Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2015)
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015 EASTOREGONIAN.COM • PAGE 5 HOME & GARDEN Five common mistakes gardeners make BY JESSICA KELLER HERMISTON HERALD :KHWKHUJURZLQJDÀRZHUJDU- den or vegetable garden, Master Gardener Bill Dochnahl said peo- ple can go wrong in a number of areas. 1. Watering Dochnahl said one of the most common mistakes is gardeners either over-water or under-water their plants or lawn. Over-water- ing may wash away necessary plant nutrients. Too little water, however, will dry out the plant and kill it. “The biggest mistake is not knowing how much to water,” he said. “Most people will water too much.” 2. Amendments Dochnahl said another mistake he sees among other gardeners is improper use of amendments, such as fertilizer and plant foods. Frequently, he said, people pur- chase fertilizer of plant food with- out knowing when it should be used or how. “They need to read the labels on any of the amendments that they buy,” he said, adding under- standing the product they intend to use and what it does is import- ant for plant health. Too much fertilizer, Dochnahl said, can negatively impact plants in a number of ways, including weakening them and making them more susceptible to disease or insect attacks. Dochnahl suggests gardeners ¿UVWWHVWWKHLUVRLOWRVHHLIDQ\QX- trients are lacking, so if they do decide to fertilize, they can buy a SURGXFWWKDWZLOODGGUHVVGH¿FLHQ- cies. 3. Planting the right plant in the right place The third biggest mistake, Dochnahl said, is people plant ÀRZHUVRUYHJHWDEOHVLQORFDWLRQV QRWVXLWDEOHIRUJURZWK,IDÀRZ- er, such as a hosta, which needs partial shade or full shade to thrive, is planted in a location that receives more sunlight than shade or in open sun, they’ll burn. When buying a plant, people should read the label saying which conditions are necessary for growth. Partial sunlight, he said, means mostly shady. Another problem Dochnahl said he sees is plants placed in a location not suitable for their size. People need to take into account how big something will grow be- fore planting it next to something, such as a house, lest a tree grow into the side of a house. He said people should also refrain from planting too close to other trees or VKUXEVRUÀRZHUV+HVDLGSODQWV SEE MISTAKES/10 Imagine The Possibilities HERALD FILE PHOTO Pruning trees to such an extent that the main stem and uppermost branches are cut off is known as topping. While it may make the size more desirable, topping is actually bad for the tree’s health. Pacific Albus "The Next Generation" Fence Board Locally Grown At The Boardman Tree Farm! (1" Thick Boards Available) Blue Mountain Cabinet Suppliers Y O U R F E N C E C O N N E C T I O N Jeff 541-571-7136 • Greg 379-1416 80998 N. Hwy 395 • Hermiston 541-667-8191 • WWW . ALLTHATWOOD . COM 80764 N. Hwy 395 • Hermiston