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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2015)
PAGE 6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015 HOME & GARDEN Create a healthy ecosystem in the yard (StatePoint) — Gardeners and landscapers can help promote a healthy ecosystem by learning to identify and control damaging plants and insects in their yard. Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) offers information on non-native weeds and insects, which can out-com- pete native species, changing the local ecosystem. Many varieties, ¿UVWLQWURGXFHGLQJDUGHQVFDQEH confused with similar, native va- rieties. In eastern Oregon, Mas- ter Gardner Bill Dochnahl said in this drier climate it is often ground covers like ivy that crowd other plants out of an ecosystem. His list to watch out for includes ivy, periwinkle, ajuga and lami- um (also known as purple drag- on). None of those are on any RI¿FLDO³LQYDVLYHVSHFLHV´OLVWEXW Dochnahl said he has seen them harm a yard’s ecosystem nonethe- less. ³$Q\ RI WKRVH DUH ¿QH IRU slopes where you want to stop erosion, but in a garden they take RYHU´KHVDLG 2WKHU SODQWV WKDW DUH ³EHDXWL- IXO´ EXW FDQ HDVLO\ VSUHDG PXFK farther than the gardener intended DUHEDPERREXWWHUÀ\EXVKHVDQG burning bushes, Dochnahl said. He cautioned against going on- line to buy invasive, non-native species that can’t be sold locally because they can send out deep ground runners several feet in each direction that make the plant very hard to eradicate or keep in check. He said home gardeners can use certain plants like periwin- kle to great effect in a planter or isolated area but shouldn’t plant them mixed in with other kinds of plants that could soon be overrun. ³,W¶VDPDWWHURIWKHULJKWSODQW LQWKHULJKWSODFH´KHVDLG RISE adds purple loosestrife, a plant native to Europe that can produce more than two million seeds annually, and the ornamen- tal tree-of-heaven from China as two to watch out for despite be- ing widely planted in the United States. Both of them look similar to non-native plants but are more likely to take over a yard or gar- den. The organization also notes that invasive insects can have a severe negative impact on native species by out-competing them for food and resources. Many also cause and carry disease and SUH\RQQDWLYHVSHFLHV$FRPPRQ one to look out for is the Emer- DOG$VK%RUHUQDWLYHWR$VLDEXW now found commonly across the United States. The larvae do the most damage, killing ash trees by feeding on the inner bark. Zebra mussels, while techni- cally not an insect, are native to Russia but is found in hundreds of waterways throughout the United States. The species commonly MOBILE DECORATING UNIT TO YOUR HOME BLINDS ARE US! FREE ESTIMATES Hermiston Unbeatable Prices! Mini Blinds • Duettes Silhouette • Verticals Wood Blinds Pleated Shades 541-564-6474 Pendleton 541-276-5599 Licensed • Bonded OR St Contr#127924 www.blindsareus.com clog water intakes, damage boats and can cause cuts and scrapes if they grow on rocks, swim rafts, and ladders. Native plants and insects can DOVRFDXVHGDPDJH$FFRUGLQJWR RISE: • Ticks can transmit Lyme dis- ease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Left untreated, Lyme dis- ease infects the joints, heart, and QHUYRXVV\VWHP$IWHUWLPHVSHQW outdoors, check for ticks, espe- cially in and around your ears, inside your belly button, behind your knees, around your waist, on your scalp and in your hair. • Mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus. While most people may show few symptoms, 20 percent of people develop a fe- ver along with headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diar- rhea or rash, according to the Cen- ters for Disease Control and Pre- SEE ECOSYSTEM/10 PHOTO COURTESY RUUD MORIJN — FO- TOLIA.COM Invasive weeds, such as the Purple Loosestrife, can out-compete native species. Mentzer & Elliott Mower Tune-up Special Walk behinds $29 • Riders $99 Chainsaw & Weed Trimmer Tune-up $19 Gas, oil, parts additional thru May 15 420 NE Elm • PIlot Rock, OR 541-443-2351 For all your Spring Time Household Needs... Alana Edna Irene NURSERY & LANDSCAPING LLC EASTERN OREGON NURSERY & LANDSCAPING LCB #7818 Union County Wallowa County Nursery 10707 S. Walton Rd., Island City Nursery 962-0641 Landscaping 962-0149 118 Fish Hatchery Ln., Enterprise Nursery 426-8733 Landscaping 432-0588 Hours: M-Sat 8-6. Closed Sundays until April 1st Zimmerman & Company, INC. 348 S. Main St. • Pendleton (541)276-6321 • Fax: (541)276-8138 Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m Delivery Service Available • “SERVING UMATILLA COUNTY SINCE 1939”