June 2015 – What's Growing in the Garden?

June 23, 2015June 23, 2015

Garden update!

Things are really filling out in the garden this month. Come and visit during our Demonstration Gardens Tour, July 2nd from 2-3pm. The herb gardeners are going to have samples of iced basil lemonade! (Did you know the MG’s are growing 10 different kinds of basil?!)

The native plant garden area was recently started. This garden is located at the corner of Jefferson and the alley in a more shady part of the garden. Soil was prepped, anchor plants installed and irrigation is in.

Finally got around to staking the tomatoes in the trial bed! Before (top) and after (bottom)-look there is basil under there!

The pollinator patch is looking great, too. Sunflowers need to be thinned and the zinnias are growing in. Some mystery plants are growing from the “Bee Mix” seed packets which were seeded on the far edges.

June 10, 2015

Grant funding awarded and our garden wish list

A few updates on the garden:

1) Look for a new informational kiosk to be installed later this summer! Thank you to the Oregon Master Gardener Association for funding our Extension Educator proposal for $500. We’ll use the funds to install a kiosk for a weather-resistant place to post a map of the garden, QR codes linking to more information on specific demos, and promote upcoming classes.

2) We have a new page on the blog called ‘Donation Wish List‘. This is where we’ll post how to make a donation and what the garden is in need of. Check it out and thank you for all your support!

June 8, 2015June 5, 2015

Wanted: Disease-resistant roses for our demo garden

Want to contribute to the Lane County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden?

Here is a wish list for new editions to our “No-Spray Rose Garden”:

Hybrid Tea: Electron, Just Joey, Keepsake, Las Vegas, Silver Jubilee, VooDoo

Grandiflora: Love, Tournament of Roses

Floribunda: Europeana, Impatient, Liverpool Echo, Matangi, Play Girl, Playboy, Regensburg, Sarabande, Sexy Rexy, Showbiz, Trumperter, Viva

Climbers: Dortmund, Dublin Bay, Royal Sunset

All are considered resistant to rust, powdery mildew, and blackspot per http://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/node/267/print

You can bring a plant by the Extension office, contribute a gift certificate to a nursery, or make a monetary contribution (checks payable to the Lane County Master Gardener Association and note that use is for the garden)

June 4, 2015

Fruit trees are in the ground

The MG Fruit Tree Specialists have finished planting and mulching a fruit tree demonstration area. From West to East here is what is planted:

Flemish Beauty, a cold-climate pear variety
Stanley, a very large purple plum used for prunes. It is self-fertile and a freestone type.
Oregon Curl Free peach
A dead tree that will be replaced
Shinseki, an Anissa Pear that is picked in late August.

June 4, 2015

Planting a Pollinator Patch

We planted a patch for the pollinators on May 27th. This area was previously in grass and weeds so it took a while to get into shape. Large weeds were removed by hand, the area roto-tilled and then smoothed into a planting bed. A mixture of sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds and a pollinator mix were seeded. We got lucky with the weather and have had warm rainy days. Looks like most of the seeds are germinating just fine. Just have to keep the dogs and people from walking through until the patch gets established!