Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2005)
Page 6 The INDEPENDENT, July 21, 2005 Can You Dig It? By Schann Nelson Columbia County Master Gardener Discovery is one of the great joys of gardening. Yesterday I discovered on my rounds an almost pink day lily that I’d forgotten I’d planted. The begging neglect I’ve been practicing in that part of the yard allowed it to survive until it bloomed. I also found the last survivor of clear yellow lilies that I planted several years ago. My yard it a riot of color and I love it at this time of year. The rose campion in the front is a bright mist of electric pink within its gray foliage, the perennial sweet pea planted in the same space has survived and should begin blooming soon, the fungal dis eases are backing off (a little) and the lawn is fi- I nally fully green. Success! I had the opportunity this weekend to give anoth er gardener permission to remove a shrub. An old japonicaoh some kind, the poor thing was clearly in deep distress. Since my friend had never really liked it, I told her HONEY DO? WE CAN HELP!!!! We have a huge selection of m aterials fo r • Rock walls • Block walls • Pathways • Patios • Flower beds • Gardens New lawns • Water feature rock • Instant Lawn • Bagged products • Barkdust • Cedar chips • Compost • Column rock • Crushed rock • Round rock • Decorative boulders > Railroad ties & more We have just what you’ll need to enhance any landscape project. Open 7 days a week. We can deliver or you can pick up. Hours: Mon - Fri...7AM - 5PM Saturday....8AM * 5PM Sunday....10AM - 4PM SCAPPOOSE SAND & GRAVEL 33605 E Crown 1 Road (corner Hiwav 30 &Vernonia Hiwayl 503-543-8821 it really was OK to cut it down and dig it out. Yes, she probably could have cut it back and fertilized and sprayed and done all manner of things to save it, but why? Compost, or in this case wood chips for mulch are also valuable garden materials. Next year she can have the lilac she’s always wanted by her porch. I wanted to talk some science this month, but I’ve got the worst cold ever and don’t have the strength for the research, so I’ll just blither away. One of the great problems for gardeners in our area, the maritime Pacific Northwest, is the difficulty applying the USDA climate charts. These are based almost entire ly on frost dates. While helpful, this doesn’t address the fact that for a long, long, long time after the last frost, we have this cloudy, cool weather. In most parts of the country, apparently, a short spring and then summer with hot days, or at least SUN closely follows the last frost. If you’ve lived here for long you know that many natives truly don’t know what that big bright thing in the sky IS, since we see it so seldom - summer, spring, fall or winter. Recently, we seem to see more of it in the winter. Fall has always been the best season for sun in western Oregon. What does this mean? More fungal disease, more slugs, and much less heat. And it turns out that many plants, particularly the traditional vegetables in a garden really want HEAT. So, the goal, often becomes one of increasing the heat available. But be care ful! You don’t want to make the climate any better for either dis ease or slugs, nor do you want to fry your plants. This is incredi bly easy to do, since the sun will be HOT when it does come out, and even behind the clouds can still be warmer than you think. How hot does your car get in the grocery store parking lot with the windows rolled up, even on a cloudy day? I’ve been trying to remember that this is the latter part of July and I’m having a hard time. We just last week planted potatoes and beans, don’t have any straw mulch down (no need when it keeps raining). On the positive side, the weather has allowed several trees in pots to continue to survive as is, though they desperately need either repotting or planting in the ground. I hope I’m running out of time because I would like some summer weather. It’s nice today, but I can see high clouds moving in al ready. Again. Volunteers wanted to consider city tree ordinance The City of Vernonia is seeking people who are inter ested in investigating the feasi bility of a Vernonia tree ordi nance and tree board. The pur pose of the tree board would be to study, investigate, devel op and administer a written plan for the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting, removal or disposition of trees and shrubs in parks, along streets, and in other public ar eas. The committee would make recommendations to City Council. Anyone interested in serving on the feasibility committee should submit a request by Au gust 31 to City Recorder Kate Conley, at city hall. For infor mation call Conley at 503-429- Fifth Sunday Service with group singing A 5th Sunday Service will be held July 31 at 6:00 p.m. at Vernonia Community Church, 957 State Ave. Everyone is welcome to join in this time of singing, fellow ship and teaching. For more in formation, call 503-429-6790. Church Directory S t . A ugustine (C anterbury ) E piscopal C hurch C hurch of J esus C hrist of L atter D ay S aints 375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall) Vernonia, 503 705-2173 Please call for service schedule. 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. V ernonia C ommunity 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. V ernonia C hristian C hurch Sam Hough, Evangelist 410 North Street Vernonia, 503 429-6522 Sunday School 9:45 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 7:00 p.m. S t . M ary ' s C atholic 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. F irst B aptist C hurch 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. N ehalem V alley B ible C hurch Gary Taylor, Pastor Grant & North Streets Vernonia, 503 429-5378 Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Nursery available Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. V ernonia F oursquare C hurch 850 Madison Avenue Vernonia, 503 429-1103 Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Children’s Sunday School A ssembly of G od 662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia, 503 556-1961 for Information Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. S eventh D ay A dventist John Aitken II, Pastor, 396-1856 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St. Vernonia, 503 429-8301 Morning Worship, 9:15 a.m. Bible Study 10:30 a.m.
