Northwest Gardening: Tips for Gardening Enjoyment

Tips for gardening enjoyment

By Alice Slusher

One of the best things about being a Master Gardener is sharing learning experiences, Programs & Events successes, and failures with other MGs. OSU Extension Columbia County • I asked my friends for their best tips for having a better garden this year. Thanks to everyone who offered their suggestions — there’s not enough 503-397-3462 Chat with Chip: Interactive Zoom program with Chip Bubl. June 21 and each 3rd Tues, 6:30pm-8pm. Register in advance online; you room to share them all! will receive a confirmation email with info to FREQUENT TOPICS: Irrigating, Mulching, Protecting Your Plants join meeting. Other programs: extension.oregonstate.edu We all agree that watering your plants at ground WSU Extension Cowlitz County level is the way to go; it protects leaves from 304 Cowlitz Way, Kelso, WA 98626 fungal diseases and gets the water to the roots Free Workshops. Online (Zoom) where it’s needed. Install drip irrigation in as 360-577-3014 X3, for connection info. many places as possible. Place it in your vegetable Info: cowlitzcomg.com/events) garden, ornamental beds, around blueberry bushes, June 14 Noon: Drip Irrigation etc. It’s easy to do — no need to hire anyone to do June 21 Noon: Ask the Master Gardener it. And it’s inexpensive. YouTube has some great instructional videos! (common garden problems) June 28 Noon: Tips for Easier Gardening One MG suggested using Olla (“oy-uh”) pots July 5 Noon: Cool Weather Gardens — terra cotta vessels that are mostly buried July 12 Noon: Summer Watering underground and filled with water. The moisture leaches into the soil when it starts to dry out. Keep refilling the pots all summer. Ollas are another great way to conserve water and get it directly to the plants’ roots. And to keep the moisture in your soil and prevent weeds, mulch your beds. You can use a couple of inches of unsprayed grass clippings, dried leaves, straw, or plastic sheeting (I’m going to try red plastic sheeting to increase my tomato production this summer!). Try a silver reflective mulch like inexpensive mylar emergency blankets to mulch your peppers—it’s been shown to deter aphids and provides more warmth for your pepper plants. Since your drip irrigation is under the mulch, very little water is lost to evaporation. Use free arborist wood chips to mulch between your garden rows and landscape beds. Don’t spend money on artificially dyed mulches—who can afford it with gas prices over $5 a gallon! Resolve to tolerate some garden pests— they create a dinner buffet for the beneficial insect predators who can do most of the dirty work for you! Plant lots of flowers that bloom all summer long to attract these insects. If your broccoli, lettuce, and kale begin flowering, let them remain in your garden for the pollinators. Remember that using even the least toxic pesticides can decimate both the good and bad bugs. Learn to love row cover fabric. It’s a translucent fabric that allows light to reach your plants but protects them from cold and extreme heat (remember last year’s heat dome?) Keep your strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries covered with row cover that lets the sun and water in and keeps the birds out. Row cover is more bird-friendly than bird netting; birds don’t get tangled up in it and die. If the temps get above 90°, offer your plants some shade. Rig a “wall” of row cover fabric by zip-tying it to two bamboo stakes set in the ground. Most of all, don’t aim for perfection. It will wear you out, and you won’t enjoy gardening. Allow yourself to make mistakes—that’s how you learn. Ask for help from friends, spouses, and children. Don’t try to do it all alone. Break it up into many tasks and delegate them to helpers. Lure them with pizza and soft drinks for the littles, and maybe adult beverages for the adults! And final suggestions from MG friends: When it is not raining, be outside, enjoy the sunshine, stay active — you can always find SOMETHING to do. And leave some time at the end of the day to enjoy the fruits of your spring tasks, the warm summers with longer days, and the beauty of your garden. Set up a nice seating area in a place where you can stop, and sit and smell the roses! Enjoy the coming growing season! •••

Kalama resident Alice Slusher volunteers with WSU Extension Service Plant & Insect Clinic. Call 360-5773014, ext. 1, or send question via cowlitzmastergardener@ gmail.com.

Michael Henry Joins Staff at Longview Ortho

Longview Orthopedic Associates has announced that Michael Henry, MD, has joined the staff and begun seeing patients. In addition to general orthopedics and trauma care, Dr. Henry’s focus will be on joint replacement procedures.

“My subspecialty skills include minimally invasive surgery, anterior hip replacements, and partial and total knee replacements,” he said.

Dr. Henry earned his medical doctorate at the University of British Columbia, completed his residency at UBC and finished his fellowship training at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

In 2008, Dr. Henry served with a multinational medical unit in Kandahar,

Afghanistan, where he treated military and civilian casualties. Most recently, he spent seven years at Mason General Hospital (MGH) in Shelton, Washington. While at MGH, he was cited four times for extraordinary service to patients.

“I am also a strong patient ally and advocate when they are dealing with complex healthcare issues,” he said.

Dr. Turner, MD

Dr. Lauder, MD Dr. Kretzler, MD

Dr. McLeod, DPM Dr. Kung, MD

Dr. Lin, MD

We welcome Kaiser patients with a referral!