From our Blog

Our Summer workshop schedule is beginning June 17th with “Bonsai for beginners” or “how not to kill your bonsai”. Local legend Larry Shapiro will lead us through the basics of bonsai care and probably have a few off color jokes for us as well. This free class will be held at thicket June 17th from 6 to 7PM. Please register through thicket as seating is limited.

Stay tuned for more summer workshops at thicket!

Slugs – We all got em! Now what do we do with them.

Slugs are sort of amazing really, some feed mostly of leaf litter or rotting material and work to keep an ecosystem tidy and free of too much bacteria that might build up in decomposing matter. Unfortunately in our urban gardens there are very few natural predators to keep slug populations in check. While a few slugs will do a bit of damage too many slugs can devastate our veggie gardens and perennials.

If slugs are becoming a problem in your garden here are a few tips to keep them under control.

Hand pick them – I once told this to a man seeking advise and he looked at me like I was insane “with your hands?” he said turning green with disgust. But Northwest gardeners are a hardy bunch and if that is what it takes to protect your lettuce you can find the courage to do it. My grandmother Lucille gives this advise –  “Slugs love to hide under the rain downspouts, under rocks, between bricks or even the underside of large leaves” She also looks for them “near their favorite foods like hostas or salomons seal”. Slugs are nocturnal so the best time to find them is in the evening. Slugs prefer moist areas which is another reason to water the garden in the morning instead of the evening. Evening watering is like creating the perfect environment for them to come out and feed.

Dispose of the them – you can put them in a jar and release them “into the wild” far from your garden if you are feeling generous but most people just plop them in saltwater or squish them, I often put them in the yard debris bin and wish them luck. Some people feed them to their chickens as a treat.

Bait them – If you are having a hard time finding them in the first place you can lure them into a trap by placing something enticing out for them to find and then collecting them up. Try a half citrus peel in the garden and the next morning they will be lurking underneath so you can collect them. They are also drawn to food scraps

Trap them – You can also use traps filled with beer or cornmeal. You can purchase little traps or cut a hole in a used yogurt container. Leave enough room at the bottom to fill with the bait and cover the top with the lid to keep rain from diluting, plus with a lid you don’t need to see the resulting slug slurry. Dispose in the compost.

Natural predators – Nematodes can be purchased in little packets and watered into the surface of the soil. These parasites attack the slugs and can be effective but keep in mind that slugs are a part of the garden system. I have heard stories of people wiping out slug populations only to find them rebound with destructive force.

Poison – This is a last resort please use caution as some poisons will linger in the slug and can harm birds that feed on them. Please read the labels carefully and use caution where wild animals or pets are present.

Precaution – look for slug eggs and dispose of them. Slug eggs are a gooey little cluster of round white balls, they can be found just under the surface of the soil, stuck under leaf litter or protected under rocks, bricks or decks.

One last tip – vinegar will to help remove the slime from your hands and tools – yuck!

We love a Summer garden Party and now is the time to get those veggies in the ground for Summer Harvest

This weekend all veggie starts and seeds are 30% off!

We have lots of gallon tomatoes, peppers and eggplants as well as corn, squash and beans. If your are feeling like growing something unusual try goji berries, lemongrass or even native huckleberry. We have so many varieties of vegetables, fruit and edible flowers at thicket. Come visit us today!

Chickens are a great addition to a garden but they pose some very real problems as well. If you currently have chickens you know that they can devour an astonishing amount of plants and can be very destructive in the garden digging and scratching for grubs and worms.

I’ve been advocating to growers to add a chicken safe symbol to plant tags similar to the one for deer but until that dream comes to fruition we have been compiling lists of plants that can both withstand the ravages of our tiny backyard dinosaurs as well as the ones that should be avoided as they can be toxic to our feathered friends.

People frequently ask us about poisonous plants that might affect their chickens and while there are many many common poisonous plants out there for both humans and chickens it is important to remember that there are relatively few cases of poisoned chickens in Portland. Some gardeners have reported to us that the supposed toxic plants are the ones that chickens avoid in the garden and so make ideal additions.

An important detail to consider is that a confined chicken with fewer sources of forage will be more likely to nibble toxic plants where a free range chicken with many options would be more likely to avoid the bad ones. Chickens also seem to have individual preferences so where one might like to eat the roses the next turns her beak up and won’t eat them.

Chickens will also sometimes destroy plants while searching for bugs. It looks as if they were eating the plants but they were really just eating aphids and insects on the undersides of leaves and rooting around in the soil for grubs.

No one knows your chickens like you do, careful observation of chicken habits is the best way to make for a heathy flock and a thriving garden.

Common plants toxic to chickens

Amanita mushrooms
Asclepsias
Castor Bean
Death Camas (this one is sort of a no brainer)
Jimsonweed
Pokeweed
Milkweed
Monkshood
Mother of Millions
Oleander
Poppies (Mexican especially)
Tobacco

Plants that are resistant to Chickens
(note some of these plants are on some toxic lists as well)

Herbs
Catmint
Chives
Lemon balm
Margoram
Mint
Oregano
Rosemary
Sage

Perennials
Agapanthus
Alchemelia
Anemone
Calla lily
Columbine
Crocosmia
Daylily
Daffodil
Echinacea
Feverfew
Fritillaria
Fuchsia
Geum
Goldenrod
Geranium
Hellebore
Iris
Monarda
Muscari
Phlox
Peony
Russian sage
Rudbekia
Sedum
Shasta daisy
Yarrow

Groundcovers
Epimedium
Carex
Cotonaster
Juniper
Korean rasberry
Lambs ear
Liriope
Plumbago
Sedum
St Johns wort
Sweet woodruff

Shrubs
Azelea
Barberry
Ceanothus
Choisya
Euonymus
Fatsia
Forsythia
Hebes
Honeysuckle (sometimes listed as toxic)
Hydrangea (sometimes listed as toxic)
Lavender
Lilac
Mahonia
Nandina
Osmanthus
Pine
Pittosporum
Rose (we have heard of chickens ravaging these)
Santolina
Salal
Spirea
Spurge
Viburnum
Weigela

When starting seeds indoors timing is everything.Before you even begin making a good plan of what you want to plant and backing it up by creating a calendar will make the whole process way easier to implement and enjoy.

After you have chosen the coolest seeds to start indoors be sure to check the dates to maturity, you don’t want your seeds to germinate and grow quickly and then have it be to cold outside to transplant them in the garden. So count back from the time to plant outdoors and mark your calendar accordingly. It can be a simple sketch with dates off to the side or you can geek out on an elaborate program. Here a link to a seed starting chart to help you get started  http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/seed-starting-chart. And here is the farmers almanac – Best Spring dates for seeds http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/OR/Portland

Now you are ready to plant.

Light is one of the most important elements in starting seeds indoors.  Seedlings that don’t get enough light will be leggy and weak and likely only survive to about 3 inches tall and then shrivel. If you have a good southern facing window you may not need additional lighting but everyone else should consider using a grow light. Also, lights will fade over time so bulbs should be replaced annually for best results.

Temperature is also a factor, if seeds are too chilly they might not ever emerge let alone thrive. Seed starting heat mats are available commercially and while they can really help the process they are not completely necessary as long as you monitor the temp. Seeds placed right in a window may get to cold from the drafts. Check seed packages for specific temp and light requirements.

Soil is also a big consideration. A seed starting mix is best as it will be a very light composition of peat-lite and will be easy for tender young plants to push through. Seed starting mixes also usually contain a very mellow amount of fertilizer just right for young plants. Regular garden soil isn’t the best option as it will contain lots of organisms and bacteria that could harm new plants.

Containers should always be clean and sterilized before use. You can use last seasons plastic pots, pop out trays, flats or even used plastic food containers like yogurt or hummus tubs just be sure that there are holes in the bottom for good drainage. Peat pots are an easy way to go as they have a specially formulated seed composite and you can plop the whole thing in the garden when ready to transplant. You can also make paper pots yourself.

Fill container about three quarters full with your soil medium. Leave enough room at the top so water can fill and drain into the soil without running over the sides (this will help you be sure to water each pot evenly) Check the seed package for desired depth.

Water is essential when starting seeds. Make sure the soil in your containers is quite moist all the way to the bottom. Invisible dry pockets can form under the surface of new soil so its easier to pre – mix the soil with water in a bowl before filling containers. You don’t want the soil to be soggy but you also don’t want it to be at all dry. Take a clump up in your hands and lightly squeeze to remove any dripping excess before filling. Check moisture frequently and don’t let them dry out at all, a plastic or glass cover helps keep the moisture in.

Seedlings cannot be allowed to dry out but they are also very sensitive to damping off, a fungal disease which can become a problem if the soil is too wet. Keep your pots moist but never soggy and remove coverings once the seedlings begin to develop. Another thing that can help is to put a very small oscillating fan on the seedlings. This will keep air flow moving around the seeds and also forces the little plants to develop strong stalks but it can also dry them out so watch the water! Misters can supply just the right amount of water to the soil but you don’t want to leave leaves to wet and susceptible to fungal disease.

Hardening off is so important! Tender seedlings need time to adjust from perfect indoor to harsh outdoor conditions. Place seedlings in a protected outdoor location. You want to shelter them from winds hard rains and especially direct sunlight which can burn them. Start out with an hour or so a day and gradually work up to more time each day. A week generally gives them the right amount of time to adjust before being planted directly outdoors.

Fertilizers should be used cautiously in the beginning. You new plants need food to grow but too much can do more harm than good. There are some great seedling fertilizer mixes available just follow the directions and enjoy all those new baby plants for the garden.

Gathering branches to force blooms inside

This time of year I get so excited about the coming Spring. All those buds are swelling on the branches but sometimes I just can’t wait another month so I bring in some bouquets from the garden to I can speed up the process to Spring inside my home. Flowering trees and shrubs set their blooms in the previous summer and fall, once they have gone through sufficient temperatures below 40 you can cut branches and force them to bloom early. What a joy it is to watch them bloom inside.

How to:
Gather healthy branches from areas of the plant that need to be thinned anyway. Look for small buds or spurs along the length of the branch. Always use good pruning methods so as not to damage the mother plant. Cut at an angle about 1/4 inch above divergent branching with a clean sharp tool.

Once inside remove any buds that would be under the water line, recut your previous cut and place the branches into a vase with at least a few inches of cool water. Place in a cooler or dimly lit spot as to much heat or light will simply dry out the branch before it has time to bloom. I sometimes place them in the basement for a week or so checking daily to look for the color to appear.

A tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice will help keep the water clear and a tablespoon of sugar will help feed the blooms.

If you are lucky you might even get your branches to root which means you will have a bunch of new baby plants to put out once the frosts pass in May.

Some of my favorites are the fruit trees – apple, pear, plum, peach and cherry.
Tiny bloomers like forsythia, quince, current, deutzia and mock orange are all very simple to force.
Lilac and Magnolia will last much longer if picked before the buds open.
Non traditional bloomers like willow,  whitchhazel, maples and redbud can also be gorgeous with their odd little Spring blooms.

We are now open every day of the week

Spring hours 11AM to 6PM

Come see what’s blooming today!

Thicket is opening this Saturday the 13th – Our summer hours will be 11 to 6 every day except Tuesday and Wednesday.

Come see all the great new plants!

cyclamen

We are now closed for the season but we will reopen on February first. In the mean time you can stay tuned to garden geekery at thicket pdx – facebook, instagram or sign up for our blog right here.

Our retail shop is currently closed for the season but we are still available for garden consulting and plant nerd questions. We will reopen on Feb 1st with all the tools, supplies and plants you need to get your garden growing.

We are also doing some great classes and workshops at some of our favorite Portland shops this winter so visit our classes and events page for details or follow along at thicketpdx on your facebook or instagram account for updates, news and fun plant geekery all winter long!

If you have not had the opportunity to visit Loam Magazine treat yourself to a wonderful read.
Loam is an environmental arts magazine that always seems to leave me feeling better about the state of the world.

“We see creativity and sustainability as symbiotic. Our hope is that in illuminating inventive responses to environmental issues, we can help these movements take root. So often, the doom and gloom approach to climate change makes people immobile: we can start to think why bother? Loam believes that meaningful change stems from a place of positivity. When we see examples of others making a difference, we are similarly inspired to adopt ecologically conscious practices. In this way, Loam is a collaborative space for cultivating sustainability practices but it’s also a playful space, a platform for profiling all the good stuff that’s growing in our community.” – Loam magazine

And we just happen to be profiled in their current issue – please visit at:
http://www.loammagazine.com/profiles/

You can also follow along on their many journeys via instagram:

https://instagram.com/loammagazine/

Growing Things Story Time
Tuesday, July 7th, 11:30am – FREE
We are happy to welcome Green Bean Books to thicket for a Growing Things Story Time! Children will meet at Green bean books – 1600 NE Alberta Street – then walk up to thicket for a story in the garden. We will have lemonade and blankets to sit on so just bring your little person for a morning at thicket.

You can learn more about Green bean books here: http://www.greenbeanbookspdx.com/

We have so many new plants in at thicket – Carnivorous sarracenias and sun dews as well as fly pollinated voodoo lily and cobra arisaema. These botanical strangers will rock your garden.
Come visit today!

Come learn about the importance of pollinators in the garden. We will be at Whole Foods with Garden Fever, The Xerces society, Portland Urban Beekeepers and the Sabin Bee-Friendly peeps to talk about creating inviting gardens for pollinators. We will also be making flower seed bombs to fill in the meadow at whole foods and there will be free compost so bring your wheel barrow and come celebrate pollinators with us!

Saturday April 18th

Whole Foods – 3535 NE 15th Ave

10AM to 3PM

We want to help Zenger Farm promote and educate about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, community development and access to good food for all. This coming Friday the 20th 15% of our sales will be donated to Zenger – come help us help Zenger Farm!
Learn more here:
http://zengerfarm.org/index.php?page=spring-for-zenger

Along with all the greens and cold hardy vegetables we also have early season herbs and a large assortment of interesting edible plants. If you like berries we have strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, honeyberries, three kinds of currants, gooseberries, goji berries, josta berries and Himalayan blueberries. We also have several varieties of grapes, olives, edible akebia, kiwi and passionfruit, lemons and limes. Come get your food forest started today.

Thicket is closed up for now but we’re busy sourcing and propagating baby plants for the coming season – we’ll open back up in February with everything you need to get your garden growing.

Well, it’s just about the end of the gardening season. This is the time of year that resent transplants to the northwest discover the difference between rain resistance and waterproof. We generally get about 6 inches of much needed but deeply resented rain this month.  Our winter rains usually come inland on warm winds from the Pacific Ocean on what locals refer to as the Pineapple express. These fronts are basically southern extensions of the Polar jet stream and are the main reason our winters are usually so mild. Here in the Northwest we traditionally have relatively warm weather with few deep freezes and lot’s of precipitation to keep our forests mossy, mushroomy and green. But who knows what the future weather will bring especially after the crazy cold and dry winter we had last year – it’s best to be prepared. Remember there is no bad weather just bad outerwear!
If you are hard core – invest in a good jacket and finish up the last of the seasons garden projects.
– Check for garden journal and give yourself a hearty congratulations on a great year!. Make notes on what did and did not work in the garden. Plan for additions or subtractions. Make a calendar of events to help you remember planting, pruning or any other important dates for the coming season.
– Freshen up potted containers with winter interest or fill with colorful cut branches or mosses gathered from the roof.
– It’s not to late to mulch but wet mulch is much harden to spread that dry. Also, be cautious of using bark which if overused can rob the soil of nitrogen. Never pile mulch thickly around the base of trees and shrubs as it can harbor disease and pests.
– Wrap tender plants with burlap.
– Drain hoses and store, turn off water supply to prevent freezing.
– Wet soil makes pulling blackberries, scotch broom and wild brambles much easier and satisfying to boot!
– Destroy any leaves and plants that may contain diseases like mildew or black spot that infected your summer crops. These diseases can survive in the soil to reemerge zombie like to attack next season.
– Turn over water pots. Empty pots of annuals and clean the containers to prevent diseases. Permanent plantings may prefer to be moved to a sheltered location out of the wind but even these plants will need some winter water so don’t completely cover.
– This is a great time for cutting away dead growth and raking away leaves and spent flower stalks. But while this will tidy up your beds it will also take away winter seeds for foraging birds and hibernation spots for beneficial insects. Consider leaving a few little piles or construct a beneficial bug condo.
– If you have a cold frame then greens and leeks can keep on producing into the winter.
– Make yourself a pot of tea from the mint you harvested in the summer and enjoy a bit of a break from your garden. Maybe even pack a thermos and go for a hike to “soak” in some of the beauty of The Pacific Northwest.

As our gardens begin to show the effects of the summer heat and now the cooler night temperatures, plants turn from lush greens to the colors of Fall – gorgeous umber and sepia tones, goldenrod and red. Petals drop, leaves fade and the graceful lines of plant structure emerge. The pattern of branch formations are finally visible and the striking textures of various bark that was hidden all Summer is now on display.

Weather can be highly variable this month. We can expect our first night frosts by mid month but these last weeks have been a glorious Indian summer with warm days and just a scattering of rain to freshen up the garden. Look for a pink tinge in the morning sky as this often means rain is on it’s way but a little moisture really makes for a perfect time to work the garden.

Here are some tips on gardening in October:

Pick a bouquet of branches and spent grasses, dried seedpods or evergreens to bring indoors.
Harvest late apples, pears, pumpkins or quince. Once the frosts come they will be damaged. Gather walnuts as well and store in a warm dry spot until heady to crack.
One last round of weeding will go a long way toward easing Spring clean up.
This is a great time of year to mulch with a compost, manure or composted bark to clean up beds and keep down weeds over the winter.
Continue planting bulbs for spring and summer blooms.
Its still perfectly fine to plant perennials now and since the rains are coming it will be much less work for you.
Start ground covers so they can spread out over the winter and come up full and fresh in the spring.
Cut back non shrub roses to protect from winter winds.
Move potted containers to a protected location where they will not fill with water and crack.
There is still time to seed some cover crops if planted early in the month. Cover crops in veggie patches help to keep soil in beds, they fix nitrogen, keep down weeds and give you something to look at besides bare dirt all winter long.
Pot up bulbs like narcissus and amaryllis to force for the holidays.
Bring in tender house plants that have spent the summer on the patio. Check for pests hitchiking indoors and give them a nice warm shower to clean leaves before the move inside.

Vegetable gardening isn’t over yet!
Plant:
We still have time to get in short season crops from seed like radishes and beets. And you can plant all sorts of cold hardy greens like kale, mache, arugula, sorrel, asian greens, endive, and lettuces to harvest later in the fall. This is also the time to get garlic and shallot bulbs in the ground for harvest next year. For more winter hardy options for Spring harvest try kale, cabbage, or fava beans.

Protect:
Spread straw or mulch for added protection of overwintering crops or fallow beds.
Protect young fruit trees from insects and winter cracking by painting a strip on the lower truck with interior white latex paint mixed with a .5 ratio of water.
The downside to dry soil, cool nights, warm days and added moisture on foliage is that it is the perfect conditions for powdery mildew. Keep an eye out and destroy leaves as it appears.

Harvest:
As vegetables ripen pick them, remove the spent plants to your compost and replace with winter plantings, mulch or a cover crop to enrich the soil for next year.
If you want to collect seeds from your vegetables and flowering perennials see our previous blog post with tips.

Perennial beds and landscape maintenance:
Fall is one of the best planting seasons. The soil is still warm and easy to work and since the air temp has cooled a bit it’s much more pleasant for us too. Morning dew and (hopefully) the occasional shower is giving our gardens a bit of drink after the dry season and makes the soil easier to work too.

When you plant perennials and trees now you give your plants a jump on root development so they are better prepared for a beautiful show next season. Plants that have the fall and winter to develop will be better prepared for drought tolerance and to fight off disease and pests next season. Plus they will be more likely to set blooms and gorgeous foliage. The exception is borderline tender plants – which do better if planted in the spring so they have the summer to develop and prepare for their first winter out.

Bulbs are here too – if you want Spring bulbs to bloom now is the time to plant them. And if you want to force bulbs for the winter start looking now while the selection is best.

Dig plants that will not winter over such as dahlias and tender canna. Bring houseplants indoors. Divide iris, grasses and lilies. If you want to divide peonies now is really the only time of year it should be done. Remember to keep the peony roots close to the surface when replanting so they will be sure to re-bloom in the following year.

September can still be dry so watch the moisture level of transplants until the Fall rains come but hold back on watering after the night temperatures drop consistently below 50 degrees.

Summer is in full swing! And what better way to enjoy the fruits of your labor? Invite friends over for a BBQ and dish up some of those veggies fresh from the garden or simply enjoy the view of your personal oasis. Now is the time to relax and be in your garden.
Of course there are always a few improvements and projects to work on so here are a few suggestions:

 
– Consider landscaping with xerascaping (low water) or native plantings and creating a lower water usage and lower maintenance garden.
– Install an irrigation system – remember when we suggested you install one in march -It would be pretty awesome right now!
– Cut old raspberry canes that fruited to produce new wood for next year, thin excessive growth or suckers and tie chosen branches in place.
– Move containers to a shady spot if they are stressed by the heat.
– If you are pruning any shrubs in order to produce wood for next years bloom finish by mid month so they have enough time to harden off before winter.
– Harvest vegetables regularly to encourage new blooms and prevent the seeds from setting.
– It’s to late to plant sun loving veggies but you can still do more cole crops or plant greens and brassicas for a winter harvest.
– Take a break and visit some show gardens.
– Explore some new recipes or can up some of the bounty.

Plant diseases are infuriating! – It is just horrifying to see all our hard work withering on the vine. Preventative medicine as opposed to treating symptoms after they have become a problem is always the best approach so here are a few tips to keep your garden healthy and disease free:

When shopping for plants look for disease resistant varieties and choose plants that are vigorous and healthy. Shopping with a reputable grower is always a wise choice.

If you notice any sign of disease on plants immediately remove damaged parts and if necessary the entire plant. Composting will not always kill pathogens which can spread to additional plants or even overwinter in the soil so diseased plants should be sent out with the trash or burned.

Choose the right plant for the right location – If a plant is stressed because it is in the wrong spot – has too much sun or too much shade it will be more susceptible to disease. The same it true of water and fertilizer – the wrong amount of either one can cause more damage than good.

Rotation of vegetable crops will help break the cycle of disease by eliminating the build up of diseased organisms in one spot.

Over crowding of crops can create too much humidity and fungal disease. Keep air flow moving by good planning and thinning.

Keep the garden tidy by turning under finished crops before disease causing organisms can take over. And clean tools and especially pruners in between uses to keep from spreading disease from an infected host.

Preventative treatments like dormant sprays can be a safe way to protect plants – be sure to follow instructions carefully.

COMMON DISEASES
Because of our high rainfall and mild climate fungal and bacterial diseases are the most common problems in Portland. Here are a few to keep an eye out for:

AIRBORNE FUNGAL DISEASES
Botrytis blight
This fungal disease looks like a grey powdery mold. It primarily appears on vegetable, bulbs and some perennials. Strawberries and zucchini are especially susceptible. Look for wet looking spots on leaves or fruit which will turn into a powdery grey mass. The entire plant can sicken and die so deal with it as soon as you spot it.
Air circulation is the best defense as this fungus prefers warm and humid areas. More sun also helps so pruning neighboring plantings can be useful so avoid wetting the leaves of susceptible plants while watering. Finally – remove and destroy any infected plant parts and wash tools and hands after.

Powdery mildew
Another fungal disease that commonly affects PNW gardens is powdery mildew. Late Summer is the time to look for white powder splotches that envelop leaves and stems. Cucumber, beans, zucchini, squash and roses are among it’s favorite victims. Although it can cause serious damage if left unchecked it is possible to minimize spread and still reap a harvest from infected crops.
Making space for air flow and maximum sun is essential. Well watered plants are less likely to fall victim but be sure to water from below and avoid water on leaves. Remove and destroy damaged foliage. A solution of 1 T baking soda to 1 gallon water and a tad of liquid soap spayed onto the leaves will also help.

Rust
There are a gob of different fungi that produce rust but the prevention, identification and treatment is similar. Orange to yellow spots present in speckled formation on the leaves. Spring or late Summer is the usual time for it to appear as the fungi prefer mild days and cooler damp nights.
Again overhead watering should be avoided to restrict the spread of rust. More sun also helps. Remove rusted leaves and garden debris to prevent the cycle of reinfection.

Scab
Commonly attacks apples and pears in the Spring right after flowering. It looks just like it sounds with with yellow to brown to black blotches on the leaves and sometimes the trunk. Leaves can eventually drop and in extreme cases defoliation may occur. Fruit can also appear scabbed but is still edible.
Remove and destroy damages areas. Pruning for air circulation is helpful but in extreme cases a copper spray can at lease prevent against another infection the following year.

SOIL/WATERBORNE FUNGAL DISEASES

Ramorum blight and tip dieback
The symptoms vary widely according to the host plant but generally look for bark cankers especially ones that are bleeding or girdle the entire circumference of the trunk. Leaf spotting or blotches appear in areas of the leaf that can collect water such as at the tips or the midribs.
This disease only first appeared in 1995 but has quickly spread. It can affect many types of native oaks, rhododendrons, myrtle, bay laurel, madrone, cascara, redwood, douglas fir, kinnikinnick, salmonberry, and evergreen huckleberry. It also attacks viburnum, camellias and pieris among others.

Root rot
The risk of root rot comes in the winter as water drenched soil robs roots of oxygen and makes them susceptible to this soil fungus. Signs may not appear on the plant until the early summer when the plant is unable to draw water through its damaged roots. Plants may appear wilted with leaves eventually browning but adding water will not help. Prevention is the best approach start with healthy plants and create good drainage before planting. A mycelium application will improve soil conditions and root health. Mulching can also help to discourage spread by cooling the soil. If unable to recover replace plants with a resistant variety that is suitable to the location.

Verticillium wilt
Look for one single branch showing signs of stress – wilting or the leaves turn brown while the rest of the plant looks perfectly fine. Often a long canker will also appear in the affected area and a ring will be present in the cross section of a cut branch. This soil borne fungus will attack many plants but maples are especially at risk. Complete lists are available online.
A similar disease attacks tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
Established trees can sometimes be saved by removing affected branches and building the up soil health. Apply a thin compost but avoid high nitrogen, potassium is better. Clean tools immediately after use as the disease can be easily spread to other plants. If the plant needs to be removed replace with a resilient species.

BACTERIAL DISEASES
Bacterial blight
Rapidly wilting leaves and dark splotches that manifest in the rainy spring can mean a bacterial infection. Remove and destroy affected parts and plants. Wash tools between each cut to avoid spread and wash hands before moving to another area of the garden.

Fireblight
This bacterium can move quickly and so the symptoms progress rapidly. Leaves and entire branches can redden and drop within days. Affected areas should be removed and burned as soon as detected. Cuts should be made at least 12 inches below the affected area. Tools need to be cleaned between cuts. This bacterium is transmitted by pollinating insects and infected plants can act as hosts and spread rapidly to other plants.

The Pacific Northwest Plant Disease management handbook is available online and has an exhaustive list of diseases. It is organized by host so it makes identifying the disease a little easier. Be sure you have the right diagnosis before beginning a treatment and please try natural methods before resorting to harsh chemical applications.

http://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease-descriptions

Beneficial insects help our gardens in three main ways they are predators, pollinators and parasitiods. Insectary is the term used for a garden bed planted for bugs and it may seem strange to encourage bugs in the garden but by creating a healthy ecosystem for an array of  bugs your garden is less likely to be overrun by the rotten ones that destroy our flowers and crops.

Predators eat the bugs that are eating our plants. The main predators that we like in our Portland gardens are Big-eyed bugs (yes that is what they are really called) Green and brown lacewings, Praying mantis, Ground beetles, Damsel bugs, Spiders, Centipedes, Syrphid flies (hover flies) Ladybugs and Minute pirate bugs. Many of these bugs feed in both their adult and larval stages so it’s great to have them around for their entire life cycle.

Pollinators are critical, they move pollen from male to female bits to produce our veggies and fruits. Great pollinators here are: Honey bees, Bumblebees and Mason bees but there are many more bugs such as Syrphid flies that also act as pollinators.

Parasitoids live part of their life cycle on or in a host and usually destroy the host in the process. Most parasitoids are small stingless wasps and flies.

You can encourage beneficial bugs in your garden by creating an inviting environment for them.

– Make happy bugs by providing protection in the form or groundcovers, mulches, small piles of sticks and yard debris or bug houses. These bug retreats should be located in a warm dry place and put out early in the season to encourage new arrivals.

– Bugs will also need a source for water, They can survive off of regular morning waterings or indulge them with a bird bath or water feature.

– Many of the beneficial insects also feed on nectar in addition to pest bugs so plantings that attract them can help create a healthy ecosystem for diverse bug life.
Attractive plants for beneficial insects:
Angelica
Anise
Bishops Weed
Chamomile
Coreopsis
Cosmos
Clover
Caraway
Coriander
Dill
Goldenrod
Lovage
Liatris
Marigold
Mustard
Pincushiuon
Sunflower
Scabiosa
Yarrow

You can also purchase beneficial bugs to seed your garden with healthy bug life:
Ladybugs
Praying mantis eggs
Lacewing eggs
Parasitoid wasp pupae

When starting seeds indoors timing is everything.Before you even begin making a good plan of what you want to plant and backing it up by creating a calendar will make the whole process way easier to implement and enjoy.

After you have chosen the coolest seeds to start indoors be sure to check the dates to maturity, you don’t want your seeds to germinate and grow quickly and then have it be to cold outside to transplant them in the garden. So count back from the time to plant outdoors and mark your calendar accordingly. It can be a simple sketch with dates off to the side or you can geek out on an elaborate program. Here a link to a seed starting chart to help you get started  http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/seed-starting-chart. And here is the farmers almanac 2014 Best Spring dates for seeds http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/OR/Portland.

Now you are ready to plant.

Light is one of the most important elements in starting seeds indoors.  Seedlings that don’t get enough light will be leggy and weak and likely only survive to about 3 inches tall and then shrivel. If you have a good southern facing window you may not need additional lighting but everyone else should consider using a grow light. Also, lights will fade over time so bulbs should be replaced annually for best results.

Temperature is also a factor, if seeds are too chilly they might not ever emerge let alone thrive. Seed starting heat mats are available commercially and while they can really help the process they are not completely necessary as long as you monitor the temp. Seeds placed right in a window may get to cold from the drafts. Check seed packages for specific temp and light requirements.

Soil is also a big consideration. A seed starting mix is best as it will be a very light composition of peat-lite and will be easy for tender young plants to push through. Seed starting mixes also usually contain a very mellow amount of fertilizer just right for young plants. Regular garden soil isn’t the best option as it will contain lots of organisms and bacteria that could harm new plants.

Containers should always be clean and sterilized before use. You can use last seasons plastic pots, pop out trays, flats or even used plastic food containers like yogurt or hummus tubs just be sure that there are holes in the bottom for good drainage. Peat pots are an easy way to go as they have a specially formulated seed composite and you can plop the whole thing in the garden when ready to transplant. You can also make paper pots yourself.

Fill container about three quarters full with your soil medium. Leave enough room at the top so water can fill and drain into the soil without running over the sides (this will help you be sure to water each pot evenly) Check the seed package for desired depth.

Water is essential when starting seeds. Make sure the soil in your containers is quite moist all the way to the bottom. Invisible dry pockets can form under the surface of new soil so its easier to pre – mix the soil with water in a bowl before filling containers. You don’t want the soil to be soggy but you also don’t want it to be at all dry. Take a clump up in your hands and lightly squeeze to remove any dripping excess before filling. Check moisture frequently and don’t let them dry out at all, a plastic or glass cover helps keep the moisture in.

Seedlings cannot be allowed to dry out but they are also very sensitive to damping off, a fungal disease which can become a problem if the soil is too wet. Keep your pots moist but never soggy and remove coverings once the seedlings begin to develop. Another thing that can help is to put a very small oscillating fan on the seedlings. This will keep air flow moving around the seeds and also forces the little plants to develop strong stalks but it can also dry them out so watch the water! Misters can supply just the right amount of water to the soil but you don’t want to leave leaves to wet and susceptible to fungal disease.

Hardening off is so important! Tender seedlings need time to adjust from perfect indoor to harsh outdoor conditions. Place seedlings in a protected outdoor location. You want to shelter them from winds hard rains and especially direct sunlight which can burn them. Start out with an hour or so a day and gradually work up to more time each day. A week generally gives them the right amount of time to adjust before being planted directly outdoors.

Fertilizers should be used cautiously in the beginning. You new plants need food to grow but too much can do more harm than good. There are some great seedling fertilizer mixes available just follow the directions and enjoy all those new baby plants for the garden.

My great great grandmother Ina was a native American farmer in Colorado. My grandmother Lucille remembers her garden as one of the biggest and most beautiful in the whole county. Lot’s of people teased her about planting by the moon but nobody argued about the size of her harvests!

For centuries farmers have planned not only the planting and harvesting of crops according to the phases of the moon but all sorts of seemingly unrelated farm activities like when to wean animals, when to set fence boards and even when to cut the lawn have traditionally been planned according to the cycles of the moon!
This ancient practice has fallen out of style but speaking from experience – it can work!

The basic explanation of the benefits of planting by the lunar cycle is that the moon governs moisture. Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist, wrote that the Moon “replenishes the earth; when she approaches it, she fills all bodies, when she recedes, she empties them.”

Water on the earths surface is influenced by the gravitational pull of the moon. Imagine the moon pulling the tides in the oceans across the globe. The theory is that the moon has a pull on all bodies of water, or bodies that contain water such as plants and animals and even human beings. This is a subtle pull but it has a very real effect. This lunar pull also brings moisture in the soil closer to the surface, which encourages things like growth and germination.

The moon has four phases or quarters each one lasting about seven days. The first two quarters, between the new and the full moon are called the waxing moon, this is the period that the moon appears to be growing. The third and fourth quarters occur after the full moon when the light is waning and it looks as if the moon is shrinking again.

Vegetable planting tips guided by the phases of the moon

The first quarter:
After the new moon, when the moon is completely dark, it begins to gradually “grow” pulling energy towards the earths surface which encourages seeds to swell and germinate. This phase of gentle pull makes for a balanced time for both root and leaf development. Plant seeds for vegetables with above ground fruit but that set their seeds outside the fruit – Broccoli, cabbage, celery cauliflower, lettuces, spinach and greens. Cucumbers and zucchini are an exception as they can also be planted in this phase.

The second quarter:
During this phase the moon is growing and the pull is increasing which makes for strong leaf growth. Plants that produce above ground with their seeds inside the fruit do very well planted in this phase. Beans, and peas, peppers, squash, eggplant and tomatoes. Two days before the full moon is an especially good time for planting in general and is the best time to transplant starts or any new potted additions to your garden because as the moon transitions into and past the full moon root growth will be coming into it’s prime this includes perennials and ornamentals as well as fruit trees, potted herbs and vegetables that have been started indoors.

The third quarter:
This is the time directly after the full moon. The moon is at its peak pull creating the most moisture in the soil, but that pull is beginning to diminish. Root crops do best planted in this phase as energy is dropping back down into the deep soil and root systems. Veggies to plant now – beets, radishes, garlic, onions, potatoes and carrots. You can also gather seeds and harvest fruits, herbs and vegetables for their peak time near a full moon.

The fourth quarter:
This phase of the moons cycle has the pull dropping to it’s minimum as it moves toward the new moon. It is called a fallow moon and is generally a time of rest for the plants in the garden but there is plenty to do for the gardener. Now is a great time to transplant or divide plants, compost and remove brush as well as pruning for retarding growth. You can also apply side dressings and composts at this time. You will actually find that pulling weeds is much easier after a full moon and lawns mowed will grow back at a slower pace.

If you want to learn more about the subtleties of gardening by the moon or simply want a calendar of planting dates without any research or physics required – pick up a copy of the Farmers almanac. And for a strangely modern twist on this ancient practice download the application for use on a mobile devise.