SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM ܂ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018 ܂ 3B ‘Peat-free’ potting soil aids environment Gardening Carol Savonen Guest columnist Question: Dear  Carol,  I  often  trans­ plant my houseplants into new soil and pots in the winter. And each year, I buy indoor potting soil, I go through the ago­ ny of indecision. Peat moss is often an ingredient  in  the  bagged  potting  mix­ tures. But these days, I’m seeing coir, or coconut  husk  material  advertised  as  a more  environmentally  friendly  soil amendment in potting mixes. Could you shed some light on this? Answer: Both these fibers, peat moss and coir, are used as ingredients in pot­ ting soils for their water holding capac­ ity. They also add bulk to the soil, which promotes good air circulation in the soil.  Peat moss has been mined for centu­ ries from wetlands known as peatlands or bogs. Chunks of peat have been cut out,  dried  and  used  for  cooking  and heating by people in northern latitudes that  live  where  trees  or  other  fuels  are scarce. Ireland, Scotland, northern Can­ ada  and  other  northern  cultures  have typically used these fuels.  More  recently,  horticulturists  have used peat moss in gardens and contain­ er  plants.  Sphagnum  is  the  genus  that has many species of these acid­produc­ ing mosses. The acidity they secrete in­ hibits bacterial growth and decomposi­ tion,  so  the  moss  layers  build  up  over time.  Thick  layers  of  peat  mosses,  some­ times  dozens  of  feet  deep,  have  such tremendous  water  holding  capacity. Layer  upon  layer  builds  up,  eventually forming vast acidic wetlands.  These  peat  wetlands  are  the  single largest  terrestrial  store  of  carbon  on earth,  say,  scientists.  When  humans mine  peat,  carbon  gets  released  to  the atmosphere, thereby contributing to at­ mospheric carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas)  increases.  Peat  builds  up  only about a quarter inch per year. Harvest­ ing removes deep layers of peat that are thousands  of  years  old.  Classified  as wetlands,  peat  bogs  help  purify  and store water. Over the last 40 years, professionals have  identified  more  environmentally friendly soil amendments, including co­ conut coir, paper waste, and mixtures of other  agricultural  and  industrial  by­ products.  In  the  UK,  they  have  vastly curtailed  the  horticultural  use  of  peat and are using alternatives. Kew Gardens has been peat­free since 1992.  It takes some sleuthing, but it is pos­ sible to find alternatives to peat moss in seedling, potting and fertile mixes. Here are some things to pay attention to while shopping for potting mixes and amend­ ments.  Read  the  labels  on  sacks  of  soil amendments,  such  as  potting  soil  and planting mix. Ask for ingredient lists at landscape supply houses. Then request “peat­free” mixtures. Just because it is labeled  “organic”  or  “green”  doesn’t mean it’s peat­free. In fact, it could well contain 70 to 100 percent peat. Read the fine  print.  A  peat­free  mix  will  often highlight that fact in large print on the label.  Peat is high in fiber, which maintains good pore­space. It retains water and is low  in  nutrients.  Peat  is  acidic.  Func­ tional substitutes for peat include:  PUBLIC NOTICE Flu season is here but it’s not too late for shot City of Silverton Municipal Court - Amnesty Program Have any outstanding court-ordered fines and fees with the City of Silverton Municipal Court? City of Silverton Municipal Court is offering a o- ne-time only amnesty program to forgive 50% of your balance when you pay in full between De- cember 1, 2018 through February 28, 2019. For more information please visit: http://www.s ilverton.or.us/courtamnesty or contact the City of Silverton Finance Department at 503-873-5321 option#1 you cough or sneeze ܂ Clean/disinfect  surfaces  and objects that may be contaminated with germs ܂ If you have respiratory symp­ toms, don’t visit sick people in the hospital,  or  if  you  must  be  here, wear a mask during your visit. David Davis Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK While influenza season has al­ ready  arrived  in  Oregon,  officials say it’s not too late to get a flu shot. “Ideally  you’re  vaccinated  be­ fore it hits,” says Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical  director  for  communica­ ble disease and immunizations at Oregon  Health  Authority.  But Cieslak  says  the  vaccine  can  re­ duce  the  severity  of  symptoms and make it less likely that you’ll land in the hospital. The  message  comes  as  the Centers for Disease Control & Pre­ vention  kicks  off  National  Influ­ enza Vaccination Week during the first full week in December. A man receives an influenza vaccination at a pharmacy in October 2018. Officials say it's not too late to get the flu shot. JOE RAEDLE, GETTY IMAGES two weeks to produce antibodies necessary to combat influenza. In  addition  to  getting  the  flu shot Julie Koch, infection preven­ tion  manager  at  Salem  Health, says people should be taking pre­ ventative actions to reduce expo­ sure and spread of the flu includ­ ing:  ܂ Wash your hands ܂ Avoid close contact with sick people ܂ Avoid  touching  your  eyes, nose, and mouth ܂ Use  good  respiratory  hy­ giene: Cover your nose and mouth with your elbow or a tissue when Vaccines still widely available Vaccine  providers  say  supply has  kept  pace  with  demand  this year  and  flu  shots  can  be  easily found across the state. Flu  shot  seekers  can  find  out­ lets  near  them  by  visiting flu.oregon.gov.  After  getting  the  flu  shot,  it generally  takes  the  human  body Juzgado Municipal de Silverton - Programa de Amnistía ¿Debe usted multas o costas judiciales al Juzgado Municipal de Silverton? El Juzgado Municipal de Silverton ofrece un programa de amnistía donde solo en esta única ocasión se perdonará 50% de su balance si usted lo paga por completo entre el 1ero de diciembre 2018 y el 28 de febrero 2019. Para más información por favor visite http://w ww.silverton.or.us/courtamnesty o contacte al Departamento de Finanzas de la Ciudad de Sil- verton al 503-873-5321 opción #1 Silverton Appeal December 12 , 2018 Last flu season was severe While early influenza numbers are tracking close to last year, it’s still too early to tell if this flu sea­ son will be as severe as last, which was the deadliest in four decades according  to  estimates  from  the CDC. “We  lost  80,000  people  last year  to  the  flu,”  CDC  director  Dr. Robert Redfieldtold the Associat­ ed Press earlier this year. The  number  is  a  jump  from CDC estimates of flu deaths in re­ cent  years  which  have  ranged from 12,000 to 56,000. The number of adults who got a flu  shot  also  declined  from  the previous  season.  An  estimated 37.1 percent of Americans aged 18 and older got a flu shot, a drop of 6.2 percent from the 2016­17 sea­ son. PUBLIC POLICY NOTICES Public Notices are published by the Statesman Journal and available online at w w w .S ta te s m a n J o u r n a l.c o m . The Statesman Journal lobby is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can reach them by phone at 503-399-6789. In order to receive a quote for a public notice you must e-mail your copy to SJLegals@StatesmanJournal.com , and our Legal Clerk will return a proposal with cost, publication date(s), and a preview of the ad. LEGAL/PUBLIC NOTICE DEADLINES All Legals Deadline @ 1:00 p.m. on all days listed below: ***All Deadlines are subject to change when there is a Holiday. The Silverton Appeal Tribune is a one day a week (Wednesday) only publication • Wednesday publication deadlines the Wednesday prior LEGAL/PUBLIC NOTICE RATES Silverton Appeal Tribune: • Wednesdays only - $12.15/per inch/per time • Online Fee - $21.00 per time • Affidavit Fee - $10.00 per Affidavit requested CLASSIFIEDS Find a new job or career Discover Discover Disc Di scov sc over ov er your y your ourr new ou new ne w ho home home me JOBS.STATESMANJOURNAL.COM Kirsten Barnes Brokers licensed in Oregon Broker 503.873.3545 ext. 326 Ryan Wertz Broker 873-3545 ext. 322 Auctions, pets, services & stuff STUFF StatesmanJournal.com/classifieds in print Wednesday through Sunday STATESMANJOURNAL.COM/HOMES SERVING THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975 Principal Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 314 Place an ad online 24/7 at StatesmanJournal.com or call 503-399-6789 • 1-800-556-3975 AUTO TRUST THE HOMETOWN EXPERTS Michael ichael Schmid Schmidt silvertonappeal.com Turn here for your next vehicle HOMES & RENTALS JOBS Composted  bark,  made  from  by­ products  of  the  forest  industry.  On  its own,  composted  bark  it  makes  a  great soil  improver  for  poor  or  heavy  soil. Larger­grade chipped bark is often used as weed­suppressing mulch. An added plus  is  that  composted  bark  has  been shown to suppress root diseases.  The  downside  to  bark  is  that  if  it  is incompletely  composted,  it  has  a  very high in carbon to nitrogen ratio; bacteria breaking it down in the soil can “rob” ni­ trogen from the soil and your plants. But if  it  is  well  composted  and  is  only  one ingredient in a well­balanced multipur­ pose compost mix, it has shown to be a good substitute for peat.  Next week, I’ll talk about coir, or “co­ co  peat,”  another  peat  substitute  and some other amendments that can sub­ stitute for peat. Carol Savonen is a naturalist and writer. She is an associate professor emeritus at OSU and tends a large gar- den in the Coast Range Hills west of Phi- lomath with her husband and dogs. She can be reached at Carol.Savonen@ore- gonstate.edu or c/o: EESC, 422 Kerr Ad- min. Bldg., OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331. 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