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The INDEPENDENT, July 18, 2012
Can You Dig It?
By Schann Nelson
Columbia County Master Gardener
It’s here – it’s here! It’s final-
ly summer! Despite my
gloomy predictions we ARE
going to have a summer – in
fact I’ve heard we will settle
into our ‘typical’ summer
drought. “Drought?” you say in
questioning tone, “How can
rainy wet Oregon have a
drought?”
While I certainly don’t know the mechanics of the
weather pattern, I do know that once it well and truly
stops raining there is a good likelihood that it won’t
rain again for many months. Our cool wet springs
have lately disguised the fact that sometimes it does-
n’t rain from May to December.
This can become a real problem for the gardener.
Lack of water will kill all plants eventually. Those
grown for vegetables and flowers, or recently planted,
are practically defenseless and depend on their long
relationship with mankind to provide for their needs. If
you have a dry well or a high water bill this may force
the gardener into difficult choices of where to spread
the short supply of this essential element. Saving wa-
ter becomes a major preoccupation.
The two best ways I know to conserve the available
water are drip irrigation and mulch. Drip irrigation can
be as simple as a bucket placed near a much loved or
recently transplanted tree, or as complex as an entire
system of soakers, drippers and sprayers that all con-
nect directly to your water source, or any combination
thereof.
The vegetable garden will need a good watering of
at least one inch per week throughout the rest of the
season. Be sure to water in the morning if at all possi-
ble to get the maximum advantage. Watering in the
evening is another option but a poorer one as the gar- by sun stress. If you choose mechanical means to at-
den that is damp at night is a hotel extraordinaire for tempt to rid yourself of stubborn weeds, remember
slugs and molds and blights. Try to avoid overhead that it requires continual removal of any growth This-
watering, especially of those precious tomatoes, to tles, docks, dandelions, blackberries, etc. require an
discourage late blight. Deep, slow watering is the best, extremely stout heart and body to keep them down.
A note on pest traps: For the first time in a long time
as it encourages root growth. Wilting is a natural re-
sponse to dry hot weather especially visible in the my Pantry Moth pest traps are beyond full and I
squash family. Even with adequate water every day, a haven’t been able to replace them. The air at night is
big squash plant will wilt in order to conserve the wa- filled with little fluttery moths eager to reproduce inside
ter it does have. While I don’t think it’s possible to my cupboards and closets. The fruit flies are also a
overwater a squash, it may be that your water could pest that I controlled well with pheromone traps last
safely be used to sustain other plants without obvious summer. I highly recommend the use of both of these
products. I’ve also found fly traps and yellow jacket
wilting.
Young trees and shrubs, planted this spring or last, traps effective at reducing populations over time.
Time to get out and enjoy the weather we wait for
will also need a steady supply of water. It takes them
at least two years to develop an adequate root sys- all year. There’s nothing like a soft summer evening to
tem. This is a great place to use the power of mulch. fill the heart.
Nearly anything that covers the ground will work. Be-
sides the typical and attractive bark dust or straw, you
can also mulch in these outlying areas
with dried lawn cuttings, garden weeds
dried and not going to seed, newspapers
weighed down with something like wood
The Rainier Car Show will show running from 10:00 a.m.
sawdust or lawn clippings, the stuff you
be held July 29 at the Ol’Pas- to 4:00 p.m. Registration the
clean out of your gutters (great for cane
time Tavern in Rainier. This day of the show is $20. The
berries), or anything else that will slowly
Classic Car show will be a ben- pre-registration price is $10
decompose and protect the soil surface. If
efit for the Columbia County and registration can be done at
you can get a soaker hose under your
Women’s Resource Center the Ol’Pastime, Hometown Piz-
mulch you are saving the maximum
za or by calling CCWRC at
(CCWRC).
amount of water you can. Congratulations!
Registration for the show 503-397-7110.
Lawns go dormant in the heat of sum-
starts at 8:00 a.m. with the
mer. When water is in short supply it’s best
to just let this happen. It will cut way down
on your mowing and make weeds like the
false dandelion, so aptly described last
month by Chip Bubl in Country Living, eas-
Great local agency is seek- available time and talent be-
ier to get rid of. Both mechanical and ing one time and ongoing vol- tween August 20 and August
chemical removal of weeds are more ef- unteers! The Women’s Re- 29.
fective when the weeds are also affected source Center is now recruiting
Crisis Line – Formal training
Rainier Classic Car Show, July 29
Volunteers can make a difference
Church Directory
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
C OVENANT C HURCH V ERNONIA
P IONEER B APTIST F ELLOWSHIP
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
Pastor John D. Murray
359 “A” Street, Vernonia
503 860-3860
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
John Cahill, Pastor
939 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-1161
www.pbfalive.com
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Thursday Prayer 7:00 p.m.
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia
503 429-8301
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Sabbath School 9:30 a.m.
A SSEMBLY OF G OD
Wayne and Maureene Marr
662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia,
503 429-0373
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-8841
Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m.
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
Ralph Young, Pastor
957 State Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-6790
Sunday Bible Classes 9:00 a.m.
Family Praise & Worship 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer 6:30 p.m.
Thursday Ladies Study 7:00 p.m.
Nursery 10:15 a.m.
Vernonia Community Preschool
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets, Vernonia
503 429-5378
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.
Nursery available
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST
OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS
Sam Hough, Minister
410 North Street, Vernonia
503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.
(meets in Youth & Family Center)
Various Home Group Meetings
Marc Farmer, 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.
one-time volunteers to assist
with our annual maintenance.
There are also ongoing oppor-
tunities to serve on our 24 Hour
Crisis Line and our Board of Di-
rectors.
Volunteers for the Resource
Center receive full training and
ongoing support. More infor-
mation about these opportuni-
ties is posted on our website,
www.ccwrc.com.
The Women’s Resource
Center is the only agency of its
kind in Columbia County, dedi-
cated to serving survivors of
Domestic Violence and Sexual
Assault.
Summer Facility Mainte-
nance – Brief orientation pro-
vided by the Center. In order to
keep our facility safe and func-
tioning there is a maintenance
closure. Volunteers are needed
to help with cleaning, painting,
carpentry, landscaping and
other repair items. The Center
can use your help if you have
required, provided by Center.
Volunteers carry a cell phone
that the crisis line is transferred
to from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.
weekdays, and from 1:00 p.m.
Friday to 8:00 a.m. Monday
morning, depending on volun-
teer’s schedule. There may be
opportunities for work with
clients in the office and/or on
the telephone (at the Center)
when they call in.
Board Member – Candi-
dates will go through a screen-
ing process. The Board of Di-
rectors meets monthly and is
responsible for the mission,
overall direction and policies of
the Center. Volunteers are ex-
pected to attend a minimum of
nine meetings per year and
other miscellaneous board
functions. Orientation and
training are provided.
For more information and to
request a volunteer application
call our office, 503-397-7110 or
email volunteer@ccwrc.com.