Planting season is in full swing. We have been doing fresh stories on planting and showing tips from last year as well. Each week we want to bring you timely information and local events to get you excited about gardening. We hope this week's show motivates you to have some fun in the garden!

This week we featured...

Planting Tomatoes

Now is the time to plant your tomatoes and there are a few things you can do to ensure a bountiful fall crop. William and Judy gave us some tips for success. One thing you can do is to plant your tomato deep! Tomatoes will grow roots along their main stem as long as you leave a portion of the leaves above ground (one of the few plants you can do this to). If you don't have enough soil to plant deep you can also lay the tomato on its side, with just the top sticking out. Also, by adding a small amount of garden lime to the soil you can avoid 'blossom end rot', a condition that causes a brown spot at the end of your tomato. A little transplant fertilizer helps too. It is still a little early in some areas of the state so you may want to protect your new plants with a cover, like a cloche, or use a product like a Wall-o-Water. Don't forget to set your tomato cages up as well. It is easier to do it now than to wait until they have grown up and you have to wrestle the cages on! We also had some tips about watering. Tomatoes are from Mexico and they don't need a lot of water when they are setting fruit. So water them well until they start to show some blooms or small fruit, then start cutting back on watering a little. The extra water promotes leaf growth and not fruit production. They will produce better once you cut back on the watering. If you have your tomato in a pot you may need to monitor the water a little more closely. One final tip; this year choose a favorite or two, but also pick out a new variety to try. You won't be disappointed.

Urban Chickens

One of the hottest trends in gardening is the idea of growing your own food. For some that means a vegetable garden. For others, they want to go a little further and bring poultry to their gardens. The benefits of chickens are many. They can help control insects and pests by eating them. They can help with fertilizing by just doing their 'business' as they walk around your garden. They can also bring you fresh eggs. Plus there is the added benefit of just looking cool! To learn more about chickens we stopped by Pistils Nursery in North Portland (503-288-4889) to talk to Mandie. If you have decided to have chickens in your garden you will want to get a few items to help them thrive. First of all you will need to get at least 3-4 baby chicks to start. In Portland the law says you can have 3 hens in your backyard. Remember to check with your town or county to see what the regulations are for your area. In some towns they don't allow backyard poultry at all! Sometimes one of the chicks turns out to be a rooster and then you will have to get rid of it. Chickens are also social creatures and they are happier if they have company in the garden. As far as supplies you will need equipment for feeding and watering them. Smaller chicks will also need a heat lamp to grow. Then you will also need shelter for them. Even when they grow larger, chickens are not self-sufficient. You will need to feed them and make sure they have all that they need to thrive. Also, people move them around the garden from time to time to give them a fresh place to scratch and peck. If you would like to get started on having chickens in your garden, you can stop by Pistils to get your questions answered. Chickens are a cool way to bring the family farm to your backyard!

Raised Beds

With the emphasis on veggies gardening this year, raised garden beds are pretty hot. If you are looking to add a raised bed to your garden we found a couple of kits you may want to try. First we found a very decorative one from Garden Gallery Iron Works (1-800-423-0158) at the Woodburn Company Stores. This one has beautiful metal corners with decorative finials. The boards on the side easily slip into the corners and are secured by screws. The beauty of this kit is that you can replace the boards in a couple of years when they are starting to rot and you are good to go again. The next kit was one that is found at some of the other local independent garden centers like Al's Garden Center (503-726-1162) and Portland Nursery (503-788-9000). This one is a pre-cut model that comes in various sizes and shape. It goes together like a very easy puzzle and is deeper than the first kit. This one is perfect for those root crops like carrots, beet and radishes that need a little more soil. Speaking of soil, we also recommend not filling your bed with regular soil from your garden. Go ahead and purchase a bagged soil, like a Black Gold product if you have a small bed or get a load of Garden Mulch delivered from Grimm's Fuel for a larger bed. There are also raised beds made of recycled plastic. To see more choices check out your local independent garden center.

Willow Furniture

There is nothing like the look of willow furniture. Either in your home or on your deck, it carries a rustic quality that can't be matched. We traveled east of Salem to Gates to pay a visit to Brian and Sam Phillips from the Willow Station (503-897-7387). Brian has been working on willow furniture for over 30 years and he is a true craftsman when it comes to this great art form. When we were there, Brian worked while Sam told us all about the furniture and walked us through the steps for making our own piece. The Willow Station teaches classes and in the class you can make an entire piece all by yourself and take it home the same day. Brian showed us how to make their signature 'Oregon Garden Bench'. Each class starts with a good solid frame. Then we take the edge off the ends of the frame. We 'blunt' the points of the nails we use to keep them from splitting the wood when we put our bench together. Then we start assembling. The back and the 'T' are first, followed by the branches for the seat and then the armrests followed by the building of the back. Once it is done we will cover it with a good coat of marine varnish. If you take the class you will sometimes have the choice of up to 5 different pieces of furniture you can build. To catch the next class, check out their schedule on their website. The next class locally will be held at Portland Nursery on Division (503-788-9000) on the 18th. Give them a call and register today, and take home your own piece of art!

Spring Tree Diseases

Your trees had a hard winter! If you don't believe me, just check with Terrill Collier of Collier Arborcare (503-72-ARBOR). Terrill met with Judy to fill her in on a couple of diseases that he has noticed this spring. These diseases are attacking trees that are already stressed from this past winter. The first disease we saw was Brown Blossom Blight on a weeping cherry in SE Portland. This is a fungal disease that is helped along by the wet spring weather that we have. It will cause a die-back of the flowers and leaves and that will weaken the tree over time and cause death of the tree in some cases. The second tree was a sycamore. This tree also showed signs of disease from Sycamore Anthracnose. It also attacks the leaves and causes die-back. Once again the tree will get weaker and weaker and could eventually die. Both of these diseases can be treated with sprays in the early spring. Terrill told us that once you see the problem in late spring, it is too late. But once you notice it you can help the tree without spraying by doing selective pruning of the diseased limbs. You will want to always check with a qualified arborist to diagnose any problems or to perform any dangerous maintenance.