P2 THE SPOKESMAN • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021
GARDENING COLUMN
Native plants are the best plants for Central Oregon
BY LIZ DOUVILLE
For The Spokesman
E
very year for the past 20 plus years, I start
watching my forsythia bush for fattening
buds. Then I look over to the emerging
daffodils. Why? I need to have the visual that
phenology is still in place and the world hasn’t
gone “to heck in a handbasket” over the winter.
Phenology is the study of the cyclic relation-
ship between climate, plant and animal life. In
the case of the forsythia/daffodil relationship
it has been the same time clock over the years.
First, the forsythia blooms followed by the daffo-
dils blooming within two weeks.
In the mid-west, the old-time farmers
watched for “when the oak leaves are the size
of a squirrel’s ear,” as the indicator to sow their
corn. Another was “when apple trees shed their
petals it is time to sow corn.” With soil science
information becoming more available to the
home gardener, we have learned that proper soil
temperature is what drives seed germination.
Some seeds do germinate at soil temperatures
of 45 to 50 degrees. However, the crops most
gardeners want in their summer vegetable gar-
den: tomatoes, corn, cukes, beans, require the
optimum soil temperature of 75 degrees for in-
ground seed planting. The moral of the story: If
you want success, buy a soil thermometer.
Now that I am assured spring gardening in
Central Oregon is on its normal path, I will con-
tinue on with my yearly shopping list of perenni-
als. That’s the list that usually starts in the middle
of winter when you are suffering from insomnia
123RF
Forsythia shrubs grow well in Central Oregon.
and you get out of bed and look at a nursery cat-
alog. By the time April arrives, the wants and de-
sires list is extensive and needs to drastically be
cut back. That’s hard to do when you want it all.
The sensible and economical process is to
think about and make a list of what your crite-
ria are for your landscaping plants. I have the
“friendly five” deer that visit almost daily. Need-
less to say, I look for deer resistance knowing
full well they will probably nibble, especially the
young ones, but won’t have a feast. Also high on
my list is a low-water requirement. These two
criteria limit the choices somewhat but it does
make the best use of my landscaping budget.
The selections increase when I refer and sort
through the native plants for Central Oregon
that are available and will meet my desire for
color and texture.
Desert sweet, chamaebatiariar millefolium, a
deciduous shrub listed on the Native Plant for
Central Oregon list is one that I am planning on
adding this year.
Desert sweet is also known as fernbush for its
fern-like leaf appearance. The small shrub pro-
duces white flowers that are sweetly aromatic. In
addition to the aromatic flowers, the leaves have a
sticky quality which is also a deer deterrent feature.
The preferred growing condition for the irreg-
ular, un-kept-looking shrub is in full sun. Desert
Sweet is listed in the OSU publication “Water-wise
Gardening in Central Oregon,” EM 9136.
I will also be looking for agastache berberi or
hummingbird mint, which is considered to be a
magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. This
group has many common names. Humming-
bird mint and anise hyssop are two of the more
hardy varieties. I have ‘golden jubilee’ anise hys-
sop, which has overwintered in a planter for at
least five years.
Salvias are on my list for their pollinator qual-
ity and attraction for bees. The varieties are cold
hardy, deer resistant, and listed on the water-wise
plant list. With the exception of “east friesland,”
most varieties will not reseed. The plant benefits
by deadheading to encourage a second bloom.
The air temperatures may be going the full
range of unpredictable spring weather but plant
growth is happening. Every day I discover some-
thing new has popped out of the soil. The alli-
ums are showing strong growth which reminds
me to add more bulbs to the fall shopping list.
The lists never end.
Resources: Selecting native plants for home
landscapes in Central Oregon, https://catalog.
extension.oregonstate.edu/ec 1623
e e
Reporter: douville@bendbroadband.com
POLICE & FIRE REPORT
The Spokesman will update items in
the Police Log when such a request is
received. Any new information, such as
the dismissal of charges or acquittal, must
be verifiable. For more information, call
541-548-2185.
Redmond Police Department
March 29
Burglary — An arrest was made on
suspicion of burglary following a pursuit
at 12:11 a.m. in the 400 block of SW Forest
Avenue. The suspect was also charged
with criminal mischief, theft from a
building, interfering with a police officer
and a probation or parole violation.
Criminal mischief — An act of criminal
mischief was reported at 3:18 p.m. in the
2700 block of NW Elm Avenue.
Thefts — Thefts were reported at:
9:47 a.m. in the 400 block of SW Veterans
Way.
12:26 p.m. in the 300 block of NW Oak
Tree Lane.
2:18 p.m. in the 200 block of SW Pumice
Avenue.
3:44 p.m. in the 700 block of SW Kalama
Avenue.
March 30
DUII — Jacob Craig Rehmer, 37, of
Redmond was arrested on suspicion of
driving under the influence of intoxicants
at 8:04 p.m. in the area of SW Ninth Street
and SW Evergreen Avenue, and was
also charged with hit and run property
damage and reckless driving.
March 31
Criminal mischief — Acts of criminal
mischief were reported at:
8:38 a.m. in the 4100 block of SW Rhyolite
Place.
10:30 a.m. in the 4500 block of SW Elkhorn
Avenue.
Thefts — Thefts were reported at:
9:54 a.m. in the 100 block of SW 10th Street.
1:30 p.m. in the 700 block of NW Sixth Street.
7:03 p.m. in the 800 block of NE Oak Place.
Vehicle crashes — Noninjury accidents
were reported at:
2:02 p.m. in the area of SW Fifth Street and
SW Black Butte Boulevard.
CROSSWORD
3:43 p.m. in the 900 block of SW Veterans
Way.
April 1
Criminal mischief — An act of criminal
mischief was reported at 2:04 p.m. in the
4500 block of SW Elkhorn Avenue.
DUII — Phillip Royce Metcalf II, 48, of
Redmond was arrested on suspicion of
driving under the influence of intoxicants
at 7:07 p.m. in the area of SW Fourth Street
and SW Evergreen Avenue, and was also
charged with driving while suspended or
with a revoked license and was arrested
on an in-state warrant.
Thefts — Thefts were reported at:
2:15 p.m. in the 900 block of SE Fourth
Court.
2:59 p.m. in the 900 block of SW Veterans
Way.
4:57 p.m. in the 3300 block of NW Birch
Avenue.
6:30 p.m. in the 800 block of NW Popular
Avenue.
7:24 p.m. in the 1600 block of NW Larch
Avenue.
7:42 p.m. in the 1000 block of NW Teak
Avenue.
April 2
Thefts — Thefts were reported at:
9:43 a.m. in the 900 block of SW 13th
Street.
2:42 p.m. in the 600 block of NW Hemlock
Avenue.
Unauthorized use — A vehicle was
reported stolen at 11:34 p.m. in the 2900
block of S. U.S. Highway 97, and an arrest
made. The suspect was also charged with
reckless driving, reckless endangering and
resisting arrest.
Vehicle crash — A noninjury accident was
reported at 12:02 p.m. in the area of SW
27th Street and SW Highland Avenue.
April 3
Criminal mischief — An act of criminal
mischief was reported at 12:27 p.m. in the
1900 block of SW Reindeer Avenue.
Theft — A theft was reported at 9:28 a.m.
in the 3100 block of SW Salmon Place.
April 4
Hit-and-run — A hit-and-run incident was
reported at 5:14 p.m. in the 2000 block of
SW Canyon Drive.
Thefts — Thefts were reported at:
7:44 p.m. in the 1200 block of SW 28th
Street.
9:06 p.m. in the 1000 block of SW Cascade
Avenue.
11:09 p.m. in the 1300 block of NE Fifth Street.
Redmond Fire Runs
March 29
5:30 p.m. Building fire, 4280 Northwest
Way.
March 30
1:44 p.m. Unauthorized burning, 481 SW
Helmholtz Way.
March 31
6:32 a.m. Motor vehicle accident,
noninjury, in the area of N. U.S. Highway
97, Terrebonne.
4:54 p.m. Motor vehicle accident with
injury, in the area of NW Lower Bridge
Way, Terrebonne.
6:58 p.m. Natural vegetation fire, 835 E.
state Highway 126.
April 1
SUDOKU
10:36 a.m. Authorized controlled burning,
3836 SW Highland Ave.
12:13 p.m. Unauthorized burning, 10803
NW 27th St., Terrebonne.
12:48 p.m. Natural vegetation fire, in
the area of SW Helmholtz Way and SW
Wickiup Avenue.
1:25 p.m. Natural vegetation fire, 7171 SW
Quarry Ave.
5:51 p.m. Barkdust fire, in the area of SW
Veterans Way and SW Canal Boulevard.
April 2
10:54 a.m. Authorized controlled burning,
in the area of Old Bend-Redmond
Highway and 93rd Street, Bend.
2:58 p.m. Brush or brush-and- grass
mixture fire, 875 SE Veterans Way.
3:40 p.m. Authorized controlled burning,
7821 SW Canal Blvd.
April 4
4:21 p.m. Special outside fire, 7531 NE
First St.
March 29-April 4: 74 Medical aid or
transfer calls
WEATHER
Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every
3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9, with no repeats.
FORECAST
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
LAST WEEK
HIGH
LOW
57
62
69
75
80
76
70
28
31
33
37
41
39
38
HIGH
LOW
Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
Partly cloudy
Partly cloudy
PRECIP
Monday, April 5
55
17
0
Tuesday, April 6
71
21
0
Wednesday, April 7
68
24
0
Thursday, April 8
51
24
T
Friday, April 9
65
20
0
Saturday, April 10
50
33
T
Sunday, April 11
53
26
0
Precipitation to date this year: 1.17 inches
* = daily record
National Weather Service broadcasts are on 162.50 mhz.
Answers on Page 6
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