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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 2011)
6 community december27 2011 Diggin’ In The Dirt: Time to Think About Seeds Chip Bubl Oregon State University Extension Service - Columbia County Buying from seed catalogs Winter weekends are a wonderful time to curl up with a good seed catalog (or catalogs). It is helpful to start by making a list of what went well in the vegetable and flower garden so you can repeat that success. Then think about what you wanted more of, less of, or what you didn’t have that you think you would like to try. Write these ideas down and then start browsing. There are a lot of great catalogs and most have on-line access now. Some of the favorites of gardeners in this area have been New Dimension Seeds, Territorial Seed, Burpee Seed, Johnny’s Seed, Thompson and Morgan, Park Seed Company, Nichol’s Nursery and Cook’s Garden Seeds. However, there are a lot more out there including companies that specialize in crops like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, garlic, dry beans, etc. For a list of vegetable/flower seed companies, call our office. As you look through the catalogs, think about your garden location and the length of your growing season. Someone in Vernonia probably wouldn’t try the melons that a St. Helens gardener might put in. If you have less than eight hours of sun, forget corn/ squash and concentrate on greens and possibly potatoes. As gardens shrink, it is helpful to look for companies that package seeds in smaller amounts. I do know neighbors that buy seeds together and then share the packets. Try some new plants! There are varieties of winter and summer squash that are quite compact and fit well into a limited space garden or into containers. It might be worth trying some of the All-America fruit and flower varieties. These plants are tested throughout the country and tend to be widely adapted, with some limitations. Okra really isn’t the crop for Vernonia. The web site is: www.all- americaselections.org/. These selections are available both as bedding plants, particularly for the flowers, and seed. Finally, keep a record of what your gardening goals are, your purchasing decisions and the performance of your seeds during the year. This will be a great tool for you in future years. When plants change their colors If you think about it, most cultivated plants are nature’s oddities. Gardeners over the centuries have selected onions with large bulbous bases, mustards with giant heads (called cabbages) and apples with heavenly fruit. This selection for extreme types is very pronounced in the landscape trade, notably with variegated and curly varieties. There are a number of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennial flowers that have cream margins on their leaves. The cell mutation that causes this often appears first on one shoot on a plant. An alert nursery producer may propagate that odd portion through cuttings, grafting, divisions or tissue culture. Voila! A new variety is introduced to the novelty hungry gardening public. However, the gene location in the cell that produces the unique shoot in the first place is often unstable. This can cause portions of these plants to revert back to their original form. It is commonly seen in variegated maples which produce shoots that are no longer variegated or the curly tree that starts throwing straight limbs. To keep the tree looking as you want it, you must aggressively prune out any “off-type” reversion shoots. In addition, since these varieties are often grafted, remove any shoots coming from the rootstock, the area below the graft union. are responsible for providing volunteer gardening education to the community as partial payback for the training. If interested in the program, call the Extension office at 503 397-3462 for an information packet. The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people. Free newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed to you. Call 503 397- 3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ columbia/ and click on newsletters. Contact information for the Extension office Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway (across Master Gardener™ class signups from the Legacy clinic) being taken St. Helens, OR 97051 The OSU Extension office in 503 397-3462 Columbia County will be offering the Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu Master Gardener™ training again this spring. This year the class will be in Vernonia’s Voice is St. Helens. The classes will be held on published twice each month on the Mondays from 9 am – 4 pm for about 10 th 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Look for our weeks starting January 9 , 2012. Cost of the program is $75.00 which includes next issue on January 10th. a large resource book. Master Gardeners Senior Center Activities 5-Area Luncheon: There are no lun- cheons scheduled for December. GET PREPARED FOR WINTER • chains • antifreeze • winter tires mounted & balanced • wipers • generators • kerosene • flashlights • boots • batteries • lamp oil • gas cans • candles • propane Family owned & operated for over 40 years 834 Bridge St., Vernonia (503) 429-6364 PAYROLL PLUS LLC Edi Sheldon 503-429-1819 edisheldon@gmail.com Income Tax Preparation (Individual & Small Business) Bookkeeping QuickBooks Assistance Full Service Payroll LTC#29629-C Need more room? See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED! Debit/Credit now accepted U-Haul now available on site 5x10 $39 10x10 $69 10x20 $99 RV Storage $149 Outside storage available Totally fenced and gated Padlocks Available 58605 Nehalem Hwy S. P.O. Box 292 Vernonia, Oregon 97064 (503) 429-7867 10-5 Tue-Sat, 12-4 Sun Connie’s Fabulous Breakfasts: Fab- ulous breakfasts are available to the public on Fridays for a cost of only $3.50. The event happens at the Senior Center (446 Bridge Street) from 7:30 to 9:00 AM each Friday. Meal price in- cludes a beverage, too. Enter through the side, parking lot door. What a deal! Week Day Lunches: The Vernonia Senior Center offers nutritious and tasty lunches each weekday for a $4 donation for seniors over 60; cost is $5 for anyone under 60. To-go meals are available for $5. These are available to the public, not just Senior Citizens. (Mealtime is noon; late arrivals may not be served.) You can reserve your lunch by calling by 11:15 AM, or fur- ther in advance if possible, to assist the cooks as they prepare the day’s meals. Meals on Wheels are available for a $4 donations for seniors over 60. Please contact the Senior Center for an appli- cation. Maple Bars available locally! Con- nie King, the cook at the Senior Cen- ter, is making maple bars each day. The maple bars are available to the public, too, and only cost $1 each. Availabil- ity is subject to quantity on hand. You can assure yourself of a good supply by pre-ordering them directly from Connie by calling the Senior Center (503-429-3912) any week day, from 7:00 AM-3:00 PM. Please allow one day lead time for larger orders. The Center’s front door opens at 9:00, but the side parking lot door opens at 7:00. Ah, sweet treats! Thrift Store: Bargain prices can be found in Vernonia’s Senior Center in their Thrift Store. The retail store is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. The Thrift Store provides funds for the Senior Center’s facility and its many activi- ties. Donations can also be dropped off during those same hours, and donated clothes need to be clean and in good condition so they are “sales ready”. We are offering half off during the first week of each month. Buy locally and support your local Senior Center. For after hours drop-offs please con- tact Pauline 503-429-5810. Special Days: On the last Wednesday of the month Wauna Credit Union will be serving ice cream. On the last Fri- day of the month we will serve birth- day cake and ice cream to celebrate that month’s birthdays. Membership Dues: Another way to support Vernonia’s Senior Center is to pay the $15 annual membership dues. Checks may be mailed or dropped off at the Senior Center. Anyone 50 and older may join. Questions? Call: (503) 429-3912
