We can hear the clock ticking! William, Judy and the rest of the Garden Time crew are sad at the approaching end of the season. Garden Time will finish our 5th season on the 27th of November. It is the stories about the holidays that trigger our thoughts of the ending season. Don't worry we will be back in March of 2011. Until then enjoy our final 3 weeks! And don't forget to get excited about the coming holidays!!

This week we featured...

Rose Hips

Even though your rose blooms are starting to fade, you can still enjoy fall color by harvesting your rose hips. Rose hips are actually the seed pods of your old and spent blooms. Cheryl Malone of Heirloom Roses (503-538-1576) showed us a huge selection of rose hips from the Heirloom gardens. She showed us how the different varieties of roses can produce some really cool looking bunches of hips. 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. These hips are made into a variety of different products. In fact if you are interested in trying some different recipes they have a handout at the Heirloom Gift shop for free. They can also help you pick the best roses for hips. Stop by or give them a call!

Poinsettia Tips

Believe it or not, it is time for poinsettias. They are starting to make their appearance at local garden centers and other stores. The big push will be in a couple of weeks but you can get some nice plants right now. The big question that we hear is 'how do I pick a good one' and 'how can I make it last'. To find out the answer to these questions we stopped by the growing operation for Al's Garden Center (503-491-0771) and talked to head grower, Jill. She showed us a couple of the newest varieties that they are growing at Al's. Some of these varieties are not even named yet, but you can still get them at Al's. She also gave us some tips on how to pick a good plant. First look for good branching. A single branch plant will not give you the bunches of blooms that you want. And speaking of blooms, the bright colors you see are not the flowers of the poinsettia. The flower is the small center buds that are usually yellow. The bright colors are modified leaves. As for the blooms you will want small tight buds that are not yellow yet, that means they are early in their bloom cycle. Also look for good healthy green leaves under the brightly colored ones.

Now that you have picked out a good one, how can you make it last? Jill recommends that you treat your plant with tender loving care. Make sure that is doesn't get placed in too hot of a spot, that it doesn't get in too many drafts and keep it in bright non-direct sunlight. You will also want to water it regularly without over watering or having it set in water. Remember to remove the decorative foil sleeve when you are watering it. If you follow these tips it will be around for a couple of months if not longer!

Pond Winterizing

It is getting colder and it's about time to get your pond ready for winter. We met up with Eamonn Hughes of Hughes Water Gardens (503-638-1709) to see how to prepare our ponds and pond animals for the cold. Eamonn 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. You should also take care of your pond plants by either lowering them deeper into the water or moving them to protected areas. To get answers to all your pond questions, contact the experts at Hughes.

Jan's November Tips

As we approach the cold months of winter we stopped by to check in with Jan McNeilan to see what she is doing to get prepared. Today we found Jan focusing on pulling everything indoors. Plants were being cleaned and she was even going to divide one that had gotten too big. The one she was tackling today is called the 'Peace Lily', White Flag Plant, or the Spathiphyllum. It was very easy to do; she just looked for the natural breaks in the plant and made some simple cuts. She also talked about planting your new plants in the ground as soon as possible. We also talked about adding wood ash to your garden. You should only add light amounts to your garden and let the rain wash it in. Don't let it clump up on the ground or use it around acid loving plants like blueberries, hydrangeas, or azaleas. The ash will change the pH of the soil and those types of plants will not like it.

Finally we stepped outside to plant some spring flowering bulbs. Jan went a little crazy in ordering bulbs this year and she was in the process of planting them all. Because she ordered so many she bought a bulb planter. This tool actually sped up the process by making a uniform hole at the right depth every time. To plant a bulb, first read the instructions to get the correct depth for the bulb you are planting. Next place a little bone meal or bulb food in the bottom of the hole. Then place the bulb in the hole with the roots toward the bottom of the hole and cover it up. If you need more helpful tips for getting your garden ready for winter you can check the OSU Extension website.