Wednesday, April 20, 2011

BRING Seeks Home & Garden Sites in Eugene for Sept. tour!

BRING SEEKS HOME & GARDEN SITES
for their September 18, 2011 tour of sustainable local recycled material,
urban ag and permaculture site tour around Eugene.
Do you or someone you know have a great site to tour?  Sign up now!
Planet Improvement Center

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Awesome gardening links from the latest Master Gardener Newsletter!

April 2011 (volume 10, no. 4)
Gardening News from OSU Extension Service and the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station
MAKE IT EASY!
Is it time to plant vegetables? Ask your soil thermometer
Soil temperature is the best indicator of when to plant vegetables, said Annie Chozinski, OSU vegetable researcher.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1457
Add organic matter to improve garden soils
Any composted material that has been reduced to humus is a good soil amendment.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1037
Slow, cool composting is the easy way
Slow composting is often the best method for people who do not have time to tend a hot compost pile.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1424
Harness the sun to kill weeds, plant diseases and pests
Put transparent plastic sheeting over moist tilled soil during the warmest and sunniest months of the year.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1456
Create vegetable beds with 'lasagna' mulching
Sheet composting is an easy way to start or expand a garden with a minimum amount of equipment, material and time.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1041
So many cabbages, so little time
You can buy cabbages but if you grow your own, you can try many more varieties, even red and purple ones.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1454
WHEN IN ROME — MORE NATIVES FOR YOUR GARDEN
Native groundcovers are great for home landscapes
Groundcovers are even more effective if they are native to the area. OSU horticulturist Linda McMahan has suggestions.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1455
Plant native Oregon shrubs now
Many native shrubs provide good color and blooms, are drought tolerant and draw wildlife.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1087
Water wise plants are beautiful and efficient
Many plants native to Oregon qualify as water wise. Oregon iris (Iris tenax) is a good choice.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1091
Planting dates and regions for growing Oregon vegetables
OSU Extension Service has information on how to garden successfully in all four state zones.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/244
Potential to become invasive provokes need for sterile shrubs
Bushes and plants that are considered to be invasive could eventually be replaced with their sterile offspring, thanks to an OSU breeding program.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/node/761
Unmanned aircraft aims to simplify inventory for Oregon nurseries
A team of researchers from OSU will test a new remote sensing system in three Oregon nurseries using an unmanned multi-rotor aircraft.
View this article: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/node/762
OSU GARDEN CALENDAR FOR APRIL
Things to do in your garden this month: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/#april
ONE-MINUTE GARDENER
Gardening tips from OSU Extension's radio archive. Turn on your speakers and visit the links below:

Soil thermometer
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/sites/default/files/audio/soiltherm.mp3

Row covers to warm veggie plants
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/sites/default/files/audio/coverwarm.mp3

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