Tag Archives: diy
Planting for Drought Tolerance and Deer Resistance
Destructive deer and hot, dry summers are two very common issues in the Rogue Valley. Drought tolerant and deer resistant plants are a good combination to aim for because the qualities in plants that repel deer can often be found in drought tolerant species- such as heavy oil content, textured or hairy foliage, strong odors, and tough, less succulent leaves. The key to keeping drought tolerant plants happy and more unpalatable to deer is to give them the habitat they are used to- so don’t water them every day just because its 90 degrees!
Good drainage is usually essential- if you don’t have it, you’ll probably have to water even less
No heavy fertilizing: Use only organic or slow release fertilizer if called for at time of planting. Over fertilizing will attract deer. If the plants look yellow it is usually from too much water, not lack of fertilizer.
Dedicate an area to drought tolerant plants: Don’t mix plants that need regular water with drought tolerant plants. Do not put them on the same irrigation system & timer or one group will suffer.
Do not over water! It’s best to plant drought tolerant plants in early spring or early fall so they can get established with the rains.
- Once established many plants do not need summer water.
- They will only need an occasional deep soak.
- Don’t plant them where they will get extra water from lawn areas or runoff from other irrigated areas.
How to get good drainage:
Mound up soil when making new beds or planting a new plant. Create a berm. Plant drought tolerant plants on a hillside or slope
Mulch with at least a 1″ layer of 1/4″-io gravel to keep dirt from rotting the crown of plant, to retain moisture during heat and keep plant roots warmer in winter
For clay soil amend with 1/4″- io gravel (sharp edge, no fines) and compost will help break down clay over time.
How to water drought tolerant plants
Observe- most plants need to dry out before the next watering- stick your finger a few inches into soil (well below mulch, which will feel dry), if it is cool and damp, don’t need to water yet.
Infrequent But Deep Soak: This trains plants to have deep roots, not shallow. Often a deep soak every 2 weeks in heat of summer is enough- easier to do with drip irrigation than sprinklers
Watering rule of thumb (depends on site and soil type)
- 1st year of planting water deeply once a week for first month of summer,
- Then water once every 2 weeks for 2nd and 3rd month of summer
- Water once a month the 2nd summer and don’t water again.
How to find drought tolerant plants
Look to natives- can tolerate summer drought and winter wet
Look to Mediterranean plants- similar climate (also cold hardy Australian and northern California plants, hardy desert plants/succulents) get help from your local nursery!- we’ve talked to countless customers and worked in our own gardens and have seen what works
How to find deer resistant plants
- Look around your neighborhood drive or walk around heavy deer areas- Jacksonville, hills of east Medford, wooded parts of Ashland- observe what has been chewed- deer can be very neighborhood specific
- Read lists, but be ready to experiment
- use Liquid Fence, Plantskydd, or similar product on all new plantings to discourage initial browsing
- Use cages around most new trees- to prevent antler damage and new growth chewing
- Deer damage can depend on time of year you plant- when deer are especially hungry in fall and winter they can graze on almost anything
- Use poisonous, strongly scented or sharply textured plants (grasses, sometimes prickly/thorny textures, fuzzy/hairy leaves, pine needles, etc.)
- Talk to your local nursery- we know from our experiences and those of our customers and landscapers what has worked and what hasn’t
By: Christie Mackison, Shooting Star Nursery
Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glory
Ipomoea purpurea (Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glory)
Plant Type: Annual (twinning vine)
Sowing Method: Direct sow seeds in spring (first soak seed in warm water for 24 hrs, then nick the seed)
Bloom Time: Summer until frost – 12 weeks
Flower: Royal purple trumpet with deep pink “star”.
Plant Height: 13-15 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil: Average well drained soil
Attributes: Attracts Humming Birds, Hardy, Easy to Grow, Re-seeds freely, Covers fence or trellis in a profusion of lovely flowers.
USDA Zones: 3-10
DIY: Potting Soil
Make your own potting soil
All-purpose potting soil:
• 1 part compost
• 1 part good garden soil
• 1 part peat moss
• 1 part perlite
Potting soil for woody plants & perennials:
• 1 part compost
• 1 part sand
• 1 part composted bark
• 1 part peat moss
• 1 part perlite
Garden of the Month: April 2014
Karen McClintock says she’s lucky her husband, Mick Smith,never saw a 
weed he wouldn’t stop to pull out. Indeed! Mick also plants and prunes, and last year brought a photinia hedge back to good health from disease. Their garden at 2790 Diane Street to the left of the walkway reflects the hard work they both put into it. Right now the Spring blooms and colors are spectacular.
They purchased the house eight years ago. The previous owner did the bulk of the hardscape and some of the basic planting. Karen and Mick, without any formal training, frequently add and rearrange. 
This fall Karen moved all of the iris around to mix, rather than bunch, the colors, and she’s eager to see what emerges in the next few weeks. They get occasional help (quarterly) from a handyman gardener for the biggest jobs such as pruning the grape vines that fill the side yard. Among the challenges of gardening on
this property are deer, of course, a street light lamp post and three (count ‘em!) utility boxes in the front garden. They use bone meal to discourage deer and it also fertilizes the tulips. To keep everything green they use organic fertilizers sparely. In the fall they purchased and covered the front garden with wonderful organic mulch from Plant Oregon. In front of the house, in addition to the tulips, daffodils, and grape hyacinth currently putting on a show, are Japanese maple, forsythia (the one to the left of the driveway is currently at the peak of its color, the one to the right of the driveway has gone from yellow to green leaves), manzanita, bayberry, variegated pittosporum, blue fescue, shasta daisies, euphorbia, rosemary, oregano, and sedum.
In the back yard a small garden provides privacy and beauty. It includes a crepe myrtle tree, roses, lilac, lavender, huge red oriental poppies, sweet woodruff, lupine, strawberries, wall flower, azalea, nandina, day lilies, foxglove, and hellebore. They use oyster shells in back to thwart snails–with limited success. Along the back wall of the property a lovely backdrop of photinia provides the frame for this picture perfect garden.
5 W’s for Fertilizing
Article by Kelly Brainard, Owner Ashland Greenhouse
“There are always so many questions about fertilizing. I would like to go over some of the basics, especially since early spring can be a key time for taking care of fertilizing needs. Always ask yourself:
The type of plant you are focusing on (perennials, annuals, vegetables, ect).
What type of fertilizer to use based on season and the plant(s) you’re fertilizing.
When do you apply fertilizer? Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter?
Where is the best place to apply fertilizers? Topically or to the root zone?
Why is this necessary? What are the benefits of fertilizing?
Since we could write a book on everything mentioned above let’s keep it brief and relevant to what we should focus on in early spring. This is a great time of year to focus on perennials. Most perennials prefer a well-balanced or all-purpose fertilizer (all three numbers on the packaging are identical, i.e. 3-3-3 or 16-16-16). Perennials fed in early spring develop strong root systems which in turn produces larger, healthier plants. Apply granular fertilizers to the soil around the root zone.
For annuals that are tough enough to be outside early and continue blooming throughout the summer, like petunias and verbena, apply well balanced or slightly higher nitrogen fertilizers. This gives them an extra boost, encouraging growth. You can successfully use either a granular or foliar fertilizer. Foliar fertilizers tend to react faster than granules since they are taken up by the plant through the leaves but need re-application more often. For annuals I like to use granular fertilizer applications in the spring and start using weekly or biweekly applications of liquid fertilizer in the summer. Remember as a rule of thumb – ALWAYS apply fertilizers in the morning. It is less stressful for the plants.
Vegetables are a completely different beast when it comes to fertilizing. There are numerous techniques when it comes to fertilizing your vegetables. If it’s grown for leafy greens then apply fertilizers heavier in nitrogen. If it’s grown for the fruit apply fertilizers heavier in phosphorous. Nitrogen promotes healthy, green foliage and too much of it can discourage fruit development while phosphorous promotes bud and flower growth which encourages more fruit.
When in doubt about fertilizing don’t hesitate to ask a fellow gardener. Some of the best advice is the advice that we share with each other!”