ARCHIVE

SHOW ARCHIVE

February 20, 2010

VIDEO ARCHIVE


The warming trend continues. They said we had the warmest January in quite a while this year and now we are having a real heat wave. It has been great getting out and gearing up for the new season. We have shot some promotional messages for the new season and we had to wear our sunglasses! We have also been out a visiting some of our clients and it is incredible how much color is already in the garden centers!

Enjoy this weekend of warm sun, the rain will return soon enough!

When the rain returns, you can sit back and enjoy these stories to get you ready for the spring.

Winter Seed Starting

It may seem a little early to start your new garden for the season, but there are some plants that you can give a little head start to now. We looked at some of the tools that you can use to get a successful start to your garden. Judy started by showing us how to start plants by using cuttings from your already established plants by using rooting hormone. William then showed us how to start seeds with planting trays, heating mats and a special seedling soil made by Black Gold. Most of your local garden centers have a big selection of seeds with more arriving everyday, and they also have great advice and tips for your best garden ever.

Early Spring Spraying

If you have fruit trees now is the time to last time you can dormant spray before the end of winter. Dormant spraying will help control insects and diseases during the coming growing season. William and Judy showed you the 2 main types of sprays you can use. William had Lime-Sulfur spray. This spray is made for fruits that have seeds. It also has a special oil in it that will help smother the eggs of some of the harmful pests. Judy used a liquid copper spray. This is used for fruits that have pits. Both of these sprays are safe for the environment once they are applied, but you should always use protective gear like gloves, a mask and eye protection when applying them. Remember to make sure that you don’t apply them after the buds start to open, that will smother the flowers and harm the bees that are pollinating your flowers. If you have any questions about spraying and what to use you can contact your local garden center.

Red Pig Long Tools

This past summer we visited with Bob Denman at Red Pig Tools (503-663-9404) to watch him make a garden trowel. Bob’s tools are well made and built to last and sometimes they are designed from tools that have been used in the past. Bob brought out a few of his unusual long handled tools to show us. The first one was a mangle cutter. This tool was used by pig farmers to cut up corn pieces into smaller chunks so the pigs wouldn’t choke. It is great for local gardeners that want to cut their compost into smaller bits for quicker composting. Bob also makes a weed fork for those tough to get weeds, a ridger that helps in planting seed crops, and a half-moon weeder/cultivator. Our favorite was the blackberry hoe. This tool, which Bob designed himself, has edges that let you easily get the small plants with one side and the large tap roots of the old plants with the other side. If you are interested in unique tools for tough jobs, check them out when you are in the Boring Oregon area.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 
main page this week

plant of the week

tip of the week tool shed how to gardens to see sponsors events calendar the happy spot
streaming video read our blog join our twitter e-mail us archive press relations links to other websites
 

Website design and content ©2006-2019 Gustin Creative Group.  Please send website inquiries to gustingroup@comcast.net.  This page last modified March 06, 2020.