8
in other words
december21
2017
Diggin’ in the Dirt: Winter Water for the Birds
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University
Extension Service - Columbia County
Master Gardener™
class signups being taken
The OSU Extension office in
Columbia County will be offering the
Master Gardener™ training again this
spring. The classes will be held on Mon-
days from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm for about
10 weeks starting on February 5, 2018.
Cost of the program is $95.00 which
includes a large resource book. Master
Gardeners are responsible for provid-
ing 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. Online
registration is now available at http://
extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/
master-gardener-volunteer-program .We
can also send you an application that
you can mail or come into our office to
sign up.
A gardener wish list
• Nice gardening gloves, especially
those flexible kinds that rose thorns don’t
penetrate or nice-fitting leather gloves.
• Knee pads or knee benches for garden-
ers to make close work less of a pain.
• A well-made spading fork or shovel.
• Cast aluminum hand tools or special-
ly designed “ergonomic” tools for less
muscle strain.
• A greenhouse or a good cold frame
(could be home-made).
• High quality loppers or hand pruners
• Gift certificates to garden centers
• A soil thermometer is always useful.
So are moisture meters with 12-inch
probes.
• Q Knot reusable cable ties are handy
for staking tomatoes or trellises. Get
them from a local hardware store.
• Manual or electric water timer. This
device can be attached to any faucet,
and automatically shuts off water after a
set amount of time. Get a single or dual
model from a hardware store.
• Water bubbler with flow control or
other interesting sprinklers.
• Corona Quick Tool Sharpener. A
pocket-sized tool for sharpening prun-
ers, shears, blades.
• Floating row covers are lightweight
blankets to put over vegetables that help
capture warmth and protect plants. May
be available from the Extension office in
February/March. Call us.
• A Hori Hori Knife is a transplant knife
from Japan, that’s part trowel and part
knife. Also, good for dispatching slugs.
It is a great tool.
• Folding pruning saws are necessary
for pruning, also handy for camping or
backpacking. Fiskers, Barnel, or Corona
are good brands.
• LED headlamp is handy tool for gar-
dening or locating slugs at night (if you
are so inclined). If you have close neigh-
bors, warn them of your new hobby.
Also good for looking for carpenter ant
evidence under your house.
• A good Insect, Mushroom, or Weed
identification book. Call or email me for
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• 503-429-9999
suggestions.
ing shallow puddles or bird baths. The
• Support for our Food Bank and other containers should be from one to three
local efforts to help those in need.
inches deep, preferably with gentle slop-
ing sides. The surface of the bath should
Keeping Christmas trees fresh
This one is simple. It’s the wa- be rough so the birds can get sure foot-
ter. If you keep your tree from running ing.
Place flat rocks at water’s edge
out of water, it will last for a long time
to
allow
birds a place to rest or drink
in all but the driest of homes. When you
buy your tree, especially if it’s from a from. Make sure cats cannot reach the
lot, cut the base at least one inch. Place watering area.
Keep water unfrozen by adding
the tree in warm water immediately and
warm
water
as needed. There are even
don’t ever let the tree go dry. Buy a tree
stand with a large water reservoir. In the some birdbath heaters available at spe-
first few days inside, the tree will take up cialty stores. Hummingbird feeders can
quarts of water. There is little evidence be brought in at night and taken out early
that any of the preservatives have much the next morning if temperatures are be-
of an impact on the longevity of the tree. low freezing.
Adapted from an article by Dan Edge,
former Department Chair, OSU Fish
Other topics
It was exceptionally dry and and Wildlife
cold earlier this month. Check outdoor
containers for moisture and water as Many Extension publications avail-
needed. Also look at plants under eaves. able online
Are you putting up salsa, saving
They can dry out fast. It is worth not-
seeds, or thinking about planting grapes?
ing that dry soil in planted containers
or under eaves are more likely to show OSU has a large number of its publica-
winter cold injury (to both roots and/or tions available for free download. Just
tops) than adequately moist ones. That go to https://catalog.extension.oregon-
said, you don’t want to overwater them, state.edu/. Click on publications and
start exploring.
either.
Peach leaf curl shows up in the Take excess produce to the food bank,
spring but is controlled in the winter (as senior centers, or community meals
in now!). This fungal disease causes programs. Cash donations to buy food
new leaves in April to crinkle, redden are also greatly appreciated.
and often drop off. The spores overwin-
ter on peach bark and twigs. As buds The Extension Service offers its pro-
begin to swell in late winter, the spores grams and materials equally to all
enter through bud scales. Once inside, people.
they are protected from sprays and are
free to infect the tender pre-emergent Free newsletter
leaves. Copper sprays, with a spreader The Oregon State University Extension
sticker added, or lime sulfur should be office in Columbia County publishes a
applied as often as you can get around to monthly newsletter on gardening and
it in December through early February. farming topics (called Country Living)
Six sprays are not too many but anything written/edited by yours truly. All you
will help. There are a few resistant vari- need to do is ask for it and it will be
eties including Frost and Charlotte that mailed to you. Call (503) 397-3462 to
do fairly well, especially if planted in a be put on the list. Alternatively, you can
sign up for email notification of when
location with good air circulation.
to find the latest edition on the web at
Winter water for the birds
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/colum-
A lot of us feed birds in the win- bia/.
ter. Yet how many of us think to provide Contact information for the Extension
those birds with water? As easy sources office
of water freeze in cold weather, birds Oregon State University
may have trouble finding the water they Extension Service – Columbia County
need. Birds use the water not only for 505 N. Columbia River Highway
drinking and bathing, but as a source of (across from the Legacy clinic)
water-borne foods such as insects and al- St. Helens, OR 97051
gae.
(503) 397-3462
Bird lovers can help by provid- Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
Cedar Side Inn
Taco Tuesday
from opening until 9pm
3 hardshell or 1 softshell $4.25
Ladies’ Night
every Thursday 6pm-close
• Free Pool • Free WiFi • Specialty Pizzas
iheck our Facebook page for daily specials and upcoming events
756 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-5841
• Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels • Finish Carpentry
• Ceramic Tile Work • Custom Home Construction
• Additions • Commercial Tenant Improvements
Jim Morrison, Jr.
General Contractor
CCB# 112057
Ph: (503) 429-0154
MorrisonRemodeling@hughes.net
Vernonia, OR 97064
• Licensed • Bonded • Insured
