Goodnight!

Dirt! The Movie

2012-02-24T13:20:00.005-08:00

I just wanted to let everyone know about a great FREE film event next Tuesday evening.

What: Dirt! The Movie
When: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 • 6 - 9pm.
Where: the new downtown Vancouver Library
Hosted by: Vancouver Watersheds Alliance
Cost: FREE!!

Learn how dirt/soil is ALIVE. Why dirt is a good thing. How we're destroying our dirt. What we can do to save the dirt. Good dirt is important to anyone who has land around where they live… meaning EVERYONE. Good dirt is particularly important if you value having food to eat.

There will be FREE food and a great discussion to follow with a panel comprised of a certified arborist, the director of the Master Composter/Recycler program, and a landscape designer! This is a family friendly event!

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKPcuwOOGqY

2012 Yard Garden & Patio Show

2012-02-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. I will have a booth again this year… #1283.

This is (IMHO) Portland's premier garden show of the year. And it's nice that it happens early when we have time to process what we see and learn from the show before we make silly choices at the nursery come spring… because we all KNOW we are impulsive… right? :-)

Click here to download a coupon to get $2 off admission. or Click here to get the same coupon from my site. Click here to see more info about the show in general.

Lots of nurseries, designers, contractors, garden tools, garden art. Lots of impressive display gardens. And both a wine and beer garden. And a special kids' area, too. Come on down!

Robins & Hawthorn Trees

2012-01-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

They're baaaack!

The robins. And man are they FAT!

We had snow here on the valley floor last night and these guys showed up drinking the melting snow along the edge of the deck railing. They are also hoovering up the remaining Hawthorn berries left by year-round birds and small mammals.

Hawthorns are great plants to support wildlife. Most are familiar with our native black hawthorn… crataegus douglasii… with its thorns, suckering habit, large size and messy leaf/twig/berry litter problem. But there are several newer cultivars which have had these negative aspects bred out to some extent. They still do a great job of supporting wildlife.

A few I like are:
Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'
Crataegus laevigata 'Crimson Cloud'
Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet'

If anyone out there has other cultivars they'd like to suggest, leave them in the comments and I will add them here.

After the Storm

2012-01-18T13:19:00.000-08:00

The reason for this post is to emphasize one of the reasons why this tree… Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' (curly or corkscrew willow)… is not a great tree for a residential landscape… particularly not on a small lot. I realize the photo is difficult to interpret. The upper arrow points to where a branch used to be attached to the tree. The lower arrow points to the branch on the ground.

Willows in general have weak wood, and many have steep branching angles which (on most trees) are structurally weak in the first place. Added to that, many willows are host to insects which further damage the wood and it's structural integrity.

Willows also produce a lot of litter in the form of leaves and small branches throughout the year. Most call this trait… messy.

If you want to harvest willow branches for crafts, keep your plant small, cutting it to the ground most every year to encourage the new, (often colorful) growth. This practice is called coppicing if you cut the branches at ground level, or pollarding if you cut it up higher. Many willows are pollarded at about 2'-3' off the ground creating a nicely rounded shrub. But you can find evidence of higher pollarding of other trees/shrubs all over town. The tell tale sign is a tree or shrub whose branches end in large knobby forms called 'knuckles'. Many commercial landscapes employ pollarding. It's an easy way to prune a woody plant, but once done, the plant will require this same pruning EVERY year.

Many homeowners think by harshly whacking back their woody plants they will end pruning for another 20 years. Wrong! The new growth attaches to the knuckle in a weak and dysfunctional fashion. So letting these branches grow to large size invites danger and potential disaster. All branches much be re-cut at the knuckle each year.

The practice of coppicing and pollarding started centuries ago by basket-makers… at least that is the story I was told. They needed pliable branches of a certain diameter which were only found on the first years growth… the soft wood… of such plants as willow (salix) and shrub dogwood (cornus). They noticed that these plants had very colorful bark on this new, soft wood. So they employed these pruning practices so they'd have a continued supply of the type of branches they needed to make their baskets. This was the beginning of forest/woodland management.

Most of my clients know that I love to recommend red-twig dogwood shrubs (cornus alba or sericea) for their colorful bark display during the winter. Most of cultivars grow quite large, but after the first year the colorful bark begins to turns gray. So I recommend coppicing these plants so they will form a dome shape that will be the same size each year (because it only grows for one year before the entire plant is cut back to the ground).

I advocate placing several good-sized rocks or boulders around the shrub's base for winter interest. Plant early spring bulbs like cyclamen coum, crocus, galanthus, muscari and narcissus in the spaces between the rocks and the shrub's trunk. This will create a lovely late-winter/early-spring display before the dogwood leafs out in spring. I recommend cutting red-twig dogwood around Valentine's day. You can cut willow at the same time. Many willow cultivars produce lovely catkins if you put the cut branches into water inside. The Bluestem Nursery site a great page on pruning willows, and a listing of willow cultivar uses here.

The Bluestem site isn't talking about curly willow in it's pruning advice. But I think this plant can be handled in the same manner… coppiced (or pollarded about 2' off the ground). And still, it may be more trouble and larger than you really want in your yard. I never recommend them in small lot residential situations.

So, beware about your plant selection. Know your options. Pruning is a good thing, but should be started by the time most trees/shrubs are 3-5 years old, and repeated yearly or every other year. If you keep up on the pruning… taking just a little each year, you can have a healthier, tidier, smaller plant that will be an asset to your landscape.

Gardens and Dogs

2011-11-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

I occasionally get asked to design a garden that the client's dog can't destroy. My stock reply: There is no real need dog owners to create a special indestructible garden. The trick is to train one's dog to NOT destroy garden areas. The client then cocks their head in very dog-like fashion… trying to comprehend the the words I've just uttered.

In today's Columbian newspaper's Life section was a lovely article on this topic. WHAT VALIDATION! :-) I was not able to find the article on the Columbian's website, but you can read Sean Conway's article here. The photo above is from the article courtesy of Tribune Media Services.

Conway tells of interaction with his clients similar to my experiences. Essentially, we both believe that if you want a lovely, dog-free garden, then you'll need to train your pooch to stay out of it. Yes, dogs like to run and dig and such. Basically, an untrained dog will not stay out of ANY garden. If you don't want to train your dog, stick with turf grass.

I once was at a new client's yard measuring and taking photos. Their border collie was out there with me, constantly bringing me his ball. I'd toss it across the 1/2 acre yard, and he'd bring it right back to me. On one toss the dog raced after the ball, but it bounced into the UN-FENCED vegetable garden area. As the dog got to the edge of the garden area, he slid to a stop and sat… staring intensely at the now immobile ball. Then he looked back at me. Then he looked at the ball. Then back at me.

I got it.

He'd been trained that the vegetable garden was strictly off limits… even to retrieve his precious ball. GOOD DOG! So I went into the garden (and he didn't follow me into the garden), got the ball, told doggy he was a good dog, then threw the ball a different direction. Once again the chase was on.

Dogs are trainable. I experienced it for myself. It just takes a bit of work on the owner's part to teach the dog what is allowed and what is not. And it amazed me that he obeyed his rules even for a stranger.

Back to design. There are a few things I usually suggest when designing a landscape that will be occupied by dogs. Create a pathway around the perimeter of your yard (I'm assuming a fenced yard). Dogs like to patrol, and they often do this patrolling at a run. Having a 2' or wider gravel, playground wood chips, or sawdust path right inside the fence allows them to run around the whole yard keeping suspicious creatures at bay. If you have a bright sunny yard, you can try turf grass for this path, but if your dogs are out there a lot, they will wear down the grass, and you'll end up with the dreaded mud. Pea gravel is great as are wood chips (fresh chips last much longer and stay dryer than bark mulch or compost). You can even try artificial (rubber/plastic) mulch if you are so inclined… or artificial turf grass. But my environmentalist mindset keeps me from fully endorsing these non-organic solutions.

In many places, your garden beds can edge right up to this new perimeter pathway, hiding it from your view, and the dogs will enjoy a little hide and seek. I also suggest several more paths cutting through densely planted ornamental garden areas and a turf grass play area. You can't be totally against turf grass when you have kids and/or dogs. Limiting use of turf grass is a wonderful thing, and there are situations where it really is the best design solution. You can care for lawn organically. It can be a win, win, win (people, dogs, environment) situation. I also like to suggest a dedicated poo area. I have known dogs trained to poo exclusively in one area. This is not fantasy. And though it's obviously possible to train a dog to stay out of a veggie garden, I usually suggest fencing them.

Bottom line: You and your dog CAN get along happily in your beautiful garden. It just requires training.

Putting the garden to bed.

2011-11-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. Time to put the garden to bed.

I'm going to refer you to a good article from Muck About on this topic.

Yeah, lazy. Bad me!

I've got to go out and put MY garden to bed on what may be the last rain-free day we'll see until June. :-)

And remember! It's time to steal (from the curb) your neighbors' bagged (and discarded) leaves for your own compost pile. Why let them go to waste?

Happy Autumn!

Cisterns -- Free Workshop!

2011-10-26T11:31:00.001-07:00

As you may or may not know, a rain barrel won't collect all, or even a fraction of the water that will fall on your roof here in the PNW. And the water from a single water barrel will NOT irrigate your landscape all summer long. Sure, having one (or several) helps. If you really want to store water for use later… in a big way… you need a cistern.

I just received this class announcement from the Watershed Stewards Program, a joint program of WSU Clark County Extension and Clark County Environmental Services. They will host a workshop on using cisterns for water collection. Cisterns can hold hundreds or thousands of gallons of water to use in your yard or property. Experts from Portland Purple Water will discuss design, installation, and maintenance of large systems.

Come to this FREE workshop. Learn how to collect all that water falling on your roofs and put it to good use!

Date & time: Thursday, November 3rd from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Location: 78th Street Heritage Farm, 1919 NE 78th Street, Vancouver, WA

Register online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/206851
or by phone at 360-397-6060 ext 5712.

Extension Programs are available to all without discrimination. If you need extra assistance, please contact: Jenifer.naas@clark.wa.gov or 360-397-6060 ext 5712

Photo Gallery

2011-10-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

Many of my friends have encouraged me to put my photos online. And now they have a home. Go to my gallery index page. There is a photography button on the home page of my web site, too.

Right now, all that is there is recent work… and stuff that was already in digital form. I have reams of slides that I'd like to go through and get online. One day!

Hope you like my work.

I HATE fir bark mulch!!!

2011-08-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today, I went to measure and take photos for my next design project. It was hot, so I wore my Crocs. But the client had either that red lava rock (as mulch), or fir bark everywhere. It was dry… meaning dusty. In the process of merely walking around doing what I had to do, I got a zillion slivers… and I didn't even touch the mulch! OUCH! OK, not a ZILLION, but a lot, at least 5-10 in each foot. I washed my feet, and I have used tweezers as best I can, but I can still feel them in there.

ACK!

Fir bark is loaded with slivers, and it seems that many garden supply stores, in addition to their fir bark mulch (usually the reddish product), are using fir bark to make compost these days. I talked about this in the previous post. The mulch in my client's yard was really fine and dark… meaning it's at least partially composted. Good looking stuff. But I can tell it's fir based because of all the slivers. Until this gardening season, I'd not seen partially composted FIR mulch much before. I really think it's vile stuff. Painful at least.

So… if you want to always have to wear shoes and socks and gloves every time you go out into your garden even for a walk… then go ahead and use garden products containing fir bark. But if you don't want slivers, or you like wearing sandals or your garden clogs without socks, use hemlock mulch or compost made from leaves or other yard waste (or of course hemlock bark), but NOT containing fir bark.

I know, I know… I live in the land of Douglas fir. Though…Washington's state tree is the western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)… a beautiful tree, stately… and SOFT. Is it wrong to want our state tree as my garden's mulch? Hmmmmmmmm…

Dead trees! Killer compost!

2011-08-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

I apologize for being absent from my blog for so long. I guess it's a good thing to have a lot of work. But with what happened today in the stock market, maybe I'll have more time on my hands. ACK!

But I had a bit of time this afternoon, and thought I'd catch up on all of the news feeds and blogs that I follow in an attempt to keep current, get smarter, and find information for you all that might help you in your gardening pursuits.

Of all the couple hundred posts I sifted through today, this one is the one I want to share. It comes from Garden Rant from back in July, but it is great info. Please go read Dead trees! Killer compost! Thanks to DuPont and their herbicide Imprelis.

Susan Harris warns us about DuPont's new herbicide, and that is wonderful, but what else she is warns (without really saying it in words) is: Be careful where you get your compost! I have had this topic on my mind for about 6 weeks now, and just haven't had time to sit and type up my thoughts. Thank you Susan for giving me the nudge!

I try to get my clients to commit to having a composting area in their yard. In all but the very smallest yards, there is usually enough room for composting. Some people hesitate when I plan several-to-many deciduous trees and shrubs in their new landscape asking, "this is going to be difficult to maintain, right?" "What do you mean by difficult?" I ask. "Well," they say, "I'll have to be careful about removing the leaves from the plants below the trees, and and I'll have to collect up the leaves, and move them to the compost area. And it might look messy."

Ummmmmm… yes, gardening (and having a garden) requires work (or money to pay others to do the work for you).

But I digress…

The real point of this post is to warn you fine peeps out there that not all compost is the same. HORRORS! One MORE thing to have to learn and understand.

You need to be very careful of the source materials from which the compost is made. As Susan said, the compost (from her story… that damaged the trees) was made from yard waste that had been sprayed with DuPont's new product, Imprelis. And the chemical did not break down in the composting process, thus tainting it, and damaging whatever the compost was placed around. Imagine if this had been in veggie beds. :-o

This is truly disheartening news for me. And it certainly is one more thing that keeps me on my toes… watching for stories like this so I can warn you to ask questions and take appropriate precautions to buy only good, healthy compost.

And it seems to me that the best way for you to know what is in your compost is to make it yourself… or truly know your provider. If you can't make it yourself, ask your provider if they can guarantee that their product has no residual pesticide in it. If they can't, buy your compost elsewhere, even if it's much more expensive. This is why making it yourself is so cost-effective. Home-made compost is FREE.

Recently a friend of mine was in dire need of mulch or compost on bare dirt areas of her yard. I advised her that mulch or compost was good as keeping weeds down, keeping moisture in the soil, and that over time it could help improve the soil quality in the areas she wished to develop into ornamental beds. So she ordered a load of compost from a local provider. I helped her spread it, but it seemed weird to me.

To me, compost should look like good, rich, black soil. And this stuff sort of did, but it was extremely fine in texture. So I looked at the name of the product on the receipt, then looked that up at the provider's web site. Comes to find out, this compost is made from 1/2 fir bark and 1/2 sand. HUH? I'm not sure what this compost's intended use is… the company says it's low in fertility, and to 'use in situations where normal fertilization is practiced.' Didn't I just say one of the functions of compost is to enrich the soil? I think I did. Why on EARTH would I want to put something down that wouldn't help enrich the soil?

And even worse than all of this, my friend says she can't wear sandals or Crocs out in her garden without getting tons of teensy fir slivers in her feet. Don't even THINK of gardening without gloves!

The moral of this story: learn about compost. What it is. What it does. How it's made. What ingredients are best for your intended use. For example: I'd use richer (and completely finished) compost to incorporate into a raised veggie bed; whereas for top-dressing on an ornamental bed partially composted leaf mold is just fine. In fact, UN-composted fall leaves are just fine. Veggies need much more nutrient-rich soil than do ornamental beds, and so I might also incorporate a stronger nitrogen source like manure. For my ornamental beds, I prefer leaf mold. Just plain old composted fall leaves… with nothing added. (If I don't have enough leaves, I use partially-composted hemlock mulch… NO SLIVERS!… and same fine, dark color and texture of leaf mold.)

So come on people, embrace deciduous trees to produce compost to mulch your ornamental gardens. It's free, it's healthy (if you don't use pesticides in your yard), and… oh yeah… it's sustainable. And we all want that, right?

A smart gardener is a good gardener, so please… ask questions. If you don't know the right questions to ask… ask me. I can help.

Growing Garlic: Scapes

2011-07-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

I planted garlic for the first time last fall… in late September. I love garlic, and found lots of videos on YouTube to help me get started. I have used a straw bale for this first attempt. The photo above was taken early this past May, and the garlic is growing nicely.

I thought I'd remembered reading (last fall) that one should clip off the flower stems before flowering so as to make more energy available for bulb development. So after a relaxing weekend on the river, went out to my garlic straw bale. Lo and behold… there were flower stems! These stems are called 'scapes'… for reasons I do not know… see photo below. So I had to hustle and find a video teaching me how to clip them off.

Not only did I find a video teaching how to clip them off, but also how to make them into delicious scape pesto. I didn't realize they were edible. COOL! Here's the video: Garlic Scape Pesto.

I watched other videos, and there seems to be disagreement on how long the scape should be before clipping. As in this video, some recommend as soon as possible when it's short. But I've seen others recommend clipping after it's made a couple turns. The scape grows in a winding, coiling habit (as you can see in the photo) rather than straight up. I noticed my scapes when they were in the midst of their first loop. The scape stem will ooze fluid with a rich garlic aroma. Made me hungry just doing the clipping! One video advised clipping the scapes in the late afternoon because the heat (sun?) would dry up the ooze more quickly.

Growing garlic seems so easy. It's healthful and yummy. Maybe you'd like to try to grow some. There are LOTS of videos and other resources to get you started. A good site to get you started is Boundary Garlic Farm.

My garlic should be ready for harvest within the next 2-4 weeks depending on weather. I have read to NOT water at all during the last several weeks of growth. Garlic is ready for harvest when half of the leaves have gone brown. I'm not sure why HALF, but that is what all resources say. The lower leaves to go brown first. Gently dig them up at that point, and brush off the dirt. Lay them out in a shaded area where they will have good air circulation and not get wet for a couple weeks until all the stems are totally dried out. The stalks must be totally dry so as to avoid mold once bundled. The garlic on their stalks can then be bundled and hung in a cool place for storage… above freezing, but below 55°F with 50% humidity is ideal… but NOT in the refrigerator. Please read about the varieties before buying because some store better than others. You need to know which ones to eat first and which will be usable into the next spring.

Enjoy!

Is it summer yet?

2011-07-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

It's seeming like a pattern here in Vancouver, WA. Summer seems not to get started until after July 4th. I remember last year, watching fireworks in my winter jacket. Low 80s are expected tomorrow. Sounds good!

As I type I'm hearing rockets and bombs going off all over the neighborhood this evening. I have mixed feelings about our collective love of fireworks. I have always loved a good fireworks display. The lights, colors, concussion, smell. It all mixes to titillate the senses… well it does for me. But I have come to realize the negative environmental impact associated with fireworks. So it's a love/hate relationship now.

But that is not why I'm typing tonight. Those of you who know me well, know I don't have my own garden these days. I've been living in rental houses for the past 4 years. I have installed only minimal amounts of flowers and veggies each spring thinking that would be the year we'd find a house to purchase. If I really thought we'd stay a while, I'd plant more stuff. I have sort of done that this spring planting some veggies, annual flowers in the front, and prettied up some containers for both front and back decks. That's about as much as I want to invest in a temporary situation. I can take all the containers with me, and I just hope a house doesn't present itself until AFTER my tomatoes are harvested. :-)

So… I was out in the garden, replacing 2 tomato plants that didn't survive the spring transplant. As I was watering, primping some other things I had going on, I noticed stippling on some rhododendron leaves as I was coiling up the hose. Hmmm… Rhododendron lace bugs. The photo at right shows what the leaves look like from the top side. The undersides have lots of teensy black dots… it's the bugs' fecal matter.

So I sprayed the suckers (literally, they are sucking bugs) with a good strong blast up through the plant. You have to get the back sides of the leaves. I will check on them in a week (or less) to see if my manual IPM (Integrated Pest Management) measure worked. I may also invest in some lady bugs. I've not seen any in this yard in the year I've lived here. I've actually not seen ANY of the beneficial insect predators here. The damaged leaves will never heal themselves. Eventually, they will be shed as new leaves come on over the next few years. The plant will be ugly, but generally mild infestations don't kill the plant.

Lace bugs seem to attack their host plants (rhodies and azaleas, kalmia, leucothoe and some other evergreen trees/shrubs) mostly when it's dry and warm or hot. About now is when we'd begin to see their damage in the PNW. Plants that would generally like being in the shade which are planted in sunny spots instead are much more susceptible to attack from lace bugs. Plants without enough mulch to keep the soil moist and cool are also more often affected. And a garden lacking in beneficial insects is also more susceptible than other gardens. Proper culture is key to avoiding this pest.

I was looking up exactly what I should do to treat this problem, and I came across what appears to be a new web site called IPMopedia. It's a sister site to one called Toxipedia, and they both appear to be at least somewhat new. I search for IPM info all the time and this is the first time I've seen this site. While the info seems really good, there aren't photos of the pests. At least for beginners, seeing a photo to confirm what you are looking at is vital. So, I'm hoping this site fixes this oversight. The rest of the site seems really great. It's a partnership relationship between several Seattle entities, one if which is Seattle Tilth… a really great organization!

So… have some fun this weekend, but then get yourselves out into the garden and check over your rhodies and other evergreens for signs of Rhododendron Lace Bug… and other summertime garden pests.

To learn more about how to deal with Lace Bugs see:
IPMopedia's listing
OSU's listing (with photos!)
WSU's listing

Peachy Habñero Pepper Jelly

2011-05-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

What does one do in the Pacific Northwest on a rainy Sunday in May? Well, I made my first batch of pepper jelly.

I didn't really have a recipe, though I consulted several of similar genre. And Steve and I both think it could be hotter than it is. A was afraid of the habeñero, so only used one.

I made only these 2 jars and a small plastic container. Just a test to see if it would be any good. I'll type my recipe below, but fair warning, I just dumped, didn't really accurately measure anything. And I make jam the old fashioned way… without added pectin. I just simmer it until it gets to consistency I want.

Peachy Habañero Pepper Jelly

1 bag (about 3 cups) frozen freestone peaches, thawed slightly and finely chopped
1/2 red sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large tomatillo
1 habañero pepper
4 cups sugar
2-3 tbsp cider vinegar
teensy tiny pinch of salt

Put all ingredients into heavy-bottomed pan and heat on medium low until it begins to bubble… stirring occasionally. Don't let it foam up, but keep it simmering.

After a while… maybe 10 minutes… ladle out almost all of the fruit and peppers into a blender and blend for several seconds. Return to pan. The goal is to have just enough larger pieces of fruit in the jelly to look interesting and pretty.

Start the process of seeing if it's thickened enough. I do this by spooning about a teaspoon of the hot mixture onto a saucer and popping it into the refrigerator for a couple minutes until it's more or less 'room temperature'. If it sags a little, but not too much, it's ready. I prefer my preserves a little loose. If it's not thick enough, simmer 3-5 minutes more. Test again and again until you like the degree of sagging on the saucer. This is an experience thing… like making read. The more you do it, the better you'll get at knowing when it's just right.

Ladle into sterile jars with new lids leaving adequate headroom. That is filling the jar to where the jelly touches the wide-mouth funnel… around the area where the glass makes that ridge below the threads. If the jelly level is too low or too high, it won't seal adequately. Make sure the lids 'ping' as they are cooling that proves the seal.

There you go… pepper jelly!

I think next time I'll definitely use 2 habañeros, at least a whole red pepper, and maybe a second or even third tomatillo. That added a little sharpness and complexity to the sweet, peachy goodness.

Enjoy!!

Companion Planting

2011-04-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

It's about time to get a veggie garden started here in the PNW. Many of you got an early start from using cold frames, green houses, or other chill protection devices. But many of us don't have such luxuries… so we wait, here in Vancouver, WA… for the snow to disappear from atop Silver Star Mountain to the east.

While I wait, I am reading articles like this one on Companion Planting by Barbara Pleasant in Mother Earth News which was brought to my attention by a Master Gardener friend today. The illustration herewith is by Elayne Sears from that article.

The article talks about companion crops, using plants to manage pests and weeds, attracting birds to eat bad insects, and a lot more… and with several links to other good information.

There are many other resources to get you pairing up a storm.
Check out this short list:
List of Companion Plants -- nice list!
Companion Planting -- good overall info and some lists
Carrots Love Tomatoes -- by Louise Riotte; for veggies
Roses Love Garlic -- by Louise Riotte, for herbs & flowers
The Complete Guide to Companion Planting -- by Dale Mayer
Designer Plant Combinations -- by Scott Calhoun; for ornamental gardens

Happy Gardening!

Plant Sale!

2011-04-13T14:15:00.001-07:00

Every year the Master Gardener Foundation of Clark County (WA) have a plant sale. I am posting their ad herewith.

All money from this event goes to support horticulture programs in our area.

Be there or be square!

Meadows / Prairies

2011-04-09T12:59:00.001-07:00

I love meadows and prairies. Steve and I even created a small short-grass prairie in our back yard in Green Bay, WI some 15 years ago. These types of ecosystems have been disappearing from our landscape over the past 150 or so years due to agriculture and residential encroachment. More and more people need more and more homes and food to eat. Most meadows/prairies occur on level or gently rolling slopes that are also desirable spaced for growing food and… well… living.

Meadows and prairies are near and dear to my heart because I love their look and also their historic and ecological value. In fact, I've just finished a volunteer project designing a Pacific Northwest Garry Oak Ecosystem… the photo above is a Garry oak ecosystem. And I try to encourage any client with enough property (and one really doesn't need much space) to create a meadow (of some sort) if not solely to help the environment, but also to lessen their landscape maintenance obligation.

So it's been interesting that during the past week Lawn Reform Coalition made Facebook postings concerning meadows/prairies. The first one was by guest blogger, Rebecca Sweet called How to Make a Mini Meadow (the photo at right is from Sweet's article). The second one refers to a Washington Post article called Create a Meadow Right Where You Live by Joel M. Lerner.

Both articles are interesting, and I agree with a lot of the information. One thing I don't agree with is that it's necessary to start fresh… meaning nuking existing vegetation. If what is existing is shrubs or noxious, invasive weeds, yes, that is probably a good idea. But a turf-grass lawn or pasture is usually a satisfactory starting point. And the article is incorrect about the use of 5% vinegar as weed killer. Vinegar does work (to some degree), but it must be industrial strength… 10%-20%… which is often a challenge to find. Try a farm feed store.

WARNING: Vinegar of this strength (10% or more) WILL BURN YOUR SKIN. Wear long sleeves, pants, gloves and eye protection.

Another caution I have is the use of wildflower seed blends. One reason is that most blends aren't location specific. That means they contain flowers and grasses that may not be native (or otherwise appropriate) to where your meadow is to be situated. This is bad simply because one of the main benefits of a meadow/prairie/savannah is to provide a NATURAL ecosystem. It won't be natural to the area if it contains exotic plants… or ones that may be invasive where you live. Another reason is that most wildflowers are annuals, and if you have a meadow composed mostly of flowers, when they are done blooming, they die leaving your meadow looking like a dead, brown, sad plot of weeds all winter. In the wild, meadows are 2/3 - 3/4 grasses… and usually, there are several types of grasses. And most of the grasses are perennials. A variety of the right grasses make a meadow look interesting all winter long. I particularly love little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium).

It's important to get the perennial grasses started BEFORE you add the wildflower seeds. I recommend starting the grasses at least 3 years before the addition of flowers. This is because in general, the foliage mass for flowers is much greater than it is for grasses, and so it produces shade which inhibits grass growth. You want a good crop of grass, then start scattering the flower seeds. I like scattering flower seeds on a windy day. Just toss a handful of seeds into the air and let Mother Nature scatter them as she sees fit. Your meadow will look much more natural using this method. And yes, using a variety of seeds is great. One seed source I particularly like is: High Country Gardens.

In her article, Rebecca Sweet mentions insects. This is one of a meadow's great benefits. It harbors insects that serve as food for other insects and animals. And once there are flowers, you will have bees, butterflies and hummingbirds… pollinators! Living in the PNW, I am particularly interested in Garry oak savannah ecosystems… their demise and restoration. Few ecosystems are a biologically diverse as this one; supporting a multitude of birds, reptiles & amphibians, small mammals as well as hundreds of insects.

Read more about the importance of meadow/prairie/savannah ecosystems:

Garry Oak Ecosystems
Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Teams
Garry Oak Gardener's Handbook -- download free book

Here are some good books creating meadows and prairies in our own backyard small spaces.

Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy (Timber Press, 2007)
Natural Gardening in Small Spaces by Noel Kingbury (Timber Press, 2003)
Prairie-Style Gardens by Lynn M. Steiner (Timber Press, 2010)
Urban & Suburban Meadows by Catherine Zimmerman (Matrix Media Press, 2010)

Successful Landscaping

2011-03-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'll be speaking Saturday, April 2 at Shorty's Garden & Home Center on Mill Plain Blvd in Vancouver, WA at 10am - noon. See the announcement here.

This is one of Shorty's' Saturday Seminars. My subject is Successful Landscaping. It's about the things one should do… or at least think about… that will ensure a successful outcome.

If you want to attend, call Shorty's and register. The class is FREE, but the space is limited.

Shorty's Garden & Home
10006 SE Mill Plain Blvd
Vancouver, WA 98664
360-892-7880

GrowVeg.com

2011-03-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

I just found out about an online veggie garden planner program called GrowVeg.com. I've not test-driven it as yet… but I will. At first blush, it seems like a good tool for people in need of help in the planning and cultural aspects of vegetable gardening.

I prefer learning from a real human, but that is not always possible, and this online subscription service could be great for people in areas where human teachers aren't readily available. I know of a couple veggie gardening teachers in the Portland, OR area, but (to my knowledge) they don't come across the river to Vancouver, WA. So what are my 'Couv clients to do? Something like this GrowVeg.com may be just the ticket.

The program is a 'cloud' application… meaning there is no software to buy or install on your home computer. You access the program and save your file on GroVeg's system 'in the cloud'.

The service has a 30-day free trial period, and a year's subscription is only $25. You'd pay that much for a good book! I am looking forward to doing a demo. If anyone has tried this service, please post a comment and let the rest of us know how you liked it.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - March 2011

2011-03-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

The 15th of each month is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day where we who blog about gardens or gardening show photos of what is blooming around us.

Here in Vancouver, WA (zone 8), things are beginning to wake up.

Above is Pieris japonica. Not sure which cultivar. This shrub is ubiquitous in this area, but sited and pruned properly, it can be a good structure plant growing well in part sun/part shade conditions. Some can take a good bit of sun, but none I can think of thrive in western exposure. Some can handle a great deal of shade.

Above is Camellia japonica. Again, not sure which cultivar this is. Love the stripes! This one is thriving on the northeast side of the house. Most camellias don't enjoy west sun exposure either.

Above is one of my favorite winter flowers… cyclamen. This one is Cyclamen coum which blooms usually starting in late January or early February. Its cousin c. hederifolium blooms in fall… usually starting in mid-September around here. I love to use c. coum below deciduous shrubs (like red-twig dogwood). Cyclamen coum along with other very early blooming bulbs and some rocks produce nice winter interest. And the blue flower here is another ubiquitous PNW plant… vinca minor. It is pretty, but can become invasive.

Finally, I realize this is not actually 'blooming', but I just love this Nandina domestic 'Gulf Stream). This is my favorite nandina because of it's tidy habit and spectacular flaming winter foliage.

Butterfly Bush… GREAT NEWS!

2011-03-03T14:38:00.001-08:00

Breaking news!

I just saw this article on the Daily Digger (the blog of Oregon Association of Nurseries) that the Oregon Department of Agriculture recently approved seven butterfly bush selections. They are:

FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Blueberry Cobbler Nectar Bush
FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Peach Cobbler Nectar Bush
FLUTTERBY™ Pink Nectar Bush
FLUTTERBY PETITE™ Snow White Nectar Bush
FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Sweet Marmalade Nectar Bush
FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Tangerine Dream Nectar Bush
FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Vanilla Nectar Bush

Most of you Pacific Northwest gardeners know that Buddleja davidii & B. varabilis have been banned from sale because they love our local climate so much that they have become pests… meaning they are invasive. The seven cultivars listed above have been approved because they produce almost no seed.

This is a happy day for everyone who loves this shrub. :-)

Potager Gardens

2011-03-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

For a few years now, I've been suggesting potager gardens to my clients. It's a sort of prettied-up veggie garden which generally has attractive hardscaping, and perhaps art (like an urn with a topiary or a statue or fountain) and can include perennial flowers. Edging the area with evergreen shrubs (and the hardscaping) keeps the bed from looking too stark in the wintertime.

They are great when placed very near the closest door to one's kitchen… for convenience, of course. Lots of people object to a vegetable garden right there where they'd be entertaining, but a potager is a veggie garden with beauty, style and class. It would be a lovely addition to any entertaining area… IMHO. And so many people would walk just a few steps outside their back door to clip herbs, but not go all the way across the yard. Remember… outta sight, outta mind. :-)

So today I ran across this great article on potager gardens at Kitchen Gardeners International's Facebook page. I love it that I'm not the only one trying to promote this type of garden! The beautiful illustration here is by Stephanie Cope and is from the article. It seems that what is being suggested by the article's reference is quite a bit larger than what most people around here have room for. For people with small spaces, I recommend having their potager be merely herbs, a tomato, maybe a cuke, and a good amount of lettuce. That is really all you need for salads and basic cooking, and they are among the easiest edibles to grow (at least in my neck of the woods).

I couldn't agree more with the article that a potager is a great way to 'eat local'. Doesn't get more local than from your own backyard! And as the article suggests, a potager needs to be planned for succession and care taken to rotate plant placement as you would in any veggie garden. If you're interested in creating a potager of your own, Google the term 'how to make a potager garden' for a ton of resources from books to design guides and much more.

2011 Yard Garden & Patio Show

2011-02-14T17:12:00.000-08:00

Don't miss this year's show! It's the best garden show in the greater Portland, OR area.

For more info about the show, and to print off a $2 off coupon on the price of admission go HERE.

There will be plants to buy, garden art, garden services (like mine), garden & patio related STUFF (like decks, fences, trellises, hot tubs, and so much more). There is good food plus both beer and wine gardens. And there are the BEST display gardens to inspire you to get out there and play in your garden!

I'll be in booth #972, and I'd love to see past and present clients as well as my local Facebook friends and blog followers. Anyone else who wants to see what I can do to help them with their gardening endeavors… COME ON DOWN!

Corn Gluten — new info

2011-02-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

Also in today's Google feeds… and also from Lawn Reform Coalition… was an interesting article about corn gluten called A Caution About Corn Gluten by Tom Christopher.

I've recommended corn gluten as an organic weed suppressor based on things I've read. And I've tried it with marginal results. Yes, it's organic, but in my opinion it really doesn't work that well. But this article gives me a better reason to be reserved about recommending it's use.

I found it very interesting that corn gluten has nitrates that function as fertilizer. If you pay attention to Tom's math you will see that using corn gluten as prescribed will provide much more nitrate fertilizer to a lawn than it can possibly use.

From the article Tom says,

"What happens to the excess nitrates from the corn gluten meal? They increase the susceptibility of your lawn to diseases and pests, they leach away to pollute local waterways, and they escape into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas."

Yikes! I'm with Tom. I think lawn turf should be treated as a ground cover (see his article)… selecting the right type of grass for the conditions you have. Or selecting some OTHER ground cover if you don't have conditions suitable for turf grass. And yes, we should be more tolerant of 'weeds'. Some are good… like clover (see my previous post on that topic) which can be a good thing.

School's native garden project

2011-02-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

I'm culling through my Google news/blog feed today. Lots of good stuff to share, and this article is tops!

Guest blogger Pam Penick's GREAT contribution to the Lawn Reform Coalition Blog. An article called School Transforms Lawn into a Native Plant Garden. The photo at right is from Pam's article.

The article documents a school's quest to turn a dull, boring courtyard into a native plant wonderland that is beautiful, functional, and an asset to the school and community.

Check it out and be inspired!

Aspen trees — what's not to like?

2011-02-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

Every now and then a client requests quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides) be included in their urban or suburban residential landscape design. And since I design mostly for DIY clients, I tell them I will not write in 'aspen' on a plan because I don't recommend these trees for urban or suburban residential situations, but of course they are free to replace anything I recommend with whatever they want.

So why don't I like these trees?

I DO like them. They are gorgeous in the fall… up in the mountains where there is lots of open land. They bring back fond memories of the years I spent as a ski bum in Summit County, Colorado. Ah the 70s! :-)

But I just saw an article about them in Garden Design that refreshed my mind about why they aren't appropriate trees for suburbia. It is entitled Botanical Superlatives: The Largest Forest of One (photo here is from the article by Scottks1/Flickr). The article tells how this very stand of aspen trees in the Fishlake National Forest in southern Utah is ALL ONE ORGANISM covering more than 100 acres and aged at 80,000 years old. Yes, you see many individual trees here, but each one is a genetic clone of it's neighbor, and they are all connected to a single massive root system under ground. Individual trees above the ground may die, but the root system lives on and produces new trees above the ground. And it continues to spread.

This… what you see in the photo above… is what you will start if you plant an aspen tree in your yard. Yes, it's pretty. But is it being a responsible neighbor to plant something that WILL invade your neighbor's yard? I know that evil bamboo can be contained (I personally love bamboo). I have never heard of aspen being contained. I will look in to that. If it can, perhaps that would be a good strategy.

But there are other reasons why I'm not a fan of aspen for urban or suburban use. Aspens are only pretty when they are young (my opinion). As they age, their beautiful pale bark becomes dark with fissures. And as they age, because aspen's wood is very brittle most of them suffer at least a fair amount of breakage over time… not good if you live in a windy area like we have in the Columbia Gorge area. Aspens are are affected by a host of conditions, most notably aspen and poplar leaf spot, leaf shoot blight, and leaf rusts… all caused by fungi that love wet conditions which we have in springtime around here as they are leafing out. And just to add one more nail to the my aspen coffin, they are better suited to higher elevation than we have here on the banks of the Columbia River near Portland, OR.

If you live at lower elevation, and have an urban or suburban residential lot, I ask you to consider an alternative to quaking aspen. If it's the trembling leaves that you love take a look at Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura) -- photo at right. It plays nice in the neighborhood, grows to about the same stature as does the aspen; has stronger wood than does aspen so is at least moderately wind-tolerant; has fall foliage that is yellow to apricot with touches of lavender which when crushed smells of burnt sugar.

So, please, let's leave aspens to live wild and free in the mountains. There are plenty other types of trees that you can learn to love around your home in the city.

Today's topic — Microclimates

2011-02-13T13:38:00.001-08:00

It's that time of the year when I try to publish some information that may be useful to my clients. I went through my list of topics and chose microclimates. Hope this helps you understand the microclimates in your yard.

Microclimates

A microclimate is a smaller area of a yard that experiences somewhat different climate conditions than the larger surrounding area. It can be natural or man-made; accidental or deliberate. Your house, other buildings, fences, arbors, trees, etc. are all elements that can create microclimates which can work for or against your gardening endeavors.

Some microclimate examples:

Direct sunlight hitting a wall will cause the area close to the wall to be significantly warmer than the area that is just a short distance away.
Areas below roof overhangs tend to stay a few degrees warmer in winter… protecting from frost… than the area farther away from the house.
On a windy site, a grouping of trees can create a quiet area on it’s leeward side.
A large, dense shade tree can significantly cool the air and ground below it.

All plants have basic needs. Appropriate air flow, temperature, sunlight, water, nutrients, and protection from pests. Plants can suffer in microclimates to which they are not suited. And by the same token, a microclimate can created specifically for the purpose of pampering special plants. Understanding microclimates can help you situate your plants in appropriate places, and enable you to grow some plants you might not otherwise be able to grow in your USDA zone. Similarly, they can force you to choose a more limited variety of plants… only those able to tolerate more extreme conditions.

Though microclimates can be found wherever it is you garden, I will be talking about gardening near the 45th parallel in the Pacific Northwest, so some of my technical points may be slightly off depending on your base climate and latitude. Where I am located, we have a Mediterranean climate which provides a lot of rain during the winter half of the year, and almost no rain at all during the summer months. Temperatures are moderate during fall, winter, and spring, and can be quite warm in summer.

Microclimates around your house

Microclimates can be found all around your yard, particularly near built structures. Your house is likely to be the largest built structure on your property, and it creates 4 distinct sun-related microclimates… one on each side of the house. And since they are such universal microclimates for all gardeners (most everyone has a house on their lot), let’s explore sun exposure in more depth.

Eastern exposure
In my opinion, an eastern exposure (particularly if it is slightly southeast) is the easiest in which to garden here in the PNW. In summertime, because of our latitude, this exposure can get a good 6 hours of sun by the time your house shades out the garden area near it. That is almost a full sun condition. So many plants appreciate a lots of sun with late afternoon shade.

In summer, an eastern exposure will be bright and warm in the morning, then pleasantly cool and shady in the afternoon. It will be pleasant to chilly the rest of the year. And if all of your yard has similar soil composition, an eastern exposure microclimate generally has slightly wetter soil than a south or west one, but not as moist as a north one.

The east side of a home is a good place for a breakfast or dinner patio.

Note: Most of the plants listed below would be OK with brief southern exposure before being shaded for the afternoon.

Plants for eastern exposure:

ajuga, astilbe, azalea, bleeding heart, boxwood, camellia, clethra, columbine, daphne, epimedium, fern, fuchsia, hellebore, hemlock, heuchera, hosta, hydrangea, Japanese maple, kerria, kinnickinnick, liriope, Oregon grape, peony, pieris, redbud, rhododendron, sarcococca, skimmia, spruce, witch hazel, yew.

Southern exposure
A southern exposure is generally best for any plant requiring full sun, particularly edible plants and herbs. The absolute best exposure would be southeast especially if there is protection from west sun.

In summer, a southern exposure will be warm to hot all day as long as the sun is shining. It will be pleasant to warm the rest of the year. But beware of planting plants too close to the house with a southern exposure. The sun reflected off a south-facing wall can the bake plants next to it. And if all of your yard has similar soil composition, a south exposure microclimate generally has dryer soil than east or north, but not as dry as west.

The south side of a home is a good place for growing food, lounging, playing, or a pool.

Plants for southern exposure:

barberry, birch, cedar (true), coneflower, crape myrtle, cypress, daylily, dogwood, false cypress, fuchsia, geranium, hebe, holly, juniper, kinnickinnick, lavender, lilac, lily, liriope, magnolia, maples, nandina, New Zealand flax, ninebark, oak, ornamental grasses (many), pine, red-twig dogwood, rose, spruce, thyme, vegetables & fruits (most), viburnum, willow.

Northern exposure
A northern exposure will get little to no direct sunlight near the house. But due to PNW latitude, if this exposure is open to east and west, there will be a shot of sun in early morning and in late afternoon May through August. Most northern exposures will also have wet soil, meaning moss. It’s good to find a way to embrace the moss because fighting it can be frustrating and costly.

A northern exposure will be cool to chilly most of the year. And because it requires use of shade-loving plants if a northern exposure gets any amount of direct western sun, those plants can bake. Unfortunately, the residential development world has decided that streets need to mostly head north-south or east-west. And that causes most homes to be aligned more or less perfectly with the compass points. This sets up most home-owners for the most difficult of all exposures (at least in the PNW): north that is open to the west. When this happens the north-facing shade plants will struggle (and often bake) in summer’s hot afternoon sun. When I come across this situation, I generally recommend planting a tree to provide shade in the late afternoon.

In summer a northern exposure will be shady and cool except for late afternoons when it will be warm to hot if open to the west. It will be be chilly, damp and shaded the rest of the year. And if all of your yard has similar soil composition, a north exposure microclimate generally has significantly wetter soil than all other exposures.

The north side of a home is a good place to cool off in the summertime.

Note: The plants listed below would all be damaged by really any direct hit of western sun; plan some sort of protection if your northern exposure is open to the west.

Plants for northern exposure:

astilbe, azalea, bleeding heart, boxwood, clethra, columbine, cyclamen (hardy), epimedium, European ginger, ferns, gaultheria, heuchera, hosta, hydrangea, kerria, leucothoe, liriope, moss, mountain laurel, oak, oregon grape, pieris, rhododendron, sarcococca, skimmer, trillium, witch hazel, yew.

Western exposure
To me it’s a toss-up whether north or west exposure is more problematic. Summer, western sun here in the PNW is brutal… intense, hot and of long daily duration due to our latitude. Many plants will burn up in a western exposure microclimate, particularly if up close to a wall. There are plants which thrive in the heat, but unfortunately, not many enjoy our very wet winters. The secret to growing these types of plants is perfect drainage.

If you have a western exposure, you have a couple choices. You can amend the soil to make it extremely well-draining and plant xeric and succulents plants. Or you can create shade by planting trees or building arbors. And as mentioned in the previous section, be particularly mindful of a northern exposure open to the west.

In summer, a western exposure will be almost intolerably hot in later afternoon. It will be be cool in the morning and pleasant in the afternoon the rest of the year. And if all of your yard has similar soil composition, a west exposure microclimate generally has significantly dryer soil than north and east, and slightly more dry than south.

The west side of a home is a good place those who enjoy baking in the sun, but for me, it always is in need of remedy (at least near the house).

Note: The plants listed below may tolerate (and even enjoy) less then hot, full-sun conditions… meaning receiving some shade… but they’ll do better without shade. Most things labeled full sun and drought-tolerant should do well.

Plants for western exposure:

artemisia, coneflower, coreopsis, crape myrtle, holly, juniper, lavender, manzanita, maples (many), oak, ornamental grasses (many), rosemary, salvia, santolina, sedum, chicks ‘n’ hens, cactus, thyme (and many other herbs), vitex, yarrow

Other built structures
The above sun exposure information holds true for pretty much all built structures… fences, sheds, arbors, trellises, pergolas, etc. Just understand that though these structures may be smaller than a house, the microclimates they create, though smaller, may be just as intense.

The south- or west-facing side of a structure creating an area of higher heat and/or drought could be a good thing if you’re trying to create a warmer place in which to try to grow plants that would otherwise be considered annual in your zone… or start veggies in early spring. The east-facing side is most benign. And a northern exposure, creating a more-or-less permanent cool shadow (unless the exposure is open to the west), can be the most challenging situation.

Other things that can create microclimates

Shade
The shade produced by trees creates a microclimate below them and on the opposite side of the sun’s exposure. Coniferous trees create permanent shady microclimates while deciduous trees create seasonal ones. And of course the type of trees, their age, how many trees are grouped together, and how the trees have been pruned can alter the amount and density of the shady microclimate associated with them.

A shade microclimate can cool the area below it a little or a lot depending on the shade’s density. Shade also causes an increase in relative humidity (in non-windy areas), and that greater air humidity enables the shaded soil to retain more of it’s moisture as compared to soil in full sun.

Deciduous trees that have high or thin canopies producing dappled, light or filtered shade:

birch (some), honey locust, oak, silk tree, tilia, tulip tree

Deciduous trees that create dense shade:

beech, catalpa, English walnut, maples (most… but stay away from Norway maples), sourwood, sweet gum, zelkova

Conifers produce shade depending on their habit and form. As they grow older, most conifers spread out a bit… often losing their youthful form… doesn’t THAT sound familiar? And older conifers also generally have higher canopies causing there to be less shade directly below them.

Wind
Wind can be damaging and drying. Damage can include slight tattering, complete breakage, and desiccation. Depending on your climate and location, you may have to deal with wind seasonally or constantly. Wind can also remove precious topsoil or mulch.

Windbreaks can enable you to grow more things on a windy site, and also make you more comfortable utilizing landscape elements such as patios or decks. There is nothing worse than having too much wind while you’re trying to enjoy a meal! A windbreak can be a fence or structure (shed, house, arbor, lattice, etc.), or it can be plants. Depending on your needs, if you choose plants, either shrubs or trees can be used; just be careful to choose wind-tolerant varieties.

Wind-tolerant trees and shrubs:

arborvitae, ash, false cypress (some), cypress, elm, fir (not Douglas), Hawthorne, juniper, lilac, madrone, maple, ninebark, oak, red cedar, spruce (many), tulip poplar, pine (white and scott’s), willow

Moisture
When it comes to microclimates, the soil’s moisture content isn’t really a climate thing, but it can be modified by the things that create microclimates, so I think it is always a factor to consider. I include it here because the things we’ve discussed so far not only have the power to alter temperature and wind, but they can also affect the soil’s moisture content, which affects your ability to grow plants anywhere.

Assuming consistent soil composition throughout your yard, in microclimates that create shade, soil will be more moist than it would be outside the microclimate area. Conversely, in a blazing, hot, west exposure microclimate, the soil will be more dry.

Slope and it’s compass orientation also affect the soil’s moisture. Since water flows down hill, soil at the top of a rise will be more dry then in the bottom of the valley. A slope facing south or west will be dryer than a slope that faces north because of the angle of the sun. South-facing slopes create a full-sun situation on the slope. East- and west-facing slopes create more of a part-sun situation. North-facing slopes (depending on steepness) can produce shade the same as the north side of a house.

Take a walk around your yard and evaluate your microclimate areas. Depending on use, design, and plant selection, these areas can work for you in ways you’ve not previously considered. Perhaps you’ll find the perfect spot for a shady retreat from the blazing summer afternoon; for a sunny breakfast with the morning paper; to create a windbreak so you can actually use your patio or deck; or to locate a cold frame for starting veggies in early spring.

EXTRA! — Fun online tool.
Sun Position Calculator
Here is a handy internet tool that will show you the sun pattern at your house:
http://www.sunearthtools.com/dp/tools/pos_earth.php
You’ll need to know your Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) offset… here in Portland, OR (Pacific Zone) we are –7 GMT offset (that is minus seven). If you know your location’s coordinates, type them into that box. If you don’t know them, click on the pushpin icon that you can see on the small clip of map (even though it’s not your house). That jumps you to a larger map where you can move the pushpin to be on your house or enter your address in the block called ‘location:’

Once you get your house on the map and see the sun’s rays, you can change the date to see how the sun direction changes throughout the year.

Another calculator is:
http://pvcdrom.pveducation.org/SUNLIGHT/SUNCALC.HTM

You will need to know your longitude/latitude coordinates to use this one, but that will be given to you on the previous calculator once you locate your house.

I particularly like this calculator because the illustration is as if you are laying on your back, looking at the sky with your feet pointing south, your head north. You use slider bars to animate the little grid to show how the sun travels over a single day, a week, a month, a year.

Both of these tools together can greatly help you understand the sun patterns and microclimates around your house.

by Beth Goodnight
© 2011, Goodnight Design

Winter Diversions

2011-01-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

Seems like everyone I know is talking about needing a break from this dreary weather. Dreary weather is status quo here in the PNW on the west side of the Cascades in the wintertime.

Most people seem to want sunny, warm escapes. But if you don't mind the cold, and simply want a different experience than sitting at home, Sunset magazine has some suggestions for you. Check out their recent article Great Winter Trips in the West.

The article has suggestions for snowy getaways, beauty and solitude, fun towns, and ski towns. The photo here is from their section on Northern California getaways.

For we in the Vancouver/Portland area, there are some great relatively close-by options such as Mt. Hood, Bend, both WA and OR coasts, Portland, and Seattle. So check it out, then get going. A change of scenery (even if it's simply a day trip to a different neighborhood) could be just what you need to brighten your winter outlook.

Do you have a favorite winter getaway? I'd love to hear some more suggestions.

Rain Barrels Are Beautiful

2011-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Rain barrels are not new. And I'm pretty sure this one at right is not a new product. But I stumbled upon it last week as I was browsing. But seeing as how we've just entered our rainy season here in Portland/Vancouver (though it seems as if we've been in the rainy season for months now, eh?), this subject is quite timely.

We have all seen those ugly blue behemoths. I try to get my clients to embrace the rain barrel thing. But so many think of 'big blue' when I suggest a rain barrel, and they say no thanks to that kind of ugliness in their yard. Well, they MUST see these (one is pictured at right) from Gardener's Supply Company. It looks like terra cotta, but is not. It's UV-stable, scratch- and chip-resistant polyethylene, and they offer several variations. I think they are beautiful.

Other rain barrel resources include:

Here are a couple of local resources:

For those of you who are REALLY serious about capturing and using your rain, check out RainTech's RainSpace. Xanadu!
And… about all things concerned with conserving rain in the Portland, OR area -- Portland Purple Water.

Saving rainwater for later use in the garden is a very smart idea, and most people have space for a barrel of some sort. Now that we've seen they can be attractive, let's all give them a try.

Calling All (Urban) Farmers!

2011-01-04T18:44:00.001-08:00

There is an great organization here in Vancouver, WA called Urban Abundance.
MyUrbanAbundance.org.

Their mission: creating and sharing urban-raised bounty.
Their vision: an urban landscape filled with abundance.
Their strategy: planning, planting, harvesting and sharing stories.

The organization is starting a new program called Urban Farmer's Co-op that will offer urban growers a gateway to the marketplace by providing a staffed vendor booth along with accounting and marketing management for co-op members' produce. This booth will be located in the heart of Uptown Village at the new Urban Growers Market. This new co-op will make it easy for you to live out your dream of being a farmer without leaving the city limits!

If you or anyone you know has interest in this program, they can attend an organizational meeting as follows:
What: Urban Farmer's Co-op Information Session
When: Monday, January 24 or February 7, 2011 • 6:30-8:00 pm
Where: Minnehaha Grange Hall, 4905 NE St. Johns Blvd., Vancouver, WA

For more info contact: Maika Horjus • Maika@myurbanabundance.org • 360‐909‐9012
or visit MyUrbanAbundance.org and click the left-hand navigation under the Programs heading item called Urban Farmers Coop.

Check it!

Black Spot… not what you think!

2011-01-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

As I was sifting through the blogs I follow, I saw a posting at Garden Rant referencing the Renegade Gardener's annual High Spot / Black Spot Awards.

And you thought I was going to talk about roses. Fooled ya! :-)

I generally like Renegade's site, and his design and gardening principles are mostly in line with my own. But as you read his articles, be aware that he gardens in Minnesota (zones 2-4). We PNWers (particularly those of us in warmer zones) can get away with some things he can't. And by the same token, we need to be mindful of some issues unique to our climate. What is true for zone 2 may not necessarily be true for zone 8. And what may be true for PNW zone 8 many not necessarily be true for East Coast zone 8.

But with that preface, I love Renegade's yearly awards. And in this year's missive I like the high spot award about lawns… it's the next to last item (you'll have to scroll down) titled 'Best Sign We Win A Small Battle Once In Awhile: Ace Hardware Magazine Rewrites Lawn Fertilizer Copy'.

Like Renegade, I am glad to see a mainstream entity like ACE change their opinion/advice about what is best for lawns. After all, things, situations, etc. DO change over time as society, culture, science, and our world evolves.

I'm sorry I don't have a link to the ACE article itself… I'm not a member of ACE Rewards. But you can read about Renegade's 4-step lawn fertilization myth by following the link at the end of his ACE article entry.

Christmas Visitors

2010-12-25T21:21:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas (winter holiday… whatever you want to call it). Steve and I had a very nice and QUIET day at home. We lazed around, opened presents, watched endless episodes of House Hunters on HGTV, and of course… we ate.

Twelve pound turkey for 2. Yep, that sounds about right. Plus taters and gravy, roasted Brussels sprouts, and orange/pineapple flavored candied yams. For dessert was cranberry-almond molded salad with cream cheese dressing. Definitely feeling too fat for my yoga pants. :-o

We have a few feeders hung from a good old-fashioned Crataegus (hawthorn) tree, so we also did a bit of bird watching. Hawthorn is a great tree for birds… offering not only food, but cover.

[Aside: hawthorn berries are good eats for humans as well. The berries are used to make jams, liquors and other confections, and both berries and leaves have medicinal properties.]

Lately, we've seen a few birds that we've not previously see around here. So I've had my camera set up on a tripod at the kitchen sink window for a few days now in hopes of capturing the little buggers… I mean birdies… on film… well, not film… pixels. It's been a challenge to cook (well, to clean up) with the camera in this critical location. But we HAVE birds… so we MUST watch. :-)

This yellow and black bird (above) is one I've not seen anywhere I have ever lived (though I know they're not rare). I believe it's a Townsend's warbler (male), and seems to be only interested in the suet. I've seen at least 3 pair of these birds over the last week or so.

We've had lots of Stellar's Jays (above) over the past several months, too. Nowhere we've lived since coming here to Vancouver, WA has had appropriate habitat for these jays to stick around very long. They need conifer forest very nearby, and even though we are solidly in the 'burbs, we are in a neighborhood rife with Thuja plicata (western redcedar) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir).

I simply adore their coloration. Generally they seem to be quite timid, but we've put seeds in the window-box under the kitchen window, and these jays come to eat and even peck at the window. Such bravado! It's just great to see them up close and personal.

This time of year we also have the ubiquitous junkos, sparrows, and house finches. A smattering of thrushes, the silly robins who forgot to fly south for the winter, titmice, pine siskins, nuthatches, chickadees (both black-capped and chestnut-backed). And occasionally we see towhees, goldfinches, downy woodpeckers and northern flickers. And we have a couple resident Anna's hummingbirds, too.

But treat of all treats arrived today… a gaggle of evening grosbeaks (above)! I think there are 9 here, but ultimately I counted 12 birds… 6 pair. I've not seen these birds in years. Again, it could be a question of not having the right habitat.

They hung around for an hour or so. What a wonderful Christmas gift!

I hope you had a lovely day… fat and happy… just like our birds.

Yogurt… see update

2010-12-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

I have just updated my initial yogurt post/recipe because I have learned a thing or 2 about Greek-style yogurt since that time. The entire post is updated, so you don't have to remember what I said previously. On the old yogurt post, whatever I wanted to change is now changed.

I'm just loving making yogurt. Now I'm so addicted to my own yogurt that even the best store-bought Greek-style yogurts don't taste good to me. And I am blown away by how many of them have so many additives.

I know food is supposed to be simply fuel for our bodies. But golly gee! GOOD food just makes eating soooooooooo much more fun!

Updated yogurt recipe — HERE

Holiday Decor

2010-12-14T11:42:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again! And though there are those among us (we know who we are :-) who don't thrive at this time of the year, here are some things/ideas that may bring joy and contentment. Well, I like them.

Our friends at Sunset Magazine have some good decorating ideas… as usual (photo at right from their site). Check out 72 Holiday Decorating Ideas in the December 2010 issue.

I particularly like this wreath idea… using this and that from your garden (above) complete with how-to.

Another tab in the article refers to eco-savvy lights. LED lighting has been around for a while, and I've never been too much a fan for how it looks compared with most traditional options. But you'll see there are some very nice choices now… including rechargeable options… and not all of them cast that extra-terrestrial-blue-white glare.

Another tab in the article will jump you to garden spruce-ups. Lots of good ideas there.

My only beef with the article (and seems to be status quo for other design pubs for that matter) is that when an article mentions specific plants it doesn't (always) include the USDA planting zone for the project or botanical plant names.

The common name for a plant in one locale doesn't necessarily refer to the same plant in another location (part of the country). And a specific look is often unattainable by readers in a different planting zone simply because they can't grow those plants. While the design may be wonderful and inspiring, it may not have relevance to a lot of readers. Even pubs that do have separate regions (as does Sunset) need to understand that there is generally a range of planting zones in every region. At the very least, for an article listing specific plants the publisher could have a sidebar or end note listing appropriate plant substitutions for colder and/or warmer zones. And please, provide the botanical names so inexperienced gardeners can be sure they're asking for what they actually want.

Sorry to get on my high horse there, but it's one of my hot-button issues. I can't tell you how much more difficult my job is, at times, as I try to figure out what a client means when they talk about their 'mopheads'… only to find they're not referring to hydrangeas. :-o

But back to LED lighting.

Last weekend Steve and I attended our boat club's holiday brunch. There was one of those gift exchanges where the first person selects a gift and the next person can steal the gift or select something from the pile… and so on.

I ended up with a beautiful candle… that was real wax and LED which was NOT that un-earthly white glare, and it FLICKERED just like a real candle. And, it has a timer! It'd be even better if it was rechargeable, but heck, this is a vast step forward in decor technology for me, so… I'll take it! And THANK YOU! :-)

I may be a little behind the times here… haven't purchased decor items in eons. I had no idea LED candles had evolved to such standards. I have not used 'real' candles in ages because of safety issues… curious cat… my forgetfulness. But I adore candles. The one I received is from Enjoy Lighting (shown above; photo is from their site). I see they are available at Target, Michael's and several other places.

Excellent! I may be ready to decorate now.

Ever-BLUE

2010-11-16T17:51:00.001-08:00

I'm going to have to post here more than once a month if this blog is going to be successful, eh? :-)

Up until about a week ago, this is what I've been seeing out my kitchen window. Lovely!… and thank you neighbor for planting cool stuff for me to admire from across the fence.

What makes this scene particularly appealing is the color contrast. It was nice all summer when the background trees were green, but now the contrasting colors really make a stunning display.

The blue conifer is a Colorado blue spruce… Picea pungens. I'm not sure which cultivar.

The color blue is fairly rare in the garden… particularly as a foliage color. It seems a lot of people choose red/purple foliage plants over blue ones for some reason. And granted, all piceas I know of make lots of pollen in late spring and drip sap rendering them less than desirable for many small-lot situations where there might be a car, walkway or patio below it.

Most people think of Picea pungens as huge trees. But surprise! There are many smaller, tidy cultivars… one of which will fit into most situations. And plant breeders create slimmer and bluer ones every now and then.

Not all blue spruces are as blue as the one shown above… and some are more silver, but you can see how much interest is provided by adding blue to the landscape. In some lighting conditions, the tree in the scene above just sparkles. There are many cultivars of Picea pungens that vary wildly in shape and size from dwarf to huge. Below are some of my favorites:

'Baby Blue Eyes'
'Fat Albert'
'Gerald's Dwarf'
'Hoopsii'
'Iseli Fastigate'
'St. Mary's Broom'
'The Blues'

Cover Crops

2010-10-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

As I paged through the current edition of Horticulture magazine I came across a great article… Cover Up by Alice McGowan… (and timely for one of my clients) about cover crops and how they can benefit the ornamental and veggie garden alike. Unfortunately, Horticulture doesn't seem to archive their articles (even for subscribers) online, so if you don't get the pub, you won't be able to read the article… unless you go to the library. So for those of you who can't read the article, I'll explain.

Cover crops… known as 'green manure'… were initially used by farmers (dating back some 2,500 years) to rest a field and improve the soil's fertility and tilth. In the past century, farmers have moved away from using cover crops in favor of using chemical fertilizers and keeping fields in production all the time. (My note: this practice is destroying our farmland. We can't take, take, take from the land. We must also give back. That is part of what sustainability is about. –BG)

In a natural ecosystem, plant material would die as part of the plant's life cycle, falling to the earth, and composting in place, eventually creating nice humus and fertility for the soil. This humus binds together nutrients and water and contributes to good soil structure… which in turn contributes to the earth's water-holding capacity.

Cover crops are specific plants that grow rapidly and densely and do a good job keeping weeds at bay, holding soil in place, and improving soil structure and/or fertility depending on what crop is being used. They improve tilth in all types of soil… especially in sandy ones. And if you are among those in our area with hard clay soil, it's interesting that planting a deep-rooted cover crop for 2 consecutive seasons can effectively break up hardpan (that is VERY hard… like a rock… clay).

Cover crops function as slow-release fertilizers; they combat both wind and water erosion; their roots prevent soil compaction, increase aeration and provide food for microorganisms. They also contribute bio-mass and some cover crops may attract or repel insect pests. And areas covered with this 'green manure' generally dries out more quickly in the spring, enabling earlier planting.

Plant cover crops in summer or fall, but if planting in fall, be sure to sow seeds at least 4 weeks before the first hard frost. And for us, at this writing, that window is just about closed… zone 8… first hard frost generally occurs between Oct. 30-Nov. 30. The best seed germination occurs between 50° and 60° F.

There are good uses for cover crops in the ornamental landscape as well as in the veggie garden. As previously mentioned, they can help break up clay soil, and improve overly sandy soils. I like to recommend their use when doing a large landscape remodel if the homeowner lacks the resources to plant everything immediately. Often, after installing the hardscape many homeowners are massively disappointed with how much weeding they have to do almost immediately… even if they've applied an adequate amount of mulch. Planting a cover crop over large areas they can't get planted immediately can really help out on many levels. And many cover crops are nice looking… and not invasive!

Cover crops can be annual or perennial, and come in a range of heights. To choose the right crop for your needs, think about how long you want/need the crop to be in place. If you're using it in your veggie garden, how long can you spare that bed? If you're using it in the landscape, the soil problem you are trying to remedy will help you decide which crop to plant.

Some cover crops have 'allelopathic' attributes, meaning they release chemicals into the soil that affects the germination, growth, etc. of other plants (like weeds). Fagopyrum esculentum (Buckwheat) is one such plant. Buckwheat also attracts bees which should be a welcome pollinator in everyone's garden.

So… what are some good cover crops?

Avena sativa (Oats). Fast-growing and dies over the winter making them a good choice if you want to plant right over (after cutting short) in spring.

Lolium multiflorum (Rye). A very sturdy crop that is not killed in winter, so needs to be tilled in well before spring planting.

Sorghum bicolor (Sudan grass). Provides excellent bio-mass because it can be 12' tall, but it can be too much for those with smaller lots.

Trifolium pratense (Red clover). A a cool-season short-lived perennial crop that 'fixes' nitrogen into the soil once the clover dies. See my previous post about red clover.

For more info on cover crops contact your local Extension or Master Gardener Hotline or Territorial Seed Company.

A Crop For All Seasons... or at least 2 seasons

2010-09-01T10:00:00.001-07:00

Did you know that there are warm-season and cool-season crops? Below is a short list of plants according to their 'season'. It might help you while you're planning next season's veggie garden.

Warm-season crops need to be planted after danger of frost is past and after the soil has warmed up and dried out a bit. They will not grow below 50°F, and are damaged or killed by frost. They include: bean, cucumber, eggplant, melon, pepper, pumpkin, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato.

Cool-season crops germinate in cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Many are tolerant of frost. Veggies that are NOT injured by light frost include: asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leek, onion, pea, radish, rhubarb, shallot, spinach, turnip. Veggies that ARE injured by light frost but intolerant of temperatures much over 70°F include: beet, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard, Chinese cabbage, endive, lettuce, mustard, parsnip, potato, Swiss chard.

Starting A Organic Veggie Garden

2010-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a nice article by Kym Pokorny in September 2009 in the Oregonian (Portland, OR) about starting a veggie garden. Some may think... Good Grief! It's not the right time to START a veggie garden. But it really is... starting a garden begins with planning.

Planning is one of the most essential aspects to any successful garden... be it vegetable or ornamental. And because it just might be that you'll need to do some research, accumulate parts, tools or supplies, build raised beds... whatever... it's a good time to start thinking about spring's garden now... in September.

I think it might be a little too late for planting even cool-season crops, but don't fret. The list of DOs and DON'Ts (below) from the Oregonian article should help you figure out what you need to do to get ready for next growing season. (Note: I actually have rearranged the items in each list in order of either importance, or when you need to think about or do that particular thing.)

Start your planning now!

DO

Educate yourself
Make raised beds to warm up soil quickly
Install soaker hoses or drip irrigation
Choose disease-resistant plant varieties
Dig in compost, straw, manure before planting
Use cardboard covered with bark mulch or compost to control weeds
Use floating insect barriers
Use Neem oil or compost tea to control fungi
Buy a soil thermometer
Leave non-diseased plant debris and leaves on top of soil in fall

DON'T

Wing it
Buy disease-prone varieties
Plant into unamended soil
Plant into compacted soil
Plant warm-weather plants too soon
Leave soil bare
Use herbicides to get rid of weeds
Spray insecticides
Water with overhead sprinklers
Use fungicides

Dog-friendly Landscaping

2010-08-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sunset Magazine recently posted an article on their blog about landscaping with your dog in mind. It's not a new article, but there are good points that bear repeating. Check it out - Dog-friendly Landscaping

Understanding what your dog needs and then accommodating those needs in your landscape will make you both happier. The article has many photos of good ideas.

Produce Oasis Web Site

2010-08-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

I was searching for some information about Italian prune plums, and stumbled onto this site. What a great resource for nutritional information about fresh produce. For some items there is also info about specific varieties. Check it out at Produce Oasis Homepage

All Moved In

2010-08-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Has it been 2 weeks since the last post? Well, you can see it's been WAY longer. Sorry about that.

The move was not fun. Then came a summer cold. Then work (why does that get in the way when I'd rather be blogging or playing? :-). Then a week-long trip to Wisconsin with Steve to be there for my mother-in-law's heart surgery... which went well, and she's doing nicely now... thank you very much.

All of those things were packed into July. And then August... it's been a blur of trying to get unpacked and organized and get some design projects actually done. And you know it's harvest time! I've been putting up corn, green beans, okra, peaches and rhubarb into the freezer. And I've made peach, huckleberry, strawberry and plum jam. I'm just about out of storage space.

This is the first time I've ever done plum jam, and I must say, with just a splash of basalmic vinegar and a pinch of allspice.... it's DANGED GOOD!

I've got information new information and over the next few days/weeks will try to get the backlog of information posted.

I hope everyone has been having a wonderful summer!

Moving

2010-06-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
I'm going to be moving over these next 2 weeks, and may not have time to work on this blog.

I have so much information I'd like to post... stuff I've clipped or noted that I've wanted to archive in some way. I can't think of a better way than posting it here so many can learn. But it will take time for me to work my way though my stack of clippings. Hopefully, by end of summer I'll get it done, then I'll be only posting current stuff... not that my clippings are antique by any means. They're just from the past year of horticulture and design magazines and photos of my travels and my clients' yards.

I also still have to link the blog to my web site. It will get done... after the move.

Steve and I are leaving one rental house for another one in a nearby neighborhood. It's a little larger, but without the charming wood floors we love at this house. The neighborhood seems nice at first blush, and I'll have a yard to maintain again... after a 3-year hiatus from yard work at this house. It was almost incomprehensible to me to NOT do yard work. :-o But it is hard to get motivated to spend money on someone else's yard. And I do get lots of hands-on gardening in my practice. So no worries.

Out with the old, in with the new... on with the move!

Anthracnose

2010-06-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

The dogwood trees in my neighborhood all look terrible right now. At least the Cornus florida ones do because they're highly susceptible to getting anthracnose.

A plant that has anthracnose looks like the Cornus florida variegata (Variegated dogwood) shown at right. The telltale sign is shriveling from the bottom of the leaf tips.

Anthracnose is an airborne fungus and likes cool wet (and usually shady) conditions such as we've been having this spring in the greater Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area.

We usually tell homeowners to avoid overhead watering of species that are susceptible to this disease, but this spring nature all by itself made the conditions right for this pest to do it's damage.

If your tree, fruit or vegetable plants get this disease, prune out damaged/dead branches, clean up the fallen leaves, and dispose of all affected material. DO NOT COMPOST IT!!! It's best to keep the area beneath trees that are susceptible to this disease litter-free.

An even better plan is to not plant trees and food varieties that are susceptible to this disease. If you must have dogwood here in the PNW, choose a Kousa dogwood, it almost never gets anthracnose. Or plant your Florida dogwood in full sun, keep it pruned for good air circulation, and don't let it get over-spray from your irrigation system... and pray. :-)

There are plenty of trees, and food plants that don't get the disease. And as with many other ornamental and food plants, choosing varieties that aren't susceptible to the pests that live in your neck of the woods will make your gardening experience more trouble-free, less laborious, and more fun! Be a choosy gardener!

A good fact sheet with a list of shade trees that are susceptible to anthracnose is here.

Moss as Lawn

2010-06-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's Columbian there was an article in the Home & Garden section by Joe Lamp'l about using moss as a lawn substitute.

At right is Polytrichum commune (Common Hair Moss or Haircap moss)... I think it looks like baby pine trees. :-)

I'm guessing most of you think this is the silliest thing you've ever heard of. But consider some things. Moss grows where there is adequate rainfall, poor drainage, shady conditions and acid soil. If you live in the PNW as I do, this likely describes at least part of your yard.

People around here whine constantly that there is moss in their lawn. I've probably said this a thousand times to clients, students and friends... it's easier to work WITH Mother Nature than against her. She will always win the war if not the battle.

If you must have turf grass, at least put it where the sun shines. In the places where the sun don't shine (:-) and you have soggy, shady conditions, choose landscape options that will enable you to avoid the fights with Mother Nature.

In Joe's article he points out that moss sequesters carbon dioxide just as does turf grass. It also filters impurities from the air and holds a great deal of moisture. It does all of this without requiring all the chemicals and fertilizer that turf grass to keep it looking like most of us want it to look. And most moss is amazingly drought-tolerant. Yes, it goes dormant during drought periods just as does turf grass, but it generally comes back... just as does most turf grass.

Moss is an environmentally way to keep the yard green! Another way to keep the yard green is to plant clover, but that is another topic entirely.

The easiest way to get moss going is to just let it grow where it wants to grow, and go from there. Create a garden rather than a lawn in these places.

If you want to learn more interesting ways to cultivate moss and have it work for you in your garden, check out George Shenk's book Moss Gardening.

Top 5 Easy-to-Grow Antioxidants

2010-06-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

This info comes from Sunset (April 2010).

We all know anti-oxidants are important to our health. Here are 5 anti-oxidant-rich foods you can grow here in the PNW:

Apples (Red Delicious)
Artichokes
Blueberries
Garlic
Thyme

There are some exceptions, but as a rule most edible plants need to be planted in full sun.
They also appreciate well-drained soil. Many herbs are quite drought tolerant, while most other fruits and veggies require adequate water.

All of these plants should be available at your local independent nursery.

Not Too Late to Plant

2010-06-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

June is not too late to plant the following things:

Stringless snap beans -- bush or pole varieties
Cucumbers
Peppers -- sweet or hot varieites
Summer squash -- crookneck, pattypan and zucchini
Tomatoes -- stick to the smaller varieties with shorter maturation times

Look for varieties that have 75 or less days to maturity.

Potato Towers

2010-06-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

On June 2 in Fresh Dirt (Sunset Magazine's great gardening blog), was an update post to Johanna Silver's (Sunset test garden coordinator) article on growing potatoes in towers made out of reed screening.

Here is the initial article from March 2010 with instructions and photos. And a follow-up article here about the sprouting. Then just go to the most current page of the Fresh Dirt blog and scroll down to June 2 for the most recent photos.

This seems like a very interesting idea, but one thing may keep it from working so well here in the PNW... Johanna says this method is more water-intensive in hot weather. But it's interesting. Check it out.

Clover

2010-06-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Speaking of clover...

In the previous post I mentioned clover (Trifolium repens)... the weed we love to hate. We really need to get over our aversion to this amazing plant.

First of all... IT'S PRETTY!!! :-) The photo here is of red clover (Trifolium pratense), and it's a bit past it's prime in terms of bloom, but it's an amazing plant.

All clovers are legumes that pulls nitrogen out of the air, and store it in their roots. When the plant dies, the roots decay and the stored nitrogen is released back into the soil where it can be used by other plants. So see, clover is actually HELPING your gardening efforts.

I have read that clover used to be considered acceptable, if not desirable, in lawns until chemical manufacturers developed herbicides for broadleaf plants (ones that were considered UNdesirable in lawns). It was too problematic to create a broadleaf plant killer that wouldn't kill clover, too, so it got lumped into the 'undesirable' class of lawn weeds. It's unfortunate because clover is such a great plant.

Back to red clover. It's routinely used in farming as a cover crop. It's planted in the fall and stays green all winter, and then blooms as seen in the photo at right.

This is one of my recent client's new lawn-free front yard. On the right is a mass of red clover doing it's thing to keep other weeds at bay over the winter after the install of her hardscape. She will soon begin planting where the clover is. The clover will be mowed, allowed to dry in place, then topped with mulch.

I cannot take credit for this idea... particularly in suburbia on a front yard area. My main go-to installer dude came up with the idea, and my client loved it. Her neighbors were... ummmm... less than enthused. But she assured them it was not invasive and would be cut down in spring. And she told me that this spring she got several complements on how beautiful it was. Cool.

This, obviously, is not the same clover as you generally find in your lawn. But I think it's time we learned to like clover again. We live in a climate that is tough on turf grass (don't get me going on turf grass... perhaps I'll post more on that later)... our hot, dry summers. We may be facing a drought situation this summer and watering bans. If you had a clover yard, it'd stay green anyway.

Just a thought...

Here are some interesting things about red clover.

Eat Your Weeds

2010-06-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of gardening trivia from last month's Horticulture Magazine... an article by Peter Garnham, who is a Master Gardener, commercial grower of culinary herbs, and contributing editor for Horticulture Magazine.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) contains more omega-3 fally acid (alpha-linolenic acid in particular) than any other leafy vegetable plant.

Most people consider purslane a weed. It's been the bane of our existence since maybe ever since man took an interest in ornamental gardening.

But many weeds are edible, such as:

Taraxacum officinale -- dandelion
Stellaria media -- chickweed
Chenopodium album -- lambsquarters (one of the most nutritious weeds you can eat!)

Some weeds are good indicators of rich soil. Some are:

Cichorium intybus -- chicory
Amaranthus spp. -- pigweeds
Arctium minus -- burdock
Phytolacca americana -- pokeweed
Abutilon theophrasti -- velvetleaf
Daucus carota -- Queen Anne's lace
... as well as the aforementioned purslane, dandelion and lambsquarters.

Clover (Trifolium repens) is a weed we love to hate. But it really should be thought of as beneficial because it fixes nitrogen into the soil, is valuable for bees, stays green without irrigation in our dry summer, is drought resistant, can take mowing, and it makes flowers. What's NOT to like?!

Anyway... eat your weeds. They are good for you!

Yogurt -- UPDATED!!!!

2010-06-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

Note: This post... and recipe have been updated (12/15/10) from the initial posting.

_________________________

I've been eating yogurt for a long time, but I'm on a health kick right now. Though store-bought yogurt is a good thing, part of my interest is ceasing to use prepared foods. So I thought I'd give making my own yogurt a try.

If you check out the non-gardening topics section of the reading list on my web site (http://gnitedesign.com/reading.html)... it's at the bottom... I think you'll start to understand my current food interests.

So I searched the web for yogurt recipes. There are tons, as well as videos showing how-to. But my friends have asked me how I do it, so... below is how I do it. Don't be put off by how very long the recipe is. Most of it is technique and option info. The making of the yogurt is really very easy and there are very few ingredients.

I love this stuff so much, I feel it's almost a crime to sweeten it in any way. ENJOY!

Yogurt

The instructions sound complex and intimidating, but trust me, after you do it once, it's just so easy. On about the 4th time, I made it, I got the thickening just right and can practically make this in my sleep now. :-)

At first, I tried making all skim milk yogurt and thickening it with gelatin and powdered milk, but it was TRULY unsatisfying. Using a 3:1 proportion milk to cream gives a finished product of 1.25% fat. So yes, higher than NO fat, but that's lower than most low-fat products on the market. And believe me, the mouth feel of this is just wonderful compared to all skim. I've used just over 1/2 c. of cream, and that is good, but not nearly as good as 1 c.

Ingredients:

1 c heavy cream
3 c skim milk
2-3 tbsp plain yogurt starter (save some from the previous bath, or to start with,
use store-bought)
And thickener if desired -- see NOTES at bottom of page for suggestions.
To make a larger batch, just increase everything proportionately.

Directions:
Set up 2 saucepans to be a double boiler... or duh.... a double boiler. Put a small amount of water in bottom pan, and put the milk and cream in the top pan. Attach candy thermometer to top pan so that the bulb doesn't touch the bottom.

On med-high heat, bring milk temperature to 180°F... this is the point when the milk is foamy, but not boiling or making a skin.

While milk is heating (stir occasionally), put the yogurt starter into a glass bowl (I've seen recipes that distinctly say NOT to use a metal bowl... I'm not sure about plastic) large enough to hold all of the milk. This lets the starter get up closer to room temperature. Also if using tapioca thickening... add it now... and you'll need to stir the milk constantly to keep it stable. If using gelatin, see NOTES below for my proportions... prepare it now in a measuring cup and set aside.

Set up a heating pad that will be the incubation station. I found on the first try making yogurt that the setting that keeps the yogurt at 110°-115°F is high... your setting may be different. Turn the heating pad on now so it's ready when you are... which will be in only 5 minutes or so.

When milk has reached 180°F... keep it there for 60 seconds. Attaining this temp is so that any bacteria in the milk can be killed, but you don't want to 'cook' the milk because that alters the flavor. You want a clean palette for growing ONLY the yogurt cultures.

Remove the milk from the heat. If you are using gelatin as the thickener, add a tiny bit of the hot milk to the gel and stir it smooth... add a bit more so it's runny and liquid... add the result to the hot milk and blend completely.
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Now you need the hot milk to reduce in temp to somewhere between 110° and 120°F. Temperatures higher than this will kill your living yogurt starter culture.

You can just let the pan with the milk in it sit on the counter until it cools, but that takes maybe 20 minutes. You have to keep coming back to check. It's faster (maybe 3-5 minutes) to put the milk pan into a cool water bath. Do this cold bath by rinsing the water pan (bottom of the double boiler) with cold water... and putting enough cold water into it so that when you put the milk pan back inside it. Bath should fill the pan, but not overflow. I find the need to change the water maybe 3 times over the 3-5 minutes... watching the thermometer all the time... for the temperature to get to about 115°F

Once the milk is down below 115°F, stir tepid milk into the bowl with the yogurt starter. Move the thermometer over to the bowl... again seeing that the bulb doesn't touch the bowl's sides or bottom. Once you perfect your yogurt-making technique, you won't need the thermometer for this stage. Place the bowl on top of the heating pad and cover with plastic wrap... tucking around the thermometer as necessary. It doesn't have to seal completely, but more is better. Cover the plastic wrap with a dish towel.
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Incubation: 7-12 hours depending on how tart you like your yogurt at a temperature between 110°-115°F. Temperatures higher than 120° will kill or damage the live yogurt cultures and below 110° they don't multiply/grow. Even before 7 hours of incubation, you will see that the whey has separated from the curd... it will be a greenish clear color. Just use a whisk and gently put the whey and curd back together before transferring to containers.

Other recipes I've seen seem to insist that 7 hours is the bare minimum. And I've found that in just 7 hours, my yogurt (no matter the thickener I use) is just not thick enough... and tastes more like creme fraiche than yogurt. It IS delicious, but you can tell it doesn't have the cultures in high enough quantity to be really useful as yogurt. I've done 12 hours, and it was VERY tart, but not objectionable. Seems that my magic number is 9-10 hours of incubation. You will figure out your perfect incubation time eventually.
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Now you can either put all of your finished yogurt into one large container... or into individual containers. I prefer the individual ones for some reason. This recipe makes 5 approx. 6 oz servings and enough to have 2-3 tbsp left over to be the next starter batch. I put that container at the back, so when I see there is only one container left on the fridge shelf, I know it's time to make yogurt again.

Most recipes say to incubate your yogurt during the day so it can be refrigerated over night so it's cold in the morning for eating... that most people find warm yogurt objectionable. I don't find it objectionable, but I do prefer it chilled. Beware, too, that if you put the lids onto the individual containers while it's warm, the warm air will condense inside making watery yogurt... ick. So let them sit about 15-30 minutes after dishing up into individual containers before lidding and popping into the frig.
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NOTES :
Thickening -- The yogurt does not HAVE to be thickened, but people seem to prefer that pudding consistency you find in store-bought products. This is really the only reason why one would do thickening. And as I mentioned at the beginning about making all skim yogurt... the thin texture is not appealing. For me, yogurt not thickened at least a little bit is just too soupy. It would be good for use in cooking recipes or for salad dressings, but it's just not what one expects as 'yogurt' for breakfast or snacks or treats.

Gelatin -- First, if you are opposed to where gelatin comes from (animals), then skip down and use either powdered milk or tapioca. For me, after trying gelatin (and making it too 'jello-like' by using a whole packet), then trying tapioca (and having issues there). I've perfected the use of gelatin along with powdered milk. I have struck on a proportion that works with this recipe quantity, and gives a very pleasing mouth feel and texture that is not quite as set as pudding... much less than jello. Blends well with fresh fruit.
Here is what I use:

1 rounded teaspoon of gelatin... 1/2 an envelop... and
2 rounded teaspoons of powdered milk.
Put them both in a measuring cup and add a little COLD water. Just enough to get the gelatin to 'bloom' (something
it has to do to dissolve correctly). Set aside while milk heats. Add a bit of the heated milk and thin the gelatin paste.
Stir into HOT milk before it's done it's cooling.

I have read that you can sprinkle the gelatin powder on the cold milk, let it set 5 minutes (to 'bloom'). Then heat the milk for 30 minutes. Hmmmmm..... that seems too long... and requires constant stirring. My way works fine for me. I'm sticking with it!

Powdered Milk -- Some recipes use powdered milk and nothing else. I tried it alone and I found that it clumped, and I couldn't get it to NOT clump. And I didn't like the flavor so much... it does change the flavor in an odd sweet way. One of the benefits of using it, though, is that, from what I understand, it does add protein.

Tapioca -- (powder... or sometimes it will be called tapioca starch) is available in the bins at grocery stores... and Asian markets), and is of vegetable source. And I found that it produces an extremely creamy and silky mouth feel. You do have to experiment to find how much to use. I first used 2 heaping eating teaspoons of it with great results. The next time I used 2 just nicely rounded teaspoons of it and the result was not nearly as silky... and not as thick as I like. BUT! The next time I used tapioca, I whisked the curd and whey back together as I was preparing to make individual portions before chilling, and then it never thickened.

I later read that tapioca doesn't like being beaten up. It also doesn't re-set after being re-heated. It works at lower temperatures than gelatin. It is freezer-stable. And it can be slimy in milk... but that slime is the silky feel I found very appealing.

Greek-style Yogurt -- I know there are more nuances about what Greek-style yogurt is and isn't, but from my reading, the major difference between regular and Greek-style is that the whey is discarded after the incubation period for Greek-style. Yes, you get a LOVELY mild and thick yogurt by doing this, but I read that very many of the good nutrients are in the whey… See update note 2 at bottom for making your own Greek-style yogurt.
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I think that is it. I simply ADORE my homemade yogurt. I am addicted, and literally think of getting to have some immediately upon waking in the morning now. It is just soooooooo much better than store-bought! :-)

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Update note: I am now making 1.5 times this recipe. I have left the original recipe above because it's the classic one found everywhere. But if you make half again more of that recipe you'll find it makes 7 generous (6-8 oz) single servings with just enough left over for the starter. For me, only making yogurt once a week fits nicely into my lifestyle. So here are the quantities I use now:

1.5 c heavy cream
4.5 c skim milk
1/4 c plain yogurt starter
1 envelope gelatin (I think that is 2 tsp)
½ - ⅔ c non-fat dry milk (this gives me decent Greek-style yogurt)
This recipe gives a very nice texture & mouth feel.

Update note 2: The section on Greek-style yogurt has been UPDATED as of 10/30/10. This is one of the problems with the internet: conflicting information/data. Initially, I had read that you lose protein when you strain regular yogurt to get Greek-style yogurt. But when I recently had Greek-style yogurt it had SO much more protein that the regular stuff. It made me wonder… and do more research. It turns out that you lose just a small bit of protein when you strain regular yogurt on the way to becoming Greek-style. You also lose a lot of calcium and some carbs. The reason why there is SO much more protein per container of Greek vs regular yogurt is that since the liquid (whey) is removed, in order to get equal volume in both containers, MORE yogurt curd goes into Greek-style containers… thus… more protein.

If you want to make your own Greek-style yogurt, and not spend a day straining, add up to a cup of non-fat dry milk powder (or more depending on how thick you want it) when you add the gelatin as thickener. I recently made a batch of yogurt that was 1.5 times this recipe above and used ⅔ c of non-fat dry milk. My resulting yogurt was not as thick as Chobani, but had very good mouth-feel and density. I'm guessing use of a cup of non-fat dry milk in the regular recipe above would render density very similar to Greek-style yogurt without the straining fuss.

Just Checking...

2010-05-24T14:56:00.001-07:00

First post on my blog. Not newsy or momentous. I'm collecting all of those thoughts. Will type more later.