This publication explores how to grow strawberries commercially in Central Oregon. The high desert region of Central Oregon can be a particularly challenging place to grow strawberries and other horticultural crops. Despite the ...
This video series covers a variety of pruning challenges associated with older trees and mature landscapes. Pruning of mature trees that have not seen ideal care in the past can present unique challenges. In these clips, tree ...
Spider mites are microscopic pests that thrive in hot, dry weather and cause damage to a variety of plants. Learn the signs of spider mite infestation, how to eradicate them and how to keep them from coming back.
When a heatwave hits, plants may show the impact. Learn the signs of heat stress in plants and how to help them weather a heatwave with best practices for watering, mulching, shading, providing humidity and weeding.
You may know kiwifruit by what you see in the grocery store: a fuzzy brown egg-shaped fruit with green or golden flesh. Other species of kiwifruit bear bite-sized fruit with smooth, edible skin. Which type you can grow in ...
Bernadine Strik, Amy Jo Detweiler, Nicole Sanchez |
May 2021 |
OSU Extension CatalogPeer reviewed (Orange level)
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 CatalogPeer reviewed (Orange level)
Now that winter is settling in, gardening questions to the Extension office have diminished- but haven’t disappeared completely. After questions about transitioning plants to indoors and overwintering, winter questions are often centered on insects that find their way into homes as outdoor conditions become inhospitable. Often, insects that overwinter as adults seek shelter for the winter, taking advantage of cracks and crevices under shingles, behind siding, and the like, or are brought inside in firewood. In other cases, the environmental change when we bring plants indoors triggers premature egg hatch.
Now that winter is settling in, gardening questions to the Extension office have diminished - but haven’t disappeared completely. After questions about transitioning plants to indoors and overwintering, winter questions are often ...
Gardening in all forms- from window boxes to major landscape renovations- surged in 2020. Whether for mental peace, food security, or a meaningful “socially distanced pastime”, people turned to gardening this year. Increased interest in all things gardening led to temporary shortages in seeds and plants this year, causing a similar surge in interest in seed banks and seed saving.
Night temperatures have hovered around freezing, but some gardens in the Klamath Basin are still showing signs of life. This late in the season, a few favorite late-blooming garden staples are in the palettes of most gardeners: fall mums, ornamental cabbages and kales, pansies every color of the rainbow and beyond. These tried and true ornamentals are some of the last to check out every garden season, with the kales and pansies often persisting into snow.
Are the box elder bugs worse this year, or is 2020 just making everything seem “extra”? Gardeners in Klamath Falls are asking about these annoying home invaders, insects that congregate on and sometimes inside our homes as weather cools in fall.
Evening temperatures are cooling: a hard freeze is coming soon. For tender plants that won’t survive a freeze, its time to decide whether overwintering is worthwhile. For larger plants, overwintering provides an advantage the following growing season, when larger root systems enable plants to regenerate more quickly. It’s also a way to preserve plants that have special meaning, such as grandma’s favorite geraniums. Often, the plants we overwinter are perennial in warmer climates, but
Box Elder bugs are a frequent subject of inquiries to the Extension office and plant clinic. For bugs inside the home, the vacuum is the easiest, safest, and most reliable removal method. Many references suggest that removal of Box Elder (Acer Negundo) trees will eliminate the insects: in fact, a tree of the same species in a neighbor’s yard, or even other Maple species close by, can support the insects too. Often, Box Elder bugs cause alarm based on sheer numbers: on sunny fall days they congregate on rocks or the sides of houses in large numbers. They do no real harm to trees or homes.
Gardening in all forms- from window boxes to major landscape renovations- surged in 2020. Whether for mental peace, food security, or a meaningful “socially distanced pastime”, people turned to gardening this year. Increased interest in all things gardening led to temporary shortages in seeds and plants this year, causing a similar surge in interest in seed banks and seed saving.
Overwintering home-garden plants usually provides a good return on the time and space investment but it’s not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Here are some tips for keeping some popular plants alive during the winter.
This group of lesser-known perennials that can make your garden last longer and attract more pollinators. Here are five suggestions for attractive flowers to fill out the late-season bloom.
Box elder bugs can be a nuisance just by their sheer numbers in the late fall when their populations explode and they swarm structures and infiltrate homes. Here's how to play defense when the bugs come calling.
Another richly detailed home fruit growing manual has been published by Oregon State University’s Extension service- this time on growing blackberries. A few gardeners with late-fruiting varieties may still be harvesting fruit here in the Klamath Basin: more likely, it’s time to prune back canes and winterize the berry patch. If you don’t have a berry patch yet, Growing Blackberries in your Home Garden will provide the information needed to help plan and prepare for next year, including choosing the best varieties for the growing climate and individual situation. Find the entire 24-page document, including well labeled photos here: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1303.
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 CatalogPeer reviewed (Orange level)
Cool temperatures, shorter daylight hours- outdoor gardening season is reaching its conclusion in Klamath. On social media, new gardeners are asking about winterizing- positioning gardens for continued health and beauty over the winter months. For ornamental gardens and foundation plantings, it’s time to complete a few tasks, but heavy pruning of “woodies”- trees and shrubs- is best left to late winter. Pruning now might encourage new growth to later be damaged by frost. Exceptions include dead, damaged, or diseased material- the risks of not removing these are greater than that of potentially damaged regrowth. Most fall work in the ornamental landscape is focused on the maintenance of herbaceous material.
Why study gardening info at the end of the gardening season? To win the first- ever Klamath Gardening Trivia Tournament, of course! Klamath County Libraries and Klamath County Extension have partnered to deliver the ultimate gardening edutainment experience, beginning Friday evening, September 11. A series of gardening themed trivia games will be held each Friday night at 7pm, with prizes for the top scorers each night. Points will also accumulate over the 6 weeks of the event, with additional prizes to the top cumulative scorers.
Did you know that Klamath Basin growers produce many of the “daughter” strawberry plants that are shipped to California and other states to be grown out for fruit production? The climate in Klamath is conducive to growing healthy plants, though lack of produce distribution and cool springs with minimal pollinator activity contribute to making strawberry fruit production unreliable as a profitable crop. For home growers, understanding the needs of particular cultivars is possibly the biggest challenge for long term strawberry production: not all strawberries are cared for the same way.
One hidden benefit of gardening in the Klamath Basin is reduced disease pressure, a product of our low humidity. Standing water on leaf surfaces or prolonged, high relative humidity are often necessary for plant diseases to gain traction. By delivering water directly to the root system and avoiding wet leaves, the Klamath gardener can minimize opportunity for disease in the garden. One exception is Verticillium wilt, a fungal disease Common in Klamath Basin landscapes.
Late summer- harvest starts to roll in, so do insect and plant disease questions. The “magic” of 2020 has affected your local plant clinic as it has many other things: instead of a team of Master Gardeners inoffice most days of the week, the majority of horticulture questions are being handled by a single faculty member, resulting in some longer response times. For contactless question submission, one option is Extension’s “Ask an Expert” service: try it at https://ask.extension.org/ask.
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 CatalogPeer reviewed (Orange level)
Cold summer nights, frost any time, long summer droughts- gardening in the Klamath Basin entails a unique set of challenges that often catch transplanted gardeners off guard. Helping gardeners understand those challenges and how to work around them with research based, sustainable practices is what the OSU Extension’s home horticulture work is largely about.
Klamath deer are hungry, hungry thugs that can destroy a garden overnight- a common conversation topic in recent gardening conversations on social media. Cases of deer mowing down veggies patches have increased in the last few weeks, a common progression this time of year- other native forages have dried up or been eaten since spring rains.
Back in 1862 when land grant universities were first established in the US, no one could have imagined the wealth of information that would one day be available to us, instantaneously, at our fingertips. Land grant universities were meant to establish bases of agricultural learning and research: in 1914, the Extension service was developed to help deliver the fruits of that agricultural research to the broader public. Even now, when information from all over the world is readily available, land grant universities and Extension play a very important role: providing site specific information relevant to the climate and conditions of that state.
Staggered plantings several weeks apart, throughout the growing season, is one method of increasing yield from a small garden space that is heavily used in areas with a longer growing season. Applying the concept of staggered plantings is challenging in an area like the Klamath Basin, where the growing season is too short for some vegetables to even have one crop, let alone several. Best options for late-season plantings for Klamath gardeners will be vegetables that have short periods to maturity or can tolerate frost once mature. Many of the appropriate choices fall into the category of “leafy greens”- one of the best suited vegetables for our region.
Staggered plantings several weeks apart, throughout the growing season, is one method of increasing yield from a small garden space that is heavily used in areas with a longer growing season. Applying the concept of staggered plantings is challenging in an area like the Klamath Basin, where the growing season is too short for some vegetables to even have one crop, let alone several. Best options for late-season plantings for Klamath gardeners will be vegetables that have short periods to maturity or can tolerate frost once mature. Many of the appropriate choices fall into the category of “leafy greens”- one of the best suited vegetables for our region.
Klamath deer are hungry, hungry thugs that can destroy a garden overnight- a common conversation topic in recent gardening conversations on social media. Cases of deer mowing down veggies patches have increased in the last few weeks, a common progression this time of year- other native forages have dried up or been eaten since spring rains.
The strawberry patch in your home garden can produce ripe fruit for your family all through the growing season. Grow strawberries in containers, in hills or in raised beds. Grow strawberries that produce a big crop in June ...
Bernadine Strik, Amy Jo Detweiler, Erica Chernoh, Nicole Sanchez |
Jul 2020 |
OSU Extension CatalogPeer reviewed (Orange level)
Using fresh herbs in cooking adds layers of fragrance and flavor, and can make even simple recipes more interesting and enjoyable. For most herbs, the leaves are the part most commonly used. Cutting herb plants back mid- season is a tactic with multiple benefits- provides a harvest, contributes to strong, well-shaped plants, and delays flowering (flowering negatively changes the flavor of many herbs).
Back in 1862 when land grant universities were first established in the US, no one could have imagined the wealth of information that would one day be available to us, instantaneously, at our fingertips. Land grant universities were meant to establish bases of agricultural learning and research: in 1914, the Extension service was developed to help deliver the fruits of that agricultural research to the broader public. Even now, when information from all over the world is readily available, land grant universities and Extension play a very important role: providing site specific information relevant to the climate and conditions of that state.
Hot off the OSU press this month is “Enhancing Urban and Suburban Landscapes to Protect Pollinators”, a forty page guide for those seeking to convert yard and garden space into pollinator paradise. This publication, available free online (https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9289) includes basic information on Pacific Northwest pollinators, with a heavy focus on native bees, factors that impact pollinators, creating and maintaining habitat for pollinators, principles for getting started, design suggestions, and a list of suitable plants. Also covered are pests, and how to manage pests with the least harmful effects on pollinators.
Herbs include some of the easiest plants to grow. In addition to culinary uses, herbs offer fragrance, oils that deter feeding pests, and flowers that support pollinators. While a few herbs are hardy enough to be perennial in the Klamath Basin, others will be annuals in our area, to be enjoyed primarily in the warm months. Some tender herbs can be overwintered indoors over winter, but the results are often disappointing, especially when attempted without supplemental lighting. Most culinary herbs perform best in full sunlight, difficult to replicate indoors.
Nicole Sanchez |
Jun 2020 |
Newsletter issue
Photo: Andony Mealthopoulos (Cropped from original)
A recording of a webinar touring through two new OSU guides to help you garden for pollinators and then ask questions of all the authors. We covered everything from what shrubs to plant, how to use mason bees, shrubs and...
Signe Danler, Andony Melathopoulos, Neil Bell, Amy Jo Detweiler, Nicole Sanchez, Heather Stoven |
Jun 2020 |
Video
For most culinary herbs, especially those used for their leaves, value for cooking is diminished when plants bloom. Plants undergo physiological changes as they transition from vegetative to reproductive phase, and in herbs this often negatively effects the flavor. Dill is one exception: since both the leaves and seeds of this plant are used, flowering just changes the part of the plant used in food preparation. Other herbs, like calendula and borage, have edible flowers, while both the leaves and flowers of chives are edible.
Tree fruits are one of the more challenging crops for the Klamath gardener: even when everything is done just right, there will be years when damaging frost and bloom time intersect, resulting in no fruit. Recognizing the issues common to fruit trees in our area can help gardeners harvest more fruit- through taking the right action at the correct time. In many cases, proper timing of any treatment or remedy is the key to success- a particular challenge when we don’t understand the problem until the “treatment window” has passed. A gardening journal can be a helpful tool- a place to store observations, dates, odd temperature and weather anomalies, and harvest information. A journal is also a good place to record whether treatments were successful... and to make reminders regarding timing treatments the following year. Following are some common tree fruit issues frequently encountered at your Extension office, and resources for addressing them.
Herbs are among the easiest plants for a home gardener to grow and preserving them is simple. Here's a look at five preservation methods: refrigeration, air drying, freezing, dehydrating and making herb vinegars.
The way we garden and manage the landscapes of the Northwest can help promote the health of bees, butterflies and other insects. Homeowners, gardeners, landscape professionals and volunteer groups all can work to attract a wide ...
Andony Melathopoulos, Neil Bell, Signe Danler, Amy Jo Detweiler, Gail Langellotto, Nicole Sanchez, Heather Stoven |
Jun 2020 |
OSU Extension CatalogPeer reviewed (Orange level)
Recent sessions of much-needed rain have been a blessing to Klamath Gardeners. Rain typically becomes rarer as summer progresses in the Klamath Basin, and many readers are already aware of the drought predictions for the area this year. At the same time, gardening is enjoying a resurgence- it’s a fabulous way to spend some of our abundant time at home. How can home gardeners make the most of what water is available, or affordable, and still maintain a healthy garden?
More than 2,000 local gardeners converse on the Facebook Group “Gardening in Klamath Falls Oregon”, trading plants, information, and suggestions. A common theme, especially among gardeners new to the area, is “when do you plant.......?” Gardeners with experience in our climate persistently point to the first week of June as the best time for planting warm season vegetables, those that need warm soils (above 55F) to thrive.
Consider the variety of fertilizer products at any garden center: it’s apparent that fertilizer is not a one-size-fits-all opportunity. Variants include nutrient strength, speed at which nutrients become available to plants, source of the raw nutrients, how the fertilizer is applied, and more, making fertilizer choices potentially difficult for the uninitiated. Understanding of fertilizer basics helps gardeners avoid mistakes like over or under application, or poor timing of the application.
Abundant warm, sunny days in the Klamath Basin may be luring uninitiated Klamath Gardeners into a trap that more seasoned area gardeners avoid: planting without a protection plan. Days growing consistently warmer and longer are prompting significant planting. However, nights are still cool- and heavy frosts are not unusual even in June. The trap of planting tender annuals and vegetables is easy to fall into – and causes disappointment later if appropriate precautions aren’t taken.
Not every yard is suited to in-the-ground gardening: sometimes containers or raised beds are better options. In rental situations or areas with poor or thin soil, garden space must sometimes be “created”. Internet articles often make both sound incredibly easy, possibly because the content creators were gardening in a different climate. Like many horticultural dilemmas, no one answer fits every situation. Considering the pros and cons from a variety of gardening perspectives may help the individual gardenerfigure out the best solution for their own situation.
Vegetable gardening is trending way, way up in response to changes in our world: Images of empty grocery store shelves have more people than ever considering growing some of their own food. The short growing season, and cool nights even in midsummer, make vegetable growing in the Klamath Basin particularly challenging, even to those who have successfully “grown their own” elsewhere, where conditions are more favorable. In addition to increasing food security, vegetable gardening is therapeutic, a valuable and soothing way to spend increased hours at home. A few tips tailored to the local growing area can help new, and newly transplanted, vegetable gardeners enjoy greater success in the quest for tasty vegetables fresh from the yard.
Root crops are among the first that gardeners can put in the ground, and are typically direct seeded- not transplanted. Taproots like carrots, radishes, and beets are taproots don’t transplant well. In short growing seasons with cool spring soils, season extension techniques like cold frames, caterpillar tunnels, and high tunnels are often used to modify environmental conditions. For root crops, season extension can provide beneficial warmer soil temperatures. Root crops need loose, non-compacted soil. Soil compaction inhibits taproot development and results in slow and stunted growth. Root crops will benefit from deep watering. Shallow watering does not encourage good root development.
