April in the garden

In Ashland, Oregon the last frost date is approximately May 15th.

Sow seeds in your greenhouse, or indoors,  for transplanting  after May 15th.
Basil, Cabbage, Peppers, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Pumpkin, Tomato, etc.
Flowers;  Sunflowers, Cosmos, Marigolds , Zinnia, etc.

If the soil is not too wet, you can sow the following vegetables seeds directly into the garden. Once seedlings emerge protect them from spring frost.  Lettuces, Cauliflower, Spinach, Chinese Cabbage, Broccoli, Peas, Chard, Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, Leeks, Kohlrabi, Beets, Radishes.

You can plant onion sets up until 4/15. And, you can still plant raspberries and strawberries plants.
Fertile flowerbeds, shrubs, trees and grass.
Start baiting for slugs, snails and earwigs.
Watch out for spittle bugs and aphids on your existing strawberry plants.
Watch out for aphids on all plants in the landscape.

  • Home remedy for Aphid Control: Mix a teaspoon of vegetable oil, a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and a cup of water. Or, mix three tablespoons of liquid soap and a gallon of water. Spray to wet the entire plant thoroughly, particularly the undersides of leaves, because aphids must come into contact with the soap solution to be affected. After a few hours, wash off the oil and soap with a garden hose to protect sensitive plants. Repeat the application every few days as necessary.
  • Control spittle bugs by blasting spittle bug foam off plants with water. Repeat as necessary.

Pruning shrubs & trees should be completed by now!

Gardening Tips

February:  Preparing to plant in the Rogue Valley

wet-soil

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

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Garden of the Month: September 2016

Garden of the Month: 448 Clinton Street

Carolyn and Donald Hunsaker purchased their house at 448 Clinton Strelr-6-16-1et five years ago and immediately set about reworking the small garden spaces. Two years ago, they were among the first to take advantage of the City of Ashland’s lawn replacement program. Throughout the process of developing the wonderful garden that they have today, they have had assistance from Regenesis Ecological Design of Ashland.

dh Most recently theirs was designated an official Pollinator Garden by Bee City USA of Ashland, and they have a pretty, new sign to prove it. The Hunsakers commissioned Nick David of Jefferson Woodwright to make a very nice frame for the sign, to coordinate with the craftsman architecture of their home.  They have colorful Monarch caterpillars in residence, happily munching on various kinds of milkweed that they introduced to a side yard. Carolyn and Don, together, spend about five hours a week maintaining this beautiful garden.

lr-8_16-12This is a modest-size garden, with a front of 800 square feet, side yards of about 250 square feet each, and natural areas off the alley adding about 200 square feet more, but they have capitalized on the efficient use of space, with plants on trellises for height that also provide privacy. On one side, the garden opens out to reveal an inviting patio, just off the kitchen, complete with a refreshing water feature. On the other side, outdoor rooms were created with arbors and a variety of vines, including star jasmine and honeysuckle. On this side, a garden shed has a living roof, comprised of sedum, small primroses, bitterroot, and other small plants. A tiny solar panel provides power for the light inside the shed.

In front, the sword ferns, azaleas, and rhododendrons close to the front porch plus a pink dogwood on the left are pretty much all that remains of the landscape as it existed when they bought the place. They have added a paperbark maple as well as heathers, yarrow, blue fescue, and other low-growing plants to replace the front lawn. Creeping thyme fills in the between the stepping-stones. Kinnikinnick fills the parking strip, since parking is not permitted on their side of the street. All the low plants in front are deer resistant.

lr-8-16-9Near the patio in back, there is a concrete raised bed that has primarily edible plants such as cucumber, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, with mint, basil, rosemary, and marigolds to discourage unwelcome creatures. Larger, non-edible plants in this area include a Japanese maple, buddleja, anemone, Sochi Tea camellia, and euphorbia.

Throughout the garden, there are many roses, mostly climbers, including Portlandia, Westerland, Polka, Gold Badge, Night Light, Golden Gate, Abraham Darby, Joseph’s Coat, and Royal Pageant (Carolyn’s favorite).fullsizerender-2

This is a delightful garden full of pleasant surprises.

Submitted by:
Ruth Sloan

Neighborhood Harvest

060Neighborhood Harvest is an organization dedicated to harvesting fruits, nuts, and other produce that would otherwise go to waste from yards, gardens, and farms in and around Ashland, Oregon and sharing the abundance with the community.

To learn more check out their website at:

https://neighborhoodharvestashland.wordpress.com/

Companion Planting

The theory of companion planting is by placing beneficial plants together they help each other grow.
Some ways companion plants help each other are:

  • Taller plants can provide shade for sun-sensitive shorter plants.
  • Vining plants cover the ground below taller plants for weed control, or to support vining plants.
  • Companion plants discourage pest, for instance onions repel some pests,
    while other companions, like marigolds, lure pest away from desirable plants.
  • Companion planting can attract beneficial insects to the garden, and improve flavor to some fruits and vegetables.

Below is a beginner’s guide to companion planting.   20141016_171506

Basil
Plant near: most garden crops
Keep away from: rue
Comments: improves the flavor and growth of garden crops, especially tomatoes and lettuce. Repels mosquitoes

Beans, Bush
Plant near: beets, cabbage, carrots, catnip, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, marigolds, potatoes, savory, strawberries.
Keep away from: fennel, garlic, leeks, onions, shallots.
Comments: potatoes and marigolds repel Mexican bean beetles. Catnip repels flea beetles.

Beans, Pole
Plant near: corn, marigolds, potatoes, radishes.
Keep away from:
beets, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, shallots
Comments:
same as for bush beans.

Beets
Plant near: broccoli, brussel sprouts, bush beans, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, onions
Keep away from:
mustard, pole beans

Borage
Plant near:  squash, strawberries, tomatoes
Keep away from:  
Spreads by seed!!
Comments:
repels tomato worms. Improves flavor and growth of companions.

Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts
Plant near: beets, buckwheat, calendula, carrots, chamomile, dill, hyssop, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, rosemary, sage, thyme, wormwood.
Keep away from: strawberries
Comments: marigolds repel cabbage moths. Nasturtiums repel aphids.

Cabbage and Cauliflower
Plant near: broccoli, brussels sprouts, celery, chard, spinach, tomatoes.
Keep away from: strawberries
Comments: tomatoes and celery repel cabbage worms.

Cantaloupe
Plant near: corn
Keep away from:

Carrots
Plant near: cabbage, chives, early potatoes, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, rosemary, sage, salsify, wormwood.
Keep away from:
Comments: onions, leeks, and wormwood repel carrot flies

Chives
Plant near: apples, berries, carrots, grapes, peas, roses, tomatoes.
Keep away from:
Comments: Deters aphids and Japanese beetles. Improves flavor & growth of companions.

Corn
Plant near: beans, cucumbers, early potatoes, melons, peas, pumpkins, soybeans, squash.
Keep away from:
Comments: soybeans deter chinch bugs.

Cucumbers
Plant near: beans, cabbage, corn, early potatoes, radishes, sunflowers.
Keep away from: late potatoes
Comments: Radishes deter cucumber beetles. Cucumbers encourage blight in late potatoes.

Dill
Plant near: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, onions
Keep away from: carrots
Comments: Improves flavor and growth of cabbage family plants.

Eggplant
Plant near: green beans, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes
Keep away from:
Comments: green beans deter Colorado potato beetles.

Garlic
Plant near: cabbage, cane fruits, fruit trees, roses, tomatoes
Keep away from: peas, beans
Comments: deters Japanese beetles and aphids. A garlic oil spray deters onion flies, aphids, and ermine moths. A garlic tea helps repel late potato blight.

Kale
Plant near:
aromatic herbs, buckwheat, cabbage family, marigolds, nasturtiums
Keep away from:
pole beans, strawberries

Kohlrabi
Plant near:
cabbage/cauliflower companions (except tomatoes)
Keep away from:
fennel, pole beans, tomatoes
Comments:
kohlrabi stunts tomatoes

Lettuce
Plant near: beets, carrotsparsnips, radishes, strawberries
Keep away from: cabbage family
Comments: lettuce tenderizes summer radishes.

Marigolds
Plant near:
all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments:
stimulates vegetable growth and deters bean beetles, aphids, potato bugs, squash bugs, nematodes, and maggots.

Marjoram
Plant near:
all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments:
stimulates vegetable growth.

Mustard
Plant near:
alfalfa cover crops, fruit trees, grapes, legumes
Keep away from:
Comments:
stimulates growth of companion plants.

Nasturtiums
Plant near:
apples, beans, cabbage family, greenhouse crops, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, squash
Keep away from:
Comments:
repels aphids, potato bugs, squash bugs, striped pumpkin beetles, and Mexican bean beetles and destroys white flies in greenhouses.

Onions
Plant near:
beets, cabbage family, carrots, chamomile, lettuce, parsnips
Keep away from:
beans, peas
Comments:
deters most pests, especially maggots.

Oregano
Plant near:
all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments:
deters many insect pests.

Parsley
Plant near:
corn, roses, tomatoes
Keep away from:

Parsnips
Plant near:
onions, radishes, wormwood
Keep away from:
Comments:
onions and wormwood help keep root maggots from parsnips.

Peas
Plant near:
beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, early potatoes, radishes, turnips
Keep away from:
garlic leeks, onions, shallots

Peppers
Plant near:
basil, carrots, eggplant, onions, parsley, tomatoes
Keep away from:
fennel, kohlrabi

Potatoes
Plant near:
basil, beans, cabbage family, corn, eggplant, flax, hemp, marigolds, peas, squash
Keep away from:
apples, birch, cherries, cucumbers, pumpkins, raspberries, sunflowers, tomatoes, walnuts
Comments:
Basil deters potato beetles. Marigolds (dug into crop soil) deter nematodes,hemp deters phytophthora infestans

Radishes
Plant near:
chervil, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, peas, nasturtiums, root crops
Keep away from:
hyssop
Comments:
radishes deter cucumber beetles. Chervil makes radishes hot. Lettuce helps make radishes tender. Nasturtiums improve radishes’ flavor.

Rosemary
Plant near:
beans, cabbage, carrots
Keep away from:
Comments:
repels bean beetles, cabbage moths, and carrot flies.

Sage
Plant near:
cabbage family, carrots, tomatoes
Keep away from:
cucumbers
Comments:
deters cabbage moths and carrot flies. Invigorates tomato plants.

Soybeans
Plant near:
corn, potatoes
Keep away from:
Comments:
chokes weeds and enriches soil.

Spinach
Plant near:
celery, cauliflower, eggplant, strawberries
Keep away from:

Strawberries
Plant near:
borage, bush beans, lettuce, pyrethrum, spinach
Keep away from:
cabbage family

Sunflowers
Plant near:
cucumbers
Keep away from:
potatoes
Comments:
can provide a trellis and shelter for shade-loving cucumbers.

Swiss Chard
Plant near:
bush beans, kohlrabi, onions
Keep away from:
pole beans

Tarragon
Plant near:
all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments:
improves vegetables’ flavor and growth.

Thyme
Plant near:
all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments:
deters cabbage moths.

Tomatoes
Plant near:
asparagus, basil, cabbage family, carrots, gooseberries, mustard, parsley, onions, rosemary, sage, stinging nettles
Keep away from:
fennel, kohlrabi, potatoes, walnuts

Turnips and Rutabagas
Plant near:
peas
Keep away from:
knotweed, mustard
Comments:
mustard and knotweed inhibit the growth of turnips and rutabagas!