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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2012)
ornamental gardening guide march Plant trees and shrubs. Prepare new areas for planting. Divide and plant perennials. Pull weeds before they flower and set seed. Fertilize just about everything unless you did it in February. Prune spring-flowering shrubs as blossoms fade. Protect new growth of bulbs and perennials from slugs. april Time to start new lawns, consider replacing lawns with xeriscaping. Watch for local plant sales. Plant perennials, gladiolus and hardy annuals. Feed bulbs while they are green and growing. Continue pruning spring-flowering shrubs. Shear ivy and heather. Cut old leaves off sword ferns. Trim lavender and sage after new growth begins. Check irrigation systems. may Plant dahlias and other tender bulbs. Plant perennials, annuals and container plants. Remove dead flowers from young rhodies. Water rhododendrons and bulbs liberally. Start aphid control — flush with water, spray insecticidal soap. Control slugs. Weed and mulch between plants. june Begin regular feeding of container plants. Prune rhododendrons and azaleas. Control aphids with water and insecticidal soap. Watch for cutworms and hand-pick! Stake summer-blooming perennials. Cut back those that have bloomed. Continue mulching. july Watering lawns is not essential but it helps dis- courage weeds. Prune broad-leafed evergreens. Watch for cutworms. Hand-pick or use BT. Shorten new growth on espaliered apples and pears. Deadhead early perennials. Stake tall perennials before they flop. Replenish mulches to hold moisture. august Water annuals liberally, in flower beds or pots. Dead-head perennials, roses. Remove diseased leaves from roses, rose beds. Groom and feed container plants regularly. Replant tired containers. Order spring-flowering bulbs. Remember to moisten compost piles. planting guide SPRING 2012 asparagus Cultivation: Plant 1- or 2-year-old crowns during March, spacing them 12 inches apart in trenches 8 inches deep. Hold off on harvesting spears during the first year for stronger plants the following year. Soil/Sun: Loose, rich, well-drained soil with a high pH. Full sun to partial shade. Suggested Varieties: Mary Washington, Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight. beans Cultivation: Sow seeds May-July, 1 inch deep, 3-4 inches apart, at the north end of the garden if possible. Space rows 12-24 inches. Thin pole beans to 8 inches; thin bush beans to 4-6 inches. Build trellis or pole support for pole beans before planting to avoid injuring roots. Do not soak or pre-sprout seeds. Treating seeds with a non-chemical legume inoculant will help plants add more nitrogen to the soil. Soil/Sun: Well-drained soil, pH 6.0-6.8, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Bush — Oregon Blue Lake, Tendercrop, Venture. Pole — Cascade Giant, Kentucky Wonder, Romano, Blue Lake Pole. Shelling: Jackson Wonder Lima, Montezuma Red, Cannellini. beets Cultivation: Sow seeds March-July 3/4 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Gradually thin to 5 inches by harvesting baby beets. Maintain consistent watering during dry weather. Soil/Sun: Loose, well-drained soil, pH 6.5-7. Beets don’t like acidic soil but will tolerate low fertility. Full sun to partial shade. Suggested Varieties: Globe: Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red. Cylindrical: Cyndor. Greens: Lutz Green Leaf, broccoli vegetable planting guide may Cultivation: Plant transplants March-July, spaced 12-20 inches apart. Don’t overuse nitrogen fertilizer. Needs plentiful, consistent watering. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Small Miracle, Shogun, Umpqua Dark Green. After May 15 (frost free date for our area , accord- ing to some souces. The Old Farmer's Almanac says April 22) you can sow squash and beans and plant out seedlings of tomato and pepper (protect from 40 degree nights! Cool temps can stunt plants). Hold off on planting basil till June 1! There’s still time to plant onion and shallot sets. You can still sow peas and parsley through May. Water garden if rainfall drops below an inch a week. 4-inch pots April 15 and plant out May 15, 18-24 inches apart. Needs plentiful, consistent watering. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Prince Marvel, Rubine, Vancouver. june cabbage Continue sowing squash and beans. Plant carrots (seed) and celery (transplants). Plant basil and other annual herb starts. Apply organic mulches while ground is moist. july Net blueberries if you want fruit! Prepare soil freed up by early vegetable crops; you can still sow lettuce, carrots, beans and chard. Plant broccoli and Brussels sprouts for fall harvest. august partial shade (shade may slow down bolting in summer crops). Suggested Varieties: China Express. carrots Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep, 1/4 inch apart, March-July 15. Thin to 2 inches. Do not use fresh manure or nitrogen fertilizer or you will get hairy roots. Keep soil moist during germination. Soil/Sun: Carrots require rich, loose, deeply- worked soil that is free of stones, pH 6.0-6.8 (slightly acidic soil is okay). Full sun to light shade. Suggested Varieties: Royal Chantenay (esp. for heavier soils), Scarlet Nantes, Nantes Bolero. cauliflower Cultivation: Plant 6-week-old transplants 24 inches apart after April 15. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Early Dawn, Snowball, Fremont. kale Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants May-July. Seeds should be 1/4-1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 12-18 inches. Drought-tolerant, but flavor suffers without plenty of watering. Flavor improves after a frost. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5. Full sun to light shade. Suggested Varieties: Tuscan, Redbor, Dwarf Siberian, Winterbor, Winter Red. kohlrabi Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants during April and celery Cultivation: Plant transplants 6-12 inches apart, April 15-June. Requires plenty of water. Soil/Sun: Rich soil, pH 6.0-7.0. Prefers full sun; will toler- ate poorly-drained soil. Suggested Varieties: Ventura, Golden Self-Blanching. corn Cultivation: Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 4-6 inches apart, April-June. Thin to 8-12 inches. Plant at least 4 rows of the same variety in a block to ensure adequate pollination. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-6.8, with full sun. Suggested Varieties: Early Sunglo, Seneca Horizon, Jubilee. cucumbers Cultivation: Sow seeds in June. Space seeds 2 inches apart in a row and thin to 12 inches, or plant 5-6 seeds in mounds spaced 3-5 feet apart and thin to 2 plants per mound. Grow on a trellis to save space. Provide consistent, plentiful moisture to prevent bitterness. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil with plenty of nitrogen, neutral pH, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Pickling: SMR 58. Slicing: Marketmore. brussels sprouts eggplant Cultivation: Sow seeds for transplants 1/4 inch deep in Cultivation: Plant transplants 18-24 inches apart in raised beds in June after nighttime temps remain above 45F (eggplants require warm days). Use a black plastic mulch to warm the soil. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic soil, full sun to partial shade. Suggested Varieties: Dusky, Bambino. Cultivation: Sow seeds for transplants 1/4 inch deep in endive, ehicory, escarole 4-inch pots before April 15 and plant out May 15, 18-24 inches apart. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Derby Day, Ruby Ball, Early Jersey Wakefield. Cultivation: Sow the seeds of these cool-season European greens 1/4 inch deep, 2 inches apart, April- August. Thin to 8-12 inches. Keep well-watered and shaded during warm weather to avoid bolting. Soil/Sun: Well-worked seedbed. Full sun to partial shade. Suggested Varieties: Arugula, Radicchio. chinese cabbage Don’t use supermarket cloves. Big cloves produce big bulbs, so don’t plant the skinny, small cloves — save them for cooking. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil (raised bed ideal) with full sun. Tolerates wide range of soil but prefers pH 6.2-6.8. Suggested Varieties: Oregon Blue, Spanish Roja, Purple Italian, Elephant. Cultivation: Plant transplants after May 15, 12-18 inches. garlic Closer spacings produce smaller, more flavorful heads. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun to Cultivation: Best planted in fall or February. Place cloves 2 inches deep, point up, 4-6 inches apart. Keep well-weeded. early May. (Late May plantings will mature in hot weather, producing dry, woody bulbs.) Seeds should be planted 1/2 inch deep, 1/4 inch apart. Final spacing should be 6-10 inches. Needs plenty of water; consistent moisture greatly improves germination. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun. Suggested Varieties: Superschmelz, Kongo, Grand Duke. leeks Cultivation: Sow seeds in March or plant transplants in April. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 4-6 inches. Plant leeks in trenches 8 inches deep and fill in soil as they grow to "blanch" the stems. Leeks require consistent watering for good yields. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil. Full sun to partial shade. Suggested Varieties: Giant Musselburg, King Richard. lettuce Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants April-August. Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 12 inches for head lettuce, 6 inches for leaf lettuce. Soil/Sun: Prefers loose, well-drained, cool soil, but will tolerate a wide range. Sensitive to acidity; prefers pH 6.2- 6.8. Full sun to partial shade. Suggested Varieties: Butterhead: Buttercrunch, Continuity, Optima. Leaf: Red Sails, Fire Mountain, Revolution. Crisphead, Summertime. Romaine: Cimarron, Valmaine. okra Cultivation: Sow seeds or plant transplants mid-May to mid-June. Soak seeds in warm water for 6-12 hours to improve germination, then sow 1/4-1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 12 inches. Soil/Sun: Rich, well-drained soil. Full sun. Suggested Varieties: Cajun Delight, Burgundy, Annie Oakley. onions Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants April-June. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep, 1/2 inch apart. Final spacing should be 4 inches for larger bulbs, 2 inches for smaller bulbs (and higher yields). Onions require consistent, even watering for good yields. Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.2-6.8. Full sun. Sow lettuce, mustard greens, turnips and spinach. 16 MARCH 8, 2012 EUGENE WEEKLY WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
