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.
Oct 2019 |
Online resource
Photo: Linda Tucker Serniak, PhD candidate at Oregon State University and Joanne Schneidermann Dole, Master Gardener (Cropped from original)
The jumping worm, an invasive species new to Oregon, harms the soil by reducing it to granules, making it more porous and less able to retain water. Here's how to identify jumping worms and help stop their spread.
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. .
Buying a small farm requires doing a lot of homework. Is the site suitable for a particular use, and what about water rights, soil quality, easements, zoning and tax status? Here's a look at 10 things to consider.
To keep your lilacs looking their best, they need to be pruned, fertilized and shaped almost every year, soon after they are done blooming in the late spring.