Mike Darcy – Page 7

Making Space for Gardening: The Portland Community Garden Story

Gardeners in an Oregon community garden harvest late-season vegetables. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

Throughout the United States, urban community gardens have become a common thread that helps bring communities together, in cities large and small. Most community gardens have similar goals. In addition to supplying families with fresh produce, they encourage physical activity, provide needed green space, and a relaxed way to meet your neighbor.

No matter where it is, there is a standard template for community garden programs. Basically, a city sets aside a certain area of land, which is sectioned into plots and then offered to the residents of the community for a small fee to use for a garden. And, cities with such programs find that they are hugely successful. It’s harder for city dwellers to grow vegetables—with more people living in apartments or condominiums, homes being on smaller lots, and shade from trees and other dwellings preventing the opportunity. A community garden can fill the gardening niche and provide residents with vegetable garden plots that are often a relatively short distance from their homes.

The Portland Community Garden Story

Each garden plot can be personalized by the gardener. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

Portland, Oregon was an early player in the community garden movement with its program beginning in 1975. Today, Portland has 52 community gardens throughout the city, with some gardens having wait lists of three years. Through community gardening, they strive to give people across the city the opportunity to grow fresh food, regardless of race, age, or income. The cost and size of a plot can vary, but most are nominally priced. A standard Portland plot of about 200 square feet is $57. This cost includes water. If money is an issue, the city has a scholarship assistance program.

Portland’s many diverse community gardens are well planned and maintained. There is a water faucet near enough to water every plot and free wood chips are often offered to mulch pathways (wood chips bind nitrogen, so they are not recommended for mulching vegetable plants). Most community gardens, including this one, are 100% organic, which means no chemical sprays or non-organic soil amendments or fertilizers are allowed. Garden mulch and/or compost must be brought into the plots by the individual gardener. Most gardeners begin their cool-season crop planting in mid to late March. Warm season crops, like tomatoes and squash, are planted at the end of May.

Friends of Portland Community Gardens

Volunteers help the efforts of community gardens. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

To further support community gardening efforts in Portland, the Friends of Portland Community Gardens was formed. Founded in 1986, the volunteer organization was initially created because budget cuts threatened the City of Portland’s Community Gardens program. Not only does their presence ensure that this important resource remains available to members of the Portland community, but they strive to “Empower gardeners to make the most of their community garden plots by providing communal supplies such as compost and tools.” The nonprofit also offers programming to help new gardeners succeed.

A Model for Other Communities

Irrigation water and wood chips are provided by Portland community gardens. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

This community garden success story can provide a model for other cities. Most community gardens are overseen by a city government department, usually the Parks and Recreation Department. As one might imagine, the prospect of overseeing this many gardens could be overwhelming, which is why a strong volunteer program is essential.

Other communities around Portland have adopted the model. Portland’s adjoining suburb, Lake Oswego (population 40,000), also has one very active community garden program with 180 plots, with an average plot size of 20 x 20 feet and a yearly cost of $85. The garden is at 100% capacity for 2018, but there are usually some dropouts. The Community Garden Coordinator, Dawn Grunwald, told me that she keeps a wait list of those wanting a plot, and she begins calling at the end of January if there are vacant plots available.

Usually, there is an individual contact at each garden to oversee the site, but it is the individual gardeners that maintain each plot. It should be of no surprise that the biggest maintenance issue is that of weeds. Unmaintained gardens are often reassigned after a considerable period of neglect to keep weed seeds out of fellow gardener’s plots. Dawn said, “If someone neglects a plot or fails to plant it, I ask them to let it go. If they want to keep it, we work with them to try to get it back in shape and perhaps suggest they get a smaller plot the following year.”

Growing Solutions for Community Gardeners

Since many gardeners start their own seeds at home and plant the seedlings in the spring, it’s smart for them to choose a mix that will yield great results. OMRI Listed Black Gold Seedling Mix is an ideal seed-starting medium to use. To prepare the garden plot prior to planting, gardeners can add Black Gold Garden Compost Blend or Earthworm Castings Blend, which are also OMRI Listed. Quality compost and castings are good additions for improving soil moisture, aeration, and drainage.

I asked Dawn what the Oswego community gardeners do with their excess produce, and she said they have boxes out for people to share their extra vegetables. Deliveries are also made to local food banks and other service organizations. So, community gardens help the larger community, too. [Click here to learn more about ways to share your produce!]

From talking with gardeners from other cities, it appears the community garden programs are vibrant and very popular. Even if you do not have a community garden plot, volunteers are always welcome and are rewarded with good growing tips and fresh produce.

Western Native Evergreen Shrubs for Landscapes

In recent years, I have noticed a substantial increase in the use of native shrubs for the home garden. Many are diverse and beautiful while growing well in local climates, and those with winter interest have the added benefit of year-round beauty. Quite a few native evergreen shrubs from our region have exceptional landscape value.

In my own neighborhood, I have seen an interest in native plants, both from the average gardener that plants a just few natives to the avid gardener that plants all natives. While the intention is noteworthy, there are a few cultural requirements that homeowners must consider beforehand. Just because a plant is a local native does not mean it is the right plant for the home garden. If you are going to plant natives, do some research native plants in your area and their natural habitats. Consider the soil, elevation, and location of the plant with respect to sun and shade before planting it in your yard. Shrub size and habit also matter.

Another option is relying on the knowledge and experience of others. Here are seven Pacific Northwest native plants that I can recommend. They all look good and perform well in home landscapes, and many have berries (some edible and some not) that are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife. One or more might be suitable for your garden.

Coast Rhododendron

Our own native rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), often referred to as the coast rhododendron, is similar to many of the hybrid landscape Rhododendrons. It grows naturally as an understory plant in our forests and does well with light shade and soil rich in humus. The addition of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is a helpful addition at planting time. Clusters of showy rose-purple flowers appear in mid to late spring, and large evergreen leaves keep landscapes looking good in the winter months.

California Huckleberry

The native evergreen California huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) grows from California up into the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. It is often seen in gardens because it has shiny, dark green leaves that look good year round. In the spring, there are clusters of small pink to white bell-shaped flowers, which are followed by edible black berries that are often used in pies and jams. Huckleberries also like a raised soil that is rich in humus and compost. Give them some protection from the hot afternoon sun.

Oregon Grape

The Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) is the state flower of Oregon. It is well known in American landscapes with its glossy, green, holly-like leaves and early clusters of yellow flowers that are followed by stems with blue fruit. The early yellow flowers are an important source of food for hummingbirds, and the fruits are of favorite of native birds.

Salal

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is one of the best known of the native landscape plants from this region. Shrubs usually reach only 1 to 2 feet in height, making it an excellent shrubby ground cover. Long clusters of white or pinkish flowers appear in spring, followed by blue-black fruits that are attractive to many birds. Its evergreen leaves look clean and attractive through winter.

Salmonberry

The semi-evergreen salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is a thorny shrub with a growth habit similar to that of raspberries. It is very easy to grow and has reddish-pink flowers that are followed by raspberry-like berries that vary in color from yellow to red. Salmonberry can form dense thickets that provide good cover for many native birds in addition to fruits. The berries are also edible to humans, but they are somewhat dry and not as tasty as raspberries, blackberries, or loganberries.

Manzanita

The native greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula) is another well-known garden plant that is tough enough to be used in highway landscaping. Hummingbirds gravitate to the pinkish early spring flowers. Manzanita leaves are usually green to gray-green, and the small, bell-shaped flowers look pretty early in the season and develop into edible summer fruits. One of the outstanding features of this shrub is its coppery bark, which adds to its showy evergreen leaves.

Silk Tassel Bush

Coast silk tassel (Garrya elliptica) can reach 12 to 15 feet in height and is sometimes trained as a small tree. Plants have either male or female flowers, so you need to plant more than one if you want the fruits provided by the female plants. The notable male catkins (tassels) can reach 6 to 8 inches long. Purple fruits hang on the female plants later in the season until they are eaten by birds. This is an excellent foliage plant that needs well-drained soil. For a shrub with exceptionally long catkins, plant the male variety ‘James Roof’.

These are just some of the many native evergreen shrubs that are being used in western home gardens and landscapes. Many more choices exist, and with just a little research, you should be able to find one that will fit well into your garden.

Growing Dwarf Apple Trees

Dwarf apple trees can fit into practically any sunny, small-space garden.

Walking out on your deck, balcony, or patio and being able to pick fresh apples off your own tree may be a dream to most gardeners. In the world of today, we often have small lots, which means less available space for a standard-sized fruit tree. Even if we did have space, there may be other competing factors to prevent an apple tree from flourishing, such as shade from a neighboring house or a mature tree casting shade and expansive roots, competing for sun, water, and nutrients. For many urban and small-space gardeners, dwarf apple trees (Malus domestica) is the solution, and fall is the best time to plant them.

Even with limited space, dwarf fruit trees can grow and thrive, if provided good ground. These small trees will even grow well in large containers, so they can be grown on a sturdy balcony or small patio if given adequate sunlight and good care.

What Makes Dwarf Apples Dwarf?

Garden centers sell our favorite apple varieties, like ‘Honeycrisp’, ‘Fuji’, or ‘Red Delicious’, as very very dwarf (5-7′ tall), dwarf (6-10 feet tall), or semi-dwarf (8-12 feet tall). The fact is, any apple variety can be in compact form if it is grafted onto dwarfing rootstock. So, what is grafting and how does it work?

A row of dwarf ‘Red Delicious’ apple trees.

Every commercial apple you buy is actually two apple varieties grafted or joined together; one variety is the main tree (scion) while the second variety is the rootstock. The scion of a dwarf tree is grafted onto dwarfing rootstock, so it’s the rootstock that controls tree size, among other factors such as disease resistance, hardiness, and vigor. (Learn all about the grafting process here.)

It is unfortunate that plant labels on apple trees don’t tell the whole story. It is as important to know what the rootstock variety is and the scion variety because the rootstock determines how a tree will grow. There are many different apple rootstocks. For example, G65 is one of the most dwarfing varieties, producing trees reaching about 4-7 feet. The next size up would be a rootstock called M9, producing trees reaching about 6-10 feet. (Learn all about dwarfing rootstocks here.)

The Best Dwarf Apple Trees

For apple trees in general, all need to be cross-pollinated, which requires two trees to be planted in close proximity to each other. Apples can be early-, early-mid-, mid-, mid-late-, or late-blooming, so you need to choose at least two trees that bloom at the same time for cross-pollination. Apples are primarily honeybee pollinated, so it also helps to plant other garden flowers and shrubs for honeybees, to make sure there are lots of pollinators in your garden to help your apples. (To learn more about flower gardening for bees click here. To learn more about trees for bees click here.)

‘Golden Delicious’ is a great eating apple and popular pollenizing tree for other mid-season varieties, like ‘Jonagold’ or ‘Gala’. Likewise, the mid-late-blooming ‘Honeycrisp’ will pollenize other mid-late-bloomers, like ‘Granny Smith’. Just choose the apples you like best, whether they be for fresh eating, cooking, or cider, and be sure their bloom is coordinated for best production. (For a full list of apple pollenizers, click here.)

Growing Dwarf Apple Trees

Dwarf apple trees are ideal for growing in large containers that are at least 10-15 gallons. If planting in a container, fill the pot with one part Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix mixed with one part Black Gold Garden Soil. If planting in the ground, good drainage and good soil quality are essential. Amend the soil with Black Gold Garden Soil before planting to increase organic matter. A yearly top dressing of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is ideal for trees in containers or in the ground. When placing your trees, remember that the critical factor is the sun; these trees should have daylong direct sunlight.

Espaliered fruit trees are great for training against walls or fences. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Gardeners with very little space should look for apples that are espaliered for training against a fence, trellis, or wall. Espaliered trees require harsher pruning if they are to be maintained in their attractive architectural form, but they are space saving.

Yearly pruning in late winter will also help standard dwarf apples. Remove crossing or unwieldy stems as well as unwanted water sprouts that may arise from the rootstock. Another important step to winter care is spraying trees with dormant oil spray to control common pests, like whitefly, mealybugs, mites, and aphids. Spray before your trees have leafed out and when temperatures are below 40ºF.

Check out your local garden center in fall because if they have dwarf fruit trees, it is likely they will be on sale. If they are not available now, spring would offer a better selection. You might be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to have fresh apples to pick from your own trees.

Share the Fruits and Vegetables of Your Garden

Garden abundance offers an opportunity to share food with your community!

This is the time of year when home vegetable gardens reach their peak with summer produce ready for picking. Just walking around my neighborhood, I see that the tomatoes are turning color, a sure sign that the harvest season is upon us. Once summer vegetables begin maturing, they continue at a rapid pace, often too rapidly. Many home gardeners simply plant more than they can eat fresh, with much going to waste. It can be overwhelming. Of course, preserving food by canning or freezing is an option, but sharing one’s vegetable garden abundance is another alternative that has the added benefit of feeding the community.

Share Vegetables with Neighbors

Sharing tomatoes has become a neighborhood tradition in my community.

Prolific tomatoes, beans, zucchini, summer squash, and cucumbers are always welcomed by neighbors that don’t garden. In my neighborhood, sharing the fruits and vegetables of the summer season is a common practice, and it has proved to be a wonderful way for neighbors to connect. Once the tomato season starts, I do not think that anyone around us needs to buy a tomato from the store. And, it is fun to listen to neighbors conversing with each other about their favorite tomato.

If you are not sure who to give your veggies to in your neighborhood, try placing a vegetable sharing stand in front of your home. Once your community finds you have fresh veggies to share, they will check your stand regularly, and your vegetables will naturally reach the hands of appreciative takers.

Share Vegetables with Food Banks

Food banks are always willing to take extra fresh produce. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Fresh produce is expensive, which is why many communities offer other options for sharing garden abundance. For example, local food banks always need fresh produce. (Click here to find your closest local food bank.) Many other community service organizations also operate food-sharing services, which may be in closer proximity than a food bank. Local towns and cities often have drop-off places where fresh produce can be deposited, and some garden centers have specific days when they will accept produce.

There are even non-profit organizations geared towards helping home gardeners share their harvest with the hungry. Ample Harvest is a non-profit that helps home gardeners find local produce-sharing outlets, and Feeding America has a Produce Donation Portal that let’s produce donors connect with Feeding America network members.

If you are personally going to deliver to a food bank, it presents a wonderful teaching opportunity for young people. Children need to realize that not everyone has the benefit of having fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet every day. By taking vegetables from their garden and then delivering them to a food bank, children learn the benefits of both sharing and caring. Too often in our world today we are not really connected physically with others, especially those in need. Delivering produce to a food drop off center where people are present will provide a lasting impression.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

Gardeners can even start the season with the intention to share their produce with others! In 1955, The Association of Garden Communicators (GWA), began a program called Plant A Row for the Hungry (PAR). It encourages gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to donate to local food banks, soup kitchens, or other service organizations that might welcome fresh produce. Since its founding, the PAR campaign has donated over 20 million pounds of produce to those in need. There is no government subsidy, no red tape, just people helping people.

Gardening organizations and companies are also encouraged to get involved. Sun Gro Horticulture, the makers of Black Gold, have supported Plant a Row for the Hungry for years by providing donations of row markers, media, and

A happy tomato in the Sun Gro PAR vegetable garden.

other fundraising materials to other PAR gardens. The company has even maintained its own PAR garden at its headquarters in Agawam, MA for the past 17 years. In fact, in their best year they weighed in nearly 450 pounds of fresh produce, thanks to the high performance of Black Gold products! (Read the story of Sun Gro’s PAR garden here.)

With all of the resources that we have in this country, there is no excuse for a child, or anyone, to be deprived of an adequate meal with fresh food. One way to help is by sharing the wealth of your own home garden. Whether you give to your neighbors or to the larger community, you can make a difference in someone’s life by giving fresh, healthy produce.

Generational Family Gardening with Kids

New, budding gardeners learn how to grow vegetables organically.

Gardening is best shared with multiple generations, especially for our youngest gardeners. Whether we gardeners have our own children, grandchildren, or children in the neighborhood, it is an easy role to fill. Young Millennial families are embracing gardening, so the goal for older gardeners should be to share our garden knowledge to inspire young, budding plant lovers. When everyone gardens, young and old, everyone wins.

A home garden, whether it be a small potted garden or raised bed full of vegetables, is the most natural place for kids to first discover gardening! Let them pick the flowers, harvest tomatoes, or help water and weed. Something as simple as pulling a deep dandelion root can be a great learning experience. It’s all about being outdoors and instilling a love of the earth and all the great growing things it sustains.

Gardening at home is where it starts for most families, but there are other more formal ways for gardeners to share their knowledge with the next generation. States across the country have programs to get kids involved in gardening at an early age, beginning in elementary school and continuing through high school. Most programs like these were inspired by the ground-breaking Edible Schoolyard program in Berkley, California. These are great places to volunteer your time and expertise. (Click here to learn more about national youth gardening programs).

Farm to School

Families learn to plant strawberry containers (in Black Gold mix, of course!).

One such program in my state is through the Oregon Department of Education called Farm to School program. The goal of Farm to School is to establish school vegetable gardens, started and maintained by students from seed to harvest. Currently, 46% of in Oregon public schools participate in the program. It is an excellent way to get kids started in gardening while also giving them the benefit of extra outdoor physical activity. Students learn botany and horticulture, but also science, math, nutrition, and health. Volunteer gardeners are often invited to help support Farm to School gardening activities.

Local gardens and garden centers may also provide garden support to families. Locally in the Portland, Oregon metro area, a local chain of garden centers, Al’s Garden Center, has sponsored a Kid’s Club for over twenty years, with events specifically designed for kids. Classes may be about planting strawberries or “Growing an Edible Rainbow” of tomatoes, purple beans, cucumbers, and sweet corn. In addition to the actual planting, the teachers have a lesson plan to explain what it is they are planting and how it will

Kid’s Club Members at Al’s Garden Center have fun with planting projects.

grow. (The Kid’s Club coordinator told me that many former Kids Club members, now adults with families and gardens of their own, have personally thanked her for everything they learned in the program!)

Public Gardens are also a great resource for gardening families and kids. Bellevue Botanic Garden in Seattle, Washington has great programs for kids, including popular “Kids in the Garden” sessions. (To discover a public garden near you, click here.)

Kids’ Gardening Tips

Through the years, I have visited classrooms to teach kids about gardening and taught my own grandchildren to garden. Here are a few tips that I have learned along the way:

Select a vegetable that kids like. (Veggie list for kids)
Many young kids do not like big tomatoes, so I avoid them.
Plant seeds that are large like peas, corn, or beans. (Seed list for kids)
Nasturtiums and sunflowers are great flowers for kids because their seeds are easy to handle and they germinate quickly.

Organic potting mix is the best choice for kids’ gardening projects.

For hands-on seed-planting lessons, I take a bag of organic Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil and fill lots of small, sturdy pots for the kids. In my experience, they love to put their hands in the soil, and for some, it will be their first time! They always enjoy planting time and watching their seeds sprout. I often take a nasturtium plant in bloom to show the kids what it will look like. Then I let them try a nasturtium leaf or stem, explaining that it will be spicy. This is always a fun project.

It is good news that we are seeing more families gardening, and I believe it is largely fueled by the organic vegetable movement. This movement has succeeded in making people more aware of the food they eat, where it comes from, and how it is grown. It has been a huge incentive for parents to begin a vegetable garden, even if gardening was not part of their history.

For those with limited space, growing vegetables in a container on a deck or patio can easily be accomplished. (Click here to learn how to grow vegetables in containers.) With grandparents and parents gardening, and the kids watching and learning, hopefully a new generation of gardeners is being born.

Sharing vegetable gardening basics with kids improves their knowledge of the cycle of life and improves their eating habits.

Growing Hardy Carnivorous Plants

This fanciful pot of pitcher plants shows the fun you can have with carnivorous plants!

When I was in high school, I bought a Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula) because carnivorous plants always intrigued me. It survived a mere few weeks and died. Then when I was in college, I tried again with the same results. Perhaps it was living in hot, dry southern Arizona that did the last plant in, but it was my last attempt to grow Venus fly trap for several years.

Upon moving to Oregon in the late ’60s, I began gardening in earnest with my focus primarily on a huge diversity of perennials and shrubs. It was as though I could not stop buying plants, and with every trip to a garden center, I came home with new ones. But there were no carnivorous plants in the mix. Not yet.

Then on a visit to Southern Oregon and a stop at Darlingtonia State Natural Site, my interest in carnivorous plants was renewed. Here were cobra lilies, (Darlingtonia californica) growing in the wild. It was more delightful than I could have imagined.

Carnivorous Plants for the Garden

Craig, Pitcher Plant, Man — Cobra lily pitchers are unique and look like scary monsters when figurines are included.

As my gardening intensified, I began to visit other local gardens and one in particular had beds of carnivorous plants. I will never forget it. There were cobra lilies, pitcher plants (Sarracenia spp.) and Venus fly traps, all growing out in the open with no protection from the elements. And, they were beautiful plants in an array of colors.

I was particularly taken with the colors of the pitcher plants with their pitchers in shades of red, chartreuse, maroon, brown and many had intricate veining colors. I knew then that I had to have some of these in my garden! Since that time, I have cultivated several containers of these marvelous plants and find them surprisingly easy to grow.

Carnivorous Plant Cultivation

Hardy carnivorous plants naturally grow in bogs and other wetlands where soil-nutrient resources are scarce. That’s why they resort to catching insects to get their “vitamins”. So, it should come as no surprise that certain growing conditions must be met to have success growing these plants. Thankfully, these conditions are not difficult to achieve.

Here are some tips from a Sarracenia gardener, which I have implemented with good success. (This method is also suitable for growing all manner of hardy carnivorous plants.) Select a location in the sun and dig a pit about 18-inches deep and as wide as you want the bed. Then cover the pit with a pond liner and make small slits in the bottom of the liner to allow slow drainage. Sarracenias like soil to be consistently moist but not saturated. Then add a mixture of 3:1 ratio of Black Gold® Peat Moss to pumice. This has proved to be an ideal mix for plants planted both in the ground and slow-draining containers.

A note of caution: do not use a potting mix with fertilizer. These plants do not need or like mix with added fertilizer. They get their nutrients from the insects they capture. In the case of Sarracenia, insects are attracted to a combination of scent and “drugged” edible deposits along with the pitchers that make them fall inside where they are unable to escape due to the presence of slippery hairs that push them downward. Once they fall to the bottom of the pitchers, they drown in secretions and are absorbed by the plant.

Fun to Grow!

Venus fly traps can be challenging to grow for the uneducated gardener. — Venus fly traps can be challenging to grow without the cultivation basics.

Carnivorous plants are a superb way to get children involved in horticulture. I have learned that my grandchildren delight in showing visitors the trapped insects in the pitchers of Sarracenia or the jaws of a Venus flytrap.

Each year I seem to expand my Sarracenia and Darlingtonia collection by adding new cultivars with different colors. My plants thrive in a large container, in full sun and are left outside in the winter with no damage. In the last few years, I have noticed more gardeners using carnivorous plants, and their availability at local garden centers has steadily increased. Try some Sarracenia in your garden containers this year, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Sarracenia_purpurosa_france_2007_-_2 Oliver pouzin — The ornamental pitchers of the purple pitcher plant (*Sarracenia purpurea*) are as pretty as its flowers. (image by Oliver Pouzin)

Blooms in the Ice: The Joy of Late Winter Bulbs

Snowdrops break through the ice of a forest floor in February.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, this past November and early December were very warm and mild. My tropical red-leaf bananas did not die until a hard freeze shortly before Christmas (almost unheard of), and many gardeners had summer- and fall-blooming plants still in flower. Neighbors showed me their 3-4 inch spring daffodils that had emerged and asked if they were going to bloom for New Years! Their hopes were squelched in mid-December a sudden blast of ice, snow, and bitterly cold weather arrived. But, there are other winter-blooming bulbs that can withstand the cold and reliably bloom in snowy months.

Bulbs that perform well at this time of year are often overlooked and rarely planted. This is likely because people are generally not visiting other gardens in winter, so they do not have the opportunity to discover the beauty and diversity of winter bulbs.

Hardy Cyclamen

IMG_4852 (1) — Cyclamen coum brighten a Seattle garden landscape in mid-February. (Image by Jessie Keith)

While not actually bulbs, the tuberous Cyclamen coum is a superb garden plant for Pacific Northwest winters. The shade-lover forms mats of attractive, heart-shaped foliage and produces many colorful flowers in shades of deepest magenta and white, that bloom in mid to late winter. Even when not in bloom, the leaves have variable colors and patterns that range from green to silver with wonderful variations in patterns of these two colors. The winter-hardy plant (USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9) survives in most areas west of the Cascades and provides a long season of bloom. (Please note that these hardy Cyclamen species are not the tender hybrid plants that you would find in a florist shop.)

Usually, garden centers will carry two hardy cyclamen (C. coum and C. hederifolium). The difference is that C. hederifolium tends to bloom in late summer and well into the fall season, with plants still showing some color in November in my neighborhood. In my garden, I grow both species and find them very easy to cultivate. Both have become naturalized under my trees, in much the same way hellebores spread. I have found that hardy Cyclamen perform best in a soil that is rich in humus or compost, and I add Black Gold Garden Compost when planting. Especially when planting Cyclamen under and around established trees. The compost helps to keep the soil from totally drying out in a hot summer.

Winter Aconite

Another winter-flowering tuber not often seen in gardens is winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis). It is in the Ranunculus family and has single yellow flowers that look like buttercups. Plant the small tubers in the fall in soil that has been enriched with Black Gold Garden Compost. Once established, these plants will naturally spread and become reliable winter bloomers. Winter Aconite will also naturalize under trees if left undisturbed.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are some of the best-known of the winter bulbs. The very hardy true bulbs bloom as early as January and produce delicate, pendulous blooms of white dotted with green. These attract bees on warm winter days. The extremely cold-tolerant flowers are often seen peeking up from light snows, lending unique beauty to the winter garden. Over time they will also naturalize.

Early Crocus

The delicate woodland crocus blooms very early in the season. (Image by Jessie Keith)

The woodland crocus (Crocus tommasinianus) is one of the earliest crocus to bloom, often appearing in February gardens. The delicate pale purple-pink flowers create blankets of color in wooded landscapes and lawns. Once the flowers are past blooming, they will disappear until the next season.

Since the foliage of hardy cyclamen, winter aconite, snowdrops, and similar winter bloomers disappear in the summer, I would suggest adding companion plants with extended interest that grow in similar conditions. Evergreen hellebores make nice complimentary plantings. Not only do they bloom in winter, but the evergreen plants offer interesting foliage all year long.

At this time of the year, the weather can be cold and not exactly “garden friendly”, but there is still lots to see at nearby botanical gardens. A visit to your local public garden might enrich your plant palette with some unexpected winter-blooming treasures.

Happy New Year to you all, and may your gardens flourish and provide you much pleasure.

“So what’s the point? The point is to relax and enjoy gardening, remembering that nature is always in charge.” –Tony Avent, Plant Delights Nursery

Mike Darcy’s Favorite Fall Trees and Flowers

This Stewartia pseudocamellia is in fall color.

The fall season is upon us and what a glorious time of year it is. As I walk around my neighborhood and drive around Portland, the many deciduous trees are turning brilliant shades of color. The more brilliant they are, the better.

Favorite Fall Trees

Stewartia pseudocamellia seed pods, L Foltz 2014 — Stewartia pseudocamellia seed pods

Many maples are turning red, some are orange, and others are shades of yellow. The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) trees are turning golden yellow, and our summer annuals are telling us that their time is almost over. Sometimes we can have a tree that gives us scarlet fall foliage as well as beautiful seed pods. Stewartia pseudocamellia is just such a tree. Mine is planted in my front yard where it takes center stage.

Salvias

Yet, there is still much color in the garden, not only from foliage but from flowers as well. In my own garden, I am quite a Salvia fan and always willing to try new varieties. This past spring I purchased Salvia splendens Saucy™ Red, and I was rather disappointed with it in summer. It did not flower well compared to my Salvia guaranitica ‘Black & Blue’. Well, I had a very pleasant surprise this September. Evidently, Saucy™ Red likes cooler weather, shorter day-length, or maybe both, because it burst into full bloom and has continued ever since. It is mid-October, and the 7-foot-tall plant has burnished scarlet flowers on almost every stem. Sadly, the tender plants are only hardy to USDA Zones 9-10, so I will have to replant if I want to enjoy this Salvia again.

Impatiens tinctoria

Another new garden flower this year is the 8-foot-tall, large-flowered, Impatiens tinctoria, which comes from the rain forests of East Africa. I had first seen it growing in a friend’s garden three years ago and was surprised to learn that it is a winter hardy perennial, surviving USDA Zones 7-11. This is my second year to grow it, and I learned that it likes grows best in shade with protection from the hot afternoon sun. In the spring, I worked lots of humus into the soil around it and mixed in Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. Today my plants are over 6 feet tall and blooming with a flower that does not look anything like a garden impatiens. These flowers are fragrant at night and attract much attention from garden visitors.

Cover Crops

Now is the time of year to put the summer vegetable garden to bed. The tomatoes are finished, as well as the beans, squash, peppers, etc. Once these plants are removed, it is an ideal time to prepare the soil for next season. Mix Black Gold^® Garden Soil 0.05 – 0.02 -0.05 into the beds and plant a cover crop. Cover crops are broadcast legumes, or grasses such as buckwheat, that are planted to cover the garden in winter and are tilled under in spring.

Legumes are plants in the Pea Family (Fabaceae) and include clovers and vetches. With the help of symbiotic bacteria called Rhizobium, they “fix” nitrogen from the air back into the soil, making it available to other plants. Thus, by planting a cover crop, you increase the nitrogen level of your soil while also protecting your beds from erosion and aggressive winter weeds. The added organic matter from the spring-tilled cover crop with also benefit your garden soil.

We always get some “sunny windows” during this season. These windows give us a wonderful opportunity to get out in the garden and do fall chores. Fall is also a great time to “edit” your garden. We all have plants that have gotten too big, are in the wrong place, or maybe we are tired of them. Walk around your garden with a note pad and make notes on garden editing that you can do throughout winter. But, most importantly, enjoy the season and its many colors.

Late-Summer Gardening in the Pacific Northwest

Fuchsia ‘Dying Embers’ has lovely deep purple flowers that draw hummingbirds.

It seems as though the gardening season has flown by, and here it is August already. I think August is a good month to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor; summer is not quite over and autumn has not yet begun. The summer vegetable gardens are peaking with tomatoes, squash, melons, beans, cucumbers, and all the other seasonal crops. The flower garden is bursting with the color of all the late-season bloomers, like dahlias, crape myrtle, hardy hibiscus, salvias, and the list goes on.

Late-Summer Food Crops

Lycopersicon esculentum 'Early Girl' JaKMPM — 2016 has been a great year for tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest.

This has been a good season for tomatoes, and I am hearing from other gardeners that their crops are abundant. We had both a mild winter and spring and tomatoes, which usually do not ripen until September in the Pacific Northwest, are turning red.

This year the season for commercial fruit and berry growers is about two weeks ahead of normal. Last week I visited with the Market Manager of the Beaverton (OR) Farmers Market, and she said that apples that are usually brought to the Market in September maturing by mid-August. Fall apples are now ripening in late summer!

Hardy Hibiscus

Hibiscus 'Tie Dye' — Hibiscus ‘Tie Dye’ is a late-summer gem producing 10-inch pink and white flowers with cherry-red eyes.

Since there is not much we can do about the weather, we should look to the garden and enjoy it and all the color it has to offer. A favorite pastime of mine is walking through the garden in the early morning before the sun has gotten hot. I like looking at all the color that the August garden provides. In the past few weeks, I have been adding hardy hibiscus, (Hibiscus moscheutos), to my garden, and I am enjoying this late-blooming hardy perennial.

Often when people hear the word “Hibiscus”, they think of the tropical Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) from East Asia. Instead, this hibiscus is native to the eastern United States, and I remind garden enthusiasts that if it can survive a winter in Michigan or Ohio, it will certainly survive a Portland winter. One of its attributes is that it blooms later in the season, July-September, when many other herbaceous perennials are long gone. Check out your local garden center as they should have plants in bloom now. In addition to flower color, (white, pink, red, and all shades in between), this hibiscus has a variety of foliage colors from solid green to dark red and almost black.

Hardy hibiscus like to be planted in full sun and need summer watering. In fact, it is a wetland plant that grows well in continuously moist ground. That’s why I mix Black Gold Garden Compost into the soil before I plant to help hold moisture.

Fuchsia

Our Pacific Northwest climate is ideal for growing fuchsias and most are nonstop bloomers. All summer they attract hummingbirds, which is an added benefit. A fuchsia that I saw in a garden late last summer was called ‘Dying Embers‘. This prolific bloomer was a must-have in my garden this year, and it is not a disappointment with its small, very dark purple blooms. I have my plant in a large pot filled with Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. As the August sun has been hot and bright, I am very glad that I did because it holds moisture while also providing good drainage and boost of organic fertilizer.

BG-Seedling-1.5cu — Mid-to late-summer is the time to start seeds for fall planting.

Seed Starting

August is also the time to be thinking about the fall garden. Most of our winters are mild enough to allow vegetable cultivation through the coldest months. Sow seeds now for cool-season crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts. Start seeds now in seed trays with Black Gold Seedling Mix and plant them outdoors by late summer. (Click here to learn more about starting plants from seed.) For gardeners with limited space, or those wishing to grow vegetables on a deck or patio, try starting leafy vegetables from seed in a pot using Black Gold All Purpose Potting Mix. Leaf lettuce is quick to germinate and can provide several cuttings before frost.

This is an ideal time of year to visit other gardens and see what is blooming. I like to encourage gardeners to visit new gardens, talk with other gardeners, and learn what plants have done well, or not so well. We often tend to visit other gardens in the spring and early summer, but many plant surprises can be also discovered in late-summer gardens.

Smart Summer Pruning and Deadheading

Removing the old, spent flowers from perennials, like this coneflower, will keep the plants flowering and looking great for longer. (photo by Jessie Keith)

Summer is not the time of year when most gardeners prune, but there are some definite advantages to summer pruning. It is easier to identify damaged or ill branches when a tree is in full leaf. When a tree is in full leaf it is also easier to identify branches that can be removed to provide better air circulation. A reminder: if you are going to do summer pruning on fruit trees, do it after the fruit has set.

Summer Pruning

Rosa-Perfume-Delight-2-JaKMPM — Deadheading modern rose varieties will encourage new roses to appear. (photo by Jessie Keith)

For those gardeners that have espaliered fruit trees, constant summer pruning is a necessity. With the tree sending out new branches, it is important not to let these grow too long but to keep them trimmed so the tree is kept properly trained and maintained. For gardeners that would like to be able to grow their own fruit trees, but have limited space, growing espaliered trees is an excellent option to consider.

There is confusion among gardeners as to when and how to prune hydrangeas. Some hydrangeas bloom on 2nd-year wood, so if a plant is severely pruned one season, it may take a full year for it to come into bloom again. There are other Hydrangeas, ‘Limelight’ is a good example, that bloom on new growth. This means it can be pruned at almost any time and still produce flowers. Check with your local garden center to learn the best time to prune your hydrangeas and still get flowers.

Check with gardening neighbors and garden experts to get additional tips on pruning. Find a neighbor that likes to garden and soak up some information. One of the best things about gardening is that most gardeners are very friendly, helpful, and like to share information.

growth buds that reside on either side of it.

Deadheading

Rhododendron-Scintillation-Dexter-Hybrid2-JaKMPM — When removing the summer seed heads from Rhododendron, be sure not to remove the new

“Deadheading” means is removing the old flower stems to make way for new. The word is used frequently with regard to rhododendrons and azaleas and refers to snapping or cutting off the area where the old flower was attached to the stem. With most rhododendrons and azaleas, this area is usually very visible which makes removal easy. Often, this is done for visual purposes because dried up flowers are not very attractive. Removing the flowers is also a way to prevent the plant from forming seed. When a plant forms seeds, it takes away nourishment that could be used for new growth. Be careful when removing the seed head because new growth buds reside on either side of it and should not be removed. These new buds will produce the new growth for the summer and this growth will then develop flower buds for next years’ bloom.DRoses are another plant that responds well to having the flower stems removed after the flowers are gone. This will encourage the plant to produce new stems and new flowers. Stem removal can also be seen as a way to perform some selective summer pruning and will help ‘open’ the bush up to allow for good air circulation. Just be sure to sanitize your pruners between plants to protect against any potential spread of disease.

Winter is not pruning season for all plants, even though most gardeners traditionally prune in the cold season. Sometimes what is traditional, is simply that, ‘traditional’ and may have no actual factual basis.

Articles

The Portland Community Garden Story

Friends of Portland Community Gardens

A Model for Other Communities

Growing Solutions for Community Gardeners

Coast Rhododendron

California Huckleberry

Oregon Grape

Salal

Salmonberry

Manzanita

Silk Tassel Bush

What Makes Dwarf Apples Dwarf?

The Best Dwarf Apple Trees

Growing Dwarf Apple Trees

Share Vegetables with Neighbors

Share Vegetables with Food Banks

Plant a Row for the Hungry

Farm to School

Kids’ Gardening Tips

Carnivorous Plants for the Garden

Carnivorous Plant Cultivation

Fun to Grow!

Hardy Cyclamen

Winter Aconite

Snowdrops

Early Crocus

Favorite Fall Trees

Salvias

Impatiens tinctoria

Cover Crops

Late-Summer Food Crops

Hardy Hibiscus

Fuchsia

Seed Starting

Summer Pruning

Deadheading