It is the last week of summer and I'm left to wonder... is that it? This was not a normal summer. It seemed too cold, too wet and too short. Our vegetable garden just seems to be getting ready and now the rains have returned. I'm feeling a little cheated, but I have to temper the hard feelings I now have... we still could have extended summer-like weather. I'll keep my fingers crossed, but while they are crossed, I'll sit inside and wait for the showers to stop.

This week we featured...

Re-blooming Iris

Irises are known for their great blooms and sweet smells. They are also one of the first plants in the spring garden. Steve Schreiner from Schreiner's Iris Gardens
(1-800-525-2367) took us to the shipping area to show us how you would receive your roots for planting. You have to remember not to bury the root below ground. Leave the top part of the root exposed so you can see the brown part of the root. Mulch the root over the winter if you need to, but next spring you can uncover the root again. They ship some of these plants around the world, so they know what they are talking about! He also told us about some varieties that are re-blooming right now, bringing you color 2 times a year! These varieties are consistent, but not guaranteed to re-bloom, though some varieties are close to 100% re-bloomers for our area. Re-blooming depends on different variables including weather, soil type, fertilization, and watering. Some varieties that were featured included Sugar Blues, Cantina, Jennifer Rebecca, and Buckwheat. If you are interested in these varieties or if you have any questions, give Schreiner's a call.

Red Pig Root Cutter

If you are looking for a great tool you don't to look any further than Red Pig Tools (503-663-9404) in Boring Oregon. Bob Denman is a true master at the forge and he has a heart for gardening. When you combine those you get a garden tool that is useful and will last. This week we found him working on a root cutting tool. This tool is great for cutting those long tap roots when you are transplanting trees, shrubs or perennials. It can also be used to 'trick' a plant into bloom. If you have a plant that doesn't seem to want to bloom or the blooms are weak, this tool can be used around the base of the plant to cut some of the roots. This will shock the plant into thinking that it needs to 'survive' and the plant will produce more flowers. Pretty neat! This is just one of the many 'tools with a purpose' that you will find at Red Pig. Stop on by their store or visit them on-line.

Rose Garden Perennials

Last year we visited the brand new perennial garden at the International Rose Test Gardens at Washington Park in Portland. Dan Heim from Terra Nova showed us some of the plants that his nursery had donated to the garden for some perennial beds. This fall we returned to see how the garden was doing and we got a tour from Harry Landers, the curator of the gardens. What a difference a year makes. The beds are full of color, texture and fragrance. Harry told William about all the great local growers that have donated plants and other material to make these flowers beds so spectacular. In addition to Terra Nova, they have received donations from Heirloom Roses, Bailey's Nursery and Blooming Nursery. Harry even brought plants from home! Harry designed the gardens by taking an inventory of plants he had in the greenhouses and then going out to the beds and outlining them with spray paint. This gave the volunteers the areas where they needed to plant. He also used large groupings of the same types of plants so they created large swaths of color from the same varieties of plants.

Harry also showed us another area of the garden that is not so formal. This area was along a path between tennis courts. This was formerly grass and a few roses. Now it is a mixture of roses, perennials and shrubs and it looks great. It shows you how you can mix even single plants to create a beautiful flower bed. Harry also wanted people to know how hard the volunteers worked to create these beds. The Rose Garden relies on a large number of volunteers and they are always open for more people to join in and help keep these signature gardens looking their best. If you are interested in joining the list of volunteers you can call the Rose Garden office at 503-823-3636.

Dinsdale Drip System

The buzz words in gardening these days is 'water-wise' gardening. It is easy to think about trying to use less water, but sometimes it is hard to decide what we can do to make that happen. Recently we found a product that we think can help make that easier for everyone. Alfred Dinsdale from Dinsdale Landscape Contractors (503-925-9292) joined us in the garden to show us a new product, OsMile, which is the latest in garden watering. The problem with old soaker hoses is that they can water unevenly if they are too long. There is more pressure at the beginning of the hose than there is at the end. This new hose maintains the same pressure through out the entire length of the hose and that means more even watering. This hose is also thicker and so it is more resistant to accidental cutting and punctures. Alfred also told us about the installation of this new product. He has his crew bury it a couple of inches under ground. This allows the water to release directly to the root zone of the plants and this inhibits evaporation. It is very easy to install if you have the right tools or know-how. If you are interested in this new product you can contact Dinsdale Landscaping and they can get some for you and even install it if you are not up to the task. For more water saving tips for your garden you can check out the Regional Water Providers Consortium at www.ConserveH2O.org.

Jan's Sept. Tips

For our tips of the month we returned to the garden of retired OSU Extension Agent, Jan McNeilan. This month Jan was out in the front yard of her house to plant a new azalea. She told us how this plant was going into an area that gets infrequent watering. She has been keeping the plant watered in the pot and was waiting for the fall rains for her chance to plant it. This is the perfect time of year to plant. The weather is still pretty warm and the rains help them establish faster. The best part is that they are getting a head start on next season's growth. Promoting new growth is also good for your indoor plants. Jan took us to her greenhouse where she was just about to take a tender hibiscus inside for the winter. First she needed to cut off the long branches to help promote new growth and flowers. You could see how the plant was trying to send out new shoots and that the old branches were taking up too much energy.

While we were there we talked about the late summer garden. This season was not the best for most vegetable gardeners. In fact most of this year, the growing, blooming and fruiting seasons were 2-3 weeks behind schedule. This means that your garden may not be producing the amount of veggies that you have had in the past. The key here is to still be patient... the season is not over yet. We could have an extended season and so you need to keep an eye on your plants to make sure they are getting the attention that they need. It is also a good idea to start keeping records about your garden and note what varieties worked and which ones didn't. That will help your future success. For more garden tips you can check out the OSU Extension website.