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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2015)
Polk County Living 8A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • October 7, 2015 Bulbs for colorful spring bloom When it comes to plants, bulbs are about as easy as it gets. “You plant them in fall, they grow over winter, flour- ish in spring and go dor- mant in summer,” said Heather Stoven, a horticul- turist with Oregon State University’s Extension Serv- ice. “Once they’re in the ground, they do quite well over multiple years with lit- tle maintenance.” On top of that, bulbs are drought-tolerant. “That’s one of the great things about them,” she said. “Since they go dormant in summer, they don’t need to be watered.” If you plan to intermingle bulbs with perennials or place them near shrubs, pair with plants that don’t need much irrigation, Stoven said. Or, if the area does get regular water, make sure the soil drains well. Bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinth are planted in fall because they need some time to get their roots going before pushing up to put on a spring show. Although Oc- tober and November are ideal for planting, bulbs can go into the ground until mid-December. When shelling out money for bulbs, make sure you choose large ones. The big- ger the bulb, the bigger the bloom, Stoven said. Also, avoid those with mold or soft spots, which signal rot. Plant as soon as possible, but if something comes up to delay you, store bulbs in a cool, dim place such as an unlit garage. MILESTONES Morgan — 95th K YM P OKORNY Your Garden Before heading to the gar- den center, make a plan. Decide on color combina- tions. Do a little research so that you can choose early, mid- and late-blooming va- rieties for a longer display. Think about what to plant together — a mix of differ- ent types of bulbs is an at- tractive option. As you get ready to plant, dig holes to fit multiple bulbs rather than planting one at a time. The effect is more natural. “Groupings are really nice,” Stoven said. “You’ll get a mass of color.” When digging the hole, it’s best to follow directions on the package for planting depth, but a general rule of thumb is three times as deep as the bulb is wide. Add some organic material — compost, well-rotted ma- nure or mulch — to the bot- tom of the hole, place bulb pointed side up and cover with soil. Adding fertilizer is not necessary, but if you feel compelled, use super phos- phate or a low-concentrated product labeled for bulbs, Stoven said. There’s no need to dig bulbs up after flowering, but letting the foliage turn brown and die back is a good idea so that the nutri- ents contained in the leaves return to the bulb and it can start the cycle once again. OSU EXTENSION/for the Itemizer-Observer Fritillaria (F. imperialis), bell-shaped lowers in orange or yellow hang in clusters from single stems up to 5 feet tall. Here are Stoven’s recom- mendations for uncommon spring-blooming bulbs: Fawn lily (Erythronium oregonum) — An Oregon native wildflower with dain- ty, nodding white or yellow- ish flowers and brown- stained leaves. Doesn’t mind shade and looks invit- ing in a woodland setting. Grecian windflower (Anemone blanda) — Deli- cate, star-like flowers come in blue, white and pink on frilly foliage that melts away soon after bloom is over. Best used in a mass. “Blue is especially nice to have as a contrast to yellow daffodils,” Stoven said. Allium — Part of the gar- lic family, this deer-resistant bulb puts up a stem with one ball-shaped flower, usu- ally in shades of purple, pink and blue, more infre- quently white. Sizes vary widely from the 10-inch flowers of ‘Globemaster’ to the tiny pops of one-inch drumstick alliums. Fritillaria — Another group of bulbs with wide variation. On crown imperi- al fritillaria (F. imperialis), bell-shaped flowers in or- ange or yellow hang in clus- ters from single stems up to 5 feet tall. The much-small- er native checker lily (F. affi- nis) has dark purple flowers spotted irregularly with yel- low. Species tulips — Just like their big siblings, but short- er, hardier and longer last- ing. These bulbs will seed themselves so they’ll natu- ralize and give years of en- joyment. For more informa- tion on the group, check out a fact sheet from OSU Ex- tension. MI TOWN P ATTY T AYLOR D UTCHER Columnist — When I was privileged to work at, and attend, several universities here in Oregon, what impressed me so much was the sense of safe- ty and security, a place of peace and learning and fun, of athletics and music and plays and parties, all of the good things of growing and learning. We do not think of people packing guns and shooting and killing inno- cents for no reason whatso- ever. That our kids and grandkids and neighbor kids would be in harm’s way on a small college campus in Roseburg, Ore., is almost beyond our capacity to comprehend. And we so sincerely wish we did not have to, ever. — In the days and weeks to come, there will be all kinds of theories and speculation — people will wonder how this kind of thing can hap- pen on a college campus, a place that is supposed to be dedicated to higher educa- tion and learning, a place where students of all ages can learn about their world, about careers, about meet- ing people from other com- munities, other cultures and other nations. It should not be a place where students have to learn survival skills — if they are lucky. College should be a place where youth can make the transi- tion to adulthood, where veterans can return from wars half a world away to go to school in a secure and safe environment. It should never be a place where fear can rule; it should not be a place where harm and dan- ger would prevail. — Um p q u a Co m m u n i t y College is in a beautiful community in Oregon. Roseburg has all the good things that would attract students and teachers, a place where fishing and hunting and hiking and all forms of outdoor recreation is welcome. It is not a place where parents should ever be told their beloved kids have been murdered on a beautiful, autumn day in the happiest and best times of their lives. — May God be good to those who have died far too young, and may angels wrap their wings around those whose lives will never be the same. Ever again. Offering the HIGHEST QUALITY LANDSCAPING Sat. Oct. 10 • Fresh Apple Cider $5 Gallon • Apple Desserts for Sale • Tours 10am to 3pm LCB#8907 We send away our chil- dren and grandchildren to begin their adult lives. It could be to the community college across town or a large university across the United States, to a technical school, or to join the mili- tary. We send them off with love and tears, with hopes and dreams, and go back to our regular lives and rou- tines. — On a beautiful autumn day, with leaves turning col- ors and college football games happening all over our country, and especially in MI Town, none of us were anticipating listening to the President of the United States offer prayers and con- dolences to family and friends because their chil- dren and friends’ lives were taken in yet another series of murders on a college campus. & Irrigation Products & Services VETERAN OWNED 503-623-6251 Polk County Historical Society Thompson Abigail Ann Thompson was born to Richard and Denise Thompson, of Dallas, at 6:36 a.m. on Sept. 25 at Salem Hospital Family Birth Center. She weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 21 inches long. Abigail is the couple’s first child. Grandparents are Roger and Lori Sebern, of Dallas; and Don and Sharon Thompson, of Keizer. Jones Rylee Kathleen Jones was born to Lee and Chelsie Jones, of Dallas, at 9:34 p.m. on Sept. 30 at Salem Hospital Family Birth Center. She weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 19.75 inches long. Rylee is the couple’s first child. Grandparents are Jeff and Janice Bahr, of Hazelton, Kan., and Ron and Liz Jones of Silverton. Great-grandparents are Joe and Mildred Frieden, of Kiowa, Kan.; Eileen Bahr, of Gridley, Kan.; and Barbara Moser, of Silverton. PEDEE NEWS Last Thurs- d a y, D i a n e Telfer, who with her hus- band, Paul, volunteers for the Red Cross, got back from a 16-day deployment near Napa Valley, Calif., where she was staying in a shelter near Middle Town, north of Calistoga. She worked on disaster assessment for the 80,000-acre “Valley Fire,” which killed four people and burned 1,200 homes to the ground. They worked long days, often up to 14 hours, driving the area and verifying addresses of the homes that burned. She was shocked at the devas- tation a fire like this can cause. — Through careful sleuthing, Pedee Church did discover who stole their musical instruments. They were found half way across the United States where po- lice apprehended the thief and recovered most of the instruments, when the thief tried to sell them on Craig’s List. At this point, insur- ance money is being used to replace necessary RLENE items since it may take OVASH a while to get them Columnist back across the country as they are released by the police and insurance companies. — A young man in Pedee is looking for a cheap but re- liable car to drive to work in Dallas. If anyone has one they are willing to sell, please contact me at Ko- vasha@gmail.com or 503- 838-3512 and I will pass the word along. Looks don’t matter at this point in his life. — Daniel and Heidi Rus- sell both had birthdays the last week September, so the church had a surprise birthday dinner for them. Well, almost a surprise. This was Daniel’s 40th birthday so the crowd was big. Daniel is a gifted speaker, so I invite you to visit the church sometime and hear what he has to say. No obligation. Wor- ship service is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. A K Furniture Upholstery Historic 5705 Salem-Dallas Hwy (22W) BIRTHS Marion & Polk HBA Members at the BRUNK HOUSE Norma L. Morgan of Dallas will celebrate her 95th birthday at 2 p.m. on Oct. 11 with her family and friends at her daughter’s home in Dallas. She was born in Healds- burg, Calif., on Oct. 11, 1920. She has lived in the Polk County area the last 20 years, and Milwaukie before that. She worked in Treasure Island, Calif., during World War II as a time checker, and also had worked in retail at Lip- man’s in Salem. She retired from doing the janitorial service at Paul Koch Volk- swagen in Milwaukie. Norma enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys watching old movies, writing let- ters, and sending current and old pictures to relatives. Her family includes her late husband Harold H. (Arch) Morgan and her children, Larry and Rosi Morgan, of La- Center, Wash., Dennis Morgan, of Dallas; and Janet Gilbert, of Dallas. She has three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Serving Western Oregon Since 1992 All types: for homes, offices, equip- ment. Also, repairs, RV cushions, slipcovers, High Quality since 1966 Stephen John Gimby, Owner/Operator 971-338-3124 Winters Sewing omegalandscapemaintenance.com/services 503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266 Emmy Joseph 440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351 www.winterssewing.com Serving Polk County 16yrs A Pleasant Place to Buy or Sell Your RV CALL TODAY FOR A NO-CHARGE EVALUATION. OPEN K! WEE 7 DAYS A • Sat 9-5 Mon-Fri 9-6 -4 Sun 10 Rick 503-437-5398 Ruben 503-915-2080 4075 NE Three Mile Lane, McMinnville, OR www.macrvsales.com Next to the Spruce Goose Aviation Museum macrvsales@gmail.com Itemizer-Observer RECYCLE A little effort. A big difference. Visit our website, www.polkio.com for local news, sports and community events. What’s YOUR neighbor up to? Find out in the Itemizer-Observer. You may find your neighbor, your boss, your friend or yourself in the pages of the Itemizer-Observer. Local stories on local people—that’s our specialty.
