6
in other words
august21
2014
Diggin’ in the Dirt: Struggling Tomatoes
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University
Extension Service - Columbia County
• Food Preservation and Food Safety
Hotline from July 14 through October
17, 2014, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday-
Friday. 1-800-354-7319
Food preservation and food safety
• A list of our hands-on canning classes
Want to learn how to safely can be found on our website: http://
preserve produce from your garden extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia or
this summer? The OSU Extension call our office at 503 397-3462
Service in Columbia County offers food
preservation information and resources. Are your tomatoes struggling?
Here is a list of services that we provide:
Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist
• Free Printed Publications and Safe with the Oregon State University
Canning Recipes
Extension Service, troubleshoots the
• Online Publications and Recipes:
following common problems that might
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/ be afflicting them:
food-preservation
Blossom drop – It’s usually caused by
• Free Pressure Canner Gauge Testing dry soil and dry winds, but also may be
(call ahead before bringing in your caused by a sudden cold spell, heavy
gauge)
rain or too much nitrogen. Usually not
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Proposed Amendment to the Vernonia
Comprehensive Plan and Zone Map to
change the Zone Designation for the
Lincoln School parcel from Residential
R to General Commercial GC
LOCATION:
A 1.14 acre parcel
occupied by Lincoln Elementary
School, located at 1462 Bridge Street;
Parcel ID # 4N4W05-AC-03000.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that
the applicant Sharla Dow proposes
to amend the Vernonia Plan & Zone
Map for the Lincoln School parcel to
change the zone designation from
Residential R to General Commercial
GC in order to permit mixed residential
and commercial use of the vacant
building; City of Vernonia File # PAZC-
14-01.
Additional information about the
amendment can be obtained by
contacting Joann Glass at City Hall
503-429-5291 ext. 106, or Carole
Connell at connellpc@comcast.net
and by reviewing the file at City Hall.
The application is City File # PAZC-
14-01.
The Public Hearings will tentatively be
held on Thursday, September 4, 2014
at 6:00 pm by the Planning Commission
and on Monday, September 15, 2014
by the City Council at 7:00 pm in the
Council Chambers of City Hall, 1001
Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.
Public testimony is welcomed and
written statements will also be received
before the hearing. The application will
be judged by the Comprehensive Plan
and Zone Map Amendment approval
criteria of Title 9 Section 9-01.09-50
and 9-01.09.60. Comments should
be made in relation to those criteria.
A staff report will be available to the
public at City Hall one week before the
initial hearing and may be copied for a
nominal fee.
Failure by an individual to raise an
issue in a hearing, in person or by
letter, or failure to provide statements
or evidence sufficient to afford the
decision-maker an opportunity to
respond to the issue precludes appeal
to the Oregon Land Use Board of
Appeals based on that issue.
Meetings are accessible to persons
with disabilities. A request for an
interpreter for the hearing impaired or
for other accommodations for persons
with disabilities should be made at
least 48 hours prior to the public
hearing to the City Recorder at 503-
429-5291, ext. 106; TTY 1-800-735-
2900 or at City Hall, 1001 Bridge St.,
Vernonia OR 97064.
Notice to mortgage holder, lienholder,
vendor or seller: the City of Vernonia
Title 9 Development Code requires
that if you receive this notice it shall be
promptly forwarded to the purchaser.
The City of Vernonia is an Equal
Opportunity Provider and Employer
NOW RECRUITING
current EMTs and
EMT students for volunteer
positions in Vernonia
all blossoms will fall off, so be patient
for the next set of flowers.
Blossom-end rot – The end of the
fruit farthest away from the stem turns
brown or black – a condition caused by
irregular watering practices and calcium
deficiency. It is most common in western
Oregon. Water deeply and regularly. Add
lime to the soil in the fall to increase the
calcium level for next year’s crop.
Leaf roll – A physiological problem that
is most often the result of heavy pruning
or root injury. Some tomato cultivars
display leaf rolling as a normal growth
habit. Plants may lose leaves but will
recover. Learn more in this guide on
leaf roll from OSU Extension’s online
catalog: http://bit.ly/1omQ24c.
Sunscald – Green tomatoes can get
sunburned if exposed. There is no cure,
only prevention by reducing foliage
diseases that can cause leaf loss. Take
care when pruning to protect the
developing fruit.
Early and late blight – These are
fungal diseases, characterized by spots
on lower leaves and stems that appear
water-soaked. Avoid overhead watering,
and remove diseased leaves. Copper
fungicides (some organic forms) can
slow late blight if applied before a rainy
pattern starts.
Slow-ripening fruit – Temperatures
above 85 degrees can slow the ripening
of tomatoes, which ripen quickest at 70
degrees to 75 degrees. Wait for cooler
weather to allow for vine-ripening to
occur. Fruit just showing color changes
can be picked and stored at room
temperature to ripen.
For more information, photos
and control methods for these and
other tomato maladies, consult OSU
Extension’s Pacific Northwest Plant
Disease
Management
Handbook
at http://bit.ly/UXunbt.
usually work well) along the cambium
inside the bark 20 minutes after cutting
the tree (this assumes you were thinking
about suckers when you cut the tree).
Sometimes you can drill down into the
living stump cambium months after
cutting and put some herbicide into the
holes. As an organic treatment, you can
try salt poured down holes. Alternatively,
you can treat the suckers in the lawn
with a lawn-friendly herbicide or mow
them every 3-4 days until they give up.
The trick to getting stumps to rot faster is
to treat them like a compost pile. To add
a nitrogen source (commercial fertilizer
is the easiest but organic sources like
blood meal also will work), drill holes
down into the stump about 6” apart, pour
some fertilizer down the holes and keep
the stump watered. This will encourage
the fungi that actually do the heavy
lifting of rotting the stump. It won’t be
quick but it will go faster than rotting
with no fertilizer. Alternatively, you can
dig the whole mass out, have the stump
ground, burn it out, or blow it out (not for
amateurs). Or you can let nature take its
course and it will ultimately disappear.
Plant an extra row for the food bank,
senior center, or community meals
programs. Cash donations to buy food
are also greatly appreciated.
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,
Stump removal
you can find it on the web at
Landscapes change, stumps http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
remain. The two most common questions columbia/ and click on newsletters.
are: When will this stump stop sending
up suckers?!! And can I make it rot Contact information for the Extension
faster?
office
In answer to the sucker question, Oregon State University Extension
these “zombie” trees and shrubs will Service – Columbia County
keep coming back until you kill their 505 N. Columbia River Highway
growing points along the root system. (across from the Legacy clinic)
Some trees are notorious for throwing St. Helens, OR 97051
suckers long after the main trunk is 503 397-3462
gone. Treatments include painting an Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
herbicide (those containing triclopyr
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