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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2017)
8 in other words july20 2017 Diggin’ in the Dirt: July Garden Topics By Chip Bubl Oregon State University Extension Service - Columbia County Summer Bee Hive Tune-up meeting at the OSU Extension office There will be another meeting for bee- keepers of all skill levels (and prospective bee- keepers) at the OSU Ex- tension office at 505 N. Columbia River High- way in St. Helens on Thursday, July 27 at 6:30 pm. The program will be about mid to late summer hive management. There will be several expert beekeepers to answer questions on other topics as well. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call (503) 397-3462. Neighbor Disputes Program Some things can get in the way of good neighborly relationships. Ex- amples include unclear property lines, fences, encroaching trees, noisy chick- ens, livestock at large and many other concerns. There will be a program on neighbor law at the Law Library at 270 S. 1st Street in St. Helens on Wednes- day, July 12 from 6-8 pm. Speakers will be Mike Sheehan, a local attorney, and Chip Bubl, OSU Extension. The pro- gram is free and open to the public. Insects that Bug You This program will explore some of the more vexing insects in and around our homes. Subjects will include mos- quitos, cockroaches, fleas, yellow jack- ets, box elder bugs, stink bugs, carpenter and other ants, and more. Information will be provided on identification and management. Tuesday, July 25 from 7-8 pm at the St. Helens Library, 375 S. 18th Street . Chip Bubl will give the presenta- tion. The program is free and open to the public. What’s that Noise? (Wild animals at home in town) This program will look at some of the animals that live comfortably in St. Helens and can cause prob- lems for homeowners. Infor- mation will be provided on life history, identification, and management options. Tuesday, August 1 from 7-8 pm at the St. Helens Library. Chip Bubl will give the presentation. The program is free and open to the public. 2017 OSU Extension Canning Classes Come learn how to safely pre- serve foods from your garden this sea- son! Participants will practice making and canning recipes in the kitchen, and will process a jar to take home. Space is limited, so call soon to reserve your spot! Pre-registration is required. Where: Columbia Soil and Water Con- servation District, 35285 Millard Road, St. Helens, OR 97051 When: All classes 9 am-12 pm Friday, July 21 ~ Pickling Vegetables and Fruits Friday, August 4 ~ Pressure Canning Vegetables and Meats Friday, August 18 ~ Canning Tomatoes and Salsa Cost: $25 per class. Scholarships are also available Registration: Call the OSU Extension Service: (503) 397-3462 Or register online at: http://extension.or- egonstate.edu/columbia Garden Topics for Mid-July With this great stretch of weath- er, most garden crops are doing just fine. So far, insect pressure seems low but that can change fast. Slugs are cur- rently hiding. It actually is time to start planting crops that you hope to harvest this winter. These can include leeks, kale, and late cabbages. Spinach is usu- ally seeded mid-August for a fall crop. Lettuce can be planted continuously. Do you have People Helping People philosophy? Looking to join a Top 100 in Oregon Employer? Want to help your community members’ dreams come true? Take a look at our Peak-Hour MEMBER CONSULTANT opportunity in our Vernonia branch. If you have outstanding sales, service and communication skills, cash handling experience, and Win- dows literacy, this position was made for you! To join our winning team or see our other openings, please visit us online at waunafcu.org and go to our careers page. Pre-employment drug test and We offer an opportunity to serve background check required. Opportunity to include your community AND enjoy com- Equal petitive wages, generous incen- Disability & Vets. tives, great benefits and a caring, fun work environment. Creatures LLC Pets, Feeds, Supplies, Tack, U-Wash Facility, Childrens Toys, Gifts, Novelies & More... 503-429-PETS (7387) 998 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064 Mon-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm Sat 10:00am-5:00pm Sun 12:00pm-4:00pm Creatures@frontier.com Facebook: Creatures-pet-shop There was some sunburn on raspberries, blackberries, and even blueberries from a couple of the heat spikes. Apple set looks spotty. A wet May and June didn’t do us any favors when the trees were in bloom. If you want the apples you have to be “worm” free, you should have been spraying several weeks ago. But the codling moth and apple maggot may have been a bit delayed so it might still be worth trying to stop their egg-laying. A good newer product that has some or- ganic labels and is quite effective is the compound spinosad. There are several home garden products that contain it. There are other equally effective prod- ucts. I have had several calls about tomato leaves rolling upwards. These are generally the oldest (lowest) leaves on a plant. Newer leaves don’t show the twisting. Some plants may be affected, others not in the same garden area. This is most often caused by a disorder called physiological leaf roll or curl. It is not a disease and often plants with severely twisted lower leaves still produce to- matoes in normal quantity and quality. Overwatering can cause the problem as can under-watering. Heirlooms tend to be more prone to the disorder. For more information see http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/ CEPublications/PNW616/PNW616.pdf. Garlic should be ready to har- vest now. Garlic doesn’t have to be brown before harvest. Often, the garlic will have green tops at the best “skin” stage for harvest. Pull a few bulbs and see if there are only a few outer “skins” around the bulb left. If so, they need to be brought into a warm but shaded space with good air flow to cure. If you leave the bulbs too long in the ground, dis- ease risk increases and storage quality decreases. When you harvest the bulbs, tie the tops into bundles and hang the bulbs from rafters in your garage or barn or place them on a screen so that they have good air circulation while they are curing. They shouldn’t be exposed to the direct sun. You can eat the garlic at any time and it should be fully cured for win- ter storage after drying for thirty days. There have been some studies using spray-on sugar solutions to keep birds from eating blueberries. Some of the research has been inconsistent but newer information indicates that higher rates than what were used in some stud- ies are needed for best results. The for- mula is one pound of sugar dissolved in a gallon of water. That would be slightly more than a pint of granulated sugar per gallon. If you try it, let me know how well it works. Many Extension publications avail- able online Are you putting up salsa, saving seeds, or thinking about planting grapes? OSU has a large number of its publica- tions available for free download. Just go to https://catalog.extension.oregon- state.edu/. Click on publications and start exploring. 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 pro- grams and materials equally to all people. Contact information for the Extension office Oregon State University Extension Ser- vice – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway (across from the Legacy clinic) St. Helens, OR 97051 (503) 397-3462 Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu Ridge Riders Play Day The Vernonia Ridge Riders hosted a Play Day at the horse arena Saturday, July 15, giving Grace Coleman (left) and Cassie McFalls (right) a chance to warm up for the Horse Gaming event on the Sunday of Jamboree weekend. 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