SHOW ARCHIVE

Episode 364 • July 11, 2015

VIDEO ARCHIVE

It seems like the summer is finally getting a break. This summer heat is really tough. We have been trying to get out in the garden to do some clean up and it has just been too hot! The mornings have been spent trying to get everything watered and harvesting as much as we can from the garden before the heat melts everything. This heat has another drawback, it is rushing the berry season along. We were at Smith Berry Barn and they said that the heat is pushing the berries to ripen at a quicker rate. Get out in the morning and get your berries now!

We are just a week away from our bus trip through the Willamette Valley. We only have a few seats left. Go to www.GardenTime.tv/tours to register. The cost is $75. You can either send us a check or pay on-line with Paypal. Hope you can join us!

This week we featured...

Boxwood Blight

Boxwood Blight

Boxwoods are almost everywhere. A lot of people love the structure of the single tall varieties and others love the form of a trimmed hedge. Others like the fact that for the most part (unless it is a trimmed hedge) they are pretty maintenance free. Recently though, there has been a problem that is starting to pop up, Boxwood Blight. To learn more we paid a visit to Oregon State University to check in with Jay W. Pscheidt, a plant pathologist with OSU Extension. He said that this disease is relatively new to our area and has been found in a couple of wholesale nurseries where they grow boxwood. That isn’t too bad, since they can monitor the problem there, but they have also found it in Portland and Coos Bay in private gardens which could be a problem for spreading. This is a fungal disease that starts with dark spots on the foliage and quickly leads to defoliation (loss of leaves) and eventually death of the plant. Dr. Jay recommended that homeowners keep an eye out for anything unusual with their plants. If it is boxwood blight they should take a sample to the local extension office (in a sealed plastic bag) for confirmation. There is no treatment, but you can help prevent spreading by getting advice and removing the infected plants. To find out more check out this website, http://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/boxwood-buxus-spp-box-blight, or contact OSU Extension, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening.

Al’s Fairy Gardens

Al’s Fairy Gardens

You can add a bit of magic to your garden either inside or out by making a portion of it a fairy garden. A fairy garden is supposed to attract and make a home for good fairies so they stay and bring luck and good fortune to your garden and your home. They are made up of small homes, furniture and chairs. You can build one in a pot or in a secluded part of your garden (to give them a little privacy). We stopped by Al’s Garden Center (503-981-1245) in Sherwood to chat with Amy and her daughters to learn more about this phenomenon. Since fairies need a space of their own you will want to include pathways, fences and arbors. This will encourage them to stay in your garden. Letting your kids build the garden will allow them to use their own creativity and imagination. The girls built one in a large container, which was full of smaller plants. These plant all had similar growing characteristics, so the container was easy to maintain. After a fairy garden is planted some people swear that sometimes it looks like some of the pieces had been moved the next day. That is a good sign since it shows that the fairies had been there and using it. Getting one started is easy. You can even get everything you need to get started at any of the Al’s locations. They have a huge display of accessories to choose from. If you would like some help you can check out the workshop on miniature gardens happening at all 3 Al’s locations on the 19th at 1pm. Space is limited and registration is required. In a time when some people think that bigger is better, you can take the opposite route and make a home with your kids for the ‘wee people’ and have a great time doing it!

Aquarium Natives

Aquarium Natives

People add native plants to their landscape all the time for the beauty and structure they bring to the garden, but did you know that these plants have many more uses? One place where you can get to see some cool natives in a beautiful surrounding is at the Oregon Coast Aquarium (541-867-3474) in Newport. We met with Anita Albrecht who is the head groundskeeper and a person full of cool knowledge of natives in their gardens. She told us that Lewis and Clark called the Northwest a ‘land of plenty’ because of all the native plants. They love the plants, not only for the food they provided, but also for all the other uses as well. In front of the aquarium she showed us the small Prunella vulgaris, also known as Self-heal. This could be made into a salve which could be applied to cuts and open wounds. We also saw in this same area an Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis). It not only has small ‘plum like’ fruit, but if you chew on the new leaves they taste a little like apples (we hear that they are also a mild anesthetic and aphrodisiac). We also found out that plants we consider weeds, like fireweed, were eaten by pioneers when they arrived. In fact, fireweed, when it is young, tastes like asparagus. The French settlers even called it ‘asperges’ because of the taste. We then went inside the Aquarium to see some more plants.

The next stop was the pond area in the courtyard. This was one of Anita’s favorite areas. In the back of the pond were some cattails. These plants are called nature’s grocery store because there is so much they can provide. The roots and stalks are edible, and the seed heads were used as bedding. Another plant that has many uses is Arrowhead. This plant has a signature look to it, but to native Americans it was a major food source. It is also called Wapato, Indian potato or duck potato. Tubers are found in the shallow water and when harvested they float to the surface to be harvested. These are just a few of the plants you will find around the grounds of the Oregon Coast Aquarium. So the next time you are at the coast, stop by and see all the sea creatures, but don’t forget to check out the plants too!

Connie Hansen Garden

Connie Hansen Garden

There are lots of beautiful public gardens around our state, but one of the best (and a best kept secret) is the Connie Hansen Garden in Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast. The garden was a labor of love of Connie’s for over 20 years until she passed away. When she passed, it was taken over by a group of dedicated volunteers who formed a conservancy and bought the property in 1994. They continue to maintain it to this day. The Garden has been featured in Fine Gardening Magazine, Sunset, Better Homes and Gardens Quarterly, and is open daily from dawn to dusk. There is no charge for admission, but donations are always accepted. We took our tour of the garden with head gardener Priscilla Patterson. She told us about the garden and how it has changed over time. They still have some of the original plants that Connie put in the garden, but they have also added and improved some areas. One of the latest additions was a parcel of land that volunteers have planted full of cool and unique plants, including a heath and heather area that was stunning! Not only do they have the gardens but they also have a wonderful little gift shop. The garden is a great place to take out of town visitors if you are at the coast. It is also a great place to see which plants do well at the coast with the different weather conditions. If you want to take home one of the plants that they have in the garden they have a few for sale at the gift shop, but they also have their ‘orphan plant’ sale on July 18th of this month. They are also accepting new members as well. If you become a member you will be entered into a drawing for a trip to the Oregon Garden in Silverton! You can get more information at www.conniehansengarden.com or by calling 541-994-6338, or better yet, stop by for a visit at 1931 NW 33rd Street in Lincoln City.

30 Seconds Paint Prep

30 seconds Paint Prep

Summer is the time to do those outdoor chores. One of the most labor intensive chores is painting your house. Just the prep alone can take days, or it used to. A few months ago we found out about the product, 30 Seconds Cleaner. This product removes all kinds of mold, mildew and algae from decks, walkways and patios. Now we found out that they make a Painters Prep product as well. James came by to show us how easy it is to use. You simply mix it, spray it and wash it off. It was great… It is similar to the regular product but this one was designed for the experts at Sherwin Williams. This product is meant to clean vertical surfaces better and just like the original product it is safe to use around kids, pets and plants (though you should put the kids and pets away to keep them from getting underfoot). One of the best things about this product is that sometimes all you need is a good cleaning! In fact, once James sprayed the side of our house, the paint looks so good we decided to wait another year to paint!
 

 
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