Well, the weather
seems to have heard all our cries. We are in for some pretty nice
days. That means it is time to get out and start whipping our
gardens into shape. If you are having troubles getting motivated,
get out anyway! Take a trip to one of the many ‘must see’ gardens
in the area. The Portland Classical Chinese Garden, The Wooden Shoe
Tulip Festival or the Hulda Klager Lilac Festival are all looking
truly wonderful right now! But before you head outside, check out
this weeks Garden Time show.
This week we
featured,
The Hulda Klager
Lilac Festival
We took the
short trip up I-5 to Woodland, Washington to check out the lilacs at
the Hulda
Klager Lilac Festival
(360-225-8996).
The 2006 Lilac Festival will run from Saturday, April 15th through
Sunday, May 14th, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. every day. This
year we will be hosting the
International Lilac Society (ILS) 2006 Convention
in Woodland on April 19th.
Hulda hybridized many lilacs and became known as the ‘Lilac Lady’ in
the Woodland area. She opened her garden to the public for an open
house in the spring during the 1920’s. She passed away in 1960.
The Hulda Klager Lilac Society now runs the garden and opens it
every year for this festival. They charge a small $2 fee during the
festival. That, and the proceeds from the gift shop, keeps this
garden going all year long. Take the time and visit it when you get
a chance, it is spectacular!
Deck and Patio
Moss
A couple of
weeks ago we talked to Norm McCreight of
Lilly Miller
about getting rid of moss in your lawn. Today
we chatted about the moss you find on your decks, patios and your
roof. Norm told us about a couple of products that Lilly Miller
makes to take care of the problem. We found out that the moss on
your deck and your roof are different than the stuff in your grass
and it might not even be moss. Norm explained that algae may be
your problem. If your deck is slippery you may need to treat for
algae. He recommends using a zinc-based product for your roof moss
to keep it from destroying your roof. There are also some citrus
based products that will be safe for your pets. Treat the problems
now and when the weather warms up it will get rid of your moss and
algae for good!
Tsugawa Water
Feature
A lot of
gardeners are looking to bring the sound of water into their
gardens. Brian Tsugawa of
Tsugawa
Nursery
(360-225-8750)
in Woodland showed us how easy it is to build a small portable
bubbler for your deck or patio. This feature is easy to build and
can be adapted to your own tastes and styles. Brian had one built
with a large ribbed container. He also needed PVC pipe, a pump and
a basin to hold the water. First you drill a hole in the bottom of
the pot (he recommends that the nursery do that), then insert the
PVC pipe and seal it. Attach the pump, place it in the basin,
protect it with bricks and put the pot on top and you are done. If
it still sounds too tough, give Tsugawa’s a call or stop by and they
can walk you through the steps.
Weed Control
If you have weeds in your garden
(and who doesn’t?) you may be wondering what type of weed control
you should use. William gave us a brief rundown of some of the most
popular methods available and things to be aware of when removing
weeds from your garden. He covered some of the chemical methods
including Round-up and Casoron, to some of the pre-emergents like
Preen. Some products kill the weeds on contract, while the pre-emergents
prevent the seeds from germinating. Always be careful when using
these products, they can affect your plants as well as the weeds!
He also covered some of the more natural methods like corn gluten
and landscape fabric. Of course there is always the old fashioned
way of using the old hoe! If you ever have any questions about what
to use in your yard or garden, check with your local garden center.
Winter Fuchsia
Damage
Just when you
think the last frost took out your best garden perennials… they
start to come back! Ron Monnier of
Monnier’s Country Gardens (503-981-3384)
showed us how the fuchsias he thought were gone are coming back.
Ron is a grower of some wonderful varieties of fuchsias and he
wanted to let people know that they shouldn’t be too hasty in
digging and replacing their winter damaged, battle-scared, plants.
It is a good rule of thumb to follow for all your perennials. Check
for damage by scraping the stem to see if it is green, or look for
new growth at the base of the plant. If you do need to replace a
plant, try a new variety or one that is a little hardier. Your
local garden center or grower can help you find the right plant for
the space!
Calendar of
Events
This week we kick off the Dig
Magazine ‘Calendar of Garden Events’. Every week watch as we
feature some of the wonderful garden events from around the area.
If you want to see more events you can check out the latest issue of
Dig Magazine
(503-699-5229).
