Polk County Social
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 6, 2017 9A
Give blooming plants as holiday gifts
Winter-blooming indoor
plants are a welcome way to
take the edge off the chill
and gloom of winter and
many are ready to give as
holiday gifts.
The choices go beyond
traditional poinsettias and
amaryllis. Colorful African
violets, gloxinia, cyclamen,
orchids, ornamental pep-
pers and Christmas cactus
are blooming and readily
available. Dress them up
with bows and cellophane
or combine a few in a basket
with store-bought or gar-
den-harvested moss and
some decorations and pres-
ent them as party gifts or to
a plant lover on your list.
Before you buy, though,
consider some key care tips,
including how to get them
home, said Brooke Ed-
munds, a horticulturist with
Oregon State University Ex-
tension Service. She advises
taking a cardboard box
along with you to the store
and then covering the plant
after getting it into the car.
“You want to keep them
protected from drafts and
mimic the conditions of
being in a warm situation,”
she said. “Use something
that won’t crush the plant
but protects it against cold
shock. Avoid putting them
in the trunk where it gets
colder.”
Once you get them home,
check to see if they are badly
rootbound and need to be
K YM
P OKORNY
These Polk County groups would welcome individuals
who have time or expertise to volunteer. Organizations
that would like to be added to this list should call 503-623-
2373 or email IOnews@polkio.com.
Your
Garden
repotted up one container
size. If so, be sure to use a
well-draining potting soil
with perlite or peat moss in
the mix. If the plant comes
wrapped in foil or cello-
phane, be sure to cut holes
in the bottom so water
drains through. Most plants
will rot if left sitting in water,
Edmunds said.
Potted plants are well fer-
tilized before being shipped
to stores, so let the recipient
know they don’t have to
worry about feeding them
for several weeks. When it’s
time, use a houseplant fertil-
izer high in phosphorous
(the middle number on the
label), the element that
helps them bloom.
“When it comes to water-
ing, more people overwater
than underwater,” Edmunds
said. “Check to see if the
plant needs water by stick-
ing your finger two inches
into the soil. If it’s dry, go
ahead and water.”
The foliage of some
plants, such as African vio-
lets, can be damaged if
water gets on the leaves.
They also get root rot easily.
Avoid that by watering from
below. Or carefully water
PHOTO: https://flic.kr/p/7mG9jT
A Christmas cactus makes a wonderful blooming gift.
from above, let it drain and
then empty the saucer it sits
in. Also, steer clear of mist-
ing, which can promote fo-
liar disease.
Keep plants away from
drafts, in bright light and in
temperatures of 70 degrees
or above during the day and
55 or above at night.
“It’s a nice idea to write
down instructions on a pret-
ty card to include with the
plant,” Edmunds suggested.
Don’t be concerned if
gloxinia or cyclamen die
down after blooming. That’s
normal. You can either dis-
card the plant and buy a
new one next year or let it go
dormant for a few months
until foliage reappears. Then
grow it like you would any
houseplant.
Look for plants — partic-
ularly orchids and Christ-
mas cactus — that have
some tight buds as well as
open flowers in order to ex-
tend bloom. Orchids can be
difficult to rebloom unless
you have a greenhouse or
can mimic the warm, moist
conditions.
Colorful ornamental pep-
pers may look delicious, but
are often extremely hot, so
keep them off your taste
buds and up where kids and
pets can’t access them.
MI TOWN
Happy December, every-
one. It seems like we just
put away our summertime
chairs and picnic baskets,
and now it’s beginning to
look a lot like Christmas in
MI Town — and all over the
valley.
—
We c e l e b ra t e d Mo n -
mouth Senior Center Direc-
tor Sue Teal’s retirement last
week with a somewhat bit-
tersweet reception and
party at the center. Sue was
one of the first people I met
when we moved to Mon-
mouth nearly 18 years ago,
and her warm and caring
welcome was so genuine.
Over the years, we’ve seen
the center just get better
and better, which is so posi-
tive for all of us in MI Town.
Godspeed and best wishes
ever for Sue as she begins
yet another fun and inter-
esting journey into doing
everything she wants to do.
—
The Monmouth Public
Library is collecting dona-
tions to share with CASA
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
(Court Appointed Special
Advocates) children in Polk
County. Please check their
website to see what you can
bring to help our local chil-
dren. This is a wonderful
organization whose dedi-
cated and caring volunteers
go above and beyond doing
good things for children
and families. The deadline
for helping is Dec. 20.
Thank you so much.
—
Continuing with my Jour-
ney to Wellness: One of the
Rules Before Surgery is to
shower with Hibiclens ($10
for a very small bottle), then
be sure the bed linens are
fresh and clean the night
before. After dinner, it’s
cleansing shower, and I am
VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES
to pay special attention to
my navel and the area
where the surgery will hap-
pen. Big surprise here, folks:
The soap turns a very bright
red and the shower floor
looks like somebody has
been seriously injured, or
whatever else would fit a
Stephen King novel. I have
the cleanest belly button in
all of Polk County as I dry
off (with a fresh clean
towel), climb into my fresh
clean pajamas and into the
cleaner than clean bedcov-
ers.
—
After yet another cleans-
ing shower in the predawn
darkness, we’re off to Cor-
vallis at 6:45 a.m., and
checked in just before I’m
bundled off to ultrasound
where I’m “wired” so the
nasty rotten cancerous in-
truder is marked. Yet anoth-
er X-ray and a warm blanket
before I’m off to nuclear
medicine where all kinds of
things are beamed at me for
the surgeon to learn more
about the inner workings.
I’m very good at this deflect-
ing stuff, although it’s be-
ginning to dawn on me that
something not wonderful is
about to happen.
—
The anesthesiologist, very
bright and friendly woman,
comes into my “room,” ex-
plains the upcoming proce-
dure. It’s starting to get real-
ly, serious about now. I’m
given a wonderful potion
which takes all the scary
things away.
—
As I slide from gurney to
operating table, my mind
just wanders off to some
quiet place and everything
goes from blue to gray to. I
awaken in the recovery
room, where a nice RN guy
asks if I want a sip of water,
and I take small sips that
taste better than the finest
wine ever. And I sleep, and
drink more water, and am
transported off to my little
room where Don is waiting
for me. The promise of
going home is a sweet one,
indeed.
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Serving Polk County 16yrs
• AARP Foundation Tax-Aide – 503-930-7636
• After DARC — 503-623-9501
• American Cancer Society Road to Recovery
— 1-800-227-2345
• Arc of Polk County — 541-223-3261
• Ash Creek Arts Center – 971-599-3301
• Central School District — 503-838-0030
• City of Dallas — 503-831-3502
• City of Independence — 503-838-1212
• City of Monmouth — 503-751-0145
• Crime Victims Assistance Program — 503-623-9268
• Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce — 503-623-2564
• Dallas Downtown Association — 971-701-1880
• Dallas Emergency Food Bank — 503-623-3578
• Dallas Fire Department — 503-831-3532
• Dallas Food Bank — 503-623-3578
• Dallas Kids, Inc. — 503-623-6419
• Dallas Police Department — 503-831-3582
• Dallas Public Library — 503-623-2633
• Dallas Retirement Village — 503-623-5581
Dallas Riders for Christ – 503-949-6019
• Dallas School District — 503-623-5594
• Delbert Hunter Arboretum — 503-623-7359
• Ella Curran Food Bank — 503-838-1276
• Falls City Arts Center — 503-559-6291
• Falls City School District — 503-787-3531
• Family Building Blocks – 503-566-2132, ext. 308.
• Friends of the Dallas Library — 503-559-3830
• Girl Scouts of Southwest Washington and Oregon
— 1-800-338-5248
• H-2-O — 503-831-4736 HART (Horses Adaptive Riding
and Therapy) — 971-301-4278
• HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley — 503-363-1651
• Heron Pointe Assisted Living — 503-838-6850
• Independence Health and Rehabilitation — 503-838-0001
• Independence Public Library — 503-838-1811
• Kings Valley Charter School — 541-929-2134
• Luckiamute Watershed Council — 503-837-0237
• Luckiamute Valley Charter School — 503-623-4837
• Meals on Wheels — 503-838-2084
• Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce
— 503-838-4268
• Monmouth-Independence YMCA — 503-838-4042
• Monmouth Public Library — 503-838-1932
• Northwest Human Services — 503-588-5828
• Oregon Child Development Coalition — 503-838-2745
• OSU Extension Service - Polk County — 503-623-8395
• Perrydale School District — 503-623-2040
• Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of
Polk County Inc. — 503-623-8473
• Polk Community Development Corporation
— 503-831-3173
• Polk County Community Emergency Response Team
— 503-623-9396
• Polk County Museum — 503-623-6251
• Polk County Public Health — 503-623-8175
• Polk County Resource Center — 503-623-8429
• Polk Soil and Water Conservation District — 503-623-9680
• Relief Nursery Classroom — 503-566-2132
• SABLE House — 503-623-6703
• SALT (Sheriff’s Auxiliary & Law Enforcement Together)
— 503-851-9366
• Salvation Army — 503-798-4783
• SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) — 503-391-8423
• Salem Health West Valley Hospital — 503-623-8301
• Victim Assistance Program-Polk Co. District Attorney’s
Office — 503-623-9268 x1444
• Willamette Valley Hospice — 503-588-3600
• WIMPEG Community Access Television — 503-837-0163
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Continued from page 8A
—
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13
• Polk County Republican Women — 11:30 a.m., Murphy’s
Restaurant, 288 E. Ellendale Ave., Dallas. No-host lunch avail-
able; everyone welcome. 503-623-5759. (NO June, July, August).
• Respite care — 1 to 3 p.m., 182 SW Academy St., Suite 216,
Dallas. Free child care for parents who need time to run errands,
pay bills, etc. Free. Open for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.
503-877-8473 to reserve space. Diapers are provided.
• 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.
• Free Blood Pressure Check Clinic — 2 to 3 p.m., Salem
Health West Valley (surgery admitting area), 525 SE Washington
St., Dallas. 503-623-7323.
• Monmouth Senior Center Music Jam — 6:30 p.m., Mon-
mouth Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. Open to
the public; musicians of all types welcome. 503-838-5678.
• Dallas American Legion Post No. 20 — 7 p.m., Academy
Building, Room 108, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. 503-831-3971.
• Pickleball — 9 a.m. to noon, Roger Jordan Community
Park. Meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.
to noon. Karen Freeman, 503-871-4172.
• Brew and BS: The New Testament — 7 p.m., St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. A lecture series
on New Testament figures. Bring brew of choice — coffee, tea,
chai, beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
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