Easy as Orchids

Ok, easy is not really what most people think of when it comes to growing orchids but it really does fit! Orchids are surprisingly easy to grow (think cactus with big, sweet-scented flowers!) so here are a few tips.

First of all, indoor orchids do not typically grow in soil. Normal potting soil will usually spell death to your once beautiful plant. These beauties grow in trees and on rocks in the wild so they need water to run off almost immediately. Never let them sit in standing water. Typically, indoor orchids are grown in very coarse bark to achieve this.

Orchids like very bright indirect light and most will take some direct sun through a window. Light is the single most important aspect of raising orchids, so provide good light! Eastern and southern exposure windows work best. Remember to avoid heating and air-conditioning vents, baseboard heaters, etc…

Orchids only need to be watered about once a week. Cattleya, Oncidium and Dendrobium like to fully dry out, Phalaenopsis like to be nearly dry, and Paphiopedilum and Epidendrum should be slightly moist. Do not think that the inability of the soil to hold water means dowsing them everyday, they really need to dry out a bit between watering like they would in a tree-top. Their roots are modified bulbs that are excellent at storing moisture between watering.

Use a high quality liquid fertilizer once a month when feeding them or twice a month at half strength. (We have found Fertilome, and Master Nursery products to be far superior to others). Plants should typically be bright green when properly fertilized. Deep green usually means too little light, and yellow is usually over-watered or under-fed. Not enough light is a common cause of ‘big green orchid with no flowers’!

Normal room temperatures of 60-70 degrees are ideal for most orchids, though many will take temperatures down to 50 degrees quite easily. In fact, most will bloom more readily if you allow the temperature to drop 10-15 degrees at night in the Spring and Fall.

Orchids like humidity. One of the best ways to achieve this is to set the orchid pot on a tray of loose gravel (polished rocks look nice and work great – avoid painted rocks). Poor water over the gravel so that it covers about ½ of the rocks allowing the orchid to sit above the water without touching. Rinse the stones and pan once every couple of weeks to keep things clean.

The main pests of orchids tend to be mealy bugs and scale. Both can be taken care of with a systemic insect control. Remember, follow label directions!

Enjoy the beautiful, long-lasting flowers of orchids. It’s ok if your friends think you have done the impossible by getting them to grow, we won’t tell.

What is the secret to growing great tomatoes?

The single biggest issue with tomatoes in the Willamette Valley is a lack of calcium. Virtually all soil in the valley is calcium deficient which causes our tomatoes to rot (blossom end rot) just before ripening. Another big culprit is cheap fertilizer. Cheap fertilizers (many national brands sadly fall under this label) use unstable forms of nitrogen in their mixes, especially water soluble fertilizers. Not only does the nitrogen become a plant-poisoning nitrite after a few days in the soil, it also restricts the plants ability to utilize calcium, compounding the blossom end rot issue. Good fertilizers use extra calcium, use stable forms of nitrogen as a significant portion of the mix, and contain the full spectrum of trace minerals needed for healthy plant growth. We would recommend Master Nursery Tomato Vegetable Food, or Dr Earth #5 for those who wish to stay Organic.

The next most important thing to remember when growing tomatoes is temperature. Tomato plants like it warm. Soil temperatures should be above 60 degrees, and night time temperatures should stay above 45 degrees. Anything less will significantly reduce the plants productivity, even when it does warm later in the season. Wall-O-Water will extend the season by about two weeks or about 3-5 degrees and is even more effective if it is put in place a few days before planting out.

Some other tips for growing the perfect tomato are: Set the plants deeper into the soil than you would other plants, covering the darkened section of the stem with soil, usually about 2 inches deeper than they are growing in the pot. Mixing a 1/4 cup of bone meal or lime in the planting hole will greatly reduce blossom end rot troubles - even with good quality fertilizers this is a big help for tomato, pepper, squash, pumpkin, cucumber and eggplant. Plant tall growing plants at a 45 degree angle to the soil. They will straighten after a few days and will develop stronger stems to support the big crop of tomatoes you are expecting later. Use red plastic mulch to increase your tomato crop - yeah, I thought it was silly at first too. But buckets of tomatoes later, I'm a believer! If you have a tomato that is to be wasted by blossom rot, cracking, slug damage, etc... use it as a quick wash-up before returning to the house. Crush the tomato in your hands and use it like soap on hands and forearms, it really cuts the dirt and green stains that come from working in the garden - the more over-ripe the better!

Watering Tomatoes

Are your tomatoes yellow and the leaves curling? Do you water every day? If this sounds like your situation, then your tomatoes may be simply getting too much water. Tomatoes like to be a little on the dry side, even on hot days.

If they are in the ground, then watering them every third day is all they need. If they are in a container, then they should be watered every other day or every third day. Check your tomatoes for yellow or curling leaves, and if so they could just be getting too much water. Try spreading out your watering regiment and your tomatoes should get better. If they are still struggling, then bring in some leaves and we can help you find the culprit of your tomato woes.

When To Plant Vegetables

Many vegetables can be planted now. Those that are considered cold crops can be planted early, such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, or cauliflower. When it comes to warm weather crops, make sure you check your soil temperature. It will be tempting to plant tomatoes after the first warm day in April, such as the few we had in Oregon already, but the temperature of the soil is what is important. For planting seeds, most packages will tell you what soil temperature you need for those varieties. For vegetables such at tomatoes and peppers, soil temperatures of 60-65°F are recommended to begin planting.

Some of these vegetables are difficult to raise from seed, unless you have a place to allow them to germinate in a greenhouse or indoors. We carry a large variety of warm weather vegetables that have been grown in greenhouses, allowing you to plant them as soon as your soil is warm enough, and giving you a head start on enjoying them earlier in the year. Don't hesitate to call or visit your local garden center if you have questions about when to plant certain vegetables.

Bare Root Fruits

It is time to begin thinking about planting fruit trees, which come available in most independent garden centers during the next month or so. Do not plant them if the soil is too wet. The soil will pack around the roots and prevent good growth. When planting bare root plants, be sure to dig a hole at least one foot larger than the roots. Mix bonemeal with compost or good soil in the bottom of the hole. If desired, a transplant hormone can help the plant achieve good growth.

If you are pruning your fruit trees, do not prune when it is freezing. Cut out diseased or dead wood to open the tree up for more light. Cut back a third of the fruit tree if it has been very neglected. For blueberries, taller, upper branches usually do not need pruning for the first three years. Older, lower branches may need to be pruned lightly, but concentrate on cutting out the crossing or non-productive branches. After pruning each plant, disinfect your pruning shears in a bleach solution to avoid spreading fungus diseases.

As always, for more information and hints for growing your plants, ask your independent garden center. Have a great year!

Icy Sidewalks and Mulches

Icy weather can be challenging, but there are a few things you can do to prevent damage to your plants and to your home. Salt may injure plants near walkways if used to thaw ice. Coffee grounds may stain your carpets and crushed rock can get into your lawn area and could damage your lawn mower next summer. Sand or sawdust is the best solution. If you use sawdust that has manure in it, you will not need to worry about it robbing nitrogen from the soil in order to decompose. The manure supplies the nitrogen that the sawdust uses when decomposing.

When mulching, keep the mulch away from getting too close to trunks of trees. If mulches around trees or shrubs become a soggy mass, sometimes they can prevent needed air and water from getting through to the root system. Keep a little space so that they can breathe. Make sure your mulch is not packed down too tightly around plants.

Live Christmas Trees are Good For the Environment

Every year, millions of trees are cut down and displayed in living rooms around the world with wonderful decorations and lights. They bring joy to the family as gifts are stuffed underneath them and unwrapped on Christmas morning. What happens to those trees by the end of the year? They are put out on the curb or ground into mulch and the cycle is repeated the next year.

Consider now the advantages to a live Christmas tree (roots and all). Many garden centers offer live trees in pots that can be decorated and enjoyed through Christmas and then planted in the ground and continue living long after the year is over. You will have a tree that is a reminder of that Christmas for years to come and that will also continue to help the environment. You can even decorate it as it grows every year!