The colder showers of spring have returned. It is the typical pattern that we have come to expect. Just a month ago we were getting e-mails from viewers that were worried that the flowers were coming up too soon. They were concerned that they could lose plants to an early frost. We actually heard about a viewer that went out and pushed her bulbs down with her thumb and covered them with more soil. She needn’t have worried; the bulbs are prepared for the weather. In fact, we had to tell her that she probably did more damage to her bulbs than the weather could have done. Sometimes we tend to be a little overprotective with our plants. William often jokingly asks ‘how did plants survive all those years without us?’ Well we don’t have to worry about that too much now.
A reminder; Gardenpalooza is just a week away. We are getting all geared up for our spring kick-off at Fir Point Farms on April 3rd from 8-4. We have over 50 different vendors this year including some new featured vendors. You can get more information at www.Gardenpalooza.com. As always, it is a free event with free parking. We will have samples and even some free giveaways and discounts that are just available at the event. Check out the list of specials and coupons at the Gardenpalooza website.
A milestone – This week when we were out and shooting the open of the show in the tulip fields I realized that we started the Garden Time show in that exact field, 5 years ago! William and Judy have asked that we include the video on the site this week so you can see the changes from 5 years ago.
This week we featured...
25th Annual Tulip Fest
William and Judy visited the Woodburn Tulip Festival at the Wooden Shoe Tulip farm for the 25th annual Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest (1-800-711-2006). This event showcases the fields full of beautiful tulip blooms. This year the festival is right on time. Last year the cold weather delayed the start of the festival by a couple of weeks. The blooms were held back but this year they are starting to pop! Barb Iverson showed us a couple of sections where the yellows and reds are just outstanding. The flower fields may be just getting started but the farm is full of events and it is still a must see for anyone, even non-flower lovers. Every weekend they are packed with different activities including a wooden shoe carver, pony rides, arts and crafts, steam tractors, wine tasting and other entertainment for a small fee. The rest of the week has a discounted fee, so you can save a little money by coming out on the weekday! This weekend they are kicking off the month-long festival with their ‘Wooden Shoes and Tasty Brews’ event. Even when the weather is a little damp, the fields never disappoint. You can even check out their ‘field report’ link on their webpage for the most up-to-date bloom report. Bring a camera; this is a scene you have to capture on film!
Roof Moss
A couple of weeks ago we talked to Norm McCreight of Lilly Miller about getting rid of moss in your lawn. Today we chatted with Norm again to hear about the moss you find on your roof. Norm told us about a couple of products that Lilly Miller makes to take care of the problem. We found out that the moss on your roof is different than the stuff in your grass and it might not even be moss. Norm explained that algae may be your problem. Also, if you fail to remove the moss from the roof you may be looking at expensive repairs in the long run. The moss will get underneath the shingles and allow moisture to get into wood supports. He recommends using the new Moss Out products that have been reformulated to be much safer than the older roof products. There are also some citrus based products that will be safe for your pets. Treat the problems now and when the weather warms up it will get rid of your moss and algae for good!
Urban Gardening
You can have a great garden no matter where you live. To get some ideas we visited with Terry Gibson, a Landscape Architect here in Portland. For Terry, gardening is not about wide spaces, it is about creatively using what space you do have to grow what you need. Terry invited us over to show us how you can use a simple strawberry pot to supply the herbs for all your cooking needs. He also showed us his garden where he has planted a huge variety of vegetables and herbs to supply his family with almost everything they need. He has also started to incorporate companion plantings of flowers and other plants to add variety to his garden. If you are looking to get some ideas for your garden you can check out the Energy Trust Better Living show this weekend at the Portland Expo center. Terry is one of the featured gardens in the ‘Gardens Gone Wild’ display area. Stop by and check out how you can bring urban gardening to your home.
Unique Daffodils
One of the harbingers of spring in the northwest garden is the daffodil. These are one of the bigger blooms in the spring garden and can really brighten your mood with their blooms of bright yellows and whites. But if you think that they only come in these 2 basic colors you are missing out! We stopped by Mitsch Novelty Daffodils outside of Woodburn to visit with Elise Havens and learn about all the great varieties they are growing. Elise comes from a long line of hybridizers of daffodils. Her father started the business over 70 years ago and is responsible for introducing many new varieties to the market. These days you can find colors ranging from oranges and pinks to reds and greens, and shapes that you would not expect in a daffodil! We also learned about the care and feeding of a daffodil. These plants love the Northwest! They love wet winters and dry summers. They are happy to show off in the spring and then sit in the ground and wait for their turn to shine again the following year. If they have problems, it is because we give them too much water in the summer or we forget to put slug bait down in the early spring. Another benefit of the daffodil… the deer hate them! In fact some people will plant them around their tulips so the deer won’t eat the tulips (which they think is candy!). If you are looking to create an impressive show in your garden, check out their website for something truly wonderful. You can also read about the Mitsch/Havens connection in this month’s Garden Time On-line Magazine, where they are the featured ‘Horties’ of the month. If you like the article you can subscribe to Garden Time On-line on the home page of the Garden Time website.
Espalier Fruit Trees
Sometimes finding small trees for small spaces can be very difficult, but one of the recent trends in fruit trees features smaller trees with multiple varieties on one trunk. We saw William and Judy showing us how easy it is to trellis or espalier a small pear tree on a wire between a couple of posts. By training a tree on a fence, wall or posts, you gain the benefit of the fruit production without the tree taking over your garden. Another way of growing fresh fruit is to try a columnar apple tree. These are trees that are a single trunk or shoot that produces apples without branching. Check your local garden center to see the many different varieties of dwarf fruiting trees.
Jan’s March Tips
This month we found Jan in her garden dealing with her compost. Most people think that composting is a difficult chore. Actually, all Jan did was pile her yard debris in a pile and left it. A year later she has returned to uncover the pile to expose some really rich mulch. She simply screens it and applies it as a top dressing to her garden. Now if you are looking for more compost or to speed up the process you can take the time to turn your debris piles or add other nutrients to jump start the process, but the action of breaking down takes place with out a lot of help from humans. Adding any organic material will help your garden perform better. We also talked about soil temperatures. Right now, even with all this sun, the ground temperatures are pretty cold. Jan had a thermometer in her soil to show us that the ground temps were still in the 40s. For most of your garden plants you will only get them to grow if the soil temps are much higher. You can check the back of your seed packets or the OSU extension website for more information on the correct planting times for your favorite veggies.
