Gardening Publications and Resources

A list of some of our most popular and useful publications.

Articles and Publications

Analytical Laboratories Serving Oregon

This guide can be useful for commercial growers, gardeners, and homeowners who wish to use soil, plant, and water analyses to help them make decisions about the use of soil amendments and other management actions. Some may ...

Darrin Walenta, Clare Sullivan, Leticia Henderson (Varelas), Linda Brewer | Jun 2017 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

A Guide to Collecting Soil Samples for Farms and Gardens

Laboratory soil tests help you develop your soil and increase crop production by providing information on available nutrient content. Soil testing helps you select the correct kind and amount of fertilizer and liming material. ...

Melissa Fery, Jeff Choate | Oct 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Soil Test Interpretation Guide

This publication provides an overview of soil testing and general guidelines for interpreting soil test results for nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, boron, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, molybdenum, chloride, ...

Dan M. Sullivan | Jul 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Training and Pruning Your Home Orchard

Provides general rules for training, pruning, and limb bending, and explains open-center, central-leader, and espalier training. Outlines specific guidelines for training and pruning apple, pear, sweet cherry, sour cherry, peach, prune, ...

Jul 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Growing Your Own

About this publication Growing Your Own is now available as a bilingual publication in Spanish and English! Growing Your Own is now available as a bilingual publication in Spanish and English! It provides basic advice on a ...

Spanish: Su Propio Cultivo

Gail Langellotto | Aug 2022 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Vegetable and Specialty Seed IPM

About Oregon Vegetables and the Vegetable Cropping Systems Program.

Apr 2018 | Online resource

Managing Diseases and Insects in Home Orchards

This pest management guide is for the home gardener. It recommends management practices for controlling diseases and insects in home orchards. It doesn't meet the exacting requirements of the commercial fruit grower.

Jay W. Pscheidt, Heather Stoven, Ashley Thompson, Brooke Edmunds, Nik Wiman | Mar 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Growing Blueberries in Your Home Garden

Learn to grow your own sweet, juicy blueberries in your Oregon home garden! Find out which types and cultivars of blueberries grow best where you live, and which part of your yard is best suited for production. Experts ...

Bernadine Strik, Amy Jo Detweiler, Nicole Sanchez | Dec 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Growing Blackberries in Your Home Garden

Home gardeners can enjoy a choice of blackberry varieties with fruit far superior to that of wild blackberries. What’s more, home gardeners can pick fruit from early summer all the way to the first frost. Learn how to ...

Bernadine Strik, Amy Jo Detweiler, Nicole Sanchez | Sep 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Growing Raspberries in Your Home Garden

Learn to grow tart, delicious raspberries in your own garden. Choose which type of raspberry to grow, and learn how to plant, prune, fertilize and water your berry patch to keep it healthy and productive.Take our online ...

Bernadine Strik, Amy Jo Detweiler, Nicole Sanchez | Aug 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Growing Table Grapes

This pictorial guide will teach you how to plant, prune and train grapes to maximize your harvest and keep vines free of pests and disease. Find out which cultivars grow best in Oregon, and learn what it takes to keep ...

Bernadine Strik | May 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Practical Lawn Care for Western Oregon

Describes options for different levels of lawn care – from keeping a lawn lush and green year-round to allowing it to go partially dormant in the summer. Discusses mowing, watering, fertilizing, and dethatching, and gives recommended schedules for each. Includes a list of additional resources.

Alec Kowalewski | Aug 2014 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Spotted Wing Drosophila: A Quick, 7-Step Guide to Detecting SWD Larvae in Fruit

This brief guide illustrates how to test fruit for the presence of larvae from the Spotted Wing Drosophila.

Amy J. Dreves | Oct 2014 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Resources

2022 PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook

A comprehensive guide to plant disease management in the Pacific Northwest. Includes materials and tactics suitable for organic production and homeowner use as well as for commercial production. Covers testing services, common ...

Jay W. Pscheidt, Cynthia Ocamb | May 2021 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Swarm List

Information on how to handle and who to call about bee swarms.

Jul 2018 | Online resource

July 2018

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OSU Extension Master Gardener Program increases diversity, equity and inclusivity

Since issues of diversity are perceived differently in different areas of the state, the approach must be multi-pronged to meet the needs of all Oregonians.

LeAnn Locher | Feb 2023 | Impact story

A guide to understanding fertilizers

Fertilizers come in many different forms, from naturally occurring in the soil to commercial or organic products, liquid and dry, and in many different formulations. Here's how to choose what your plants need.

Sally Reill | Jan 2019 | Article

Green lacewing identification?

I found this on a plant in my backyard. What is it? It was really small; I almost needed a zoom lens to even see it.

Jean R. Natter | Nov 2016 | Featured question

Can I grow garlic next to my berries?

I am getting prepared to plant my garlic in October or November. I have lots of space around my blueberry plants. Would they survive near each other? Someone told me my blueberries may taste like garlic! Is that possible?

Wei Qiang Yang | Oct 2014 | Featured question

Can I add sand from the beach to my soil?

I'd like to mix more sand into my soil to help break up the clay. If I collect sand from an ocean beach, should I be worried about too much salt in the sand and it impacting my soil? If I were to use the beach...

Brooke Edmunds | Nov 2014 | Featured question

What should I be doing in the winter for weed control?

The straw mulch I used at the end of summer to suppress the weeds doesn't seem to be working. Should I till it and cover with plastic? black or clear? Is there something better. Or should I add more straw. I could probably bring some cardboard home from work. Is this a healthy option?

Ann Kinkley | Dec 2017 | Featured question

Native Plant Gardening

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Pruning social media campaign reaches thousands of Oregon gardeners

Taken together, the campaign reached over 133,000 people.

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Reducing Lead Hazard in Gardens and Play Areas

This publication is designed to help homeowners evaluate and manage lead hazard in their landscape or garden. It explains how soils get contaminated with lead, how to test soil for lead contamination, and how to reduce exposure to soil lead.

Spanish: Cómo evaluar y reducir el peligro del plomo en los huertos y jardines

Linda Brewer, Dan M. Sullivan, Sam Angima | Oct 2016 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

How to deter cats from my garden?

My daughter's cat digs in my flower bed and leaves holes and scatters dirt everywhere, uproots bulbs, etc. What can I use that is a natural remedy, something safe for the environment.

Brooke Edmunds | Mar 2016 | Featured question

How can I protect my vegetables from frost?

What's the easiest way to protect my fall vegetable garden from the possible frost conditions over the next few nights?

Jean R. Natter | Nov 2011 | Featured question

How to over winter and prune berries?

How do I prepare my berry plants for the winter? Once I heard to bury the blueberries, is that true?

Brooke Edmunds | Nov 2017 | Featured question

Fertilizing Your Garden: Vegetables, Fruits, and Ornamentals

Gives fertilizer recommendations, based on soil test results, for vegetable gardens, fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, flowers, caneberries, and strawberries. Discusses factors involved in plant growth, such as soil, nitrogen, phosphorus, ...

Apr 2000 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

How long should my lawn be?

My husband has decided to let the lawn grow tall because dog play is tearing up the lawn. He thinks that is best to keep the grass stronger. I read from multiple sources we should keep lawn 2 to 3 inches and ...

Brian McDonald | Apr 2023 | Featured question

December garden calendar

Heavy precipitation in December means that gardeners should check their drainage and be wary of fungi and other signs of rot on their plants and stored produce. Learn more in this guide.

Nov 2020 | Article

November garden calendar

November gardening tasks include raking up leaves and debris and covering plants for the winter. November is also an ideal time for maintenance on lawnmowers and draining sprinkler systems. Learn more in this guide.

Oct 2020 | Article

October garden calendar

It's finally time to harvest squash, apples and sunflower heads in October. It is also time to store seeds for the next growing season. Learn more in this guide.

Sep 2020 | Article

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