This week we were out enjoying the sun and the heat as we shot the stories for the show. When we were at Schreiner’s Iris Gardens this week William commented that it was just a few months ago when we were dealing with cold and wet. In fact, there was one Monday less than 2 months ago when we had to cancel a video shoot with Jan McNeilan because it was snowing! I’m glad the gardener’s memory is a short one. All it takes is the fragrance of an iris or the color of a blooming rose and our thoughts of cold and wet disappear. Now is the time to build new, sunny, memories for next year’s winter weather!

This week we featured...

Overseeding Your Lawn

If your lawn is looking a little thin, now is a good time to overseed. A recent USA Today survey found that 64% of us think that our neighbors’ lawn looks better than our own. You can turn that around by using these tips from Micha at JB Instant Lawn and Nursery (800-527-1439). First, treat for moss and weeds in your lawn. Then use a de-thatcher to clean-up the dead moss and weeds. Then use a quality seed that is right for your conditions. The sun varieties will have a combination of rye grasses; the shade selections will contain a mix of rye and fescue. Make sure the weed content is close to zero (you don’t want new weeds when you overseed). Then cover with peat moss or a good garden compost to 1/4-inch depth, we used a compost delivered by Grimm’s fuel. You then have to keep the seed moist and don’t let it dry out. A fine mist of water a couple of time a day for about a week should do it. You should start to see germination in about 7 days. Don’t mow until the new grass gets a couple of inches long.

Schreiner’s Iris Gardens

In one of the flukes of the season, the Keizer Iris festival is over, but the iris blooms are just hitting their peak. We stopped by Schreiner’s Iris Gardens (1-800-525-2367) and found that the blooms are just starting to pop. Steve Schreiner took us out to the display garden and showed us how some of the blooms have been slowed down by the cold spring weather. It doesn’t matter now because the blooms are just starting to show off. In fact Steve tells us that they will be outstanding for the next 3 weekends. The scent in the display gardens is intoxicating. People forget that most iris have a wonderful smell. Each bloom will remind you of candy, sugar, bubble gum or some other great smell. Schreiner’s even has a fragrant collection that you can order for your own garden. The flowers in the garden are also wonderful because they are all labeled and are easy to see even if you have limited mobility. Iris also make great cut flowers and Steve showed us how you can make them last longer in your house. He also walked us through some growing tips. In fact, irises are one of the easiest flowers to grow in your garden. They like full sun, have little or no disease and, other than slugs, they have no pest problems. If you want to see the fields or the display garden you have plenty of time to do so, they will be looking good until the middle of June. Stop by and check out all the colors!

Patio Fountain

We bring you a project that you can tackle in a weekend and is easily done by the time Monday rolls around. This week we went to Tsugawa Nursery (360-225-8750) in Woodland, WA. to learn how to build a patio fountain. Brian Tsugawa walked Judy through the steps and William put in the labor to build this outstanding feature. The hardest part was waiting for the sealant to dry on the pot. This project requires a container that holds water, a decorative container, piping, a pump and a couple of bricks. Check out the instructions here.

 

Edible Vines

This year people are looking for plants that can produce edible fruit and can also look great in the garden. To see some of the most unusual vines in the garden we stopped by Cornell Farm (503-292-9895). We met with Matt in the Kitchen Garden House. This is an area where they feature a bunch of plants that can look good and feed your family as well. Matt pulled a couple of interesting plants for us. The first one was the Schisandra Vine from China. These vines produce a fruit that supposedly adjusts and equalizes your mood. You can use the berries in a smoothie or add it to your other drinks. They also have some beautiful blooms that were just outstanding. We saw two varieties, ‘Valentine’ and ‘Apricot Blush’. Next we saw the Honeyberry ‘Blue Bird’. This one produces a fruit similar to the blueberry and is extremely high in antioxidants. It can grow as high as 15 feet tall and loves full sun. The final ‘fruit’ we saw was Hops. Even though this one doesn’t have a fruit that you can eat, it is still one of the most popular plants in the northwest garden. This variety was ‘Nugget’ and it will continue to return year after year and become bigger with time. You can even use this one to make your own beer! If you are looking for a vine that will produce fruit and look good, check out the selection at Cornell Farm or any of your local, independent garden centers.

Kindergarden – Pizza Plants

This Kindergarden project is an easy one for you and your kids. Amy from Al’s Garden Center (503-981-1245) showed us how you can make a ‘pizza’ with some plants from the garden center. First she got a box from her local pizza parlor. Then she picked plants that are related to a pizza. Plants included basil, tomato, pepper, oregano and some onions. There was even a flower (to represent ‘flour’) included in the mix. Next the kids can cut out the holes for the plants and even decorate the box. Then you just place the plants in the holes and you are good to go. This is a great project for your kids and it makes a great gift for your friends, neighbors or that special teacher!