Spring Home & Garden magazine 4-29-15 by NorthEast Oregon News

Wednesday, April 29 2015

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 2, HOME & GARDEN

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 3

i ai ICI i e, I ie eiiieSSweeen Ii In By Kynn Pokomy

Garden checklist

Oregon State University Extension Office

Here's a short checklist for taking care CORVALLIS — When it comes to fruit in thegarden,blueberriesrule. of mature plants: Favoredfor theirsweetfl avor,blueberries • Add mulch gradually over the years to are also known for their high level of antimaintain a depth of 6 inches oxidants, thought to help protect the body • Apply fertilizer in the spring, starting againstfreeradicalsand chronicdiseases around bloom time associated with aging. • Water to maintain a uniform and Highbush blueberries, the most common adequate moisture supply in Oregon, are perennial, long-living decidu• Pick fruit at optimum maturity ous shrubs with a mature height of 5-7 • Prune in January or February. feet, according to Bernadine Strik, a berry specialist for Oregon State University's feet and a depth of 3r/2inches. To aid in Extension Service. Attractive as ornamendecomposition add two pounds of nitrogen tals, they produce a profusion of white or per 100 feet of row length l10 pounds ammonium sulfate, 21-0-Ol. Dig or till in the pink blossoms in spring and colorful foliage in fall. sawdust and fertilizer. 'You can grow plants in beds, rows, Plant healthy two-year-old plants from a Oregon State University Extension Office photo hedges or individually," Strik said."Dwarf reputable nursery in October or from March Favored for their sweet flavor, blueberries are also known for their high level of and semi-dwarf cultivars can be grown in through April."Prune off flower buds at containers." antioxidants, thought to help protect the body against free radicals and chronic planting and do not allow plants to proFruiting season in Oregon is from late diseases associated with aging. duce fruit the first season," Strik said."Be June until September, depending on the patient. Flower and fruit production hinders in salts so is not desirable for blueberries." variety. growing blueberries in a home garden. growth, and it's important that plants grow It's best to plant more than one variety If the pH is between 5.7 and 6.5, Strik Spread sawdust to a width of about three well the first year." ofblueberry, Strik advised."Although most said, lower it by adding finely ground elnorthern highbush cultivars are self-fertile, emental sulfur before planting. The amendment isavailable atgarden centers. cross-pol lination produces larger berries," Sue Archuleta is your The amount needed depends on how she said."And, if you plant two or more Certified Professional cultivars that ripen at different times, you'll much the pH needs to be lowered and the lengthen the harvest season." soil type. More detailed instructions on Installer and changing pH, weed control, mulching, fertil~s +': , Northern highbush varieties grown in Wi n d o w C o v e rage gardens in Oregon include, in order of ripen- izing, pruning, watering and care of estabCCB¹ 184638 Specialist lished blueberry plants are available online Energy Efficient C ellular Shades • Fa ux IZzWood Bl inds "Bluecrop,""Jersey,""Blueray,""Legacy," in the OSU Extension publication"Growing Shutters • Mi n i % V e r t i c al Bl inds • Repairs "Chandler" and"Elliott." The Extension Blueberries In Your Home Garden." Qualittr Custom W i n d o ur Co veri ngs at A f f o r d a bl e P r i ces! guide "Blueberry Cultivars for the Pacific If you decide to grow several plants, it's FREE Consultation, Measuring & Installation Northwest offersdescriptions ofthese and better to group them in a bed or row rather other blueberries. than scattering them around the garden, Call fo r a n a p p o i n t m e n t Behind the Victorian house at The plants, which can live up to 50 years, Striksaid.You'llgetbetterresultsprepar510 Esther Ave. in Imbler 5 4 1 7 8 6 -1 9 9 1 ing an entire bed, rather than digging holes need lots of sunshine and specific soil requirements. When choosing a site, Strik and preparing soil for individual plants. O S V E x t e n a l o n S e r v tc e seoe s e a e c . o a o Although blueberries require a uniform recommended avoiding areas surrounded r by trees, which can provide too much shade, supply of water, they will not tolerate poor WM<~2~X ~~< drainage. Raised beds can provide adequate compete for water and nutrients, encourat Baker H ig h S c h oo l 7 :30 atn — 4 pm drainage and aeration if they are from 12 age hungry birds and deter air movement Satur d ay , M a y 2, 2 0 1 5 around the new plants. The berries grow to 18 inches high and 3 feet wide. They can Chrlmrn f m a asniag= best in well-drained, light, sandy loam that be constructed with wood walls, or you can Weeds in Landscape St ra w b e r r i es Composting P rinciples o f Prunin g A q ua p o n i c s Tomatoes is high in organic matter and with a pH make hills with just soil and sawdust. H ome Greenhouse s U rb an T r e e s Raised Beds "Beforeplanting,incorporate organic between 4.5 and 5.5. W orms in Y o u r A p p l e s N u t r i t i o n Soils Test the soil pH a year before planting. If matter such as Douglas-fir sawdust or bark you need to make the soil more acidic, it can to improvesoilaeration and drainage," $50 by 4/22: $60 after-includes lunch Strik said.'Yard debris compost often has a Registr a t i o n / I n f o r m a t i o n : OS U E x t e nsion Offi ce 2 6 00 East St. Baker City take more than six months. According to 541-523-6418 o r vrv r v v.extension.oregonstate.edn/bakeryhorticnl tn re Strik, poor plant growth from soil pH that is high pH —over7.0,compared to 4.0 to 4.5 too high is the most common problem when of Douglas-fir sawdust — and can be high

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 4, HOME & GARDEN

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By Jeff Petersen Wescom News Service

Curb appeal. It's what every homeowner wants. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it's like putting lipstick on a pig. Ray and Carol Westenskow have curb appeal in spades. Their home on Fourth Street in La Grande, built in the 1920s by the Stoddards, who owned lumber mills in the area, is a head turner. Reroofingthe gingerbread home was necessary but a gamble. How would it look when the job was done? The Westenskows contracted with Eagle Cap Construction and the company's roofing department manager, Leo Bristol, to do the work. A seven-man crew startedthejobApril1and finished April 10. What the crew found there was amazing. The first thing they had to do was take off four layers of composition shingles, the first layer put on in the 1920s. The Westenskows have lived in the home 25 years and in that time done nothing but patch shingles here and there. Before that, who knows? "I think the people who lived there, way back when, were scared to tear it all off and figure how to wrap it all again," Bristow said."Luckily, I did a gingerbread home for Dr. Willard Bertrand in Union about a year and a half ago. I knew what to expect and how to do it. I've been roofing for 25 years and that's only the second house like that I've done." Westenskow knew the

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Tim MustoervvesCom News Servrce

From left, Dan Dakota, Louis Richards, AndrewWigginton and Cody Huff of Eagle Cap Construction remove older layers of roofing off a 1920s La Grande home owned by Ray and CarolWestenskow. The wood carpentry on the roof is all original. eWe had to make it merge together," he said.

What Bristow and his crew found when the shingles were torn off was surprrsmg. "All the wood framing underneaththe roofing was hand nailed because they didn't have pneumatic guns back then," he said."It was all hand made without pneumatic tools." Bristow said when the shingles were torn off it looked like the hull of a boat turned upside down. 'The main sheeting we attached the roofing to was 1-inch thick by 6-inches wide tongue and grove," he said."It made it easier for us. It was less labor intensive because we didn't have to resheet it, and we were really happy about that."

As for specific details, the Eagle Cap crew put gutters on the home and dressed it up. ''We made it look like crown molding all the way around," Bristow said.eWe hand madeallofthe edge metal on it with a splitter

and a blade." Westenskow said he was pleased with the results. "It was old and ugly," he said.eWe had some wind damage. They did a nice

job." With the house's curb appeal, and busy pedestrian and Fourth Street traffic, many people noticed the work as it progressed. 'You wouldn't believe how many people gave us compliments when we

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The roofing gets removed and later replaced by the crew of Eagle Cap Construction. The house was built in the 1920s and consists of unique architectural design such ascustom wood pieces known as valleys. challengethe roofers'faced. "The roofers seemed to think there were 20 tons of shingles, and they took that down to the wood. It was solid, beautiful lumber, tongue and groove. I was afraid there would be a lot of rot, but that was not the

case. It was fun to see the workmanship that went into building the rounded roof." Bristow said it was a big challenge making the metal flashingon thewrap work and still have curb appeal with the composition roof.

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 5

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Tony's Tree Service Tim MusaoeNVescom News Service

Roudy Hanna of Eagle Cap Construction rips off layers of roofing from Ray and CarolVVestenskow's house in La Grande. The house was built in the 1920s and has very unique custom pieces of wood built into the roof. were working on it," Bristow said. "A lady even brought us doughnuts one day." One reason the Westenskows were pleased with the work, Bristow said, was the cleanup work the crew did each day after finishing their labors. "We always clean up really well when we are done for the day," Bristow said. "That way, if there are children playing in the yard or whatever, they don't have to worry about the mess." Bristow said his crew did a fine job. "They did most of the work. I just supervised," he said. "I have a really hardworking, talented crew." Westenskow, who was an elementary school principal for a number of years, retired trom the La Grande School District in 1996. But he hasn't retired to the rocking chair. This time of year, he is constantly busy tending the yard and fertilizing it or working on the sprinlder system, which each spring needs some troubleshooting. He'salsobusy gettingfruittreespruned and the bushes and leaves cleaned up. What's more, as anyone who has attended the La Grande Farmers' Market knows, Westenskow is busy each spring preparing for the year's new bee colonies. ''We hardly advertise it at all," he said. ''We've done it for a lot of years, and usually have a few hundred gallons ofhoney trom mid July into the fall." Westenskow started in the beekeeping business years ago in Eugene, when he had

a half-acre backyard in a Gravenstein apple orchard. "A friend got me into it," he said."I bought a hiveand gotstarted." As anyone familiar with bees knows, for the past quarter century there has been a problem with keeping bees healthy. ''What I've been able to do is buy small colonies in the springtime,"Westenskow said."Thebig-time beekeepers sellm e healthy ones in the spring and buy them back in the fall. I'm a fair-weather beekeeper." Westenskow places in bees where there's a variety of things blooming and there's water. "It's important that there's something blooming over a long period in the summer, to keep the hives producing and to make some nice honey," he said. He also is a hobby farmer with a small acreage out of town, on Owsley Canyon Road, with a few cows, steers, heifers and pigs and sometimes a few chickens. Westenskow said he is fortunate to live in such a nice house and gives all the credit to the previous owners. "Whoever lived here years ago put in a nice automatic sprinkler system," he said. ''We've been fortunate to live here in a nice home." Contact Jeff Petersen at 541-963-3161 or j peterSen CullagrandeObSerVer COm. FOIIOW

Jeff on Twitter C lagrandenewsGo.

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 6, HOME & GARDEN

m osiumo ersvarie o VVesCom News Servicestaff

master gardener. BAKER CITY — The Northeast Oregon • Home greenhouses, Jan Veatch, UniversityofIdaho master gardener garden symposium,"Tools to Grow By,"is set for May 2 at Baker High School, 2500 • Berries, Ariel Agenbroad, University of E St. Idaho extension agent The day-long seminar includes a variety •Aquaponics,Burke Smejkal and Tammy oftopicsforhome gardeners. Dowell, Baker Botanicals • 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.— break, bidThe $50registration feeincludes a keynotespeech,a selection ofthree classes, ding on silent auction items, visiting exhibiroundtable discussions and a buffet lunch. tor booths The symposium schedule: Session B: 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. • 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.— registrat ion,cofClass choices: fee/muffins, exhibitor booths • Soil: What it is and how it works, James • 8 a.m.— introductions and announceCassidy, OSU soil scientist ments • Raised beds, Susan Bell, University of • 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.— keynote Idaho extension agent speaker, James Cassidy, "Growing a student • Veggie gardens in small spaces, Ariel farm: Making it up as I go alone!" Agenbroad • 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m.— break; bidding • Super foods-food hero, Rebecca Colton, on silent auction items, visiting exhibitor OSU health educator booths Session C: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Session A: 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Class choices: • Principles of pruning, David Cowan Class choices: • Tomato fascination, David Cowan, OSU Learn pruning fundamentals that apply

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to all your garden plants,fruittrees,roses and cane berries. You will practice locating and making healthy cuts. • Compost: What it is and how to make it, James Cassidy Composting is more than just rotting. If you really want to make compost you need to know the fundamentals of decomposition. What are the big three? Feed the herd. • Weeds in your landscape, Arnie Grammon, weed specialist Learn the latest weed management strategies for small acreage and suburban land owners. Noxious, lawn and garden weeds will be addressed. • Super foods-food hero, Rebecca Colton Focus on the nutritional value of superfoods. We will make smoothies from veggies from your garden. Take home recipes to get your family to eat their "veggies" the fun way. • 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.— break, last chance to bid on silent auction items and visit exhibitor booths

Session D: 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. Round table sessions — each session will last 20 minutes, with five minutes between sessions • There's worms in my apples, David Cowan Take this class to learn how to manage thegreatestthreattoyour applehappiness — the codling moth. You will learn an action plan for combatting this challenging pest. • What's with that container, Mindy Sherrieb, Ace Nursery • Urban trees, Bob Parker, OSU forestry extension agent This class will discuss the selection, handling and care of ornamental tress for your home. • 4 p.m.— pick up and pay for silent auction items, turn in evaluations For registration information, call the Baker County Extension 0$ce at 541-5236418, email to Janice.cowan@oregonstate. edu or go to http J%xtension.oregonstate. edu/baker.

W hat you should k now ab ou t household hazardous waste. What is household hazardous waste? HHWis anything labeled toxic, flammable, corrosive, reactive or explosive. These materials can threaten family health and the safety of pets and wildlife. What are some examples of hazardous waste? Aerosols, Bleach, Drain Cleaners, Metal Polish, Mothballs, Oven Cleaners, Toilet Bowl Cleaners, Ammonia-based Cleaners, Mercury Thermometers, Wood Polishes, Waxes, Fertilizers, Insecticides, Herbicides, Rodenticides, Spa and Pool Chemicals, Roofing Compounds, Antifreeze, Batteries, Motor Oil, Paint Strippers and Thinners, Gasoline and more. Wh ere can I safelydispose of my hazardous waste?

La Grande Facility: Open to any resident of the three counties every other Tuesday, 8am to 12 noon. By appointment, however, small labeled quantities accepted daily. (541) 963-5459. Baker City Facility: Open the first Wednesday of each month, 10am-12 noon. By appointment only. (541) 523-2626. Enterprise Facility: Open the 2" and 4" Saturday of each month 10 a.m. — 12 Noon. By appointment only. (541) 426-3332.

THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 7 I

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Plant a colorful mixture of lettuce greens and your fall container garden is also your salad course.

Workin inthe ar en with lettuce varieties L

et'stalk lettucetoday.Itcan beplanted now, but it can also be planted in September and if it gets a start can winter through and then take offlike crazy when the weather gets nice. I did that last fall again, but squirrels decided to dig around in the nice fresh soil in the raised garden and dug so many holes most of it was ruined. I might be growing peanuts this year or maybe they were looking for some they planted there another time. Probably the one I found last year. I like to plant Romaine lettuce, because it gives me the most for my efforts. Even if it is planted too thick it does fairly well. It is best, though, to thin it when it is big enough to use what you thin. Ilearned several yearsago tofi x a section thatislettuce andjustbroadcastthe seeds. That saves the stressoftrying to getperfect rows, and it works very well. When we finally have lettuce ready to use, I will tell you about the "wilted lettuce" salad I grew up on. That is one reason why I grow it. It takes quite a bit oflettuce and

GRANNY'S GARDEN CHRISTINE MARTIN

some radishes and green onions, so have them growing too. I learned from someone I know that the bestgreen onions to plantarecalled "Candy." She directed me to D&B to get the starts, and we have grown them numerous years since. They need to be in when the lettuce is planted or close to it, but radishes grow very fast, so plan on planting some later so they won't be over the hill when you areready for thissalad. That's all you need, lettuce, onions and radishes, all from your garden, of course. Of all the lettuce I grow or buy the romaine lasts the longest in the fridge so that's anotherreason to grow it. Do send me any garden ideas you want to share. Reach the author by email at Crisj marCeoni.com.

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PAGE 8, HOME & GARDEN

is is a orious ace o row oo ' • Baker City resident sings praises of area's soil, decent weather for growing By Lisa Britton ForwesCom News Service

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Lavender is one of Ann Mehaffy's top recommendations for lowwater-usage gardens in Northeastern Oregon. The plant is prone to spreading from its original plantings, though.

If someone says Baker City's growing season is tough, Ann Mehafly doesn't nod with agreement. We have, she says, good soil and decent weather. When she lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico — elevation 7,000 feet — she didn't even try growing vegetables in the hard soil used to make adobe houses. "I concentrated on flowers and ornamentalgrasses,"she said. Now, in Baker City, her garden overflows. 'This is a glorious place to grow food," she says.'This is really paradise." But Santa Fe did teach her how to create a beautiful landscape that didn't need much water — a

technique called xeriscape. ''We were on restricted water all the time," she says. Although she does have some grass in her yard, she has developed a landscape ofrock and perennials that don't need a lot of water, such as waves oflavender lining a gravel pathway. But don't let the idea of a rock landscape putyou offxeriscaping. As an example, Mehafly says Gail Duman has created an attractive kontyard and reduced water usage by about 75 percent. Duman, who also lives in Baker City, took out the grass, then added gravel and perennials such as lavender and Russian sage. However, Duman warns, lavender does tend to spread beyond where it's planted.

"People thinkxeriscape will save you a lot of trouble with work. Not true," Mehafly says. Butit will save you water — Duman says she waters the lavender and sage maybe twice a year. To help local gardeners, Mehafly has compiled a list ofher top 19 plants and ornamental grasses that thrive in a high desert environment. 'These are tried and true," she says. Her recommendations: • Artemesia: Wormwoods, zones 3-5. Grown for attractive and scented foliage. • Centranthus: Red Valerian, Jupiter's Beard, zone 5. Blooms late spring to late summer, can be deadheaded mid-season for more blooms. Easily moved and divided. • Cerastium: Snow in Summer,

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015 zones 3-5. Grows in poor soil, in hot areas, great for border and ground cover. • Dianthus: Pinks, zones 3-5. Border and rock garden pinks; can be cut back after first blooming for later blooms. • Echinacea: Coneflower, zones 4-5. Native to the prairies. Blooms mid-summer to fall. Gorgeous with late summer grasses. • Geranium: Hardy geranium, Cranesbill. Zones4-5.Tough,beautifuland undemanding.Can be deadheaded mid-summer for more blooms. • Lavendula: Lavender, zone 5. Can withstand dry and heat, working well for border or patio. Prefers high rocky ground over rich loam. • Nepeta: catmint, zones 4-5. Blooms fiom early summer to early fall. Can be deadheaded mid-season. Tough and pretty. Sometimes self sows too fieely. Cats loaf and roll in it. • Oenothera: evening primrose, zones 4-8. Rambler, flowers through the summer. Can be pinchedback forcompactness.Very carefree. • Penstemon: penstamon or beardtongue, zones 4-8. Best grown in unimproved, native soil, with gravel mulch and good drainage. Great hummingbird plant. • Perovskia: Russian sage, zone 5. Fantastic blue shrub-like perennial, blooms in late sum-

HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 9 growing season to encourage fresh blooms and neatness. • Stachys: Lamb's Ears, zones 4-5. Tough, easy to divide, and very drought tolerant. The non-blooming variety is most desirable, making soft gray-green mounds. • Thymus: thyme, zones 4-5. A large selection ofcolor,fragrance and habitis available. Especially desirable are the creeping varietiesforedges,bordersand dry rocky areas.

Ornamental grasses

Courtesy photo

Coneflower, also known as echinacea, this species blooms for mid-summer to fall and is gorgeous with late summer grasses. mer. Can be cut back to ground for winter. divide and move. •Salvia: Garden sage,zones4-5.N ativeto • Saponaria: soapwort, zones 4-5. Rugged, dry meadows.Hardy,dependable,with good creeping ground cover. Hardy, very drought selection ofblue flowers. Attracts bees. Easy to tolerant. Can be cut back throughout the

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• Calmagrostis: Reed Grass, zones 4-5. Showy late summer grass, best as a back border grass or specimen. • Festuca: blue fescue grass, zones 4-5. Smaller, well-behaved ornamental. Works as a specimen, in drifts or patterns. • Helictotrichon: blue avena grass, zones 4-9. Spectacular blue-graygrass with arching four-foot flower spikes. Fantastic foundation or centerpiece plant. Can grow to fourfeetw ide. • Miscanthus: maiden grass, zones 4-5. Large, showy grasses. Slow to green up in spring but very rewarding for drama. Some varieties arenothardy forourarea icheck

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Antique Wheelbarrow Decorating Contest Dig out that antique wheelbarrow let your imagination run wild on decorating and filling your wheelbarrow!

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Have Open Classprojects ready for the Fair by August 3, 2015 Angie Turner, Manager 2600 East Street*Baker City, OR 541-523-7881

THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 10, HOME & GARDEN

0 eS, VO eS BI1 0 • Mole tunnels can cause damage to plants By Kym Pokomy Oregon State University Extension Office

CORVALLIS — Spring brings buds and blooms, but it also brings moles, voles and gophers. The small mammals take gardeners to their knees to peer down tunnels, set traps and toss in everything from kitty litter to gum. They wage war against the critters before they know what they're fighting, which can lead to fi ustration. "How you deal with them depends on what you have," said Dana Sanchez, a wildlife specialist for Oregon State University's Extension Service.'The traps are different and so are the baits you would use." M oles, volesand gophers allcreatetunnels and are active underground, but what they eat and the damage they cause varies. They all improve the soil by aerating it and

mixing nutrients, but sometimes their habits get them in trouble with gardeners. Gophers favor bulbsand roots.Voles go for grass, but also gnaw on shrubs and stems nearest their holes and runways. Moles, which are rarely if ever seen, prefer non-plant food. "People say moles are eating my garden, but moles are adapted for swimming through the soil to hunt prey," Sanchez explained."They just tunnel through looking for worms, grubs and insects." Mole tunnels can cause damage to plants, though, when their runways create paths around roots. And the mounds of dirt drive homeowners crazy and interfere with mowing. Gophers — about the size of ground squirrels — will eat whole plants. "Ifyou see a plantdisappear,"shesaid, "it's a gopher. They're famous for pulling things below ground." Though voles live in little tunnels, they spend time above ground eating grass and

"How you deal with them depends on

whatyou have. Thetraps arediPerent and soarethebaitsyou would use." — Dana Sanchez, a wildlife specialist for OSU's Extension Service

nibbling on other plants. The mouse-size volesleave a lotofsm allholesand connecting runways through the damaged grass they've been dining on. You can tell you have a mole on your hands if the mounds in your yard or garden take on a volcanic, rounded shape. Gopher mounds, on the other hand, are flatter on top, fan-shaped with the hole off to the side. "Theimportantpart isfor peopleto assessthe levelofdamage with the level of control," Sanchez said."Is having a few holes in the lawn enough of a problem that you need to take action?" For those who choose combat, stick to research-basedcontrols,sheadvised.Gadgets and homemade recipes have not been shown scientifically to work, she added.

One way to control voles is with mousetraps, which can be set at the entrance to their tunnels. But because of their high rate of reproduction, it can be difficult to control them, she said. Scissorjaw traps arerecommended for moles, while two-pronged pincher traps are effective for gophers,according to Sanchez. In states other than Oregon, be sure to check regulations as laws on which — or whether — traps are legal. To figure out where to set traps, find an active tunnel by probing about six inches down near a fresh mound. You can also push down on mounds to close them and wait to see where a fresh one appears. Set traps in a tunnel near a fresh mound. In raised beds, you can repel moles and gophers by using a barrier of welded wire on the bottom. Tilling in rows between crops may help. Using baits is an option, Sanchez said, butwillbe dangerous to pets and other animals. As with all pesticides, read the label carefully, she added.

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PAGE 12, HOME & GARDEN

Masonbees pollinate plants before honey beesget busy I

By Kym Pokomy 5

Oregon State University Extension Office

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CORVALLIS — The gardening season is young, but mason bees are out for their short but productive foray into the blooms of your backyard. These solitary native bees — most commonly the blue orchard mason bee iOsmia lignarial — get busy before honeybees and set to work on early-flowering plants like forsythia, pieris and especially fruit trees. "Mason bees fill a spot in the season when other pollinators are not out," said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Oregon State University's Extension Service. "They'rereally im portant forfruittrees, especially in cool, wet areas." As honeybees continue to struggle for survival, mason bees takeon a biggerrole in the backyard garden, according to Edmunds. Both serious and casual gardeners welcome these earnest pollinators to get better yields of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Mason bees are smaller than honeybees, have a bluish hue and are often mistaken

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Mason bees pollinate early-blooming plants like Oregon grape. "Mason bees fill a spot in the season when other pollinators are not out," said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Oregon State University's Extension Service. "They're really important for fruit trees, especially in cool, wet areas." for flies. Rarely do you have to worry about being stung because these unaggressive beeslive aloneand have no hive to protect.

Unlike honeybees that fly up to four miles to find their preferred food, mason bees don't go much farther than 300 feet. They

move in a zigzag pattern, which makes them especially efficient pollinators for small spaces, according to Edmunds. The single-minded bees live to bring nectar and pollen back to the nest for their larvae that hatch from eggs laid between walls made of mud — another material the female bees must haul back to the nest. Leaving patches of mud close to nesting areas intreesorotherwood willhelp attract them, Edmunds said. You can also encourage mason bees by creating a garden that includes plants that bloom during their excursions in March to mid- or late May. Consider plants such as crabapples, redbud, flowering currant, elderberry, huckleberry, Oregon grape and lupine. Even the often-dreaded dandelion is a great source of food. If you want to introduce the bees rather than wait for them to arrive in the garden, she recommends purchasing a nesting house, which contains straws filled with cocoons that hatch in spring. They're available online or at garden centers.

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HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 13

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PAGE 14, HOME & GARDEN

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hough temperatures are still toocoldform ostseed germination in April, there's still plenty home gardeners can do now to start a productive gardening season. For example, it's not too early forgardeners totestand prepare their garden soil. "Gardenerscan getsoiltesting kits to see if there's anything they have to amend in the soil," said Edna Carpenter of Eastern Oregon Nursery and Landscapingin La Grande.'You can get those kits locally at BiMart, and it will tell you ifyou need more phosphorous, nitrogen or something else in the soil. When you find out what your garden soil needs, D&B Supply has a goodselection ofthose supplies." Adding animal manure to gardensoilisalso goodforcomposi tion, but Carpenter offers a cautionarypieceofadvice about that.

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HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 15

e nin s ou enough. If it remains in a ball, it's too wet to till. Gardeners who have tilled their TRISHYERGES soil the previous fall will find that the garden soil is noticeably "I don't recommend using horse easier to till in April. In this case, manure," she said, "because horses generally one pass i6-8 inches don't digest everything well, and deep) with a rotary tiller per row you'll end up with a lot of weeds is sufficient to break up the soil in your garden. Use steer manure and work in winter compost or instead. Gardeners can getbagged other organic material. Excessive steer manure at BiMart. Just tilling will compact the dirt more check the bag instructions for the tightly, which is exactly what a square footage of your garden, gardenerwants to avoid.After and you'l lknow how many bags of tilling, smooth out the soil with a manure are recommended." long-handled garden rake. Manure and other organic matAnother advantage to fall tillter can be tilled into the soil this ing is that through aeration, the month if the soil is suKciently dry. loosened soil will become dry and To see if the soil is dry enough, warm enough for planting in the grab a handful of soil and squeeze spring. A temp of about 60 degrees it into a ball. Then poke it with Fahrenheitisgood forseed germiyour finger to break it up. If it nation. To test the soil's temperabreaks up easily, the soil is dry ture, a gardener might stick his

IN THE GARDEN

e ini n finger in the soil and see if it's tolerable for one minute. If not, it's toocold toplantseeds,which is usually the case in April. It's always wise to employ the age-old practice ofcrop rotation in a home garden for the prevention of plant disease, for nutrient balance and enhancement and for insect control. One easy method of doing this is to design the garden into four sections for plant families like the leafy or flower plants, root plants, fruits and legumes. Then rotate those plant families through those sections each year. Finally, when the garden soil istested,amended, tilled and designed, it's time to select which coldweather crops to plant. "April is the month for planting your cold weather crops," said Carpenter."That includes starter plants of onions, lettuce, Brussel

sprouts, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, cabbages,spinach, kale and potatoes. You may be able to also plant seed peas." Peas, beans and other legumes are great for nutrient enhancement as they put nitrogen back into the soil. However, while peas may be planted as early as April, beans are more temperature sensitive and should be planted during the frost-free month of June. "Until the snow melts off Mt. Emily, not too many seeds will germinatebecause it'stoocold,"warned Carpenter."Ifyou plant more delicate starter plants before June, like tomatoes, cover them with frost cloths, which work wonderfully or use Wall 0Water plant protectors." To see a greatvegetable planting chart for USDA zones 4b and 5a,visithttp//veggieharvest.com/ calendars/zone-5.html.

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 16, HOME & GARDEN

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— Greg Moulton, owner of Next Step Carpeting

For more than 30 years, Next Step Carpet has been installing all types of flooring. However, they're introducing their customers to a whole new element — a total design center. Brent and Greg Moulton, father and son, own Next Step Carpet and recently moved to a new location on Bearco Loop in August. They decided to add the design element to the business after seeing how many people in the community would leave La Grande when planningsome home remodeling projects. ''What we saw is them going out of town and buying materials," Greg said."They go to Home Depot and the money isn't going into the community. We absolutely kill

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HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 17

Ask a designer: Decorating your home with pastels By Melissa Rayworth

saturated and others with more gray mixed in. Consider picking one of the grayer, less saturated shades. It's useful to look through design magazines for inspiration, but Burnham notes that what looks great in a photo might not in real life. That's especially true if the photo depicts a"show house" designed to highlight a designer's talent, rather than a home that people actually live in.

The Associated Press

After a long winter, the pastel colors of spring look pretty appealing right now. Cheerful pastel pinks, yellows, greens and blues can seriously brighten up a room. Decorating with these potentially toosweet shades can be tricky, but worth it. "Pastels get a bad rap for being supergirly, sometimes being kind of'80s, and for even skewing babyish. But they don't have to be any of those things if you apply them in fresh ways," says designer Brian Patrick Flynn, founder of Flynnside Out Productions. "Pastels are like Sandra Bullock or a little black dress. They are always going to be in fashion and will remain classic for the masses. I say, use pastels however, whenever, and just be sure to put your own spin on them." Here, Flynn and two other interior designers— Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design in Los Angeles and Toronto-based designer Meredith Heron — offer advice on making spring pastels work in your home.

Consider your light

A little goes a long way

The Associated Press

In this undated photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn and HGTVcom, the designer Flynn used high-end performance fabrics in pastel tones to create this lounge he describes as 'rock and roll pastels' due to the mix of light colors with edgy accents and retro elements. room or they will look like something out of an antacid commercial." Likewise, avoid pastel yellow in a south-facing room and blue in an east-facing one.

paint-swatch card you'll find four or five variations on the same color, some very

Shop cautiously The natural light in a room impacts how The names of paint swatches can tell a pastelcolor actually appears,saysHeron. East-facing windows bring a cool, blue light you a lot."If something has 'baby'in front during the day, while west-facing windows of it — baby blue, baby pink — be careful," bring in a redder light in the afternoon and says Burnham. You're safer "if you see 'pale at sunset. Heron says south-facing windows blue.' The interpretation can be all kinds of things, fiom periwinkle to a gray-blue." tend to offer a yellower light. "My rule of thumb is to avoid the pastels Ifyou'redrawn toa true baby pink or thatcorrespond to the direction ofthelight," baby blue on a swatch, consider going she says."So no pinks in a western-facing with a slight variation on it. Often, on one

"One pastel is really great," Burnham says."It stands out and shines on its own." But the effect is lost when you bring in additional pastels; you don't want the room to feellike a basket ofEastereggs. If you're having trouble choosing just one shade, Flynn suggests blue: "Robin's egg blue is probably the most iconic pastel used forinteriors, "he says."Believe itornot, robin's egg is almost like a neutral. It works with almost any color in the spectrum. I like putting a transitional spin on it by layering it upon itself in different shades and tints.

•

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ff<PLY GEM spective. Greg and Brent try to figure out how they can make the customer stay local. "All the employees were born and raised here. We didn't mean to do that, but it's true," Greg said.cWe pay with family wages. W e offer good materialsatgood prices." cWe know the kind of products customers want," said Fam Saechao, design manager for Next Step Carpet.cWe don't sell products we wouldn't want in our own home." Next Step Design will offer home improvementcooperativesalesand do it yourself events to help customers as well, Greg said. He said one of the future events is a do-ityourself event on laminate floors and others

that will implement some design aspects. cWe want to avoid the customers running around," Greg said.cWe'vealready gotten positive results. iCustomersl think it's more convenient. We're making it easy for them. And we're trying to get customers to support the community — to buy local and stay local." Greg said to find out more information about the future events, go to their website at www.nextstepcarpet.org or their Face-

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 18, HOME & GARDEN

ive essen A

h, spring cleaning. All the tasks you pushed aside earlier in the year now await you — a seemingly never-ending list ofchores. However, not everyone has the time or energy to scrub their house from top to bottom. For those who need to abbreviate this seasonal ritual, housecleaners say the following areas are the most essential:

Baseboards "I think the thing people have the hardest time keeping up with is the baseboards," says John Crum, ownerofCrum Cleaningin Kansas City, Missouri. To clean your baseboards, first vacuum or sweep the area. Then, take a cloth or sponge and a cleaning solution — a combination of soap and water, vinegar or a wood

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According to Crum, many peopleneglecttheharder-to-reach areas, such as behind the refrigerator, oven, washer and dryer, because they take more time to clean. But once a year, you should take the extra time to move your appliances and clean behind and underneath them, as dirt, crumbs and dust accumulate in these places.

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cleaner — and wipe down the baseboards.

High dusting According to Crum, homeownersoften forgetto dustceiling lights and fans because they're out of reach. Others may choose not to clean them because the job sometimesrequiresa ladder. Maria Keashon, owner of Arbor Cleaning Services in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, adds that homeownersforgetto clean offthetop of their kitchen cabinets. Keashon says her company always cleans cabinet tops when completing a spring cleaning, as dust accumulates quickly.

Ketelin Kinney/Angie'5List

Inside the cabinets

To clean baseboards, first vacuum around them, then wipe down with a cloth and cleaning solution.

Keashon says that most people assume the inside of their cabinets remain perfectly clean because they're only opened to remove or neglected space when it comes to cleaning house. put away dishes. However, homeowners face more However, these areas collect challenges when washing walls grimeovertime. because the proper method can She recommends removing all dishes and wiping down the vary based on whether walls are painted and the paint type used. cabinets once a year.

Those who don't want to climb atop a ladder can purchase a longer dusting wand made specifically for high fixtures and ceilings.

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HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 19

Time to tune up the mower p

ut away the snowblower and tune upthe lawn mower because what passes for spring these days has arrived. The Outdoor Power Equipm ent Insti tuteofferssome tipsfor properand safeoperation ofall the things you need to keep your yard looking marvelous: Use the right equipment for the task. Mowers, hedge trimmers and so forth are designed to help you manage a landscape as efficiently and producti vely aspossible. Selecta"right-sized" product. Ask your retailer/dealerforassistance in size, capabilities, power sources and features that fit your needs. Assign the right person to use the equipment, and allow only responsible adults familiar with the instructions to operate it. Such toolsshould notbeoperated by young people who are not physi-

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cally or developmentally ready to operate them. Alert people nearby of the work to be done. Confirm the locations of pets and children and ask that they be kept out of the area and supervised. Read the operator's manual to understand the controls of your equipment. Regularly inspect your equipment. Check for loose belts and missing or damaged parts. Install clean air filters so your engine and equipment run optimally. Have your mower's cutting blades sharpened so it will operate more efficiently, cutting your lawn more cleanly and making it healthier.

Know your terrain. When operatingon slopes,selectthe appropriate equipment. Clear the area being managed. Remove any debris, wires, branches, nails, rocks, or metal that could become projectiles if thrown by the blades of a lawn mower or other equipment. Dress properly. Wear substantialshoes,longpants,and closefitting clothes. You also may want to wear eye or hearing protection, or both. Observesafefueling procedures. Fill a gasoline tank only when the engine is cool. Do not use gas with more than 10 percent ethanol iE10l in your mower.

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

PAGE 20, HOME & GARDEN

Putcli ersto oo u se By Kym Pokomy Oregon State University Extension Office

CORVALLIS — Every gardener owns apairofclippers,butnot every one knows how to use them for the daunting job of pruning shrubs. "Prtmingis both art and science and not somethingmostofus get trainingin," said Steve Renquist, a horticulturistwith Oregon State University's Extension Service.'Prtming should bothenhance aplant's natural beautyand form, andkeep theplant vigorous and productive." People unsure ofhow to approach pruning tend to think of it as a way to cut a shrub down to size, he said. But there is more than one reason to pick up the pruners. To get started, learn the two types of cuts used on shrubs — heading cuts remove ends ofbranches to make the plant

s correctly

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shape or habit for each shrub in your garden. Mound-forming shrubs, such as abelia and escallionia, need thinning cuts near the ground level. Remove tall shoots that tower abovethe mound form. Don't shear mound-forming shrubs or they will become too dense. Cane-forming shrubs that send up new growth from the base of the plant, including forsythia and lilac, should be allowed to reach their natural height. To keep them lookingtheirbestprune once a year using thinning cuts to take out one-eighth to one-fifth of the Lynn Ketchum phato canes,preferably theoldest. Azaleas should be pruned lightly after they bloom in spring. PeoUpright or tree-like shrubs like ple unsure of how to approach pruning tend to think of it as a way rhododendron usually need little to cut a shrub down to size. But there is more than one reason to pruning and will look best when thinned slightly every few years. pick up the pruners. Saveheadingcuts fbrhedges,whee denser; thinning cuts remove enp l a nt a more open form. It's also tightcompactgrowthis desirable. Plants with colorful twigs tire branches or canes to give the i m p ortant to know the natural

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in winter — such as red-twig dogwood and purple osier willow — can be cut back to the ground to encouragebrightestcolor. Flowering shrubs require a little more thought before pruning if you want them to bloom nicely each year. Most importantly, Renquist said, consider when they bloom. If a shrub flowers in late winter or spring, such as azalea, mock orangeand flowering quince, prune after bloom. If they bloom in summer or fall, prune during dormancy in winter. Don't just chop the top off of a shrub, he said. Topping destroys the natural beauty and weakens it structurally. Instead, think about a shrub's mature size before buying it and invest in one that will fit the space when mature. Otherwise, you'll be tempted to prune too severely and chance damaging or even killing the shrub.

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THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD, APRIL 29, 2015

HOME & GARDEN, PAGE 21

Here's the scoop on chemical and organic fertilizers By Kym Pokomy

Some nutrients, such as nitrate, are quickly available for uptake by plant roots, Penhallegon said. If you need only a certain element such as nitrogen and want it to be quickly available to your plants, an inorganic fertilizer such as ammonium nitrate might be in order. Organic fertilizers usually contain plant nutrients in low concentrations. Many of these nutrients have to be converted into inorganic forms by soil bacteria and fungi before plants can use them, so they typically are more slowlyreleased, especially during cold weather when soil microbes are not as active. But organic fertilizershave advantages. They don't make a crust on the soil as inorganic fertilizers sometimes do. They improve water movement into the soil and, in time,add structure to the soil.Organicsfeed beneficial microbes, making the soil easier to work. But they may cost more than chemical, or inorganic fertilizers, because they are less concentrated, supplying fewer nutrients pound for pound. Since many chemical/inorganic fertilizers areconcentrated and very soluble,it'seasier

Oregon State University Extension Office

CORVALLIS — Spring is the time for thinking about fertilizers. Organic options are a great way to go. Organic fertilizers such as manures, compostorbone meal arederived directly from plant or animal sources, according to Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Inorganic fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate or ammonium phosphate are often called commercial or synthetic fertilizers because they go through a manufacturing process, although many of them come from naturally occurring mineral deposits. Inorganic fertilizers usually contain only a few nutrients — generally nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur and sometimes micronutrients, either singly or in combination. These nutrients are in a form readily available to plants.However,sincethey are lost from the soil quickly, you may have to fertilize plants several times during the growing season unless you use a specially formulated,slow-release type.

the nitrogen gVi, phosphorus lPi and potassium lKI content of many of the organic substances commonly used as fertilizer in Oregon. His report, 'Values of Organic Fertilizers," also contains information about how quickly an organic fertilizer releases available nutrients and areferenceliston organicgardening. "One of the most diKcult things to determine for an organic gardener is how much organicfertilizerto use,say on 1,000 square feet of garden," said Penhallegon. "For a fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 12-11-2, this means 12 percent is nitrogen, 11 percent is phosphorus and 2 percent is potassium. In simple terms, this means each 100-pound bag of thefertilizerwould contain 12 pounds of nitrogen, 11 pounds phosphorus and two pounds nitrogen. "For example, using 12-11-2 fertilizer, if we knew we wanted to apply one pound

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feathersl15 percentNi,blood m eall12.5 percent Ni,dried blood l12 percentNi. Organic amendments highest in phosphorus include rock phosphate l20-33 percent Pi, bone meal l15-27 percent Pi and colloidal phosphate l17-25 percent Pi. High in potassium are kelp l4-13 percent KI, wood ash l3-7 percent Ki, granite meal l3-6 percent Ki and greensand l5 percent Ki. To make soil less acidic, gardeners want materials rich in calcium, including clamshells, oyster shells, wood ashes, dolomite and gypsum lallare atleast30 percent calcium carbonate or straight calcium).

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of nitrogen, we would use V12th of 100 pounds," he said. "This equals about 8 pounds of this fertilizer applied to get one pound of nitrogen out there in the soil." Blood meal l12.5-1.5-0.6i releases nutrientsovera period oftw otosix weeks. Burned eggshells l0-.5-.3i, fish emulsion

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PAGE 22, HOME & GARDEN

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