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Welcome to Garden Time -- Season 4!

Garden Time is Portland's #1 garden show, and is owned and produced by the same person who started the In the Garden TV show and the former garden show on Good Day Lifestyles on KPTV-12.  It is our goal to give you the best gardening information in the Northwest.  We are a local show and we will always be a local show.  What does that mean?  It means we will stay topical and seasonal.  You will see what works in the Northwest, what you can plant here and how it will grow.  It is information that will help make you a successful gardener. 

Garden Time airs Saturdays at 8:30am on KOIN-6 in Portland and
KEVU-23 in Eugene.  It airs Saturdays at 9:30am on KWVT-17 in Salem and CGN-7, which serves Hood River and the Columbia River Gorge.  Garden Time is owned and produced by Gustin Creative Group and is not affiliated with any television station or network.


Hosts Judy Alleruzzo
and William McClenathan

SHOW ARCHIVE

Episode 148 • October 24, 2009

VIDEO ARCHIVE


They are hanging on…  the tomatoes in our garden, that is.  We’re still trying to squeeze out the last tastes of this past summer.  It is tough to think about all the cold and wet yet to come.  Still, you can have a fun time before the cold returns for good.  All the harvest festivals are in full swing right now and they are a blast!  Check out the Garden Time blog for some notes from one of the newest ones we found.  We will also blog about fall planting and color in the coming weeks.

This week we featured...

French Prairie Harvest Festival

This week we found another great location to celebrate the fall season.  We stopped by French Prairie Gardens (503-633-8445) to check out all the different events they have scheduled for the remainder of October.  Stacy took us on a little tour of the farm and we were able to check out the different hay mazes (including one of the biggest we have ever seen), the hay rides, the corn maze, the corn cannon and the apple slingshot.  The best part was the pig races!  These little porkers run like crazy around the ring for the reward of an apple cider donut!  There is a ton to eat and the market is full of fresh farm produce.  The special event this weekend happens on Saturday night when they are leaving the farm open until 9:30.  You can check out the mazes in the dark!  Of course there are flashlights for those that want them.  You can also rent a fire pit, complete with s’mores, for the whole evening by calling the farm.  Take some time and check out French Prairie Gardens this weekend! 

Oregon Garden Train

The Oregon Garden (1-877-674-2733) is one of the jewels of the Willamette Valley.  This coming week they will be adding another great feature for the youngest garden visitors.  The garden is adding a garden train to the children’s garden!  This train will be dedicated this coming Tuesday at 11:30 in the morning.  The train was built with the assistance of the Pacific Crossings Model Railroad Club in Salem and the Rose City Garden Railway Society in Portland.  It is designed to run in almost all conditions, including rain!  Jeff from the garden also showed us some of the great miniature and dwarf varieties of plants they have included in the landscaping for the train.  It is a very cool addition to the garden and we have to admit that the Garden Time crew spent a long time hanging out with the train!

Jan’s October Tips

The fall is chasing everything inside from the gardeners to even some of the plants!  We caught up with Jan McNeilan to get our tips of the month and she was in her greenhouse getting her plants ready for the winter.  Jan was cleaning up her plants for their transition to the warmer climate of indoors.  Having clean plants will ensure that you don’t bring any critters inside with your plants.  For those little moths that are showing up in your kitchen she even showed us a pheromone trap to catch them.  She also took us outside to look at her roses.  Now that a lot of areas have had a freeze it is a good time to do some preventative pruning.  By cutting your roses to waist high, you can prevent the wind from whipping them around and creating problems.  Another question that Jan tackled was the question about mushrooms in the lawn.  A lot of people are seeing them now and they are not a problem and should not be treated with anything.  They are a sign of good organic material in your soil.  The breakdown of this healthy organic material creates a good foundation for mushrooms.  If they bother you just kick them over.  For more fall and winter tips check out the OSU Extension website. 

Fall Equipment Maintenance

It is the time of year that we are putting away our power tools for the season and to keep them in the best condition for the next year is to give them a tune-up for the winter.  Matt from Stark Street Lawn and Garden (503-625-2967) in Sherwood showed us how to prepare your mower, blower, chain saw and other equipment for the cold months ahead!  The benefit of doing it now keeps your tools in the best condition so you have less maintenance in the future.  A couple of pointers… add a fuel stabilizer to all your machines now.  Without, old gas becomes weak gas and can foul your engine.  Check air filters and spark plugs.  Sharpen blades/chains and clean all surfaces.  If it sounds like too much to tackle, you can always take it to your local Stark Street dealership.  They have 5 locations in Oregon.

Fall Lawn Fertilizers

We had told you that fall is the time for planting, but Norm McCreight from Lilly Miller also tells us that fall is also the time for fertilizing!  To really keep your lawn healthy in the winter and give it a boost for the spring, now is the time to apply a good fall and winter fertilizer.  The numbers on the bag can be confusing, but what you are looking for is a well balanced slow release fertilizer.  Your lawn is slowly fed all through the winter and then gets a jump start when the temperatures warm up in the spring.  Keeping your lawn well maintained in the winter helps to prevent problems later.

Winter Bird Care

If you are looking to attract birds to your yard or garden you have to provide them the right reasons.  We stopped by Backyard Bird Shop (503-635-2044) near Bridgeport to chat with Scott to find out what you need to have in your garden to be successful.  We started with feeders.  Picking the right food for the birds you want to attract is very important.  Then you have to select the right feeder for that food.  Fresh water is a major ingredient.  Flowing water features are the best since they don’t freeze when the weather gets cold, but if you don’t have one of those pick a deeper bird bath or check the water frequently to make sure it doesn’t freeze. Shelter is also something you should consider and the best are natural shelters like conifers and other taller bushes.  They are looking for a place to visit.  Make sure they visit your garden this winter.  Right now, through the end of October you can take advantage of the ‘Discount for Dawgs’ program at your local Backyard Bird shop.  Bring any old feeder into the store and get 20% off a new feeder.  Get a newer, easy to clean, feeder or one of the latest ‘squirrel proof’ feeders.  For any of your birding needs, stop by your local Backyard Bird Shop.

 
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