The rains have returned. It seems like they would just never stop. If you have walked around your garden you may have noticed the same old issues that appear every year; soggy grass, standing water around your plants and gutters overflowing. It isn’t too late to take care of these problems. If you have questions about what to do in your garden, drop us a line. The Garden Time crew can answer any questions you may have. After all, you have made us the #1 garden show by giving us the ideas for stories that interest you.
This week we featured...
Farmington Gardens Fall Plants
Finding plants that cover all the seasons can be rough. There are plants out there that can make you proud of your garden anytime of year. We found some of those plants at Farmington Gardens (503-649-4568). Jon DeBoer showed us some of his favorites that can make the transition between the seasons. The plants he showed us included a group of Camellias, a contorted filbert known as Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, a New Zealand flax ‘Maori Sunrise’, Mahonia ‘Charity’, Nandina ‘Moon Bay’, Golden Spanish Fir ‘Aurea’, Cypress ‘Wissel’s Saguaro’, Bergenia ‘Perfect’, and Helleborus ‘Janet Starnes’. These plants all have more than one season of interest. Speaking of seasons, Farmington is gearing up for the changing seasons by stocking their store with fresh wreaths, swags and other holiday decorations. They can also show you how easy it is to transition your decorations from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Walnut Harvest
A couple of weeks ago we showed you how they harvest hazelnuts in the Willamette Valley. This week we return to Willow Lake Nursery (503-390-3032) to see them harvest walnuts. When you have a large operation you have to use the heavy equipment to get the job done. A sweeper pushes the nuts into a tidy little row, and then the harvester scoots along to pick them up. Next they are washed, sorted and dried. For the homeowner, John Blake, gave us some other tips. Collect the nuts off the ground. If they are still in the green outer shell it may mean that they are empty. Clean them and then place them over a hot air vent. They are ready when the membrane inside the nut is hard and crispy. If you have questions you can call the nursery, or better yet, stop by and pick up a bag that is already clean and cracked!
Kindergarden – Birdseed Wreaths
Creating a decorative feeder for your feathered friends is not hard to do. We went to talk to Myra Lukens from the Backyard Bird Shop (503-635-2044) to see how easy it is to make a Birdseed Wreath. She picked up a wreath, some wire and a ribbon at a local craft store. Then, she bought some all-organic peanut butter at the grocery store, and added some NW mix seed from the Bird Shop. First she attached a piece of wire to hang the wreath from the tree and the decorative ribbon. She spread the peanut butter on the wreath and dipped it into the seed until the entire wreath was covered. Then you hang it outside. Make sure to place it close to your house so you can enjoy the birds when they come to feed!
[CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS]
Pumpkin Topiary
Looking for an inexpensive holiday centerpiece? We found a pumpkin topiary that you can make yourself. We took a clay pot, some floral foam, some silk leaves and a handful of small gourds and pumpkins from the local garden center and built one that looked great. There is nothing like this wonderful centerpiece to add that fall flair to your holiday table. [CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS]
Rose Hips
Even though your rose blooms are starting to fade, you can still enjoy fall color by harvesting your rose hips. Christine Williams of Heirloom Roses (503-538-1576) showed us a huge selection of rose hips from the Heirloom gardens. She even put together a couple of arrangements of rose hips and other plants to show us how they can be used indoors. We also learned that some rose hips are edible and loaded with vitamin C. Be careful not to just eat any rose hips, they should be from a rugosa rose that has not been sprayed.
Memorial Garden
With Veterans Day here you may be looking for a way to memorialize a loved one. William and Judy paid a visit to Portland Nursery (503-788-9000) to learn how you can create a memorial garden. There are various meanings for different plants and we covered just a couple. We talked about the various ways you can choose a memorial plant like by fragrance or color. You may also choose a plant that held a special meaning to the person you are memorializing. Other things you can do would be to use a statue in your garden or by attaching a ribbon, flag or banner to a plant or container to mark it. Remember, you must have permission to bring a plant into a cemetery or on public property. Also, you don’t have to lose a loved one to plant a memorial garden; you can mark any big occasion by planting a special plant.
[CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF MEMORIAL PLANTS]
Pond Winterizing
It is getting colder and it’s about time to get your pond ready for winter. We met up with John Elleraton at Tsugawa Nursery (360-225-8750) in Woodland, Washington to see how to prepare our ponds and pond animals for the cold. John talked about the importance of feeding your fish the correct foods to prevent them from dying. Once the pond temperature drops below 50 degrees you should stop feeding your fish. They can’t process the food in the colder water. You will also want to keep your pond running. The water movement will prevent freezing and damage to your pond liner and pumps. If you have to shut off the pump, you will need to drain all the water out of the water feature to prevent long-term damage. To get answers to all your pond questions, contact the experts at Tsugawa’s.
