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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2009)
20 december country living 2009 Diggin’ In The Dirt: Cold Weather Gardening By Kim Camarda low the planting soil. This and a row cover can extend cold houses can also be used to harden the tender plants your season before they are planted outside. I often think to myself, this year I am going to -- A moderate greenhouse is kept 50-65 degrees plan a winter harvest. I read about it, see others do it, -- Straw bale gardening is another alternative F. This means that most plants you grow outdoors as go so far as to plan it out. Fresh salad at Christmas is for winter. Using any good straw (don’t use hay), put tender perennials will survive through the winter in my goal… but I have yet to dedicate the time to do it. the bales so the string runs around the bale and not on this environment. Some kinds of houseplants do well Maybe next year. the ground. This will also orient the bale so the stems in warm greenhouses as well. A wide assortment of These days there are all kinds of specialty pa- run vertically as well. Since it’s heavy after watering, plants can be kept actively producing during the win- tio-type fruits and berries. I grow a Sweet Bay Leaf think well about the placement of your bale garden. ter, including many herbs and vegetables. Good for tree-Laurus nobilis. It can be kept at 5 feet. Keep it Wet the bales thoroughly, and they will heat up. This growing beans, cucumbers, herbs, strawberries, some protected on a patio close to the kitchen. It doesn’t like “cooking” will last about five to seven days. After that, tomatoes. to go below 25 degrees. There are patio versions of the bales should start to cool down enough to plant. – Hothouses maintain temperatures of 70-75 blueberries, citrus, etc. Look around the internet. Pull any weeds you see, and do not fertilize. After the degrees F or warmer. They are built almost entirely Steve Solomon, author of Growing Vegetables bales have cooled down, lay a two- to three-inch layer translucent allowing for maximum light, and heat. Air West of the Cascades, says some lettuce varieties will of compost and weed-free soil on top of the bales. Use warmed by the heat from hot interior surfaces, along hold to as low as 19 degrees Fahrenheit when grown a sharp trowel. Insert the started plant and let the bale with humidity from the existing moisture in plants and under covers. Collards and kales taste even better when spring back together again. Water the transplant in as soil, is retained in the building by the roof and walls, touched by frost. Once plants like kale and cabbage are you would in the garden. This method is better suited creating an optimum growing environment for many hit by a good frost, you’ll notice a remarkable differ- to winter beds as these bales use much more water than tropical plant species. These types of greenhouses are ence in the taste. Most winter vegetables use sugar as you would think possible. The orientation of the straw typically used to grow a natural anti-freeze. As temperatures become colder, stems (vertical, remember?) means that much of the tropical plants or crops. they fill their cells with sugar to prevent water in their water simply runs out the bottom of the bale. Also, this systems from crystallizing. It’s another added bonus to method due to height is better for bush type plants and R e m e m b e r - - growing a winter garden! herbs. Anything tall will have trouble in a bale. whatever method you There are many different methods to cold choose, find out what weather gardening. Some people grow in greenhouses, -- Cold greenhouses and cold frames are nat- works for you and stick some in raised beds, some in straw bales-- and some urally heated by the sun. It’s kept at averages of 40 with that. window sill garden under full spectrum lights. What- degrees F through the ever the method, there are a few standard practices; winter. This type of temperatures, air movement, and light are very im- house is used to over- portant. Without consistent temperatures, you’ll have winter tender plants direct loss and damage of the plant itself; without air and pots that may movement, you’ll have loss to disease and insects; and crack. It can be used to without proper light, many plants will just sulk, not give you an early start By Dawn Carr got him to collect up and hold his head growing or producing. with tender flowers, in the correct position. So I decided to herbs, and vegetables. December, wow, how fast time give Steve another try, but this time at -- Heating up your raised beds can be done If you sprout seeds in- goes by! my barn. I knew if Chuck was going to with an underlayer of a hot compost material added be- doors, cold frames or The Christmas holidays are al- really like it, it would show at my barn. ready here. This month, I would like Sure enough, the same response. Chuck to talk about a few items that should be gladly stood and enjoyed his therapy. I on our Barn Agenda. The first thing is have never seen a horse lick his lips so worming your much or pass so much gas! It really did horse. Horses need to be wormed on a work. I also gave it a try on my daugh- regular basis. If you feed a continuous ter’s horse, Brassy. For some reason, wormer Brassy kept biting her bit and tensing up on a daily basis, you will still need to in her mouth. So we tried cold laser on give a broad spectrum purge wormer her jaw and she loved it-- stretching her twice a year. mouth (yawning) and licking her lips. It TACK, FEED ENGLISH AND If you worm with a paste three times a really did make a difference. If you are AND FARM WESTERN year, you will need to rotate. Keep in interested in this type of therapy, Steve mind that de-wormers come with differ- Ensign can be reached at 503-703-2900. ent active ingredients, each of which is One last item we should all effective against think about is mud fever. This is a com- different types of worms. Some of the mon condition that affects horses living things to consider when choosing the or working in wet, muddy conditions. right wormer are: season, pasture load The skin over the pasterns and heels Featured Sale Items Include... and pals, age of animal, travel and, of becomes infected, resulting in scabby - Atlas Wood Pellets $239/ton, $4.95/bag course, location. If you are unsure which or exudated lesions which can be very - Self-Serve 1 gal. bags of: birdseed, chick starter, oyster is right for your horse, talk to your vet- painful. Prevention is always the best shell, flax seed, thistle & more! erinarian. Your horse doctor will know treatment. Keep the legs dry and warm - Tank De-Icer $37.95 - $47.95 what’s best for your horse. A good time if possible, ensure they have access to a Feed Specials We Carry to ask is when you schedule your pre- dry area and make sure bedding is dry. If - Goat Complete $13.95 Hillsboro Feed! winter dental check. When heading into you see your horse is suffering from mud - Alfalfa Pellets $14.95 Get It Locally! the winter, exams are important for opti- fever and are unable to control it, your - Alpaca/Llama $15.95 mal health. best treatment would be to talk with your -Layer Pellets $12.99 The second item I want to cover veterinarian. Remember, mud fever can -Pasture Blend - wet or dry $9.95 is Equine Manual Therapy. I was very be very painful and, if left untreated, it Cummins Onan Portable Generators fortunate to actually see this work. I can cause more serious injuries to your - P3027 $550. have a thoroughbred off the track that horse. - P5550e $950. kept tossing his head when I was riding. At a clinic I attended, Steve Ensign was Dawn Carr is the owner of Double C expires there and picked my horse out for a free Tack at 1103 Bridge Street in Verno- 12/31/09 demonstration. Chuck (my horse) loved nia. Dawn reminds everyone that if you (excludes Atlas Wood Pellets & Cummins Generators) it! He stood there with his lip hanging have medical concerns about your horse Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 12-4pm down. Steve did cold laser therapy and or other animals, always consult your 1103 Bridge Street (on the corner of Rose & Bridge) used an activator on Chuck’s body. After veterinarian. Dawn can be reached at Dawn@DoubleCTack.com he was finished with him and I saddled 503-429-8225 or by email at dawn@ 503-429-TACK (8225) www.doublectack.com Chuck back up, I was amazed at the dif- doublectack.com. ference. No more head tossing! I even Barnyard News: December Specials! 10% off next purchase A Winter Agenda