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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2016)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL July 13, 2016 11A Plant fall crops while enjoying summer’s bounty BY KIM POKORNY OSU Extension Service A s we settle in at the groaning table of sum- mer’s harvest, savvy gardeners pause long enough to consider the coming season. “Most folks are familiar with and love summer vegetables, but if you want to maximize your food and nutrition, then growing fall crops is a great strategy,” said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. The window of opportunity for planting those crops is short - as daylight decreases, it be- comes harder and harder to hit it right. So begin now to tuck seeds or transplants into the soil. “Yes, it is hot, and it might seem counterintuitive to plant now, but if you want to harvest in fall, it’s got to be now,” Miller said. “You just have to take steps to mitigate the heat.” Plant in morning or evening and make sure to monitor the soil closely so it doesn’t dry out. Water daily, twice if it’s espe- cially hot. Concentrate your ef- forts on the top couple of inches of soil where seeds are germi- nating and the small root sys- tems of new plants are getting off to a start. If the weather turns scorching hot, you may have to resort to shade cloth or Reemay, a very lightweight fabric that allows light and water through but helps keep plants from burning. Some crops don’t mind having the cloth placed right on top; more tender crops like lettuces and other greens might appre- ciate having it propped up on the same type of wire or plastic hoops used to make cloches or cold frames. Or get creative and design your own way of holding up the cloth a few inches above the plants. As you get ready to plant, add about ¼-inch of compost and some organic fertilizer to the soil. Both break down faster in the heat of summer soil than in cooler months and make nutri- ents available quicker than usual, Miller said. After planting, use a water-soluble fertilizer like fi sh emulsion on the transplants to get them well established. Whether to plant seeds or transplants depends on the crop and, to some extent, how you’re going to use it. Plants that do best directly seeded include carrots, parsnips, beets, radish, mustard and arugula. Many crops like kale, chard and let- tuce can be sown heavily for “cut and come again” greens. Cut the greens above the crown of the plant when the leaves reach 4-6 inches. You can get two to three cuttings if you give them plenty of water and some fi sh emulsion after each cutting. All other crops can and should be transplanted for best success. Look for high-quality plants that aren’t root-bound, stunted or off-color. Once you get the new plants in the ground, don’t dawdle on weed control. Weed once a week for four weeks to keep weeds from competing for wa- ter and nutrients as plants get established. Miller recommends allocat- ing half of your garden space for typical summer crops like tomatoes, beans and cucumber and the other half for cool sea- son crops like kale, scallions, carrots, beets and lettuce. “That will give you the most from your garden,” he said. Weston Miller’s guide for fall planting DIRECT SEED July: carrots, beets, scal- lions, radish, cutting greens Early August: carrots, beets, scallions, spinach Late August: radish, cutting greens, arugula TRANS- PLANTS Mid-July through August: kale, head lettuce, chard, cabbage, caulifl ower, broc- coli, kohlrabi, leeks, onion JULY 18th at Bohemia Park Th e Eugene Symphony brings its beloved summer concert series to Cottage Grove. Enjoy Classical, pop and historical favorites including works by Dvorak, Weber, Suppe, Tchaikovsky and Sousa. All this entertainment is the result of generous contributions from local businesses and individuals. Everyone can play a role in bringing the Symphony to Cottage Grove. We have “Music in Bohemia Park” buttons for sale. All the proceeds from the button sales goes to bring the Symphony to Cottage Grove. Buttons are $5.00 each and if you wear your button to the Symphony performance on Monday, July 18th you get a free raffl e ticket for great prizes. Prizes are an overnight stay at the Oregon Gardens; tickets to the Eugene Symphony’s opening performance in September or a visit to Bochetta Day Spa. Buttons can be purchased at City Hall, Library/Community Center or Middlefi eld Golf Course. Join us for a lovely evening of music INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO 5:30pm musicians with the Eugene Symphony will be at the Bohemia Park Pavilion. Th e Instrument Petting Zoo provides a hands-on experience with instruments from the symphony. It is open to all ages but youth and children are encouraged to try out instruments. COMMUNITY BAND 6:30pm the Community Band are local musicians that join together during the summer. #INSTABALLET 6:50pm to create and perform with some assistance from members of the community a special ballet just for Cottage Grove. EUGENE SYMPHONY 7:30pm the will take the stage and begin their performance. Bring a picnic or visit a food vendor. Sponsored by the Bohemia Park Foundation, the City of Cottage Grove and many generous sponsors
