Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 10, 2016 9A
Get help selecting, planting a tree
Like building a house,
planting a tree takes re-
search and planning or the
investment can come tum-
bling down.
But if selected, sited and
planted correctly, a tree be-
stows a lifetime of enjoy-
ment and value.
To help people succeed,
Oregon State University Ex-
tension Service has intro-
duced a slick, new app for
iOS and Android users
called Selecting, Planting
and Caring for a New Tree.
The free app hits your
tablets just as tree-planting
season gets serious. Home-
owners without tablets
aren’t left behind. A down-
loadable publication — also
free — is available, too.
The “A New Tree” app, as
it’s known for short, will give
you everything you need to
know in a touch of the finger
to choose and care for a tree
and, perhaps most impor-
tantly, how to match one to
your site. It’s a matter of
“right tree, right place,” said
Paul Ries, an urban and
community forestry special-
ist for OSU Extension.
“It comes down to the ap-
propriate species selection
for the location,” he ex-
plained. “You’ve got to give
them room to grow. Don’t
just pick a tree because it’s
pretty and then decide
where to plant it. That will
get you into trouble in the
future because it’s too big
for the site or in soil that’s
too dry or too wet or other-
wise inappropriate.”
Authored by Ries and
Steve Fitzgerald, Extension
forestry specialist, the app
Your
Garden
makes life easy with videos,
step-by-step graphics, illus-
trations and full-color pho-
tos.
“Typically people think to
buy a tree for a specific rea-
son,” said “It can be shade,
fall color, flowers. But the
amazing thing is that trees
never just give the benefits
you plant them for.”
One advantage people
often don’t consider is the
increased value trees bring
to their property. Research
shows that a house with
trees is worth 7 to 20 percent
more than a similar one next
door without trees, accord-
ing to Ries. The money
saved on heating and cool-
ing can be significant, too. A
well-planted shade tree
blocks sun in summer to
cool a home, while allowing
in winter sun to heat the
house.
Aesthetics and savings
aren’t the only reasons to
add a tree to your property,
however. Hardworking trees
help prevent flooding by in-
tercepting rainwater and
slowing it down. They also
clean the air by removing
carbon dioxide and releas-
ing oxygen. Conifers pro-
vide wind breaks.
For all of those reasons,
Ries encourages a well-
planned investment in a tree
and offers advice on how to
plant it.
PHOTO from Flickr by halfrain
Trees are valuable investments in the future so get them
of to a good start with a new interactive app from OSU
Extension.
Dig a hole that’s two to
three times the width of the
tree’s root ball, but only
deep enough for the root
ball to sit about 2 inches
above the ground. A wide
hole will allow better root
growth and is especially im-
portant in compacted soil.
The hole should be the
same width at the top and
bottom.
Use a shovel or other tool
to roughen the sides of the
hole, which will allow roots
to grow into surrounding
soil and discourage
girdling. Remove any roots
or debris.
Be sure to remove twine
from trees wrapped in
burlap.
Tamp down soil in the
bottom of the hole. Place
tree in the hole, making
sure it sits above ground by
at least 2 inches to allow for
settling. The biggest mis-
take people make, Ries
noted, is to plant a tree too
deep.
Fill in hole with the soil
you dug from it.
Mulch around tree, keep-
ing mulch away from the
top of the root ball.
Most trees don’t need to
be staked because young
trees left to stand alone de-
velop a stronger trunk. But
an especially weak tree or
one planted in a windy area
will need to be staked for
the first six months to a
year. Use two stakes and
straps or hose. Don’t use
wire, which will cut
through the bark. Always
remember to remove the
stakes and ties.
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
pendence library is sched-
uled for March 7 at the Inde-
pendence Cinema. The fea-
tured movie is “The Intern,”
starring Anne Hathaway and
Robert DeNiro, and the fes-
tivities begin at 7 p.m. Tick-
ets are $15 and include re-
freshments. For more infor-
mation, please call Betty
Plude at 503-551-7687. Tick-
ets are available at the li-
brary and the Pink House
Restaurant.
—
Adult Art Nights at the
Monmouth library have
been lots of fun for those of
us who decided to channel
our inner child and enjoy
coloring books, with pens
and pencils and other sup-
plies donated by the
Friends of the Library. It’s
lots of fun to share the com-
pany of people of all ages,
have snacks and relax.
Adults are welcome to at-
tend the next event — Zen-
tangle Drawing is sched-
uled for Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. in
the community room.
Sounds like fun and an op-
portunity to find out just
what Zentangle means.
—
The Friends of the Mon-
mouth Library have pur-
chased two new museum
passes that will be available
soon. Here’s your chance to
see the Evergreen Air and
Space Museum in McMin-
nville, or the Hallie Ford Mu-
seum of Art in Salem, at no
cost. Please stop by the li-
A RLENE
K OVASH
Columnist
Last Friday Heidi Russell
and Amy Gilson’s home-
schoolers finished the quilts
they’d been working on be-
fore Christmas. I wish I could
show you the one-patch lap
quilts Allana and Alex Rus-
sell, and Cameyna and Cam-
bria Gilson made, as they
were beautiful. Cambria, 8,
finished hers first so she
could give it to her brother
Charlie for Christmas.
—
Last week I was in Belfast,
Maine, for an American
Agri-Women meeting. My
flight was at 8:40 a.m., so I
left home at 5 for the two-
hour drive — dark, pouring
down rain, heavy traffic,
spray everywhere. I just
knew I wouldn’t make it. But
I did. Then when I got to the
airport, I didn’t have my dri-
ver’s license so used credit
cards and was practically
strip searched, but I got on!
—
We were at AAW’s past-
president Sue McCrum’s
Larry and Tracie Burger will celebrate their 40th an-
niversary on Feb. 15.
The couple was married on Feb. 15, 1976.
BIRTHS
Wellman
William Wayne Wellman III was born to William Well-
man II and Codie Wellman, of Dallas, at 8:17 a.m. on Jan.
11 at Salem Hospital Family Birth Center.
He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and was 19 inches
long.
William joins Wyatt, 3, and Iyla, 1.
Grandparents are Darrel and Patricia McDaniel, of Dal-
las, William and Dana Wellman, of Falls City, and Kelly
Weller, of West Salem.
Great-grandparents are Sandy Wellman, of Dallas, and
Robert McDaniel, of Dallas.
Marshall
Coleton Jeremiah Marshall was born to Jason Marshall
and Stephanie Holland, of Salem, at 6:33 p.m. on Jan. 13 at
Salem Hospital Family Birth Center.
He weighed 8 pounds, 3.5 ounces, and was 20.5 inches
long.
Coleton joins Conner, 8, and Chasity, 2.
Grandparents are Gwen Holland, of Salem, and Doug
and Michelle Marshall, of Independence.
Great-grandparents are Margie Holland, of Lebanon,
Don and Yvonne Mckechnie, of Monmouth, and Joan
Marshall, of Independence.
Hawes
brary for more information.
—
During this political sea-
son there’s a lot of talk about
the U.S. Constitution and
the Amendments. There’s
also a great deal of myth and
folklore that groups often
use when referring to this
amazing document that has
guided our nation for over
200 years. For those of us
who want to know what the
Constitution is truly all
about, thanks to Gary Hux-
ford (Western Oregon Uni-
versity professor), we have
the opportunity to attend a
series of six classes that will
give us a great deal of insight
into the Constitution. We
will be meeting Tuesdays at
9 a.m. at the Monmouth
Senior Center, and everyone
is welcome to attend at no
cost. Please call Sue Teal at
503-838-5678 for more in-
formation.
PEDEE NEWS
Amanda Bennett, grand-
daughter of Pete and La
Verne Bennett, returned to
Sheppherd Air Force base
after a six-month deploy-
ment to Qatar. One of the
first things she did after ar-
riving in the states was to
order a bacon cheeseburger.
Pork is not allowed in Qatar
and she wasn’t always sure
what the meat was that they
were served. Amanda was
surprised with an engage-
ment ring when she arrived
in Texas. She and Jon Wil-
son, who is also in the Air
Force, plan an October wed-
ding in Texas.
—
40th - Burger
K YM
P OKORNY
MI TOWN
The brightly colored
hearts and flowers remind
us that Sunday is St. Valen-
tine’s Day. Whether we cele-
brate with candy or flowers
or a book or a special card,
or good wishes for our fami-
ly and friends, we all have a
special opportunity to thank
those who we love and care
for. It’s a wonderful day to
celebrate love and romance
and friendship, no matter
who we are.
—
Both the Monmouth and
Independence public li-
braries deserve lots of valen-
tine hearts for providing the
best children’s programs for
our even-younger genera-
tion, and as a warm and
cozy place to meet with
friends and colleagues.
—
It’s not too early to remind
everyone that the 10th an-
nual fundraiser for the Inde-
ANNIVERSARY
gorgeous home — a big
farm house in Belfast. Sue
and Jay are major growers
and processors of potatoes,
with Jay developing prod-
ucts like JoJos and other
well-known potato products
in their kitchen. They also
grow for Lay’s Potato Chips.
—
In the Bangor airport on
the way home I told them I’d
lost my driver’s license, but
had my government issue
Medicare card and Costco
card with my photo and
they said that was fine and
even let me continue on
with my TSA preferred
boarding pass.
Everett Cormac Hawes was born to Shea and Rachel
Hawes, of Salem, at 8:32 a.m. on Jan. 19 at Salem Hospital
Family Birth Center.
He weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 22 inches
long.
Everett joins Wyatt, 5, and Garett, 3.
Grandparents are Randy Wurdinger, of Molalla, Ronna
Keeney, of Molalla, and George and Mary Hawes, of
Madras.
Stegner
Denessa Rose Stegner was born to Christopher Stegner
and Denise Bonneville, of Dallas, at 12:25 p.m. on Jan. 27
at Salem Hospital Family Birth Center.
She weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 19.5 inches
long.
Denessa joins Ethan, 6.
Grandparents are Neva Bonneville, of Dallas, Ray Bon-
neville, of Sweet Home, and Shawn and Christine Stegner,
of Eugene.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Continued from page 8A
—
TUESDAY, FEB. 16
• Polk County Coin Club — 7 p.m., Monmouth Senior Cen-
ter, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-362-9123.
—
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17
• Helping Hands Emergency Food Bank — 10 a.m. to noon,
Monmouth Christian Church, 959 Church St. W., Monmouth.
For eligible community members; available every Wednesday.
541-404-6517.
• Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank
— 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutof Road, Building E,
Dallas. Weekly distribution for eligible community members.
503-831-5634.
• Day-2-Day Diabetes Support Group — 3 to 4 p.m., West
Valley Hospital (main conference room inside main entrance),
525 SE Washington St., Dallas. 503-623-7323.
• Bingo at the Farm — 6:30 p.m., Rogue Farms Hopyard,
3590 Wigrich Road, Independence. All ages welcome. Free;
food and beverages available for purchase. 503-838-9813.
• Brew and BS: The Old Testament — 7 p.m., St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. A lecture series
on the Old Testament. Bring brew of choice — cofee, tea, chai,
beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
Spring Home Garden
& Car Care 2016
Deadline:
March 4
publish:
March 16
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Itemizer Observer
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