How to germinate seeds in paper towels. A great way to identify viable seeds.
Video by Mayo Underwood
Tag Archives: gardening
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: Yellow-wax Bells
Plant Name: Kirengeshoma palmata
Common Name: Yellow-wax Bells
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 3 -4.5 ft
Bloom Time: Late Summer
Flower Color: Yellow -Bell shaped
Exposure: Full to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Humus rich acidic, well-drained soils
Water Needs: Regular: keep moist
Attributes: Large Maple-shaped leaves, Clusters of yellow flowers, Pearl-sized buds, Dainty nodding bells, Showy fruit, Year-round interest
Note: Highly prized
Uses: Mass plantings, Woodland Gardens, Shade Gardens, Specimen plant, Winter Interest
Native to: Mountainous regions of Japan to Korea
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-8
Gardening Tips
February: Preparing to plant in the Rogue Valley
Soil: too wet
Grab a handful of your soil, if you can form it into a ball, the soil is too wet for planting and chances are the seeds will rot in the ground. Plant only when the soil crumbles and falls apart after you squeeze it.
Soil pH: Use a pH soil test kit to test your soil. Kits are available at most garden centers. If you soil is too alkaline, above ph7, then incorporate lime into your soil. Lime is best added in the fall, but you can still do this in early spring. Apply Lime early in February, then a week later add in fertilizer. Both materials should be incorporated into the soil 6 to 8 inches. Wait at least a week after applying fertilizer before planting seeds.
More about modifying soil pH here…
http://www.sunset.com/garden/garden-basics/acid-alkaline-soil-modifying-ph
You can direct sow the following seeds in your garden mid-to-late February, if the soil is no too wet and temperatures are staying above 20 degrees!
Peas, non-enation resistant varieties
Early varieties radish
Spring Spinach
Fave beans
Mustard
Spanish Onions (the most common onion is the USA),
Sow the seeds listed below, indoors or in a greenhouse in February for transplanting into the garden in 6-8 weeks:
Lettuce
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Bok Choy
Pac Choi
Mustard
Cabbage
Kale
Leeks
Article by Carlotta Lucas
Reference: Gardening Year ‘Round, Month by Month in the Rogue Valley and environs, A guide for Family Food Production by the Jackson County Master Gardeners Association
Wet soil photo courtesy of The Sedgwick County Extension Master Gardeners’ Demonstration Garden, Wichita KS
Butterfly Gardens
Monarch Butterfly
Robin McKenzie, Master Gardener and principal designer for Rockbird Gardens, gave an outstanding presentation on Monday at the Ashland Garden Club meeting. Robin specializes in creating sustainable backyard ecosystems for wildlife, and for people. Monday she talked about “Planning and Growing a Butterfly Garden”, her talking points were:
• Research the items you need to attract butterflies
• Find a sunny garden location. ( 6-8 hrs of sun)
• Create a garden plan for your yard: flowerbeds, raised beds, and/or containers
• Know the timeline needed to create a garden
• Prepare the soil for your plants, add amendments, make sure you have good drainage
• Install borders and hardscape before you plant (*see mud-puddle below)
• Decide your plant choices: purchase and/or grow your plants, then plant according to their specific directions, don’t crowd your plants!
Butterfly Puddle
*Butterflies need water, so make them a mud puddle!
Use a shallow dish such as a plastic or terracotta plant saucer in a sunny area of your garden that is protected from the wind. Fill the bottom of the pan with sand, gravel, and a few small stones, add water to the dampen sand.
Host plants:
Attract more butterflies by having plants for larval food in your yard, for instance:
Milkweed
Milkweed for Monarchs
Tarragon for Swallowtails
Angelica for Anise Swallowtails
Violas for Great Spangled Great Spangled Fritillary
Note: Be prepared for heavy munching on these host plants, these plants are caterpillar food!
See list of host plants here:
http://nababutterfly.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/southwestern-Oregon-butterfly-garden-guide.pdf
And here….http://extension.oregonstate.edu/4hwildlifestewards/pdfs/butterfly.pdf
How to become a Certified monarch Butterfly Station: www.monarchwatch.org
Lecture was by Robin McKenzie www.rockbirdgardens.com
Monarch Butterfly image by Simon Koopmann on Wikimedia Commons
Submitted by: Carlotta Lucas
2017 Seed Sorting
The Ashland Garden Club’s Heirloom Gardeners met at North Mountain Park to sort, clean, and package seeds for Ashland Parks & Recreation’s annual seed swap to be held on February 2nd from 7-8 PM at North Mountain Park’s Nature Center. The seed swap is free and open to all ages.
