruce and a giant douglas fir ringed in Oregon grape. Pathways meander throughout inviting a closer look.

Carol, originally from Sussex England, inherited her love of gardening from her father. “Their” touch can be seen throughout, including Carol's “Garden Art” – bits and pieces found here and there, adding charm and interest everywhere one looks.

In the back and side yards, protected from the deer by a high, elegant fence, can be found even more to make a true gardener smile – poppies, tulips, cowslip (most waiting to bloom) surround an antique bird bath, a beautifully shaped aspen and more cherry trees. The highlight – as soon as our spring warms up – is an amazing wisteria covered arbor. Carol has done nearly all of the work herself, adding more daffodils each year from local sources. No chemical sprays are ever used and water is conserved as much as possible.

You may view the front yard at any time. In addition, Carol has agreed to show her side and back gardens to AGC members on Saturday, April 14th from 11:00 to 2:00. Seeing all of this loveliness will be a great reminder that warmer, more colorful garden days are just around the corner.

by Kaaren Anderson

Blue False Indigo

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Baptisia australis (Blue False Indigo)

This North American prairie native is long lived but slow growing, so it can take up to 3 years to bloom. It is an easy to care for plant which tolerates both clay and sandy soils. Blue False Indigo is excellent for cut flowers and attracting butterflies.

Form: Spiky architectural vase shaped: 3-4 feet high, 1½ -3 feet wide

Exposure: Full sun

Color: Striking pea-like purple flower stalks, blue-green foliage

Bloom Time: June - July

Attributes: Drought tolerant, suitable for xeriscaping, deer resistant (Note: Parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested!) Average Water Needs, water regularly but do not over water.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3A – 10B

Bigroot Geranium

noreply@blogger.com (Carlotta Lucas) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:18:00 +0000

Bigroot Geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)

Geranium macrorrhizum is a hardy perennial that blooms prolifically in the spring. Some varieties also present outstanding leaf color in the fall. Bigroot Geranium is deer- resistant, so "typically" deer leave it alone. Plant your geranium in full sun or partial shade. It’s not too picky about growing conditions, except it doesn’t like wet boggy areas, so plant in well-draining soil. It grows 1 to 3 feet high and 2 to 3 feet wide. Geranium makes a good groundcover at the base of trees, shrubs and taller perennials. Geranium macrorrhizum varieties include: Album which produces white flowers, Ingwersen flowers in pink, and Variegatum, with white-variegated leaves, which produce purple & pink blossoms. Note: Variegatum likes richer soil and keep it out of full sun. USDA Hardiness Zone: Zones 4-8

Crocuses & Daffodils on Display

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:30:00 +0000

There is a spectacular display of crocuses and daffodils at 692 "B" Street which is worth walking by. The crocuses are probably at or just past their peak, but the daffodils are only just getting started. This garden was Garden of the Month back in April 2005 and they always has a wonderful display.

Ruth Sloan
G.O.M. Chair

Summer Floral Arrangements 1-2-3

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Pre-registration is required. Please register online at http://ashlandparks.recware.com or call the North Mountain Park Nature Center at 541-488-6606.

AGES 10 & up

DAY Wednesday

DATE July 18

TIME 10am—noon

PLACE North Mountain Park

COST $10

INSTRUCTORS Gena Goddard & Darlene Fenwick are members of Ashland Garden Club and NMP heirloom gardeners. They are also floral show judges, floral designers, and Master Gardeners.

N MT Park Nature Center
620 N Mountain Ave, Ashland
www.NorthMountainPark.org

Bulbs for all-year color

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:02:00 +0000

Plant bulbs this spring and summer for all-year color

By Judy Scott,
Oregon State University Extension Service

CORVALLIS, Ore. – After the spring show of crocus, daffodils, hyacinth and tulips, flower gardeners may be at a loss on how to top the early vibrant color.

If you plant summer-flowering bulbs, corms and tubers in the spring, you'll carry color through the summer, said Ross Penhallegon, horticulturalist with the Oregon State University Extension Service.

montbretia
A wide variety of ililies, dahlias, gladiolus and tuberous begonias are available from catalogs and garden shops. If you love bolder flower gardens, plant more out-of-the-ordinary bulbs, including summer hyacinths, Peruvian-daffodils, fragrant tuberoses, shell flowers and montbretia for striking summer garden accents.

sternbergia candida

For stunning color all the way through the growing season, plant fall-blooming bulbs in late summer and early autumn. Later-flowering species that bloom in the fall include colchicums, autumn flowering crocus, magic lilies of Japan, sternbergia and fairy lilies, to name a few. These are available in summer to early fall at nurseries and from bulb catalogs.

When it's time to plant, Penhallegon recommends planting each bulb as deep as the diameter of the bulb; if the diameter is one inch, plant the bulb one inch deep. "The soil needs to be well-drained and mulchy, with lots of organic materials," he said. "Apply a small amount of general purpose fertilizer, organic or conventional, after the bulb emerges from the soil."
Don’t forget to check with your local nurseries. Each year they offer a new array of plant varieties.

This article is also online at: http://bit.ly/OSU_Gardening1564
Judy Scott, Public Service Comm Specialist , Oregon State University Extension Service
Source: Ross Penhallegon, Ag, Horticulture , Oregon State University Extension Service

Prune to keep ornamental shrubs healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:48:00 +0000

As winter moves toward spring, pruning jumps to the top of the gardening "to-do" list. Pruning keeps ornamental shrubs healthy by removing dead, dying and diseased wood and encourages the natural and sturdy growth of the plant.

"Pruning is one of the most important tasks to keep shrubs and bushes healthy," explained Ross Penhallegon, horticulturalist and pruning expert with the Oregon State University Extension Service. "Yet pruning often gets neglected or forgotten."

Basic pruning guidelines deal with the many sizes, shapes and growth forms of ornamental shrubs. Most gardeners should do some pruning each spring and/or summer if they have spring or summer bloomers, Penhallegon said. Shrubs that bloom in the early spring, such as forsythia, rhododendrons and azaleas, should be pruned when they finish blooming. Then they have the rest of the growing season to form new branches and flower buds.

Shrubs that flower in the summer and fall are blooming on this year's growth. They should be pruned early in the dormant period or very early spring so there's plenty of time for new growth to form and bloom.

"Sometimes it's worth it to prune out of season and sacrifice a year of blooms," Penhallegon said. This is the case when the bush is overgrown, has gangly branches or has been neglected for years. This type of pruning should be done in the dormant or winter time.

Light pruning can be done in the summer, when it's easy to spot dead, dying, diseased, or weak branches with few leaves. Pruning in the winter allows you to see how the branches grow in relation to one another. Branches growing toward the center of the plant or crossing or rubbing other branches are good candidates for removal. This kind of maintenance pruning in itself reduces the size of the plant if it is too large.

If you prune regularly every year, you never need to prune too severely. Yearly pruning keeps the plant in good condition with new and old branches and some in between. If the plant grows too tall or large from lack of pruning, it can overwhelm neighboring plants and surroundings.

"A little pruning each year helps to keep the plant in bounds, keeps it healthy, allows good light penetration and encourages blooms every year," Penhallegon said.

Shrubs can be pruned drastically if they get out of hand and need rejuvenation. Multi-stemmed species such as spirea and forsythia can be heavily pruned by removing the older stems or branches, lowering the height of the plant. Rhodies and azaleas can be heavily pruned to 12-14 inches or just above buds that are on the lower part of the plant.

An overgrown shrub with a single lead or trunk growth form needing rejuvenation should be gradually pruned down or brought under control to maintain the natural form of the plant. Don't be tempted to shear off the top of this kind of plant. Always cut back to a good side branch. Shearing may be faster, but it will produce a leggy plant with brushy growth at the stem ends. Each cut will often produce two more branches. Some large shrubs, like laurel, will sprout from bare wood even when they're cut back nearly to the ground. Evergreen shrubs, both broad-leafed and needled, should not be pruned back to bare wood.

----------------------------
About Garden News from OSU Extension Service: The Extension Service Gardening web page, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/community/gardening, links to a broad spectrum of information on Oregon gardening, such as tips, monthly calendars, how-to publications, audio programs, the Master Gardener program and "Northwest Gardeners e-News."

By Judy Scott, O.S.U., Corvallis Ore
Source: Ross Penhallegon, O.S.U.Extension Service

AGC Book Club: To the Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 01:11:00 +0000

To the Woods: Sinking Roots, Living Lightly,
and Finding True Home

by Evelyn Searle Hess

To the Woods is the true story of Evelyn Searle Hess & her husband, David, who, in their late fifties, walked away from the world of modern conveniences to live on twenty acres of wild land in the foothills of Oregon’s coast range mountains not far west from Eugene. Ms. Hess describes their day-to-day struggles, failures, and discoveries with lush descriptions of their surroundings and its rhythms of life. While developing a wild plant nursery & planning their new home, she writes about learning and living with the joys of their natural environment. It tracks the natural history of place through the seasons, and living life in concert with nature. Through her thoughtful prose, she wrestles with issues like human impact on the ecology of our planet.

Written By Viki Ashford

Subshrubs

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:19:00 +0000

Subshrubs have the unique characteristics of both herbaceous and woody plants. Their bases are woody but they produce new herbaceous growth during the primary growing season. Many herbs fall into the subshrub category, such as:

Sunset Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)
Form: Vase shaped plant maturing to 2 feet high by 1.5 feet wide
Exposure: Full sun
Color: Flowers vibrant pink, purple and orange
Bloom Time: Long bloom season summer to fall
Attributes: Fragrant, Attracts Bees & Butterflies, Ornamental, Medicinal, Culinary
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b-9

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Form: Upright clumping growth habit, 1.5 feet tall by 2 feet wide
Exposure: Plant in full sun to partial sun in evenly moist and rich soil
Color: Green-gray to green–purple foliage in the summer, silver-green to gray-bronzed in the winter. Flowers blue-purple, lavender, violet-blue, or white-pink, depending upon cultivar Bloom Time: varies with cultivar
Attributes: Semi- evergreen, Fragrant, Ornamental, Medicinal, Culinary
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9

Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Form: Woody Stems, 3 feet tall and wide,
short lived plant needs replacing every 3- 4 years
Exposure: Full Sun
Color: Grayish foliage - Flowers blue to purplish
Bloom Time: May- July
Attributes: Water Conserving Evergreen, Fragrant,
Ornamental, Medicinal, Culinary
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9

Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Form: Woody base with upright stems 3 to 4.5 feet tall
Exposure: Full sun, hardy, drought tolerant
Color: Grayish-white stems, silver-gray foliage with small tubular deep blue or lavender flowers
Bloom Time: July - September
Attributes: Pungent fragrance, attracts butterflies, Ornamental, Culinary, Medicinal, deer-resistant
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9

Deerwood (Lotus scoparius) (California Broom)
Form: Woody base with arching airy branches, grows to 3 feet
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Color: Flowers begin as yellow, turning to orange
Bloom Time: April-June
Attributes: California native, feeds numerous wildlife: hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and deer. Bees relish this plant! Nitrogen fixing capabilities
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Form: Tall straight clusters of silvery-green branches, foliage spirally arranged, grows 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide.
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade, drought tolerant
Color: Greenish-grey foliage clad with silky-silvery “hairs”, small yellow tubular flowers
Bloom Time: June-October
Attributes: Companion plant to suppress weeds - roots secretes substances which inhibit the growth of surrounding plants. Ornamental, Culinary, Medicinal
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9

Pruning Subshrubs
Subshrubs are not pruned like softer herbaceous herbs, such as germander, marjoram, oregano, and winter savory, or even other woody plants. Subshrubs are never pruned during the cool fluctuating temperatures of fall and winter and you never cut them to the ground. Subshrubs should be pruned in early spring once signs of new growth appear and then only to remove dead and broken wood. In some cases, pruning can wait until after the first bloom, but technically you should avoid pruning subshrubs because doing so could be harmful to the plant.

by Carlotta Lucas

Happy Soil

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:17:00 +0000

Happy Soil
by Denny Morelli

(Notes from a recent talk at Medford Garden Club)

You can’t have good results in your garden if you don’t start with good soil. Top soils are made up of different components including plant and animal residue, moisture, air space and live soil dwelling organisms.

The best thing you can do for your garden is compost, compost and more compost.

Organic content provides food for growing plants, food for bacteria, fungi, earthworms and other beneficial organisms. A total organic content should be at least 6% of the top 4” – 6 “of top soil. It also provides a reservoir for moisture. Organic content also provides temperature stability and weed control.

This water reservoir prevents the tendency of over watering in the summer and the leaching out nutrients in rainy weather. Over watering can be a serious problem as it flushes out nutrients and increases pollution levels in our streams.

The timing and rate of releasing nutrients is important. Organic material helps to control the amount of fertilizer available at any given time. Air space created by the channels made by various organisms provides space for oxygen, moisture and plant roots. Do not rototill. Tilling the soil collapses this delicate structure. It is better to put a layer of 2” – 4” of compost on top early in the spring to let the nutrients sink in.

One problem in planting is that plants are usually planted too deep. Dig the hole, add some compost and plant the plant so it is higher than ground level, creating a small rounded berm. In time it will sink to the level of the ground.

Be careful where you buy compost. Most box store compost may be over a year old and have little nutrients left. Denny’s commercial formula is 40% forest material, including rotted wood, leave, moss and humus; 50% pasture material, including shredded alfalfa, grass and cover crops; 10% dairy goat & chicken manure; and nutrient supplements e.g. seed meal, kelp meal, high protein livestock feed, goat mils and trace elements. Do not use walnut leaves for mulch.

Fertilizers for home gardeners include fish emulsion, which works very fast but needs to be applied often; and Dr Earth, which takes a month to do any good. Be sure to look at the label; a lot of compost has too much magnesium. In the heat of the summer a layer of alfalfa, purchased at a feed store, protects the ground. Denny sells his compost from his farm. Read more here: www.ccountry.net/~compost/

Other good sources of compost are Hilton Landscape Central Point and the Grange Coop, who has an excellent compost called Green Planet Compost.

by Emilie Vest

OSU Extension: GMO's in Jackson and Josephine Counties

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:30:00 +0000

"GMO's in Jackson and Josephine Counties:
A Public Information Session with OSU Extension"

Speakers:
Carol Mallory-Smith, Professor at OSU Corvallis
Maud Powell, SOREC Small Farms Director

When:
March 26, 6-8pm

Where:
Southern Oregon Research & Extension Center (SOREC) Auditorium
569 Hanley Rd.

Central Point, OR 97502

Call OSU Extension Service for more information: (541) 776-7371

Wildfire: Reducing Risk

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:56:00 +0000

Before summer, homeowners should remove fire hazards and reduce fuel from around their homes. The City of Ashland Oregon is currently helping homeowners with this task by offering grants to city residents to modify and/or remove fire-hazard vegetation near their homes. To participate, residents must first obtain a Wildfire Safety Home Assessment, this assessment includes site-specific recommendations for creating a defensible space around a structure. Read more here: Ashland- Oregon Wildfire News

Planting fire resistant plants around your house may reduce your fire risk during a wildfire, so the OSU Extension Service has provided a list of fire resistant plants for Oregon homeowners. Read OSU's plant list here: Fire Resistant Plants for Home Landscapes

Below are a few of the plants you will find on their list:

Penstemon
species

Stachys byzantina
Lamb's Ear

Philadelphus coronarius
Mock Orange

Pachistima myositis
Oregon Boxwood

Class: Summer Floral Arrangements

noreply@blogger.com (Ashland Oregon) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:09:00 +0000

Summer Floral Arrangements 1-2-3

Participants will learn how to make 2 separate arrangements using flowers with greens fresh-cut from the North Mountain Parks Demonstration Garden. Using 3 compatible small containers you will create a 3-piece table display and also one table centerpiece. All material will be provided.

Pre-registration is required.
Please register online at http://ashlandparks.recware.com
or call the North Mountain Park Nature Center at 541-488-6606.

AGES 10 & up

DAY Wednesday

DATE July 18

TIME 10am—noon

PLACE North Mountain Park

COST $10

INSTRUCTORS Gena Goddard & Darlene Fenwick are members of Ashland Garden Club and NMP heirloom gardeners. They are also floral show judges, floral designers, and Master Gardeners.