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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
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(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.