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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 2019)
A8 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Home & Garden Choosing outdoor plants that will survive local conditions Temperature variations can even be seen within a single property By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle Julia Justice wants her customers to be successful gardeners. That’s why she takes the extra steps to ensure her fl owers, shrubs and grasses are adapted to the Grant County climate before they’re sold. “I’ve had customers come in and point to a shrub and say they want it,” she said, “but it just came in by truck, so I tell them no, let me show you one in back.” Justice’s Better Blooms & Gardens nursery on High- way 26 west of Prairie City is a complex of greenhouses, starting sheds, rock gardens decorated with antique bikes and large piles of potting soil and mulch. She started her busi- ness 20 years ago. The old wooden building was the shop for the Carpenter & Lee Lumber Co. mill, which once occupied the site. The John Day Valley — from Prairie City to Dayville south to Seneca and north to Long Creek and Monument The Eagle/Richard Hanners The propagation greenhouse at the Better Blooms & Gardens nursery in Prairie City. The Eagle/Richard Hanners Judy Jarnes selects fl owering plants in the fl oral display greenhouse at the Better Blooms & Gardens nursery in Prairie City. — generally sees a shorter growing season. Typically homes see frosts until the fi rst of June, with frosts sometimes sneaking around in August, but micro-cli- mates also exist — from city to city and even within each city. “Nighttime temperatures are cooler in Prairie City than in Mt. Vernon,” Justice said. “Seneca will see frost every day of the year.” Homes that are closer to rivers or on slopes above the valley fl oor will see cooler temperatures. “The John Day Commu- nity Garden sees cooler tem- peratures because it’s down near the John Day River,” she said. Temperature variations even can be seen within the boundaries of a property. “You need to understand your yard layout,” she said. Some places get direct sunlight, and others get fi l- tered sunlight, Justice said. Homeowners should wake up at 5:30 a.m. and look for the frost streaks around their property to understand where the warm and cold places are. Tricks to extend the growing season include starting plants indoors or inside greenhouses, plant- ing in old tires fi lled with potting soil or using water- fi lled plastic protective bar- riers such as Walls of Water. Cooler temperatures are not the only hazards facing Grant County landscapers. “Deer are a huge issue,” Justice said. A wide variety of deer-re- sistant plants are available, including elderberries, bar- berry and potintilla shrubs, The Eagle/Richard Hanners Ornamental trees hardened for local conditions at the Better Blooms & Gardens nursery in Prairie City. perennials such as lavender, Russian sage, catmint and ornamental grasses such as blue oat grass and Karl Foer- ster feather needle grass. Justice uses drip irriga- tion for her nursery and rec- ommends similar systems for her customers. “There are simple sys- tems available,” she said. “They save water — you don’t waste water on weeds.” Frame Your View With Beautiful Windows Time for some home improvments? Let us help you make your dream home easily become a reality! Apply for a low rate home improvement loan today. oldwestfcu.org • 888-575-0264 John Day 650 W Main Burns Prairie City 937 Oregon Ave 162 W Front Baker City 2036 Broadway Union 539 S Main Pendleton 301 Main Street We sell and install entry and patio doors, too. Call today to make an appointment. Mobile Glass La Grande 3 Depot Street Hermiston 1739 N First Street of Oregon, Inc. 121171 27825 Wilderness Rd. • John Day 541-575-1055 • www.jeld-wen.com • Countertops • Tile • Carpet • & Much More • Free Quotes THE FLOOR STORE 140 E Main St., John Day • 541-575-1111 CCB# 175517 Grant County Building Supply TOOLS & HARDWARE LAWN & GARDEN BUILDING & LUMBER HOME IMPROVEMENT Light up your summer nights with... North River Electric, Inc. Brian Smith, Electrician Dayville, OR • 541-673-0800 124 N. Clark St., Canyon City 541-575-3550 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 541-965-1598 manager.jdfm@gmail.com Call Today 541-575-0804 • John Day/Canyon City