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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (May 11, 2016)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 11, 2016 9A Nothing beats bug patrol for organic gardeners You’ve decided to go or- ganic in the garden, but the products staring back from the nursery shelves seem as daunting as the bugs and diseases they’re meant to control. What’s a gardener to do? First, take some advice from Weston Miller, a horti- culturist with Oregon State University Extension Serv- ice. Stop, take a breath and evaluate your garden. How bad is it? Have you really looked carefully? “With organic gardening there are fewer options available, so going on bug control can be really impor- tant,” he said. “If you find them early, it’s much easier to control them.” In his own 1-acre veg- etable garden in Southeast Portland, Miller monitors early and often. When he finds plants overridden with pests, he yanks them out immediately. Usually plants attacked so vehe- mently are suffering trans- plant shock or some other problem. For less serious, but still bothersome infestations, Miller sometimes turns to organic insecticidal soap, which is effective but must hit the bug to kill it so good coverage is essential. The soap also should be reap- plied regularly, usually once a week. Healthier plants fare bet- ter and when he finds bugs, he’ll squash them or wash them off with a squirt of water and let predators on the ground have at them. “It’s the healthier plants Coragliotti K YM P OKORNY Virgil Coragliotti turned 101 on Friday, May 6. He lives with his youngest daughter, Latri- cia Armstrong, and son- in-law Phil in Independ- ence. Virgil enjoys shopping, going out to eat and using his computer. He loves to read the news and play card games online. He has one living sister who is 98. He also has eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Your Garden that should be the garden- er’s goal if they want to use exclusively organic materi- als and techniques,” Miller said. “That means careful planning and choosing the right plants for the right places and giving them the right care.” Part of that strategy in- cludes creating a diverse ecosystem with a variety of flower shapes and types that will attract beneficial insects that keep pest pop- ulations like aphids under control. When you visit the gar- den center, what should your hand grab off that shelf? The first thing to look for, Miller said, is the OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) stamp of ap- proval. Products must quali- fy for the nonprofit program to be included and they must pay, so you won’t see the logo on all organic prod- ucts. But it’s a great start. Keep in mind, just be- cause something is organic, doesn’t mean it kills only what you’re after, Miller said. For instance, pyrethrum, which is derived from chrysanthemums, is a broad spectrum insecticide that kills bees and other pollinators, as well as lady- bugs and the highly helpful ladybug larvae. “It’s organic, it breaks ENGAGEMENTS Johnson-Creekmore PHOTO BY LYNN kETCHuM Organic gardeners should be monitoring the garden often so they can get on top of problems quickly. down quickly and is reason- ably effective, but the tim- ing of application is impor- tant,” Miller said. “Don’t apply it when bees are out.” Another effective product is organic copper-based fungicide used for peach leaf curl during the dor- mant period. But you need to be concerned about using it around pregnant women and it will build up in the soil, Miller cautioned. The best thing you can do, Miller stressed, is to read the label. Don’t buy something that doesn’t list the pest you want to con- trol. And pay attention to any cautions, whether the material is organic or not. When it comes to fertiliz- ers, organic types must be broken down by microor- ganisms in the soil so aren’t as quickly available as syn- thetic, which are water sol- uble. To combat that prob- lem, Miller uses a water-sol- uble fish emulsion for transplants in April and May so nutrients are imme- diately available for growth. For any organic gardener, weeds will be the bane of their existence. There just aren’t many good ways to control them organically, except hand weeding. And for persistent perennial weeds like bindweed and crabgrass, that means ex- tremely often. MI TOWN After a very busy week- end of plant sales and book sales and celebrating Moth- er’s Day, it would be just wonderful to curl up with a cat in a comfy chair and let the rest of the world go by. All those new tomato and other vegetable plants need tending, the newly planted flowers need watering and the cat would rather be out- side chasing butterflies in the sunshine, so it’s time to get busy on all things house and yard. — The next Family Literacy Night at Burgerville is a week away, which gives everyone an opportunity to mark their calendars for May 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and plan ahead for this fun and family-friendly occa- sion. These evenings are sponsored by Burgerville, Monmouth Public Library, Mid-Valley Parenting and P ATTY T AYLOR D UTCHER Columnist Western Oregon University and offer discounts on chil- dren’s meals, free ice cream cones for kids, book give- aways and fun literacy ac- tivities. All children and parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in this event. — Just in case anybody needed to be reminded — its primary election time and ballots should be sent in this week. Oregon’s pri- mary is next Tuesday and there are county, state and national candidates as well as various ballot measures at stake. Voting by mail gives us the opportunity to take the time to learn as much as possible about the candidates — and to be- come informed before mak- ing choices about which candidate would be your best choice. There will be primary election parties here and there to celebrate victories or commiserate losses. For those of us who are truly political junkies, it’s an exciting and interest- ing time. — National Historic Preser- vation Month is celebrated in May – and everyone is in- vited to attend a celebration at Gentle House, 855 Mon- mouth Ave. N., from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tom Branigar, with the Polk County Muse- um, will share stories about the development of Mon- mouth. Terri Gregory will speak about the Howell House, now MaMere’s Bed & Breakfast, which is on the National Register of His- toric Places. A tour of Gen- tle House is also part of this interesting and informative event, and refreshments will be served. If you have any questions, contact Mark Fancey at 503-751- 0147. — The Monmouth-Inde- pendence Chamber of Commerce has all kinds of interesting and fun things in store for all who partici- pate in Discover MI Town, which is scheduled for May 21 from noon until 5 p.m. Tickets are available for $10 if purchased prior to May 20 ($15 at the door). Free shuttle service is available between each community, and all kinds of giveaways and samples are promised. For more information and advance ticket purchase contact www.micc-or-org. PEDEE NEWS Juandeane Skidmore was thrilled by the number of Skid’s family and friends who came to a luncheon in his honor on Friday, in Dal- las. A family burial service was held at Womer Ceme- tery before lunch, which in- cluded taps being played for a tearful end under the sunny skies. Family attend- ed the service and lunch- eon from all over the coun- try, including from Wash- ington, North Dakota, Min- nesota, Tennessee, Idaho, and California. A good con- tingent of former police of- ficers who worked with Skid in L.A. came, as well as sev- eral people Juandeane knew from her working days at Sears in Salem. Skid died at age 89 on April 26. — A RLENE K OVASH Columnist Most of Pedee was at the luncheon, including Lisa Bennett, daughter of Pete and LaVerne Bennett. She is now a medical assistant in Tualatin and working for Women’s Healthcare Asso- ciates. She’s still living in Newburg, so it’s a longer commute. She recently went to Las Vegas and dou- bled her $5. — Mike McDowell has a new grandson. His daugh- ter Ginger Owens and hus- band Bryant welcomed son Logan on April 27. They live in Portland. This is his sev- enth grandchild. — Cindy Clark drove to Woodland, Calif., to visit her mother, Norma Bourn, last week. Norma will be coming here in June for a longer stay. Cindy got home to find the neighbors along the road in front of her house with their dog, which had been killed when he dashed in front of an on- coming car. So sad for them all. — Last week Linda Chertudi attended 5-year-old grand- daughter Emma Unger’s “Little Olys” tea party at Sprague High School in Salem. The Little Olys (short for Little Olympians) are a group of preschoolers who are being mentored by girls at Sprague, who hosted the tea for the girls and their mothers and grandmothers. Emma is the daughter of Aaron and Michelle Unger of Salem. — Burt and Doris Bodin flew to Ft. Lauderdale this spring for an 11-day cruise through the Caribbean. They stopped at six differ- e n t i s l a n d s, i n c l u d i n g Aruba, Bonaire, Barbados, Granada, St. Lucia, and St. John. They didn’t go on any guided tours but were shown around some of the islands by the locals. It was a welcome break from the Oregon rain, and they do love cruises. 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 RECYCLE A little effort. A big difference. Rick 503-437-5398 MILESTONE Ruben 503-915-2080 4075 NE Three Mile Lane, McMinnville, OR www.macrvsales.com Next to the Spruce Goose Aviation Museum macrvsales@gmail.com Holly Johnson and Tyler Creekmore, both of Dallas, announced their engagement. The couple will have a pri- vate ceremony on June 4, followed by a recep- tion at 564 Cypress Ave., Dallas, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Holly graduated from Dallas High School in 2015. She is the daugh- ter of Laura Letcher, of Salem, and Rock and Lisa Johnson, of Dallas. She is a care provider. Tyler graduated from Dallas High School in 2015. He graduated from Navy basic training on March 25, and is attending a school for the Navy in Pensacola, Fla. He is the son of Laurel and Scott Martin, and Jason Creekmore. He is a Navy airman. The couple will live in Lemoore, Calif., where Tyler will be stationed. COMMUNITY CALENDAR Continued from page 8A — TUESDAY, MAY 17 • Family Building Blocks Dallas play group — 10 a.m., Academy Building, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. Suite 216. Play group for children and families. Activities and snacks provided. Free. RSVP, 503-877-8473. • James2 Community Kitchen Meal — 4:30 to 6 p.m., St. Philip Catholic Church, 825 SW Mill St., Dallas. Free; everyone welcome. 503-623-8429. • Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) Club — 6 to 7 p.m. weigh-in, 7 to 8 p.m. meeting, First Christian Church basement, 1079 SE Jefferson St., Dallas. Meetings offer programs and activ- ities aimed at losing weight. Open to anyone. First meeting is free. • Dallas Wingdingers RC Flying Club — 7 p.m., Whitworth Elementary School library, 1151 SE Miller Ave., Dallas.. 503-623- 7288. • Polk County Coin Club — 7 p.m., Monmouth Senior Cen- ter, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-362-9123. • Overeaters Anonymous — Noon to 1 p.m., Salem Health West Valley, 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. Support group meets in the conference room immediately inside the front doors. — WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 • 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. • Gentle Tai Chi Stand or Sit — 11 a.m. to noon, Dallas Aquatic Center, 1005 SE Lacreole Dr., Dallas. Free. Slow body movements for improved balance, agility, flexibility and medi- tation. 503-623-9715. • Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank — 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutoff 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 — coffee, tea, chai, beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
