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.
WHOL1STIC TREE CARE
CERTIFIED ARBORISTS
TREE HOUSES
villagogreonarboristsgjgmsil
503.246.2635
baja
GARDEN, DECK & PATIO DECOR
Portland’s best selection of Terra Cotta & Concrete
• Statuary
• Asian
• Planters
• Sunfaces
• Birdbaths • Baja Chimneys
2 Location»
VILLAGE
GREEN
1510 E. Bumside St • Portland, Oregon • (503) 236-8834
10525 SW Hall • Tigard. Oregon • (503) 432-8959
www.ltttte-bala com
ARBORISTS LLC
,
1,76564