Seven deadly sins
Northwest Gardening
Armchair gardening thoughts By Alice Slusher
W
atching the snow gently sifting down onto my front planting bed, it seems like a strange time to be considering gardening resolutions for the coming year. But planning for spring is like a beacon of light during these long, dreary winter days, and it’s not too soon to think about avoiding the seven most common gardening mistakes this year. 1. Planting in the wrong place Landscape plants come with their unique light, temperature, moisture, space, and soil needs. Research any new plants before you place them in your landscape. Veggie gardens should be convenient both to water and your home—a garden located on the back 40 won’t be adequately tended. Planting on the south and west sides of your home ensures that your plants get at least 6-8 hours of sun, and rows and beds oriented north-to-south make the best use of the sun as it passes from east to west. Allow 3 feet of well-mulched space between the beds to allow room to work and prevent plants from shading neighboring beds or rows. Planting too close will stunt plant growth and encourage plant disease because of poor air circulation. Don’t let taller plants shade shorter ones unless the plants require some afternoon shade. 2. Not managing water needs One of the biggest mistakes is not planning for irrigation before you plant. If possible, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses and plan to keep the soil moist— not wet—in the root zone. Both too much and too little water can damage plants and fruit. For example, the dreaded blossom end rot on tomatoes and other vegetables is usually caused by inconsistent watering. If you water with a hose, do so in the morning at ground level to ensure the water reaches the roots, and avoid getting the leaves wet to minimize fungal plant disease. 3. Not taking care of your soil The best advice is to get a soil test to discover your soil needs. However, good soil management is a year-round quest. Start in the fall by covering your vegetable garden with shredded leaves. The organic material adds nutrients and tilth to your soil and keeps the spring weeds down. If indicated, add lime in autumn to amend our acidic soil. Mulch all beds to reduce weeds, keep the soil moist, moderate soil temps, and improve the soil. Don’t over-fertilize—
many landscape plants don’t need it. Your veggie garden will usually need fertilizer at planting and when the plants set fruit, but be sure to use a slow-release fertilizer. A couple of shovels of compost around the plants will help to boost soil fertility, too. 4. Planting too early It’s a good rule of thumb here in SW Washington to wait until the first or second week of June to plant your veggie starts outside. Pre-warm your soil by covering it
Extension Programs OSU – Columbia County 503-397-3462
Gardening Spot on KOHI (1600 am) radio: Every Sat, 8:05–8:15am
WSU – Cowlitz County 304 Cowlitz Way, Kelso, WA 98626
Free Workshops. Online (Zoom) except as noted
with clear plastic for 3-4 weeks before transplanting. If you plant earlier, you must provide protection from cold snaps. Choose seeds and starts with short “days-to-maturity” to ensure a good crop during our short summer growing season. The seed label will tell you when to start your seeds. For example, start tomato seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the first week of June and peppers a couple of weeks earlier. Keep records—label your plants, note when you started the seeds, transplanted them outdoors, and how well they produced, and problems you encountered. 5. Planting too much Only grow what you and your family enjoy, and don’t grow more than you can eat, preserve, or share. 6. Poor pruning methods and timing Learn how to prune correctly— attend an Extension workshop or purchase a good pruning guide. You
34 / Columbia River Reader / January 15, 2022
360-577-3014 X3, for connection info. Details: cowlitzcomg.com/events Jan. 18 Noon •Caring for Fruit Trees Jan. 21 10am • Orientation for Master Gardener Training Class (call for info) Jan. 25 Noon • Pruning Fruit Trees Jan. 29 10am • Caring for and Pruning Fruit in-person, COVID-permitting Feb. 1 Noon • Planning to Plant Feb. 8 Noon • Seed Starting Feb. 12 10am •Seed Starting in-person make-and-take kit, COVID-permitting Feb. 16 Noon • Grape Care and Pruning Feb. 19 10am • Grape Care and Pruning in-person, COVID-permitting
can remove dead, damaged, and crossing branches at any time. However, if you want to keep your trees and shrubs healthy, blooming, and productive, learn what each plant needs. Springflowering shrubs should only be pruned immediately after they have bloomed. Summer and fall-blooming plants can be pruned back in late winter. Most fruit trees, bushes, and vines should be pruned in late winter while still dormant. 7. Not monitoring your plants Keep a close eye on your garden and landscape. You can detect minor problems before they become significant disasters! Early detection will minimize the use of chemicals to solve insect or plant disease problems. The more I look back, the more mistakes I remember making! But don’t be afraid to make mistakes—that’s how you learn to avoid future problems. Please plan to attend our Master Gardener Workshops this year to increase your knowledge. Above all, have fun “playing in the dirt!” ••• Kalama resident Alice Slusher volunteers with WSU Extension Service Plant & Insect Clinic. Call 360-577-3014, ext. 8, or send question via cowlitzmastergardener@gmail.com.
