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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 2018)
8 in other words may17 2018 Diggin’ in the Dirt: Why OSU Tomatoes Do Well in Our Climate By Chip Bubl Oregon State University Extension Service - Columbia County Bee class There will be another bee class at the OSU Extension office in St. Hel- ens (505 N. Columbia River Highway) on Monday, May 21 at 6:30 pm. The class will focus on the Varroa mite, its biology, treatments, and options for the future. The class is free and open to all. Field to Market workshop Dream of producing a value- added food product for sale? No idea where to start? “Field to Market” is for you. Learn from experts about Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) regu- lations, recipe selection, labeling guide- lines, pH testing, record-keeping, and pricing. Learn about research-based pro- cessing techniques. Who should attend? Fruit and vegetable farmers and other food entrepreneurs interested in produc- ing value-added products and those al- ready producing a product and seeking additional guidance. Details of the farm direct value-added law also will be dis- cussed. Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2018 1-4 pm. OSU/Columbia County Exten- sion Office in St. Helens at 505 N. Co- lumbia River Highway. Registration fee: $25/person, $40/couple (includes snacks and resources). Scholarships available. For more information, call our office at (503) 397-3462. To register go to https:// tinyurl.com/field-market-5-30-18 Why OSU-bred tomatoes do well in cool and hot weather Most fruit (whether it is an ap- ple, tomato, or squash) is formed in re- sponse to flower pollination. Hormones from seeds create the fleshy ovary that surrounds them. There are some excep- tions. Bartlett pears can set some fruit without pollination as can the figs we grow here. But these are unusual. Cer- tain varieties of vegetable fruits of toma- toes, peppers, and cucumbers have iden- tified genetic mutations that allow them to produce fruit without fertilization and seed formation. It is called parthenocar- py. This gene complex has been selected by plant breeders over the years to as- sist in the production of greenhouse to- matoes, peppers, and cucumbers where pollination is challenging. But it is also a valuable trait for outdoor tomatoes grown in cooler cli- mates, like the Pacific Northwest. Stan- dard tomato varieties don’t set fruit well if temperatures drop to < 50˚ F. Flowers simply drop off. But parthenocarpic to- matoes will set fruit in these cooler tem- peratures. They have been part of the OSU breeding program that produced such varieties as Oregon Spring, Siletz, Santiam, Legend, and others. One of the original breeding lines came from Rus- sia. The first fruits produced by these varieties will have few seeds if the tem- Fishing is Free June 2-3 in Oregon Learn to fish at events statewide It’s free to fish, crab, or clam in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3. During these two days, no fish- ing licenses or tags (including a Com- bined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement) are required to fish, crab, or clam anywhere in Oregon for both residents and non-residents. Although no licenses or tags are re- quired, all other fishing regulations ap- ply including closures, bag limits, and size restrictions. Look for the best opportunities in ODFW’s Weekly Recreation Report, which is updated every Wednesday. Oregon State Parks are also free to visit on June 2-3, with day-use parking fees waived both days and free camping on Saturday, June 2 (an $8 reservation is required to guarantee a camping spot). ODFW and partners are also hosting a number of fishing events around the state. Volunteer angler edu- cation instructors will be loaning out fishing gear and giving tips on how to catch and clean fish at most events. For more details and contact information for these events, visit https://myodfw. com/articles/2018-free-fishing-days- and-events. peratures have been cool but as the sea- son progresses, seeds return as normal fertilization processes take over. But what if it gets very hot like it did last year (or like it can in a hoop- house)? I had many complaints that to- matoes simply stopped growing during last summer’s heat waves. This is where it gets interesting. Many tomato varieties won’t set much fruit above about 85˚F (picky, this vegetable is) but many of those that can set fruit in low tempera- tures can also set in high temperatures. Our OSU vegetable breeder, Dr. Jim Myers, has heard that Oregon Spring has done well in the 100˚+ F tempera- tures of an Arizona summer. It might be worth including some of these varieties in your garden for their adaptability to both low and high temperatures. Some good choices would be Oregon Spring, Glacier, and Stupice (not OSU selec- tions) and Legend. Garden topics Spring is here, at least as this is being written. But with the roller coaster ride we have been on, nothing is sure. Vernonia’s average last 32˚ frost date has passed, but that doesn’t guarantee there still won’t be one. Watch your weather forecasts and protect frost tender plants if a frost is possible. Here are some inter- esting figures on minimum and preferred soil temperatures for planting and the minimum and optimum air temperatures for growth: Minimum soil temperatures for planting (˚F) Snap beans 48-50˚F Corn 60-65 Peas 34-36 Peppers 55-60 Potatoes 39-41 Tomatoes 50-55 Carrot 39-41 Eggplant 55-60 Note that all of these seeds will germinate and emerge more quickly with soil temperatures 15-20˚ higher than the minimum. Minimum and optimal air tem- peratures for best growth Snap beans 50 80-85 Corn 50 80-85 Peas 45 55-70 Peppers 60 70-80 Potato 45 50-65 Tomatoes 50-60 65-80 Cucumber 50 75-85 Fruit trees are having a tremen- dous return bloom after so little fruit last year. Fruit set looks to be excellent. If you treat for codling moth and the apple maggot, you will want to start spraying by early June. I think products contain- ing spinosad (some organic labels) are the best bet for the home gardener. The active ingredient is produced by a micro- organism cultivated to extract the mate- rial. Slug pressure will increase as the weather warms. Mating and egg laying will set the stage for much larger popula- tions. This is the time to trap, bait, slice with a hoe, or eliminate them with what- ever your preferred method of control is. Be careful with the “metaldehyde” baits so that dogs or even cats won’t consume them. The iron phosphate baits (Sluggo and others) are far less toxic but, in my experience, will be eaten by birds. We have used row covers over baited areas for several days to allow more slug and less bird consumption of baits. Several other “metaldehyde-alternative” baits are showing up. They are based on sul- fur or a ferric sulfur compound. They are said to be as safe as the iron phosphate baits. Effectiveness of the ferric/sulfur material is good but the sulfur alone may be less effective. 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. Free newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gar- dening and farming topics (called Coun- try 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 notification of when to find the latest edition on the web at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/colum- bia/. Contact information for the Extension office 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 FOR TOWING EMERGENCIES IN AND AROUND THE VERNONIA AREA VERNONIA C H I RO P R AC T I C C L I N I C, I NC. 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