8
in other words
january19
2017
Diggin’ in the Dirt: Extreme Cold
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University
Extension Service - Columbia County
2017 OSU Master Gardener ™ class
will be held in Vernonia
The Columbia County/OSU
Master Gardener™ training will be held
in Vernonia on ten consecutive Tuesdays
from about 9:30 am to 3:30 pm starting
on February 21, 2017. If you think
you might be interested, call the OSU
Extension offi ce in St. Helens at (503)
397-3462 or email either myself (chip.
bubl@oregonstate.edu) or Vicki Krenz
(vicki.krenz@oregonstate.edu).
The
class will be held at the Vernonia Health
Center and space is somewhat limited.
Cost of the class is $80 and there are a
few scholarships available.
Grafting workshop in February
The OSU Extension offi ce in
St. Helens will be hosting a grafting
workshop scheduled for February 11
from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. Participants
will be taught how to graft apple scions
on to dwarf apple rootstocks. Each
participant will receive 5 rootstocks to
work with and supplies to secure the
graft. Scion varieties will be available or
participants can bring their own varieties
they wish to graft. Cost of the workshop
is $15. The class is limited to 20 people
so early registration will assure a place.
To register or for more information, call
the Extension offi ce at (503) 397-3462.
Extreme cold
As this column is being written,
we are just escaping a run of very cold
weather. Temperatures 15 degrees or less
will damage some plants. Snow cover
can protect herbaceous perennials but
woody plants, with their exposed trunks
and branches are more at risk. Sunny
days that warm the bark followed by
deeply cold nights can increase the risk
of trunk tissue damage. Young trees are
the most susceptible since their bark is
so thin. Zone 8 and 9 trees and shrubs
are also susceptible but their hardiness
is unpredictable. Some 5-10 degree
weather in the late 1980s demonstrated
that plant location and innate hardiness
function together to either stress or
protect semi-hardy plants in extreme
cold. Plants in containers should be kept
moist and the smaller containers should
be grouped and covered if at all possible.
Damage from this weather won’t be
evident until the spring. Trees and shrubs
may leaf out only to wither 2-4 weeks
later as the extent of the “plumbing”
under the bark becomes clear. Damaged
trees can limp along for several years
and then succumb to the fungi that attack
the cold-damaged trunk tissue. Damaged
container plants may have tops that are
alive but roots that were frozen from
being less protected in a container than
in soil.
Protected peas could be started soon
Edible peas and the fl owering
kinds can be planted this month. Don’t
confuse the two types since fl owering
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peas are poisonous.
Peas are best planted in a well-
drained location. They should be given
some cold protection. Some gardeners
bend clear, corrugated fi berglass
greenhouse sheets in a hoop between
two stakes over the seeded rows.
Once the peas outgrow the
fi berglass tunnel, you can cover them
with fl oating row cover. Eventually, the
taller types of peas will need a trellis of
some sort. At that point, they should be
able to stand whatever cool weather still
remains.
Inoculate seeds so that they will
return nitrogen to your garden. Plant
them about 2 inches apart. Rows should
be 36-40 inches apart. Deer adore garden
peas so be forewarned.
Underused fruit trees and shrubs
Here is my opinionated list as
to species that should be planted more
often:
• Quinces
• Persimmons, especially the oriental
types
• Gooseberries and currants
• Figs, especially Desert King which
fruits reliably here in mid-August
• European plums
Tips for buying a fruit tree
In January and February, fruit
trees start arriving in the retail sales
yards. A group of ten trees will all
carry the same price, but there are great
differences in the structure of the young
trees.
Generally, you want to look for
a tree that has branches evenly spaced
around the trunk, both in direction and
vertically along the stem. If the branches
all come out from the same point, the
tree will be weak.
The branches should leave
the stem at about a 45 degree angle,
though this can be created in a young
branch by weighting it down. Often,
branches emerge from the stem at a very
upright angle. If this is uncorrected as
the tree grows, they will have a weaker
attachment to the stem and are more
likely to break with a heavy fruit or ice
load.
Salad greens can be started soon
Salads
are
much
more
interesting than they used to be. Arugula,
chicory, raddichio, chervil, fennel, and
mizuna are only a few of the greens that
have found their way into gardens, truck
farms, and our dinners.
Many of these plants are hardy
and will transplant out successfully in
the early spring if they can be given a
little extra heat from fl oating row covers,
plastic tents or the like.
Arugula has become a favorite
in our house. The leaves are dark green
with a distinctive not-quite mustard
fl avor. It is sometimes sold as rocket or
roquette. It reseeds itself prolifi cally and
can withstand considerable cold weather
once it is established.
Take excess produce to the food bank,
senior centers, 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 offi ce in Columbia County
publishes a monthly newsletter on
gardening and farming topics (called
Country 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 sign up for email notifi cation
of when to fi nd the latest edition on the
web at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
columbia/.
Contact information for the Extension
offi ce
Oregon State University Extension
Service – Columbia County
505 N. Columbia River Highway (across
from the Legacy clinic)
St. Helens, OR 97051
(503) 397-3462
Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each month
on the 1st and 3rd Thursday.
Look for our next issue out February 2.
FOR TOWING EMERGENCIES
IN AND AROUND THE
VERNONIA AREA
Police and County personnel are required
to use a rotation of available providers,
UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY ASK
for a service by name.
Open
REQUEST TOWING SERVICE FROM
Mon, Wed & Saturday
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call for Appointments
(503) 429-1612
Or 24 hr. Emergency Number (503) 397-6470
700 Weed Ave. Vernonia, OR
Shop Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00 - 6:00
