Category Archives: How to…

Wildflower Seed balls For Butterflies

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What are seed balls?

Introduced in the 70s, seed balls are a form of “guerilla gardening” whereby seeds, soil and clay are mixed together into tidy germination bombs that are said to have an 80% higher success rate than simply broadcasting seeds onto soil.  Adding red potters’ clay to the mix protects the seeds from being blown away by wind or consumed by insects or birds.  Generally, seed balls don’t require watering and you should NOT bury or plant them.  Simply toss them in a vacant lot, your front yard, or a wildscape situation like a ranch or roadside.  Wait for the rain to melt away the clay casing, and nature will do the rest.

Texas Butterfly Ranch Seed ball Recipe

3 parts local soil or potting soil

1 – 2 parts red potter’s clay powder, also known as “terracotta powder” at pottery supply stores

1 part native wildflower seeds

Water, as needed.

Newspaper and cookie sheets for drying seed balls

Stainless steel bowls or pots for mixing

  ****

1.  Assemble ingredients.

2.  Mix soil, clay and wildflower seeds together in bowl.  Mix well.

3.  Add water to attain dough-like consistency, much like tart or pie dough

4. Pinch off or use spoon to grab gumball-sized amounts of the mix.  Roll between your palms to get round form.  Drop onto newspaper covered cookie sheet to dry.

5.  Sprinkle generously with red chili pepper.  Let set for 24 hours.

6.  Once the seed balls set up, usually after 24 hours, store them in paper bags for later use or toss them right away.  Remember to use only native seeds for wildscaping situations.

SOURCE

http://texasbutterflyranch.com/2011/12/20/happy-winter-solstice-celebrate-with-seedballs-a-recipe-and-step-by-step-directions-on-how-to-make-them/

OSU: Principles of Pruning

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Oregon State University: Principles of Pruning Videos

Pruning Pros  – In these clips, tree care pros with decades of experience will guide the viewer through the decision-making process—and solutions—to pruning larger, established trees.

Pruning Basics for Trees and Shrubs
Learn proper pruning technique, best timing, and which tools to use for landscape trees, conifers, and shrubs.

Get information about pruning fruit trees in this OSU Master Gardener 10-Minute University™ Class presented by OSU Master Gardener Sherry Sheng.

Pruning fruit trees
by 10-Minute University/OSU Master Gardeners

Pruning or training fruit trees
by 10-Minute University/OSU Master Gardeners

Pruning Roses   

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Roses are pruned to encourage new growth and healthy flowers during the growing season.  The time to prune roses depends on the type of rose your pruning. Roses that flower once a season are pruned right after they flower.  Roses that flower throughout the season are pruned when buds start to swell and become green. In Southern Oregon, Zone 8, this is typically mid- February to early March .

By-pass pruner

Tools Needed:
1)   Good pair of leather gloves,
2)   Sharp By-pass garden pruner, (recommended)
3)   Possibly: a medium to larger tree pruner and a handheld pruning saw.
Having sharp tools is imperative for making good clean cuts on branches.  Also, it’s important to disinfect every tool between each rose, because tools can transfer disease and viruses to other plants if not disinfected properly.

Disinfecting Tools:
1)   Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is ideal for sanitizing pruning tools because the blades can be wiped, or dipped into it. Most rubbing alcohols contain 70% isopropyl alcohol, which can be used straight from the bottle.  Rubbing alcohol has a strong fumes, so avoid inhaling.

2)   A solution made of chlorine bleach can also be used as a disinfectant, but unlike alcohol, bleach must be diluted before using and blades must be soaked for 30 minutes for disinfection to really work.  To make a 10% bleach solution: mix one part bleach to nine parts of water. Remember to: avoid inhalation of fumes, wear rubber gloves to prevent contact with skin, and protect your clothing from the bleach and  bleach water. This bleach solution must be used within two hours of mixing, because it losses 50% of its effectiveness after two hours.  After soaking tools in bleach solution, rinse them with clean water to prevent corrosion, and wipe dry. Be aware that chlorine bleach it is not as effective against viruses as rubbing alcohol.

Steps to Pruning: 
1)  Start by removing dead and diseased canes; brown is dead, green is alive.
2)  Tip back brown stems until you see green in the cane.
3)  Remove all thin weak canes; if it’s thinner than a pencil remove it.
4)  Open up the center by taking out crossing branches. Branches that rub cause damage and encourage disease.
5)  Removing center canes allows air-flow which helps control diseases.

 Making the Cut:
Common practice is to make a slight 45-degree angle cut ¼-inch above an outward facing bud. Cutting to an outward facing bud encourages growth away from the center of the rose to provide better air-flow. An angled cut is said to allow moisture to run off the cut. While some rose growers say angled cuts are unnecessary, everyone agrees if the cut is too steep it weakens and/or damages the new bud, so cut at a “slight” angle.

Rose Structure:
The goal is to have an open structure with upward reaching branches in the shape of a vase.
How much  top pruning is done depends on the type of rose.  Typically, only 1/3 of the total height of a rose should be removed, unless an extremely neglected rose shrub needs hard pruning to reshape and repair. ( See examples of Hard, Moderate, Light Pruning in the drawing below)

Seal Cane Cuts:
Seal cut ends of all canes 3/16-inch diameter and larger with white Elmer’s multi-purpose glue, not school glue, or white water-base Tacky Glue, found in craft stores. This forms a barrier to deter cane boring insects from drilling into the pithy middle of rose canes, where they lay their eggs. In some cases, a boring insect can bore deep enough to kill the entire cane, and sometimes the whole rose bush.

Article By: Carlotta Lucas, Ashland Garden Club Member

Resource Article:
Barbara McMullen
Master Gardener OSU Extension

Drawings from Oregon State University webpage on Pruning Roses.  Rose Pruning: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/flowers-shrubs-trees/pruning-roses

Read more on Rose Borers: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/controlling-rose-cane-borers.htm

Growing Microgreens in Winter

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I start seeds in the clamshells you purchase spinach or salad in from the grocery store.

I drill holes in these containers top and bottom, add growing medium, sow the seeds, set up a “self watering” tray system [self-watering trays are double trays: bottom tray has no holes, and the top container or tray has holes], cover the seeds, then place trays on a heated mat [mat for plants].

Here I am starting speckled peas in a seed growing medium. [It’s important to use a good soil less growing medium. Some people use hemp fiber or coconut fiber growing mats]

I put weight on the seeds and keep them in the dark for a few days until they sprout, then I expose them to light.

It’s important to maintain even moisture; do not allow growing medium to dry out.

Speckled Peas seeds

I do the same with sunflower seeds. I start in seeds in growing medium in the dark and put weight on them, this way they make stronger roots and don’t dislodge each other. Then I expose them to light.

Sunflower Seeds

Below are Pea Shoots ready for harvest

Pea Shoots

Mung beans sprouts: I keep them in the dark so they get longer

Mung Beans

Radish sprouts: Next time I will let them grow longer.

Radish Sprouts

Sunflowers growing on a heat mat under lights, ready to harvest.

Sunflower Sprouts

Instructions & Pictures by Goly Ostovar, AGC Member

Providing water for birds in winter

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From the National Wildlife Federation  https://blog.nwf.org/2014/12/dont-forget-water-for-birds-in-winter/

Here are some tips for easily—and safely—providing water for wildlife during the cold months:

Dark Eyed Junco
  1. Before the cold sets in, replace delicate solar or fountain birdbaths with sturdier, winter-ready water features. Because ice can cause cracks and leaks, concrete baths should be stored or covered in winter.
  2. Place baths in a sunny area to make them more visible to birds and to help keep the water liquid.
  3. While birds are unlikely to submerge themselves in very cold weather, you can help them stay dry and drink more easily by adding several stones to the bath or placing a few sticks on top that the animals can use as perches.
  4. Even during winter, birdbaths (as well as feeders) should be cleaned regularly.
  5. To keep water from freezing, consider adding an immersion-style water heater. More recent models will turn off if the water in the bath dries up.
  6. If using a heater, add a ground-fault interrupted circuit (available at hardware stores) to prevent electric shorts. Check that cords and outlets are sheltered from snow or ice buildup.
  7. As a homemade alternative to a heater, place a light bulb in a flower pot and put a small water basin on top of the pot.
  8. A simpler option—particularly if you have no outdoor electric outlet—is to buy several heavy-duty plant saucers that will not be cracked by ice and replace frozen baths with fresh ones each morning.
  9. Avoid adding glycerin to a birdbath as antifreeze; if birds ingest too much, it can dangerously elevate their blood-sugar levels. Glycerin solutions also may mat birds feathers, decreasing insulation at a time when the animals need it most.

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas,

Photo by: Jocelyn Anderson, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fall Wreath ( How-to)

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Member Melody Jones created a beautiful Fall Wreath from her leaves.
Below are her instructions on how to make it.
1. Collect, Press and Dry Leaves. Melody used an old phone book to press her leaves.

Melody Jones fall leaves.jpg
2. Once the leaves are dry, take 8-10 leaves and make a bundle.
    Use floral tape to hold them together.
     Make lots of bundles, enough to cover the wreath frame.
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IMG953910.jpg
3. Place leaf-bundles one at a time on a metal wreath frame, and secure with floral tape or wire. Layer to make it full.
4. Continue adding bundles until the wreath frame is covered.
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Melody’s Wreath