Oregon Zoo releases 1,183 endangered butterflies into wild.
http://www.oregonzoo.org/node/1956/media
Starting Seeds
How to germinate seeds in paper towels. A great way to identify viable seeds.
Video by Mayo Underwood
Horticulture Report: Arbutus unedo ‘compacta’
Plant Name: Arbutus unedo ‘compacta’
Common Name: Dwarf Strawberry Tree
Plant type: Evergreen Shrub
Height: 6-8 ft
Spread/Width: 5-6 ft
Bloom Time: Repeating Fall to late winter
Flower Color: White, bell-shaped
Exposure: Part to Full sun
Soil Requirements: Lean, well-drained soil
Water Needs: Low – Drought tolerant once established
Attributes: Masses of white flowers, Dark glossy green foliage, Cinnamon-colored bark, Edible strawberry-like fruit, , Dwarf plant, Bird friendly
Note: Low maintenance
Uses: Firewise plantings, Waterwise plantings, Privacy Screen, Specimen focal point, Wildlife gardens, Year-round interest, Informal hedge, Butterfly gardens, Attracts Hummingbirds, Winter interest
Native to: Southern Europe and Ireland
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-9
Horticulture Report:White baneberry
Plant Name: Actaea pachypoda
Common Name: White baneberry (Doll’s Eyes)
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 1- 2 feet
Spread: 3 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Flower Color: White
Exposure: Part to Full Shade
Soil Requirements: Rich, Loamy, Good drainage
Water Needs: Regular watering
Attributes: Fragrant Showy Flowers, Shiny White Berries, Low Maintenance
Note: Berries are poisonous to humans!
Uses: Woodland plant, Naturalizing, Native Wildflower
Native to: Eastern North America
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sow Right!
Spring is here, can I plant my seeds?
Fordhook Zucchini
Planting vegetable seeds depends on your last
average frost date and the temperature of your soil.
Your growing season, which is determined by first frost (fall) and last frost (spring), is the amount of time vegetables in your garden have to ripen before a fall frost.
For example: Medford, Oregon, Zone 8a, Average Frost Dates Spring 4/25, Fall 10/20. Average growing season 6 months
but Ashland, only 11 mile away…
Ashland, Oregon Zone 7b, Average Frost Date Spring 5/15, Fall 10/15. Average growing season 5 months
Check your local Extension Service for frost dates and USDA Zone.
Each zone has different planting schedules for different plants and your local extension service will have this information – often it’s online. Then check the back of your seed packets. It tells you when to direct sow and days to harvest.
Check Page 7 of the Oregon State University pamphlet Growing Your Own for “Dates for planting vegetables in Oregon”. It’s a very handy booklet.
OSU Booklet_Growing Your Own
Soil Temperatures for Germination: Soil Temps PDF
Horticulture Report: Cotoneaster horizontalis
Plant Name: Cotoneaster horizontalis
Common Name: Rockspray Cotoneaster
Plant type: Semi-evergreen shrub
Height: 2-3 ft
Width: 5-7 ft
Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color: Pink (tiny flowers)
Exposure: Full sun to Part shade
Soil Requirements: Requires well-drained soil, Withstands poor soil, but best in loamy soil
Water Needs: Medium
Attributes: Groundcover, Fall color, Textured arching branches , Red berries for birds, Dense foliage, Slow-growing, Semi-prostrate
Note: Tough, Easy to grow, Drought tolerant once established
Uses: Rock gardens, Rock walls, Mass plantings, Erosion control for banks & slopes, Winter interest, Shelter for Beneficial insects
Native to: Western China
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-7