Page 6
The INDEPENDENT, August 19, 2004
Can You Dig It?
By Schann Nelson
HELP! My squash plants are exploding! I
thought that I had been very conservative
this year by planting only six hills of squash
in a 5x8-ish bed. BUT, this is the most vig-
orous of any squash I’ve ever planted, and
it’s at least three different types of squash.
Three hills, which should have been thinned
to three plants, of Tromocino, have taken
over not only their assigned end of the bed
but also the entire path next to them and
part of the bed across the path. I should have some at the coun-
try market on Saturday if you want to see one. It’s a lovely pale
green squash that can’t decide whether it’s a summer squash or
a winter squash. With some support off the ground (I have mine in
a large square tomatoe cage) it grows up to three feet, but unlike
monster zucchini, is only a couple of inches in diameter and has
a very small seed cavity at one end. I think it has a better
taste and texture than zuke when raw,
and retains a better shape when
cooked. The skin does get a little tough
like a winter squash though. The other
part of the bed is winter squash, at least
one of which has vined everywhere
the Trombocino hasn’t taken over,
including into the peas in the next
bed.
I spent most of Jamboree at the
Master Gardener’s Mini-College at
Oregon State University. I took some
great classes in hydroponics, compost tea
(which it turns out is NOT just a bucket of
water with a shovel full of manure in it), soil
chemistry and gardening around the house. The challenge is
which one to write about first.
Since my personal yard is suffering from a lack of attention and
hydroponics and compost tea are too technical for the lazy days
of August, I guess I’ll tell you about septic tanks. Huh? Apparently,
one of the most frequently asked questions of master Gardeners
is, “What can I plant on my septic tank?” I’ve never understood
how a septic tank works, I’m just glad that it’s there, which it was-
n’t when we first moved to this house. I’ve burbled along under the
mistaken impression that, if you’re careful about what you put in,
you shouldn’t have to pump the thing. This is, most emphatically,
NOT TRUE!
The major causes of septic tank failure are not pumping the
tank regularly (ACK!) and physical destruction of the drain field. I
gues I’ll be scheduling the pumper as soon as possible. Turns out
that the proper functioning of a septic tank depends on the space
between solid material (that sinks to the bottom of the tank) and
the scum that forms on the top of the sludge. As the depth of this
space decreases (or becomes non-existent !) more and more
solid material moves from the tank into the drain field, filling the
drainage that needs to be available for purification of water before
it re-enters the soil.
The good news for my tank is that we have never subjected the
septic tank or drainage field to anything that would physically
destroy the drainfield. Many times, homeowners don’t know
where their drainfield is and all kinds of bad things can happen,
like driving over it, or building on top of the tank, or planting huge
trees next to the tank or in the drainfield. Systems approved since
the 1970’s include an alternate drainfield to be used in case the
original fails, BUT sometimes people pave or build in this area.
Failure of any septic system is very expensive to repair. Having to
discontinue use of an existing drainfield, without the space to
install a new drainfield, is VERY expensive.
Back to “Gardening Around the House”, the title of the septic
tank management class taught by the very funny Gail Glick
Andrews, OSU Extension Service Water Quality Educator. Grass
is the ONLY (officially) recommended thing to plant in or near a
septic system – though Washington Sea Grant Program (WSGP)
has a more liberal view. The soil level in the drainfield should
never be altered in any way by the addition or excavation of soil,
as these are very closely engineered systems requiring drainpipe
covered by a certain depth of soil. Though newer tanks have ris-
ers that extend service ports above ground, older tanks do not. If
you don’t know where the service port is, you may end up with a
bunch of big holes in your yard from looking for it, and obviously
you can’t properly maintain it if you don’t know where it is. It’s also
easy to plant a large tree too near, where the roots of the tree can
damage either the tank or the field. Remember, septic tanks and
trees have long lives. Plan for the future.
So what should you plant? WSGP (and even Andrews) recom-
mend low-value herbaceous plants. First, find and be creative
about a way to mark and/or disguise the location of access ports.
Plants over the tank should be drought resistant and
easily and cheaply replaceable. Native plants and wild-
flower meadows are a good choice. Ground covers rec-
ommended for sun include ajuga, heather, cotoneaster,
kinnikinnick, periwinkle and
soapwort. Ground covers for
shade include bunchberry,
houtuynnia, ferns, mosses, sweet
wooodruff, wild ginger and winter-
green.
If you want further information, there
are publications available on the web or
from the extension service.
Enough! I sort of indicated at the beginning
that I wouldn’t get too technical but I got “lost
in the details,” as my editor would say. I’m
going out to enjoy the weather! I just hope
somebody puts some water on the garden
while I’m camping!
August garden notes
from OSU Extension
Dripping trees
There has been a lot more
“sap” dripping from trees this
season. The sticky stuff is actu-
ally “honeydew” which is ex-
creted by aphids, scales and
other similar sucking insects.
It is a bit of a puzzle why it is
worse this year. Speculation is
that the warm April moved the
aphids into high reproductive
gear early. Alternatively, it is
possible that the Harmonia lady
beetle (a mag-
nificent
aphid pred-
ator) didn’t fare
well through
the winter cold
and snow.
Fading flowers
Annual flowers tend to fade
without a fertilizer boost. You
can apply a blended fertilizer
granule or water with liquid fer-
tilizer solutions. The liquid fer-
tilizer doesn’t last as long, so
more applications will be nec-
essary. Organic gardeners can
use bloodmeal or manure teas.
Church Directory
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
F IRST B APTIST C HURCH
Grant Williams, Pastor
957 State Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-6790
Sunday Breakfast 9:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 9:45 a.m.
*B.L.A.S.T. w/Nursery 10:00 a.m.
*Bible Learning and Scripture Training
Wednesday
Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
John Cahill, Pastor
359 “A” Street
Vernonia, 503 429-1161
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Evening Worship
Saturday, 6:00 p.m.
G RACE R EFORMED B APTIST C HURCH
D.J. Dickey, Pastor
Grant & North Streets
Vernonia, 503 429-1919
Sunday Services: Adult Prayer &
Children’s Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:15 a.m.
Evening Worship 5:00 p.m.
Evening Service will change to
3:00 p.m. on Sept. 7,2003
Wednesday Service:
All Family Bible Study, 7:00 p.m.
A SSEMBLY OF G OD
Darwin Harvey, Pastor
662 Jefferson
Vernonia, 503 429-4615
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.
Bible Study, Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Youth & Kids , Thursday 7:00 p.m.
S T . A UGUSTINE (C ANTERBURY )
E PISCOPAL C HURCH
375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall)
Vernonia, 503 795-2173
Sunday Services 10:00 a.m.
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
Gary Taylor, Pastor
500 California Ave
Vernonia, 503 429-5378
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Nursery available
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
Sam Hough, Evangelist
410 North Street
Vernonia, 503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Every Wednesday:
Ladies' Bible Study 9:30 a.m.
Ladies’ Worship 10:00 a.m.
Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m.
Family Bible Study 6:30 p.m.
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
Pastoral Associate Juanita Dennis
960 Missouri Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-8841
Mass Schedule
Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Education
Sunday 10:30 a.m.
850 Madison Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
Jeff Cheney, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
Vernonia, 503 429-7151
Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m.
Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m.
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH
Kevin Reiner, Pastor, 543-2254
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
Vernonia, 503 429-8301
Sabbath School 9:15 a.m.
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Prayer Meeting, Wed. 7:00 p.m.
C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST
OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS