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We warned you! Last weekend we featured a show filled with tips for getting your garden ready for fall. It was a wonderful weekend and perfect for getting outside, but now the rains have returned. We are expecting a lot of rain over the next few days and even with all this rain there is still time to get some of those chores done. In fact, the rains will soften the soil and help with planting those perennials and spring bulbs for next year. You still have time.

As these rains return and winter weather approaches it might be nice to go to your happy place. Thinking about next season is a great thing to do when the weather starts getting yucky. We are working on plans for next year and another Garden Time tour. Yes, the fall is still here, but it is never too late to think of those warm days, basking in the European sun again. This is just a reminder to not book too many things for next September. Details are coming soon!

This week we featured...

Sunshine Gardenhouse

Having a 'green' house in your backyard shouldn't send you to the 'poor' house. We found that there are is one greenhouse that will stand the test of time. Sunshine Gardenhouse (888-590-8657) is perfect. It is easy to assemble and really inexpensive too. A greenhouse will help to extend your gardening season and it will give you a head start on next year. The Sunshine Gardenhouse is one that you will enjoy for a long time. How do we know? We've had one for over a decade! Mike Helle from Sunshine Gardenhouse told us how you can assemble one in just a few hours. When you order the kit it arrives in just a couple of boxes. The kit is so well organized, that it is really simple to assemble with just a couple of tools. A couple other benefits... it can be sited anywhere and there is no need for expensive site preparation, you can place it directly on your lawn or any flat surface. Plus it is lightweight. You can assemble it with just one person (though it is easier with two). This is great if you want to place it over an existing garden area.

Greenhouses are great for year round use. They start your gardening season off earlier and then extend your gardening and harvest well into the fall. Plus you can now save some of those tender plants and tropicals to add a new dimension to your garden. Check out their website to see all the different types of greenhouses available and all the tools to extend your growing season.

Fall Slug Bait

Slugs are not just a spring time problem. Fall, with its increasing rains, can bring them back into your garden when you thought they were under control. Remember to bait now so they don't destroy your beautiful fall flowers. You can use a commercial bait that is safe for pets and children or you can use a beer trap to draw them out of your garden. The best part about fall and baiting for slugs now, is that if you bait now you will reduce the amount of slugs you get next spring because they are not around to lay eggs. Always remember to read and follow the label directions with any garden product.

Chestnut Roast and Festival

'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire'... We have all heard the old holiday carol, but few of us have ever tasted a roasted chestnut, even though they grow in our area. A few years ago we heard about a chestnut farm near Hood River and we did a story up there, so we decided to pay a return visit and learn more about these traditional, but underused nuts. Bernardo is the owner of Nella Chestnut Farms (1-800-400-3658). Bernardo is Italian and his experiences with this nut have a deep rooted tradition. Even Judy, who is also Italian, has had chestnuts with her family for meals and snacks. Many cultures from Italian, to French to Asian, use this nut in their cooking. In Europe you can find vendors on the street corners during the fall, roasting these for shoppers. To harvest them you have to make sure that you are not using the Horse Chestnut (these can make you sick), the correct ones are like a big sharp, fuzzy looking pod. Once the pod falls from the tree you can step on the pod to have the nut pop out. Then take the biggest ones and cut them with an 'x' on the outside (to prevent them from bursting in the oven) and then roast them for 25 minutes at 400 degrees, you can then eat the yellow meat inside. You can even cook them in the microwave! There are lots of other ways to enjoy these naturally delicious nuts and you can find more recipes on the Nella Farms' website. You can even order them on-line. Check them out this weekend for their annual Chestnut Roast at their farm in Hood River, taking place both Saturday and Sunday between noon and 4pm.

Dancing Oaks Fall Color

Fall color is not limited to leaves. There is so much color during the fall that can be from foliage, blooms, and berries it is hard to pick what looks the best. To get an idea about some of the great plants to choose from we stopped by Dancing Oaks Nursery (503-838-6058) and talked with Leonard. The first plant he brought up was the Silvervein Creeper (Parthenocissus henryana). This climber is pretty in the summer time with an olive colored leaf and a white line through the center, but in the fall it turns a crimson red paired with a blue fruit. It also grows well in shade, unusual for a vine! Next we looked at a Bush Clover named 'Spring Grove'. This Lespedeza grows well during the summer and then becomes a prolific bloomer in the late summer through fall. The purple flowers are hard to beat in the full sun. Next to that was a wonderful striking blue salvia called 'Blue Willow'. Also known as West Texas Sage, the blue flowers are incredible. Although there is a belief that hummingbirds like red flowers, these blue flowers are also hummingbird magnets. To contrast the blue flowers, Leonard brought out a zauschneria called 'Catalina'. Found in southern Oregon and northern California, it is also called California Fuchsia, this is a great plant for the garden. It can get 3-4 feet tall, but the color of the blooms and the fact that hummingbirds love it make it a 'must have' for local gardeners. If you are looking for a taller shrub or small tree that packs a punch, then look no further than the Seven Sons Tree. During the summer it is covered by tiny fragrant white flowers that fade and fall off revealing red seed pods that are even more beautiful than the flowers. They also have a great tan bark in the winter for further interest! The final plant we saw was the Japanese or Crimson Glory Vine. This grape has huge leaves and is a prolific grower. The one at Dancing Oaks climbs at least 30 feet in the air on an Oak tree, bring a big show of color to the branches. The huge leaves leave no doubt that you can't miss the annual fall show.

These are just a few of the plants that you can find for fantastic fall color at Dancing Oaks. They will close their daily retail operations at the end of October, but you can always order their plants on-line on their website, or make an appointment to visit after their retail closes.

Hemp Harvest

Oregon is known as one of the first states to legalize marijuana, also known as hemp to some. But there is a hemp that is growing in the valley that will not make you feel funny, but could help make you healthier. Industrial hemp is being grown at Red Barn Hemp (503-634-2580) which is owned by the same people as the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm . This hemp is being used to harvest CBD oil. CBD is not the stuff that makes you goofy, that's THC, but an oil that some claim has medicinal benefits. The farm is growing this special plant and is working with the state to make sure it stays pure. These plants are just being harvested now and are only a part of the nutraceuticals that they are now growing and harvesting. We met with Giovanna, the farm manager, in the fields to talk about all the different plants they are harvesting for beneficial oils and products. Even though they don't look like much, these plants are grown for the oil they produce through different processes. In the past we toured the extraction room. In this room they extract the raw oil from the 'bio-mass' (all the dried green material from the plants). This raw material is then cleaned and refined to create the oil that they use for medicinal uses. These oils are grown for use in products from other companies, but also for use in the Red Barn Hemp line of products. We ended our tour in the shop where they have CBD oil infused products. It can be found in tinctures for your tea and coffee, tablets, creams, lotions and ointments. They even have some for your pet! This product is still being tested by the FDA, and so they can't claim any benefits from using these products, but there are plenty of people who swear by it. In fact, many of our viewers have stories that they shared about its use. If you would like to learn more, check out their website, or stop by their retail outlet at the Wooden Shoe Bulb Farm.

Tsugawa Fall Camellias

The winter months can be boring in the garden. There is not usually a lot of color to enjoy. One plant that will brighten up your garden in these dreary months is the camellia. The Sasanqua Camellias are a variety that blooms in the late fall and into winter, with wonderful color. The interesting thing about these plants is that they will tighten up when it gets cold and then when the sun comes out they will open up their blooms and even set new blooms! They are also a wonderful plant the rest of the year too, even when they're not blooming. Brian at Tsugawa Nursery (360-225-8750) in Woodland talked about a couple of the most popular during the holidays including the variety 'Yuletide'. This one is an old favorite with its deep red petals and bright yellow center it is perfectly named for this time of year. There is a new variety of 'Yuletide' called 'Pink-a-boo' with the same bright yellow center and soft pink petals. These both will bloom through the holidays. There are also varieties that will bloom through the winter and into the spring when the Japonica type of spring and summer blooming camellias take over.

If you are not sure of which plant you like, Tsugawa's has a large selection of camellias, so you can compare them without wandering around to different garden centers! If you are looking for some great late season, into winter color, you should check these out.