Archive for the ‘My Thoughts’ Category

     During one of my past KBND Radio “Garden Talk” shows I had a question in regards to some of my favorite and better performing veggie seeds. That said here is a list of some of my old and reliable varieties as well as a couple of newer introductions that should do very well for gardeners in colder, short season, High Desert regions.

Beans: Kentucky Wonder / Burpee Stringless / Romano    Beets: Detroit Red   Carrots: Nantes   Cucumbers: Marketmore / Lemon / Calypso (pickling)   Corn: Early Sunglow   Chard: Bright Lights   Radish: Champion / Cherry Belle   Lettuce: Red Sails / Red Salad Bowl   Melons: Ambrosia   Pea: Little Marvel / Thomas Laxton / Wando   Spinach: Bloomsdale   Squash: Black Beauty Zucchini / Waltham Butternut   Tomato: Sungold / Brandywine / Juliet

     A few flowers that I must also mention that tend to do quite well in our unique gardening zone would have to include the likes of: Alyssum Asters / Calendula / Sweet Peas / Marigolds / Cosmos / Zinnias / Nasturtium / Bachelor Buttons (I just had to mention this one as it was one of the first seeds (along with a few fragrant early blooming Sweet Peas) I planted with my most wonderful grandmother in the small town of Frenchglen at the early age of about five or six!

     I hope this small lister will help you in your plantings here on the “High Desert”. As I am sure you well know, now matter which ones you select the results are NEVER guarnteed. I sum the art of sowing seeds as a “Trip to Las Vegas”……… always a gamble….. and no… I don’t take trips to that city…. I just happily garden…… Doug

     Let this be the year to grow and flourish. A year to take the hand of a non-gardener and share with them the true joy of working the soil and planting seeds and plants of purpose. Amazing things happen when we drop to our knees and embrace the earth. Planting trees, shrubs, and other growing delights is truely a wonderful thing and should be experienced by everyone at some point in their life. With that thought in mind I hope you will find the joy and pleasure in another year of gardening and landscaping…………. Happy New Year….. Doug

     With Thanksgiving day in our rear view mirror, off we go to the wonderful month of December. I hope all of you had a meaningful and satisfying day. Meanwhile back in the garden the last of the leaves are slowly falling from trees and shrubs. Check and make sure your lawn does not need one more clipping before the winter season settles in. Still time to apply some of our organic lawn fertilizer to all your grass. We have lots of organic “manure free” compost to top-dress empty beds. Three inches would be best. If you have leftover carrots, parsnips, beets. or other root crops still in the soil make sure to insulate them with straw of some other mulching material to ensure no freeze damage when the mercury drops.

     If you are contemplating a “living” tree for the upcomming Christmas, now is a GREAT time to make your choice. Redmond Greenhouse has a pretty nice selection for you to choose from with prices starting at just six dollars. Some of the smaller selections make excellent table top choices as well as childrens bedrooms. Spraying your trees with “Moisturine” if “WiltPruf” will make a HUGE difference in terms of overall health and well being!

     Our first load of “fresh-cut” Noble Firs just arrived. We focus on larger trees if you are in the hunt. This group of trees was cut Thanksgiving week from our grower in the Silver Creek Falls area. As in past seasons we are still offering custom “Snow Flocking” if you are interested in that  “Winter” look.

     Enjoy the weather and all the moisture we have been getting. Rake the leaves, take time to smile, and share a hand with someone in need….. Doug

The race is on between the pussy willow, the flowering quince, and the Pink Dawn viburnum……. which one will pop the early spring buds the earliest. Ahhhhhhhhhh the wonders of spring and the great feelings that accompany the great time of the year. Early gardeners are now actively sowing seed of spinach, garden peas, and setting out garden starts of cabbage, broccoli and celery.

On occasion I have heard a few folks complain about the weather…..”where is spring”….. a little cold wind, a spot of snow, a very cold morning, etc……… I just smile and say, Welcome to Spring in the high desert. If we had what might be called a lovely spring arrival, it just would not be Central Oregon. It is just a matter of adjusting our thoughts in terms of the definition “Central Oregon Spring”. The simple adjustment of our mental image will then put a smile on our face and we then can say….. Spring is here!!!!

My oh my, Oh my…………… I don’t ever remember in the thirty years I have been with Redmond Greenhouse, a more dramatic swing in the number of folks (ALL AGES) whom have walked in the doors and said…………. I think this year we are going to try our hand at growing Vegetables. I held a class on seed starting last Saturday and we experienced one of the largest turn-outs I have seen. Attendees sat on the edge of their chairs, eyes focused on all the information that was presented. I was truly humbled by the enthusiasm………… That said, I will repeat a very early statement……… This is the year of the Garden

In the upcoming days and months I will try my best to keep you updated on every aspect of gardening in our unique cold climate living  area. I plan on continuing the “Saturday Morning in the Garden” lecture series and will try to provide the info you folks need. Rest assured the whole county is embracing the “backyard gardening theme” so you are in good company as you head out into the garden with shovel in hand, a few seeds, and a sense of optimism that can only be described as “A darn good Feeling”  

Happy Spring and welcome to the wonderful world of gardening…………… Doug

A little windy as the new day emerged on the first day of January but other than that the weather was wonderful. One chore I found myself doing was taking down a few holiday decorations and lights to store for another year. I also checked on my garden celery and found it still growing and doing well………. not bad considering it got as cold as it did. I don’t harvest it like traditional stalks of celery, I simply clip away at the bushy base and return to the kitchen with a handful of leafy stalky greens. Very tasty with stews and winter soups. I have also been able to continue harvest on some of my kitchen herbs that are planted in a rock garden close to the house……… my oh my they are so tasty. You might want to give a few a try sometime. Many including chives, parsley, thyme, and rosemary seem to do quite well if give the proper spot for winter protection. Still enjoying my collection of winter squash that I grew this past summer. Just keeping them in a cool, dry, dark place and all is well. Won’t be long until its time to sow a few seeds……….. ahhhhhhhhhhh I can hardly wait. Hope this post finds you healthy, warm, and smiling…..

Well I must say the winds have caused the time to breeze quickly by. My wife and I made it over the Cascade pass the other day and hand selected and tagged our annual supply of Noble, Frasier, and Nordmad fir trees that Redmond Greenhouse will be offering as cut Christmas trees this Holiday season. The trees look spectacular as they always do. Something about the high elevation at Silver Creek Falls lends itself to wonderful growing condition which yeild #1 trees. Combine that with the fact that Larry and his wife will not cut my trees until after Thanksgiving gives these trees the freshness our customers have relied upon.

We will also be offering our annual “Mail Order” fresh evergreen wreath program again. Many of you have come to rely upon this special gift to give all of your freinds and family a truly unique and value based gift. We are already taking orders and ship dates for this offering from Redmond Greenhouse.

On another topic Redmond Greenhouse will be having another Holiday Festival……  “Cranberry and Pine Boughs” an open house and event that showcases this special time of the year. We will help the Redmond Fire Dept. kick off their annual canned food and toy drive as well as offer a seminar on table centerpieces and festive wreaths. There will be specials, drawings, and other related activities of celebration. You are invited and we hope to see you there. The date is November 22nd. There will also be craft booths of various types to help fill out your day.

As always I hope all is well in your garden and landscape……….. Happy late Autumn…. Doug

The days are getting a little shorter and the nights can sometimes be frosty all of which can set the tone for Autumns grand color parade. If your garden and landscape is a little scant on potential “color stars” then you might want to grab a shovel and plant a few of the reliable species. Burning Bush is always a good canidate as are the Sumacs. Red Twig Dogwood shrubs will not only give you fabulous foliage but the red stems will be a standout when the snow comes. Many species of the Spirea family will offer you intriging yellow and orange hues. Ornamental grasses such as the Miscanthus will add dramatic upright texture. If you are looking for a larger shrub look no farther than one called “Red Rhapsody” maple. An introduction from Monrovia Nursery that is more resistant to disease than common Amur or Flame maples. In the perennial flower department you should check out the array of Coral Bells, late blooming Coreopsis, and Joe Pie Weed. Annual favorites would include Violas, Pansies, varieties of Hebe, and “tougher than nails” Asters. Always improve the soil with good organic compost and a few cups of “Cold Climate” organic fertilizer before planting. Enjoy this wonderful time of the year and Happy Planting…. Doug

Ahhhhhhh the summer season is in full progress here in the High Desert and all plants are doing what they do. Watch out for spider mites (those micro sized bugs that are on the underside of leaves and sucking out the juice on needles of various  evergreens) as they can cause some serious damage to some of your plants. Some of the common plants you may want to pay close attention to are Alberta Spruce, Colorado Spruce, Potentilla, Cucumbers, Fushias, and some of your rose bushes. A hand held lens will help in identifying their presence. You should also monitor for disease such as powdery mildew. It can realy cause some damage to your roses, summer squash, garden peas, and perennial lupins. It appears as a white powdery substance on the leafs surface. Some flowering crabapples can also be affected. We (Redmond Greenhouse) stock a pretty good system fungicide drench as well as a good topical spray. As always include a spreader sticker when spraying. Another tip is to water the target plant in the mornning and spray in the evening. Three sprays, seven to ten days apart.

If you are in need of a tree or two now is a very good time to plant. Through my thirty some odd years in the business I see greater success with planting at this time of the year versus spring or fall. The soil is warm the nights are warm and the plants want to realy grow. As long as you can provide lots of water a trees roots will take hold in as little as two weeks……. Grass and wildflower seed will also germinate in as little as a week. Quick action like this ensures your efforts of satisfaction.

Meanwhite out in the berry patch keep a watchful eye on prolific suckers and runners. Too many suckers will weaken the parent plant and reduce the quality of the berries. Runaway runners will potentialy stop almost all berry production. You may also want to watch for damagiing insects on your berries. Boy oh boy can they slow down and reduce the quality of the fruit. “Spinosad” seems to be working pretty good for mites and thrips if you are looking for organic control.

Annoying root suckers from trees (aspens, chockcherries, crabapples) and shrubs (lilacs, sumac) can be contolled by a product we carry called “Sprout Inhibitor”.

A liquid or granular product by Fertilome will assist in internal insects (borers, leaf miners, scale) on such trees as Quaking Aspen, Willows, and Maples. If you see sap oozing from some of your evergreen pine trees you may also want to treat them with an insecticide. We carry an injectable product that has proving itself. This product can also be used on locusts and ash trees with boring insects.

Last but no least make sure to do DEEP watering on all your green and growing plants and lawns. Water in the morning and do any spraying in the evening.

Hope the summer is treating you well. The crops are starting to roll in and the smiles are starting to show. I have even seen a couple of tomatoe juice stains on a few of your white t shirts……………. Ah you just have to love the summer season……. Enjoy…. Doug

Ah the summer season is upon us with all the trimmings. Lots of sun, fast growing weeds, plus great times around the family patio. Watch the watering as the temperature begins to rise. Try to water during early morning hours. Deep soaking of all areas, then allow to dry somewhat before watering again. Soaker hoses and drip is the way to go if you are not watering the lawn. You will save money, time, plus your plants will do better. Apply at least three inches of organic mulch or compost to all planting beds to suppress weeds and hold in valuable moisture. Scratch in a little calcium rich Azomite around tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash. If your lawn needs a little brighter shade of green don’t be afraid to apply an application of our organic lawn fertilizer Cascade Natural. It won’t burn and should give you great results. Dead-head perennials after they bloom.  The effort will result in possible re-blooms (now thats a rich payback) as well as keep your garden looking good. As the weather warms you may want to consider adding a little water feature. Cool idea don’t you think? We have all the goods you might need. Just make sure you do your research before grabbing the shovel. We also have all the plants you will need to stock your new feature. I might also remind you we are now the local dealer for the rechargable mowers by Neuton. They are great and look good to. Come on in and test drive this revolutionary new mower. My mom has had the smaller version now for over a year and just loves it. The new larger size in better for larger lawns. Batteries will last about one hour. They mulch, bag, or side discarge