M f ' iwP- )"Xi •JUNES GARDEN'I In the last few years I have received gilts of lour guardian angels and 15 frogs. The angels don’t sing and the frogs don’t croak or eat bugs; they are made of concrete, sculptured clay, carved stone, metal, even plastic that resembles marble My dog, "Barker ”, thought they were real He barked at them when 1 placed them in different areas of the back yard 1 really needed four guardian angels; after all, who can have enough caretakers and I’ve found just the right places to hide the 15 frogs under the fronds ol Sword fern, various planters, etc. I also really do appreciate my gifts, but I realize I’d better be silent about liking chickens, cows, pigs or owls. My mother used to say, "Be careful of what you wish lor, it might come true,” but 1 don’t think she had angels and frogs in mind when she said that I have a friend who also caught the "lrog lever She bought a cement frog in England on a trip we made together visiting English gardens. The lrog wouldn't fit in her suitcase she carried it on her lap on the long flight home. She didn't confess to me it was “darn heavy,” until we reached Portland, but I envy her, as I wish I’d brought an English lrog home, to add to my collection When I visit her garden w e reminisce about the tour we took and the day she bought the cement frog in the gardens surrounding Hever Castle, and wish we could go back That’s one wish 1 don’t mind expressing. Who knows, next year I also might be carrying an English cement lrog in my lap all the thousands of miles back to my home. What’s one more frog hiding under the fronds ol my Sword fern. Question: When to plant seeds in the ground ’ Answer: The ground must be dry and triable Pick up a handful of dirt and crumble it and watch it tall to the ground. If it is sticky and doesn t crumble, the soil is still too damp to spade If it crumbles easily, then you can work the soil. It should be without lumps and consist of fine texture for the tiny seeds to germinate. When the soil is workable mix compost and dried chicken or steer commercial fertilizer before planting Be sure to mix thoroughly, as too much concentrated fertilizer will burn the plants The finer the seed, the less depth they should be worked in the ground Sprinkle the seed over the planted area, then use a hand rake to lightly rake in the seed, water the area gently but thoroughly with a fine spray to keep the soil damp throughout the process of grow th. After germination, be sure to thin each plant to produce healthy growth In raised beds the soil tends to warm up sooner and is less likely to hold the moisture from w inter’s rains. 1 was able to work compost into my raised beds in February and March, but I wait until April or May to plant most of my seeds. On the coast, where summers are not as hot as in the valley, many varieties of the pea family can be planted as late as April I’ve had edible peas and Sweet Peas produce blooms as late as the last ol August and parts of September When I tried planting them in February, as some seed packets suggested, the seeds rotted from heavy rainfalls. When you sow annual poppy seeds, tor a more extended "bloom time, divide the packaged seeds into four equal amounts and space out your plantings, one- fourth each week This will give you more continuous blooms. Once they produce their blooms, they soon will have finished their growth cycle I tried this with a package of Shirley poppies and had extended blooms for weeks I don’t dead head all the blooms, but allow some to ripen to harvest and save the seeds for next year’s crops. This year I vow to thin out all the seeds that sprout in my garden. I know this should be done to grow healthier plants Last year someone sent me a variety of what she called “Mary's poppies” and all ol them sprouted I was hesitant to thin the hundreds of plants, because the package said there were many dillcrent colors. They were growing so tightly together, I had only spindly plants. Fortunately a few did grow to be stronger and I was able to save a few seeds Again I say, do thin out . you’ll have greater success! A successful gardener was quoted, “Always plant seeds when the moon is full 1 did try this, but my seeds sprouted w hether I planted them during the time there was a crescent moon or a full moon, but you might experiment. She certainly has great success Be sure to read the instructions on the seed packets, but there is a question I would like answered All packets give the suggested time of planting, such as after the last frost or before the first Irost lor tall planting. This doesn t seem to be much help some years, unless you have a direct line to nature oi somew here out of the heavens Mother Nature speaks and says, “This will be the last frost,” or “Next week we arc going to have a dandy Irost on Octobei 4th Do you have a direct line’’ I’d really like to hear from readers w ho enjoy gardening Please send your comments and questions to Ju n e’s G ard en , P.O. Box 74. Cannon Beach, O R ^XprjijL lii'TSnts m R . ' a - s. i j , dmviy QjnV 3iHx 5 ^+ Sepoilta ............. often, •' \ ' VA^ t- *fe. J P * “ : - (*[arsK • I • ; Co6+Sy paAÀIe. CeeAs, hz Surface Vo Çeeâ. o«x V*tàfs\ A l l e r s ¡ncbAlnq t V •rV . U àttf'VjecWs U bf^i inA 5m»liplinfe * sà 4 V ___,4,______'___ ________ a ' r‘ •'- . Cookies • Cinnamon Rolls • Muffins • Espresso • Pizza by the Slice Cheri Lerma 239 N. Hemlock P.O. 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Box 426 CANNON BEACH, OR Licensed & Bonded #89168 Philip Thompson 1 * architect Personalized custom designs for your unique site a r c h ite c tu r e & e n v iro n m e n ta l p la n n in g 25925 N.W. St. Helens Rd., Scappoose, OR 97056 Oregon State University Extension Service MASTER GARDENER SPRING GARDEN SEMINAR April 20, 1996 Astoria Middle School 1100 Klaskamne, Astoria 8:30am - 2:00pm Cost: $7.50 Section A Section B Section C 9:00 Heirloom Gardens Erica Caulkins Plant Propagation Jerry Eaddis Herbs Emmy Roach 10:45 Garden Layouts Beth Holland Composting Happens Wes Lawson 12:30 Sensible Pruning Jim Pomeroy One section Only -- Gardening With Perennials - Mike Smith Pre-registration is recommended Class size may be limited in sections B & C. Refreshments will be available For further information call Clatsop County Extention at 1-503-325-8573. Box 502. N Hemlock S t Cannon Beach. Oregon 97110 5 03 436 ?M 1 > *1 News is anything the makes a woman say, “For heaven's sake!” Edgar Watson Howe, 1853-1937 WhiteOird & h l | . tcAs /* I / Y /* (503) 543-2000 97110. Iki -ÎW Utfttt t i n LhSt AfWL rtfi 3