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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2017)
22 Wednesday, March 22, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Growidg vegetables id Cedtral Oregod By Jack Remington Correspondent If you like the taste of really fresh vegetables, want to reduce your grocery bills, are fit enough to dig, shovel and rake, have a spare hour or two each day, have a plot of ground 10-by-10 feet or more in full sun, know a little about how plants grow and are willing to learn more — then, you are ready to try a veggie garden! We moved to Deschutes County in 1988 and started building our home seven miles northeast of Bend. Even before we completed the house, the idea for a garden came up, so in a small plot of native soil we planted potatoes to see what would happen. We watered with a sprinkling can. Small green shoots came up, appeared to be healthy, grew to maturity, turned brown and died back as expected. What was in the ground as a crop? We dug under the brown stems and found a few small marbles the color and shape of pota- toes, but far from what we could buy at Safeway. First lesson: native soil in Deschutes County will not grow much of anything except native high desert plants and invasive weeds. Fortunately, Deschutes County is home to a hor- ticulture program through the Oregon State University Extension Service. A Master Gardener course was offered (for free in those days) and I signed on. The instructor told us the truth with his first state- ment: “Vegetable gardening in Central Oregon is tougher than in most of Alaska.” Wild state- ment? No. And 29 years later I’m growing good veggies (most years) but still learning and trying to overcome the dif- ficulties presented by the soil, the high desert climate and garden predators. How to get started: • Check out garden- ing books and magazines at the library or buy them at a book store or Goodwill. Not many have direct references to Central Oregon, but some covering cold-climate garden- ing will help. • Cruise your neighbor- hood and talk to the owners of gardens that look successful. Some will be quite willing to help. • Search the Internet Willa mette Valley Bank, Matt Ingra m Matt Ingram has always felt that he was born to help people. Feeling a calling to serve his coun- try, Matt entered the Navy after graduating high school. He then served in law enforcement for over 17 years. Matt later decided to go a different direction with his career, but the need to serve his community never left him. Twelve years ago, he and a close friend started their own mortgage company. He has since become a veteran in the mortgage industry with a proven track record. In April of 2014 Matt joined Willamette Valley Bank, a community bank with a local focus at their Bend Home Loan Center. Matt and his wife live in Sisters with their two youngest children. Their oldest is a recent college graduate and pharmacist. Matt looks forward to being the local home-loan lender for you and your family. for Central Oregon Master Gardener Program. It’s still available and still an excellent source for learning about vege- table gardens. The course cov- ers much more than veggies, including soils and fertilizers, orchards, lawns, house- plants and landscape design. There are many other references on the net pertaining to gardening in cold climates that you can pursue. Call Deschutes County Extension at 541-548-6088. Average annual precipita- tion in our area is only about 12 inches a year, and precipi- tation seems to be lessening each year as climate change gradually warms the earth. So, unless you want to do a lot of hand-watering, build an irriga- tion system. There are plenty of equipment dealers avail- able. A recent improvement in watering is the “drip” sys- tem using PVC pipe at ground level drilled with tiny holes which deliver water exactly where the plants need it. If your plot is native soil, buy good topsoil and mix it with existing soil and, at the same time, add a lot of organic mat- ter in the form of compost or manure. For this you will need a good shovel and probably a garden fork. S o m e folks will want to dig out the exist- ing soil and go entirely PHOTO BY JESS DRAPER with topsoil, c o m p o s t You CAN grow vegetables in Sisters! and manure. To confine it, improve grow- Oregon Vegetable Garden ing temperatures and make Calendar, an excellent guide the work easier, build wooden for when to plant or trans- raised beds. A rototiller is a plant. Follow the directions very handy tool for thoroughly on the seed packets for depth preparing your soil for plant- and spacing. A hand trowel is ing, but a shovel can do the very useful for planting and job and provide good exercise. for controlling weeds, which After your soil is prepared, somehow find their way into buy some red worms and add every garden. Garden enemies: them. They are great “tillers” You are not the only animal and providers of free organic that likes vegetables! fertilizer. Expect others to find your Before you plant anything get a soil test, which will tell plot — from tiny insects to you if the soil is acid, alkaline deer. I solved the deer problem or neutral. Most vegetables do by building a gated, woven- well in soil that is close to neu- willow fence, seven to eight tral. Choose seeds for plants feet high, but it would not with short growing seasons stop a determined raccoon or (average growing season here mouse. Gophers can invade is less than 90 days). Or, buy from underground, their natu- nursery plants that are ready to ral habitat. Bugs will come, and probably plant diseases, transplant. The OSU Extension See VEGGIES on page 23 Service offers a Central 382 E. Hood Ave., Sisters 541-549-6406 villageinteriorsdesign.com *Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 1/14/17–4/10/17 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. For certain rebate-eligible products, the purchase of multiple units of such product is required to receive a rebate. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 6 weeks of rebate claim receipt. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 6 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations may apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. ©2017 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas or their respective owners.17Q1CLSO Save Money With Drip & Underground Irrigation We’ve got everything home- owners and contractors need Expanded selection of drip & underground irrigation brands & products Sisters 541-549-8011 373 E. Hood Ave. Open Every Day
