This publication provides direction on estimating soil moisture by the "feel and appearance" method; taking a some soil and rolling it up in a ball then squeezing it between your thumb and forefinger to form a ribbon and noting how it appears and feels. Compare what you see with photographs and/or charts to estimate percent water available and the inches depleted below field capacity.
Not every yard is suited for in-ground gardening. In rental situations or in areas with poor soil, garden space must sometimes be “created.” That's when raised beds and containers come into play.
Independent of which system or mix of systems a grower uses, irrigation management can be challenging. An irrigation program must match the changing demands of the crop with the water supplied.
In most years, vineyards in Oregon start the season with a full soil water profile. As the season progresses, the soil dries out. Here's how to gauge a vineyard's water needs and methods for meeting them.
Alexander Levin |
Oct 2018 |
Article
Photo Credit: Наталья Дорожкина - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)
There are lots of gardening tasks to complete in April, including fertilizing your lawn and preparing soil and raised garden beds. Learn more in this guide.
Mar 2021 |
Article
Photo Credit: Danita Delimont - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)
For Oregon gardeners, May is a busy month. It's time to check soil temperatures, establish irrigation systems, and to start planting flowers and vegetables. Learn more in this guide.
This report includes preliminary data for the second of a three-year study. Since this year was a record drought year, results could vary from a normal rainfall year. Finalized data and observations will be released in future as peer-reviewed studies, reports, and extension articles. For more information, please visit the RDFA project page. .
Mobile drip irrigation efficiently delivers water to crops where it's needed and minimizes the amount of runoff. It delivers 10%–25% more water to the soil per gallon of water than traditional sprinkler systems.
We suggest using March to plan out your vegetable garden for summer harvest and to get your lawn off to a solid start for the season. There are even some vegetables that can be planted once the soil reaches 40 degrees! Learn more in this guide.