Brooke Edmunds

she/her/hers

Community Horticulture , Master Gardeners

Contact me about the Master Gardener Program or gardening questions from Marion or Polk counties

Expertise: Community science , Bees and pollinators , Berries and fruit , Flowers, shrubs and trees , Garden soil and compost , Garden vegetables and herbs , Gardening techniques , Lawn and turfgrass , Urban forestry , Insects , Pesticide safety and education , Plant diseases , Weeds

Programs: Marion County Master Gardeners , Polk County Master Gardeners

Locations: Marion County , Polk County

About
Content
Publications
Awards

Biography

Brooke Edmunds is the OSU Extension Community Horticulturist in Marion and Polk Counties and associate professor (practice) in the OSU Department of Horticulture. She has a Ph.D in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State University and has previously worked for the Oregon Department of Agriculture and Colorado State University Extension. Her focus is on meeting the community horticulture needs in Marion and Polk counties.

In her Extension role, she oversees the Master Gardener programs in each county. She also coordinates research-based educational programs in community food systems and IPM. Outside of work, Brooke enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, gardening, and exploring beautiful Oregon.

Content by Brooke Edmunds

Insects and spiders out to find shelter for winter

The insects trying to get into homes aren't going to hurt humans or houses.

Kym Pokorny | Oct 12, 2024 | News story

Take precautions when wildfire ash falls on fruits and vegetables

Wildfires can be unsafe when it lands on unharvested produce.

Kym Pokorny | Sep 10, 2024 | News story

Garden Future

What's the future of gardening in Oregon? Changes in climate are impacting gardening. We're talking about it and gathering solutions to support gardeners now and into the future. Learn how Oregon gardeners are experiencing climate...

LeAnn Locher, Brooke Edmunds, Erica Chernoh, Megan Wickersham, Amy Jo Detweiler, Signe Danler, Amanda Woodlee, Heather Stoven, Grace Florjancic, Shannon Rauter, Sarah West, Srijana Shrestha, Otillia Schreuder, Amy Espinoza, Marcia McIntyre, Kendal Johnson | Project Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Go miniature with a glass terrarium

Give your terrarium your own spin with accessories from sea shells and drift wood to miniature garden and animal pieces.

Kym Pokorny | Mar 8, 2024 | News story

Pressure-treated wood for raised bed construction in the Willamette Valley

Pressure-treated wood is an economical option for improving the life of raised garden beds. However, some gardeners have concerns about the potential for the chemicals used to preserve the wood to contaminate the soil and plants....

Brooke Edmunds, Gerald Presley, Matt Konkler | Feb 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Save some bucks by gardening frugally

Saving money in the garden doesn't mean you have to sacrifice what you want -- it just takes a little thought.

Kym Pokorny | Jan 21, 2024 | News story

Set seeds on the right path with homemade planting medium

Are the catalogs arriving? Get ahead of the game by making homemade seed mix.

Kym Pokorny | Jan 17, 2024 | News story

Colorful indoor plants make delightful gifts for the holidays

The choices go beyond traditional poinsettias and amaryllis. Colorful African violets, gloxinia, cyclamen, orchids, ornamental peppers and Christmas cactus are blooming and readily available.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 17, 2023 | News story

Is vinegar effective for killing weeds?

Q: What do you recommend for keeping weeds at bay in planting beds? We'd like to stop using Round-Up. Our beds are too big and the weeds are too numerous to be able to keep up mechanically. Would a vinegar solution be harmful to the soil?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

Let annuals go to seed in the fall

Good seed setters include sweet peas, sunflowers, calendula, borage, nasturtiums and annual delphiniums.

Aug 29, 2023 | News story

Instead of leaving soil naked, coat it with cover crops

Grow "green manure" to keep soil from eroding, weeds from exploding and to add nutrients.

Kym Pokorny | Jul 27, 2023 | News story

Hanging baskets put the color in summer

Think about location when designing and caring for a hanging containers

Kym Pokorny | May 15, 2023 | News story

Don’t let lack of room discourage you from gardening

Save space and reap a harvest by growing vegetables in containers.

Kym Pokorny | May 11, 2023 | News story

Grow Your Own Peppers

Peppers come in a great variety of sizes, shapes, colors and tastes. They produce a large yield in a small amount of space. Learn the secrets to growing great peppers in Oregon.

Brooke Edmunds, James Myers, Ed Peachey | May 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Growing annual morning glory

Annual morning glory (Ipomoea spp.) is a quick-growing flowering vine that thrives in warm sunny spots. But just mentioning the name ‘morning glory ‘can cause concern among some. If you’ve lived in warmer areas of the ...

Brooke Edmunds | Apr 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

OSU Extension microgreens gardening course reaches thousands of Oregonians

More than 2,700 people enjoyed two workshops in 2021 compared to 40 who were able to attend the in-person courses.

Brooke Edmunds | Apr 2023 | Impact story

Methods to control blackberry thickets

With good timing and dedication, property owners can reduce a sprawling blackberry thicket to a few manageable stragglers

Kym Pokorny | Mar 14, 2023 | News story

PNW Insect Management Handbook - Mealybugs of Grapes

The PNW Insect Management Handbook provides Oregon-specific information on mealybugs and their management including labeled insecticides.

Patricia A. Skinkis, Vaughn Walton, Brooke Edmunds | Dec 2022 | Online resource

Pacific poison-oak and western poison-ivy: Identification and management

Discusses how to identify and control Pacific poison-oak and western poison-ivy, and how to prevent exposure to the plants' oily substance, urushiol, which can cause an allergic contact dermatitis.

Brooke Edmunds, Lauren Grand, Alicia Christiansen, Andy Hulting | Nov 2022 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Through thoughtful practices, lawns can be climate-friendly

Love your grass lawn but want to make your landscape more climate-friendly? There are thoughtful ways to keep a lawn as part of your landscape while balancing climate change concerns.

Alec Kowalewski, Brooke Edmunds, Ruying (Wrennie) Wang | Sep 2022 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Winter Vegetable Production on Small Farms and Gardens West of the Cascades

The mild climate west of the Cascades allows farmers and gardeners to grow many winter-hardy crops in the field for winter and spring harvest. A wide range of alliums, leafy greens, brassicas and root crops do...

Nick Andrews, Heather Stoven, Heidi Noordijk, Lane Selman, Kelly Streit, Brooke Edmunds, Neil Bell, Victoria Binning | Jun 2022 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Straw bale gardens work where others won’t

If you've got little space, bad soil or aren't able to bend over, straw bale gardening is an altertnative to inground gardens.

Kym Pokorny | Mar 6, 2022 | News story

Microgreens Grow Along

Welcome to the Microgreens Grow Along workshop hosted by Oregon State University Extension and Food Hero. This is a bilingual (English & Spanish) online workshop for beginners. Follow the daily lessons and in two weeks you'll be enjoying tasty microgreens.

Brooke Edmunds, Joyce Senior Angulo | Project Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Top tips for gardeners to help fight climate change

As Oregon gardeners have noticed, our climate is changing — it's hotter, drier and more severe. Learn how to adapt your home garden to climate change, from consuming less to planting with the environment in mind.

Brooke Edmunds | Sep 2021 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

How to protect yourself from ticks

Ticks are a common nuisance for hikers, gardeners and those who enjoy the outdoors. They feed on the blood of humans and animals, and can spread disease. Learn how to identify ticks and how to protect yourself.

Brooke Edmunds | Jun 2021 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

How do I test my garden soil?

Learn why you should test your garden soil and the different kinds of tests to ask for. Resources include instructions for how to collect a soil sample for testing and a short video demonstration.

Brooke Edmunds | Apr 2021 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

No room for vegetables? Pot up your plants

There are some dwarf and miniature varieties of vegetables, such as Thumbelina carrots or other baby vegetables that work particularly well in small confines.

Kym Pokorny | Mar 26, 2021 | News story

How do wildfires affect bees?

How do wildfires affect Oregon bees? Flames and heat can destroy their nests and smoke can disrupt their navigation abilities. But research shows they rebound strongly along with other flora and fauna after a fire.

Andony Melathopoulos, Brooke Edmunds, Jim Rivers | Dec 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

What should I do about the wildfire ash covering my yard and garden?

Q: My shrubs are covered in ash. When this is over should I take a hose and spray them off?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

Is it safe to eat my garden produce affected by wildfires?

Q: We have a lot of smoke in our area, is it safe to eat produce that has been affected by wildfires?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

Raised Bed Gardening

Gives step-by-step instructions for building a raised bed. Discusses special considerations for growing plants in raised beds as well as long-term maintenance of beds.

Brooke Edmunds | Dec 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Managing crane fly in lawns

Crane flies are large, gangly insects that do little damage as adults. But crane fly larvae are known for chewing through patches of lawn, damaging roots as grass starts growing in spring. Learn how to prevent damage to your grass with simple maintenance and irrigation practices.

Alec Kowalewski, Brooke Edmunds, Brian McDonald, Emily Braithwaite | Dec 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)