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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2008)
MARCH 21, 2008 jUStlQMti 45 Sucker-Free Gardening Grow indoor herbs without falling for it here’s a sucker bom every minute, and I’m not going to be one. That’s why I’m not shelling out $175 for the TV- T tom of your refrigerator’s pro duce drawer, yes, try growing bowls, fake fire, real fire? It’s like garden toys for men are now fire. What’s with that? Nothing touted AeroGrow indoor gardening system. I recently sat herbs inside in a sunny window. through that infomercial just to find out how much it Sun is the key word here, be was—love how they leave off the details until the very cause they will need at least five end. The AeroGrow can be yours for $19.95 in shipping and han of that glowing orb, so hours dling and three easy payments of $49.99—all so that you don’t waste site your pots in a southern- or throwing away that $ 1.99 pack of herbs you bought at Freddy’s last western-exposed window. Regu week. lar indoor potting soil should be fine. “Treated for indoor use” means But wait! There’s more! With the AeroGrow, you have to use their it’s less likely to have critters growing in it. seeds and growing pellets—so you’re suckered in even more. And Herbs don’t like drafts, and they don’t like to have a heater about that infomercial? It was all about blasting on them, either. Try to “indoor gardening.” Oh sheesh. If you want plant several together, as the humid wrong with it, just sayin’. I do like the combination of fire with wa ter and the reflection it provides at night. It’s kind of magical, and as long as it’s not a smoke-* spewing “chimnea,” I’m cool with that. Seriously. Have you ever lived next door to a chimnea? The smoke can be miserable. Plus, who wants to contrib ute to smog? Cough cough hack hack. n a bright note: Are you good with roses and interested in put ting those skills to work? Our House of Portland has 20 or so to do some indoor gardening, get yourself ity they create will help each other O a grow light at Costco and pot up some out. Fertilize them with an organic fertilizer every two weeks during the fertilize them, you know, work your rose mojo. Contact volunteer herbs in the window. You’re certainly not going to have to haul out a contraption winter and about every three weeks during the summer. When it comes to sell at a garage sale in five years that doesn’t work. Oh, and you know who got her start with infomercials? Sandra Lee of to harvesting and using your indoor herbs to season and cook with, pick Semi'Homemade. Enough said. sparingly, snipping tips and leaves in If you want to fend off the guilt of buy small amounts. Indoor herbs won’t grow as quickly as outdoor, in-ground herbs, but they are a great way to ing herbs you don’t use, I hear ya—that’s why I love the self-serve buffet of herbs at New Seasons Market. But not everyone ensure you have access to them when you’re working in the kitchen. has a New Seasons nearby, and there’s al ways the wonderful feeling of snipping a few herbs from your homegrown rosemary Bon appétit! plant to feed the ones .you love. If you’re tired of paying too much A money for a package of herbs from your local grocery store only to use a wee bit and watch the rest waste away in the bot Fire meets water in a display at the Portland Yard, Garden and Patio Show. weird side note: I went to the roses around its property that could use a little tender loving care. Maybe check in with the beauties once a month or so, prune and director Kathryn Siebert at 503-234-0175 or ksiebert@ourhouseof- portland.org for more information. • > A note for your calendar: Metro has some excellent seminars, workshops and events scheduled for gardeners, including an upcoming seminar by one of the nicest (and cutest) guys in the hort scene, Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery on Sauvie Island. He will give a talk about carbon-neutral gardening and how we can maintain and design our landscapes to reduce our impact on local natural re sources and global climate change. The seminar is from 7 to 8:30 p. m. March 27 at Metro Regional Center, 600 N.E. Grand Ave. Reg istration is free, but you do need to register in advance. For more information call 503-234-3000. ® garden show last month at the Oregon Convention Center. Did you L e A nn L ocher welcomes your gardening questions at go? Did you notice what 1 noticed? sassygardener@gmail.com. For more explorations and All those men with fire pits, fire photos of her garden, visit www.sassygardener.com. tr B U F F A L 0 Edibles, herbs, ornamentals and CISTUS NURSERY 22711 NW GILLIHAN RD SAUVIE ISLAND, OR 97231 503 621 2233 www.cMus.com open daily 10am to 5pm little Keeping Oregon green, one tree at a time. 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