Wednesday, July 1, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Cool your garden with expert tips
By Kym Pokorny
OSU Extension Service
CORVALLIS – The fore-
cast promises high tempera-
tures this summer, so take
care to protect plants for the
long, hot haul.
“Already this year, I’ve
noticed soils are drying out
more and sooner than I’ve
seen since I moved to Portland
eight years ago,” said Weston
Miller, a horticulturist with
Oregon State University’s
Extension Service. “It’s criti-
cal to be proactive about
watering.”
Once soils dry out, plants
get stressed and struggle to
recover, he explained. So
water deeply and regularly.
Especially vulnerable are
plants put in this year, but all
need attention.
“Get water down to where
the roots are,” Miller said.
“After watering, dig a small
hole to see how far the water
has penetrated.”
Irrigate for 45 minutes
and then measure. For trees
and shrubs, look for water to
penetrate the soil to at least
eight to 10 inches. For peren-
nials, annuals and vegetables,
shoot for moisture to reach
6-8 inches depth.
Soaker hoses or drip
systems are best for irrigat-
ing because they are more
efficient at delivering water
and cut down on evaporation,
Miller said. As a last resort,
use an overhead sprinkler to
cover a lot of space. If possi-
ble, don’t water in the middle
of the day as it will speed up
evaporation and can burn foli-
age on particularly hot days.
While you’re out taking
care of your plants, he said,
don’t forget to take care of
yourself, too. Avoid working
in the garden during the hot-
test part of the day, wear a hat,
drink plenty of liquids and use
sunscreen.
Miller offers these tips to
take care of the garden in hot
weather
• Check irrigation sys-
tems, including soaker hoses
and drip systems, for leaks so
water doesn’t flood one area
and miss another.
• Planting in summer isn’t
recommended. However, if
it’s necessary, use the “mud-
ding in” technique. Dig a
planting hole, fill with water
and let it sink in. Fill with
water again and put in the
plant while there’s still water
in the hole. Add soil and
water again.
• Put mulch around plants
to slow down evaporation and
keep soil cool.
• Move potted plants and
hanging baskets into the
shade and check often for
dryness. They may need to be
watered at least twice a day.
• Use shade netting (avail-
able at garden centers) to
protect plants on especially
hot days, especially newly
planted vegetables and annu-
als. In a pinch, use old sheets
or curtains. You’ll want to
prop netting or cloth on PVC
pipe, stakes or heavy-gauge
wire molded over plants.
• Set lawn mowers to cut
at a 3-inch height, which
will encourage roots to grow
deeper and have access to
more water. To keep lawns
green, water at least an inch a
week. Use a tuna can or rain
gauge to measure how much
water is applied.
• Observe plants in full
sun to see how they perform
through the summer. Some
may need to be relocated to
a site with some afternoon
shade.
• In the future, when
choosing a plant consider
drought-tolerant selections
and natives. For suggestions,
refer to Extension’s guide
“Selecting Native Plants for
Home Landscapes in Central
Oregon.”
Native plants collected for
new osu-Cascades campus
BEND (AP) — A group of
volunteers has collected over
1,000 native plants at Oregon
State University-Cascades’
planned campus, a task that
has offered the campus a
unique look and has cut land-
scaping costs.
The Bend Bulletin reports
senior instructor at the univer-
sity, Matt Shinderman, says he
and about 10 volunteers have
collected 1,300 native plants
at the 10-acre site. The plants,
which include bunch grasses,
wildflowers, and bushes, are
an alternative to the expansive
lawns seen on other campuses
throughout the country.
Shinderman says the plants
won’t need to be watered or
maintained and could also
serve as a “living laboratory”
for students.
The campus is expected to
be completed by fall 2016.
forest service offers
interpretive language service
TACOMA, Wash. (AP)
— The U.S. Forest Service
program is starting a new pro-
gram that aims to help non-
native English speakers enjoy
their visit to national forests.
The News Tribune news-
paper reports the telephone
interpretation service is a
pilot project in the Pacific
Northwest region of the U.S.
Forest Service.
People visiting forest lands
in Washington and Oregon
will be able to call in and
receive information in 170
languages. Of course, the ser-
vice will only work in places
where telephone service is
available.
Call data will be assessed
to determine the need for
future services.
The Pacific Northwest
region of the Forest Service
consists of 17 national for-
ests, 59 district offices,
two national scenic areas, a
national grassland and two
national volcanic monuments.
Happy
4th of July!
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