Not So Heaven Sent – The Invasive Nature of the ‘Tree of Heaven’

April 2022 Posted in Gardening | Comments Off on Not So Heaven Sent – The Invasive Nature of the ‘Tree of Heaven’

By Melissa Wagoner When Pam Russell and her husband purchased their home in Silverton in May 2021, they were excited to have a place of their own for the first time in 15 years. Newly retired empty-nesters, the couple thought they ...

Your Garden – Herbs

April 2022 Posted in Gardening, Outdoor Life | Comments Off on Your Garden – Herbs

Need a flavor boost in your cooking without adding salt? Try growing favorite herbs in your garden, a porch container or in a sunny window. Many herbs, like rosemary and thyme, are perennials that will thrive in our “Mediterranean” climate. ...

OSU Gardener’s May Chores

April 2022 Posted in Gardening, Outdoor Life | Comments Off on OSU Gardener’s May Chores

Oregon State University Extension Service encourages sustainable gardening practices. Always identify and monitor problems before acting. First, consider cultural controls; then physical, biological and chemical controls (which include insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, botanical insecticides, organic and synthetic pesticides). Always consider ...

Counterpoint: Grasses provide both aesthetic and practical benefits

April 2022 Posted in Gardening, Other | Comments Off on Counterpoint: Grasses provide both aesthetic and practical benefits

An article in the April 1 issue of Our Town [specifically in Your Garden] didn’t have a lot of good things to say about lawns. While we believe the author is entitled to her opinion, as grass seed growers in ...

Removing Lawns – The how and the why

April 2022 Posted in Gardening, Outdoor Life | Comments Off on Removing Lawns – The how and the why

By Melissa Wagoner A lush, green lawn looks beautiful, feels fabulous under foot and can serve a real purpose as the backdrop for picnics, sporting events or just lounging in the sun. But it can also have some real drawbacks.  “An irrigated, ...

OSU Gardener’s April Chores

April 2022 Posted in Gardening | Comments Off on OSU Gardener’s April Chores

Oregon State University Extension Service encourages sustainable gardening practices. Practice preventive pest management rather than reactive pest control. Identify and monitor problems before acting, and opt for the least toxic approach. Conserve biological control agents such as predators and the ...

Dealing with slugs

April 2022 Posted in Gardening | Comments Off on Dealing with slugs

By Diane Hyde As we pick up wind-blown debris and pull up weeds, clusters of slug eggs are found. Some species of slugs bury the eggs underground so they are not found until the little slime-makers emerge. Slugs live under or ...

Tips on Spring Garden Planting

April 2022 Posted in Gardening | Comments Off on Tips on Spring Garden Planting

By Diane Hyde To plant a garden is to believe in the future. Believe those seeds will sprout and mature in reasonable time. Believe your effort will be rewarded. Believe, but be wise in helping it happen. The spring solstice signals ...