The Joy of Gardening

[homoe]

Colin McCrate Pacific Northwest Magazine....

It is a long standing tradition among serious gardeners to sit around the kitchen table during the dark days of winter dreaming of the season to arrive.

Order early; taking action now will ensure that your favorite varieties don't sell out. The procrastinating gardener will find that by February or March many companies have extinguished the stock of popular varieties.

[homoe]

Show your houseplants some TLC by rinising dust off the foliage in a lukewarm shower. After leaves dry, check for insects and treat if necessay.

[homoe]

A garden full of dazzling color in spring takes planning or so we are learning.

In late fall we picked up an assortment of bulbs. These are for spring-flowering plants that we were told required the cool season to put down roots.These have now been planted.

So far so good..........

Some of the best advice we've received so far........"If you are new to gardening, don't be too ambitious".

[homoe]

Originally Posted by homoe

Colin McCrate Pacific Northwest Magazine....

It is a long standing tradition among serious gardeners to sit around the kitchen table during the dark days of winter dreaming of the season to arrive.

Order early; taking action now will ensure that your favorite varieties don't sell out. The procrastinating gardener will find that by February or March many companies have extinguished the stock of popular varieties.

We were informed about seed storage viability and how seeds differ greatly by species, but because this will be such a small garden patch we'll only be purchasing a limited amount to begin with.

If anyone else out there is attempting a garden, hopefully by sharing these tips they will benefit you as well!

[homoe]

Pistils Nursery 3811 N. Mississippi Ave Portland, Oregon

I have not been here personally, but they came highly recommended by our next door neighbor who has the most beautiful garden imaginable!
She spoke highly of their knowledgeable staff and having spoken to several of them I concur.

We have two areas, one to the right and the other to the left, off our patio where we hope to plant flowers on one and a small vegetable patch on the other come spring.

I had originally posted this in another thread but hopefully it'll be useful here too!

[homoe]

Some vegetables, like tomatoes , eggplants and peppers , require a long growing season so most gardeners start seeds indoors in spring or purchase seedlings (transplants). Starting your own seeds is not only less expensive, it's also a fun, rewarding and a great way to get a jump start.

You can use recycled pots — yogurt containers, for example, but be sure to poke holes in the bottom. Plastic six-packs and flats are good choices and can be reused year after year. Biodegradable pots are fine, too. After sowing, set the containers in a warm location. On top of the refrigerator or near a radiator are usually good spots. Check pots every day.

As soon as seedlings emerge, place pots in a bright location.
A sunny window will do but supplemental fluorescent lights will give you the best results.

[homoe]

Originally Posted by homoe

Some vegetables, like tomatoes , eggplants and peppers , require a long growing season so most gardeners start seeds indoors in spring or purchase seedlings (transplants). Starting your own seeds is not only less expensive, it's also a fun, rewarding and a great way to get a jump start.

You can use recycled pots — yogurt containers, for example, but be sure to poke holes in the bottom. Plastic six-packs and flats are good choices and can be reused year after year. Biodegradable pots are fine, too. After sowing, set the containers in a warm location. On top of the refrigerator or near a radiator are usually good spots. Check pots every day.

As soon as seedlings emerge, place pots in a bright location.
A sunny window will do but supplemental fluorescent lights will give you the best results.

No doubt most seasoned gardeners know these tips, my tips are for novice like myself just starting out!

[homoe]

Originally Posted by homoe

Pistils Nursery 3811 N. Mississippi Ave Portland, Oregon

I have not been here personally, but they came highly recommended by our next door neighbor who has the most beautiful garden imaginable!
She spoke highly of their knowledgeable staff and having spoken to several of them I concur.

We have two areas, one to the right and the other to the left, off our patio where we hope to plant flowers on one and a small vegetable patch on the other come spring.

I had originally posted this in another thread but hopefully it'll be useful here too!

I failed to mention they had a wonderful website!

[homoe]

...
The Pacific Northwest has a unique climate. The long cool growing season here makes many seed varieties unsuitable for this region.

I'll have to do some research to see what crops are best in this region.

[homoe]

One of the Pacific Northwest pervasive issues here is powdery mildew I've learned. This fungus loves the conditions of summer weather here and wreaks havoc on squash, peas, cucumbers and a number of other crops so I'll have to keep that in mind when making the final selections for the garden patch.

Many seed companies however will list crops with powdery-mildew with the acronym PM.

[kittygrrl]

the best