SHOW ARCHIVE

December 3, 2011

VIDEO ARCHIVE

Thanks for checking out the Garden Time rundown for this week. As you may have noticed, we are not on the air. We finished our season of shows last weekend. We will be returning on the 3rd of March with our 7th season of the show. Check back next week for fresh updates and also our Garden Time Blog. On the blog we will be taking you to France for an early fall tour and, in a few weeks, a trip to Las Vegas to see how the casinos do indoor gardens. We will leave our stories from our final show of the season up for one more week.

Christmas Trees

Christmas Trees

Thanksgiving has past and now it is time to start thinking about Christmas and Christmas trees. We stopped by Lee Farms (503-638-1869) in Tualatin to visit with Craig Lee about the most popular types of cut Christmas trees this season. The varieties that Oregonians are buying include Douglas fir, Grand fir, Nobel fir and the Frasier fir. The most popular tree is the Noble fir, but the Frasier fir is gaining ground, because it is very fragrant. The newest variety of tree that is also gaining in popularity is the Nordmann fir. Lee’s also carries the wonderful Davis Tree Stand. Pick one up and you will never need another stand again!
 
Now that you have your tree and your new stand, how can you make sure that it will last through the season and stay fresh? You could get a flocked tree. The flocking on a tree helps to seal in the moisture and that means little or no water is needed. If you have a green tree there are a few rules you need to follow before you decorate to make sure it lasts through the season and into the New Year. Craig told us to always make a fresh cut on any tree you purchase from a tree lot. If you cut your own tree make sure you get it into some water as quickly as possible. Some other tips; use lukewarm water the first time you water your tree, and add an aspirin and a couple drops of bleach to the water. Don’t use any soda in your water. Some people think the sugar in the soda will help the tree last longer, but it really just promotes the growth of bacteria and that is not good for your tree. Remember, if it runs out of water once, it will seal up and then it doesn’t matter how much water you add, so make sure you have a large reservoir of water under your tree. Don’t let the tree run out of water and you will have a longer lasting green tree for your holidays.

Portland Nursery Christmas

Portland Nursery Christmas

A lot of people are out battling the masses for a few great shopping deals at some stores, but you can find great ideas for the gardener at all of your local independent garden centers, without all the crowds. We found one of the best places to shop at Portland Nursery. Both stores, Stark (503-231-5050) and Division (503-788-9000), have tons of great gifts and plants for the gardener. This weekend both stores will be celebrating their holiday open house on Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 5 each day. Stop by and get some great deals and also take a class so you can learn how to make a wreath or a centerpiece for the holidays. We visited Stark and found some wonderful decorating ideas from Margie. She always puts together a great display of holiday vignettes and we always get a fresh idea or 2 from her while we are there. They have a wonderful selection of garden gifts including calendars, books, tools and toys. Stop by either Portland Nursery location to find that one of a kind gift for your favorite gardener.

Holiday Heritage Plants

Holiday Heritage Plants

Ever wonder why we use holly in our holiday decorating? What is the story behind kissing under the mistletoe? William and Judy covered the reasons why we use specific plants during the holidays. Holly’s origins are based on both Christian and non-Christian traditions. In one tradition, the holly protects the home from evil spirits. In another, the holly represents the crown of thorns of Christ’s passion and its berries represent the drops of blood. Ivy is a very misunderstood plant. We sometimes see it growing all over trees, almost smothering them. In the Middle Ages ivy meant prosperity, and if it died, financial hard times were soon to follow. Mistletoe has a longer history. It has various meanings that include fertility, immortality and love. Of course the best meaning involved kissing. In proper English society you could not kiss your spouse-to-be in public. During the holidays you could kiss under the mistletoe, but you had to remove a white berry every time you did. Naturally, twigs with lots of berries were highly prized! Christmas trees also have a long history. Evergreens have been used for ages to brighten up the inside of homes and because of their continuous color they represented the promise of renewal during the darkest days of the year. It was only in Victorian times that trees were first brought inside and decorated for the holiday. So next time you are decorating your home, take some time and learn some of the meanings.

Winter Citrus

Winter Citrus

What kind of plant delivers great fragrance and beautiful blooms in the winter, and is delicious as well? It is citrus! We stopped by Portland Nursery (www.portlandnursery.com, 503-231-5050) on Stark in Portland to see all the wonderful varieties they have in the store right now. Sara pointed out a couple of plants of interest including the Meyers Improved Lemon. With all the new dwarf varieties available you can even grow navel oranges, kumquats and limes with little or no problem. Citrus plants are heavy feeders, needing fertilizer in the spring (when you move them outdoors) and again in the early fall (before you move them indoors again). They also scare people when they drop their leaves when moved. Don’t worry, they just don’t like to be moved and soon will grow back all their leaves. Citrus also has a lot of significance at this time of year. It is one of the featured fruits of the Chinese New Year, citrus and anything in the red range symbolizes good luck. That includes oranges and tangerines which are piled in a pyramid shape. "Piling the oranges brings you closer to heaven," Families offer the pile of citrus fruits to ancestors as a sign of respect. Also, fruit gifts convey the wish for health and happiness for the season and the New Year to come. A lemon type (citron) fruit is also used by the Jewish faith to celebrate one of their fall festivals (Sukkot). Stop by either location of Portland Nursery or any other local garden center and try a citrus plant.

Hardy Ferns

The winter garden can be a depressing place. Most of the color is gone and there is not much to look at on those drab days. We found a variety of plant that changes that outlook, hardy ferns. We stopped by Sebright Gardens (503-463-9615) to visit with Thomas and learn more about these great winter plants. These hardy ferns can take pretty much anything that nature can dish out. Thomas showed us some of his favorite ones in their display garden including; Polystichum setiferum plumoso multilobum, the Lace Fern ‘Microlepia strigosa’, the Mexican Male Fern ‘Dryopteris pseudo Filix-mas’, Polystrichum setiferum ‘Congestum Christa’, and the Beaded Wood Fern ‘Dryopteris bissetiana. Tough names to pronounce that fit the tough plants they describe. These plants like dappled shade, light fertilization and well drained soil. For more information on these plants feel free to contact Sebright Gardens.

Gartner’s Goodbye

Gartner’s Goodbye

We finish this season as we have the previous 5, at Jerry and Deb Yost’s house. Jerry is from Gartner’s Meats (503-252-7801) and he has opened his house every year to host our wrap-up party and also to show us how to grill some great meals out in the garden. For our goodbye this year he prepared a combined pepper ham and a sugar ham, plus a stuffed turkey breast! What a taste treat! You can take care of your holiday meals early this year by pre-ordering your meats. This will save you time in the long run because you will have most of your preparation done before the holidays! We would like to thank Jerry and Deb (and the whole Gartner’s crew) for all the great times we have had and the great eats! Remember to call Gartner’s early to order your favorite holiday meats!
 

 
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