Nesting Green Home & Garden Special Issue
Seasonal Salads What to plant for tasty greens year-round
Conserving Water, Anticipating Surprises A profile of Deborah Brady
Small Space, Big Tastes Ten herbs you can grow in your apartment
Not a Yolk Backyard chickens produce
Eco-Paint the Town Environmentally friendly options
On the Wing Plants that attract birds and butterflies
2009 Spring Planting Guide
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Asparagus
Cultivation: Plant 1- or 2-year-old crowns during March, spacing them 12 inches apart in trenches 8 inches deep. Hold off on harvesting spears during the first year for stronger plants the following year.
Soil/Sun: Loose, rich, well-drained soil with a high pH. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Mary Washington, Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight.
Beans
Cultivation: Sow seeds May-July, 1 inch deep, 3-4 inches apart, at the north end of the garden if possible. Space rows 12-24 inches. Thin pole beans to 8 inches; thin bush beans to 4-6 inches. Build trellis or pole support for pole beans before planting to avoid injuring roots. Do not soak or pre-sprout seeds. Treating seeds with a non-chemical legume inoculant will help plants add more nitrogen to the soil.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained soil, pH 6.0-6.8, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Bush — Oregon Blue Lake, Tendercrop, Venture. Pole — Cascade Giant, Kentucky Wonder, Romano, Blue Lake Pole. Shelling: Jackson Wonder Lima, Montezuma Red, Cannellini.
Beets
Cultivation: Sow seeds March-July 3/4 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Gradually thin to 5 inches by harvesting baby beets. Maintain consistent watering during dry weather.
Soil/Sun: Loose, well-drained soil, pH 6.5-7. Beets don’t like acidic soil but will tolerate low fertility. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Globe: Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red. Cylindrical: Cyndor. Greens: Lutz Green Leaf,
Broccoli
Cultivation: Plant transplants March-July, spaced 12-20 inches apart. Don’t overuse nitrogen fertilizer. Needs plentiful, consistent watering.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Small Miracle, Shogun, Umpqua Dark Green.
Brussels Sprouts
Cultivation: Sow seeds for transplants 1/4 inch deep in 4-inch pots April 15 and plant out May 15, 18-24 inches apart. Needs plentiful, consistent watering.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Prince Marvel, Rubine, Vancouver.
Cabbage
Cultivation: Sow seeds for transplants 1/4 inch deep in 4-inch pots before April 15 and plant out May 15, 18-24 inches apart.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Derby Day, Ruby Ball, Early Jersey Wakefield.
Chinese Cabbage
Cultivation: Plant transplants after May 15, 12-18 inches. Closer spacings produce smaller, more flavorful heads.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun to partial shade (shade may slow down bolting in summer crops).
Suggested Varieties: China Express.
Carrots
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep, 1/4 inch apart, March-July 15. Thin to 2 inches. Do not use fresh manure or nitrogen fertilizer or you will get hairy roots. Keep soil moist during germination.
Soil/Sun: Carrots require rich, loose, deeply-worked soil that is free of stones, pH 6.0-6.8 (slightly acidic soil is okay). Full sun to light shade.
Suggested Varieties: Royal Chantenay (esp. for heavier soils), Scarlet Nantes, Nantes Bolero.
Cauliflower
Cultivation: Plant 6-week-old transplants 24 inches apart after April 15. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Early Dawn, Snowball, Fremont.
Celery
Cultivation: Plant transplants 6-12 inches apart, April 15-June. Requires plenty of water.
Soil/Sun: Rich soil, pH 6.0-7.0. Prefers full sun; will tolerate poorly-drained soil.
Suggested Varieties: Ventura, Golden Self-Blanching.
Corn
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 4-6 inches apart, April-June. Thin to 8-12 inches. Plant at least 4 rows of the same variety in a block to ensure adequate pollination.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-6.8, with full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Early Sunglo, Seneca Horizon, Jubilee.
Cucumbers
Cultivation: Sow seeds in June. Space seeds 2 inches apart in a row and thin to 12 inches, or plant 5-6 seeds in mounds spaced 3-5 feet apart and thin to 2 plants per mound. Grow on a trellis to save space. Provide consistent, plentiful moisture to prevent bitteness.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil with plenty of nitrogen, neutral pH, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Pickling: SMR 58. Slicing: Marketmore.
Eggplant
Cultivation: Plant transplants 18-24 inches apart in raised beds in June after nighttime temps remain above 45F (eggplants require warm days). Use a black plastic mulch to warm the soil.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic soil, full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Dusky, Bambino.
Endive, Chicory, Escarole
Cultivation: Sow the seeds of these cool-season European greens 1/4 inch deep, 2 inches apart, April-August. Thin to 8-12 inches. Keep well-watered and shaded during warm weather to avoid bolting.
Soil/Sun: Well-worked seedbed. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Arugula, Radicchio.
Garlic
Cultivation: Best planted in fall or February. Place cloves 2 inches deep, point up, 4-6 inches apart. Keep well-weeded. Don’t use supermarket cloves. Big cloves produce big bulbs, so don’t plant the skinny, small cloves — save them for cooking.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil (raised bed ideal) with full sun. Tolerates wide range of soil but prefers pH 6.2-6.8.
Suggested Varieties: Oregon Blue, Spanish Roja, Purple Italian, Elephant.
Kale
Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants May-July. Seeds should be 1/4-1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 12-18 inches. Drought-tolerant, but flavor suffers without plenty of watering. Flavor improves after a frost.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5. Full sun to light shade.
Suggested Varieties: Tuscan, Redbor, Dwarf Siberian, Winterbor, Winter Red.
Kohlrabi
Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants during April and early May. (Late May plantings will mature in hot weather, producing dry, woody bulbs.) Seeds should be planted 1/2 inch deep, 1/4 inch apart. Final spacing should be 6-10 inches. Needs plenty of water; consistent moisture greatly improves germination.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.5, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Superschmelz, Kongo, Grand Duke.
Leeks
Cultivation: Sow seeds in March or plant transplants in April. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 4-6 inches. Plant leeks in trenches 8 inches deep and fill in soil as they grow to “blanch” the stems. Leeks require consistent watering for good yields.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Giant Musselburg, King Richard.
Lettuce
Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants April-August. Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 12 inches for head lettuce, 6 inches for leaf lettuce.
Soil/Sun: Prefers loose, well-drained, cool soil, but will tolerate a wide range. Sensitive to acidity; prefers pH 6.2-6.8. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Butterhead: Buttercrunch, Continuity, Optima. Leaf: Red Sails, Fire Mountain, Revolution. Crisphead, Summertime. Romaine: Cimarron, Valmaine.
Okra
Cultivation: Sow seeds or plant transplants mid-May to mid-June. Soak seeds in warm water for 6-12 hours to improve germination, then sow 1/4-1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart. Final spacing should be 12 inches.
Soil/Sun: Rich, well-drained soil. Full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Cajun Delight, Burgundy, Annie Oakley.
Onions
Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants April-June. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep, 1/2 inch apart. Final spacing should be 4 inches for larger bulbs, 2 inches for smaller bulbs (and higher yields). Onions require consistent, even watering for good yields.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.2-6.8. Full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Sweet Spanish, Walla Walla Sweet, Yellow Ebenezer, Red Burgermaster, Redwing.
Parsley
Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants March-June. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 2-3 seeds per inch. Final spacing should be 8-10 inches.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Giant Italian, Curled Dwarf.
Parsnips
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart, April-July. Thin to 3-4 inches. Using fresh manure or high-nitrogen fertilizer will produce hairy roots. Hardy parsnips develop their best flavor after overwintering through many frosts.
Soil/Sun: Loose, well-drained, fertile soil free of stones. Heavy clay soil can cause crooked or cracked roots. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Gladiator, All American.
Peas
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 1 inch apart in a 3-inch-wide band; space these rows 18 inches apart. Support with a trellis. Don’t use high-nitrogen fertilizer.
Soil/Sun: Well-drained soil, pH 6.0-7.0. Full sun to light shade.
Suggested Varieties: Snow Peas: Oregon Sugar Pod, Oregon Giant. Sugar Snap Peas: Cascadia, Sugar Snap.
Peppers
Cultivation: Plant transplants May-June, 12-18 inches apart. Black plastic mulch will speed early growth and help warm the soil.
Soil/Sun: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Sweet Bell: California Wonder, Gypsy. Hot: Anaheim, Jalapeno, Ancho.
Potatoes
Cultivation: Plant spuds starting on St. Patrick’s Day through June. Space 10-12 inches in rows 2 feet apart. Hill up soil over the growing foliage or mulch with straw to increase yields.
Soil/Sun: Potatoes prefer loose, well-drained, acidic soil (pH 4.8-5.5) and full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Yukon Gold, White Rose, Yellow Finn, Purple Peruvian, Red Pontiac.
Pumpkins
Cultivation: Plant transplants late May-early June in hills 4 feet apart. Water generously. Black plastic mulch can speed growth.
Soil/Sun: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil, pH 5.8-6.8, with full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Frosty, Small Sugar, Spirit, Cinderella.
Radish
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1/2 inch apart, March-August. Thin to 1-1 1/2 inches. Radishes require plentiful, consistent watering.
Soil/Sun: Fertile, well-drained soil free of stones, pH 5.8-6.8. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Cherry Belle, Altaglobe, French Breakfast.
Rutabaga
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 2 inches apart, June-July 15. Thin to 6 inches. Flavor improves after frost.
Soil/Sun: Loose, well-drained soil, pH above 6.0. Tolerates low fertility. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Marian, Laurentian.
Spinach
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart, March-August. Thin to 6-12 inches by harvesting baby greens. Water generously; dry soil and heat encourage bolting.
Soil/Sun: Rich, well-drained soil. Sensitive to acidic soils; pH 6.5-7.5. Full to partial sun.
Suggested Varieties: Olympia, Bloomsdale, Tyee, Skookum.
Summer Squash, Zucchini
Cultivation: Plant seeds or transplants May 15-June 15. Sow seeds 1/2-1 inch deep in hills, 4-5 seeds per hill. Space hills 3-4 feet; thin seedlings to 2 per hill. Requires consistent watering for good fruit set. Black plastic mulch speeds growth. Seeds will rot in cold, wet ground.
Soil/Sun: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil, pH 5.8-6.8, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Squash: Yellow Crookneck, Sunburst, Butterstick. Zucchini: Gold Rush, Spacemiser.
Winter Squash
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/2-1 inch deep in hills, 4-5 seeds per hill, May 15-June 15. Space hills 4-6 feet; thin seedlings to 2 per hill.
Soil/Sun: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil, pH 5.8-6.8, full sun.
Suggested Varieties: Gold Nugget, Acorn, Zenith Butternut, Waltham Butternut, Spaghetti.
Swiss Chard
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/2-1 inch deep, 2-6 inches apart, April-July. Thin to 6-12 inches. Harvest leaves throughout the season to encourage new growth.
Soil/Sun: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil, pH 6.0-7.0. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Rhubarb, Fordhook Giant, Bright Lights.
Tomatoes
Cultivation: Plant transplants May-June. Space determinate varieties 18-24 inches; space indeterminate varieties 20-30 inches. Place transplants with the lower leaf set just above soil level. Tomatoes should be staked or supported by a trellis.
Soil/Sun: Fertile, well-drained soil with full sun. Clays and loams produce higher yields, but loose soil warms faster and provides an earlier harvest. Prefers pH 6.0-6.8 but will tolerate acidic soils.
Suggested Varieties: Early: Oregon Spring, Willamette VF, Medford, Big Beef, Early Cascade. Sauce: Oregon Star, Principe Borghese. Cherry: Gold Nugget, Sun Gold, Isis Candy.
Turnips
Cultivation: Sow seeds 1/4-1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart, April-September. Thin to 4-6 inches. Flavor best if harvested during cool weather.
Soil/Sun: Fertile, loose, well-drained soil, pH 6.0-7.5. Full sun to partial shade.
Suggested Varieties: Purple Top White Globe, Scarlet Ball, Shogoin (greens).
Ornamental Gardening Guide
March
Plant trees and shrubs.
Prepare new areas for planting.
Divide and plant perennials.
Pull weeds before they flower and set seed.
Fertilize just about everything unless you did it in February.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs as blossoms fade.
Protect new growth of bulbs and perennials from slugs.
April
Start new lawns.
Watch for local plant sales.
Plant perennials, gladiolus and hardy annuals.
Feed bulbs while they are green and growing.
Continue pruning spring-flowering shrubs.
Shear ivy and heather. Cut old leaves off sword ferns.
Trim lavender and sage after new growth begins.
Check irrigation systems.
May
Plant dahlias and other tender bulbs.
Plant perennials, annuals and container plants.
Remove dead flowers from young rhodies.
Water rhododendrons and bulbs liberally.
Start aphid control—flush with water, spray insecticidal soap.
Control slugs.
Weed and mulch between plants.
June
Begin regular feeding of container plants.
Prune rhododendrons and azaleas.
Control aphids with water and insecticidal soap.
Watch for cutworms and hand-pick!
Stake summer-blooming perennials.
Cut back those that have bloomed.
Continue mulching.
July
Watering lawns is not essential but it helps discourage weeds.
Prune broad-leafed evergreens.
Watch for cutworms. Hand-pick or use BT.
Shorten new growth on espaliered apples and pears.
Deadhead early perennials.
Stake tall perennials before they flop.
Replenish mulches to hold moisture.
August
Water annuals liberally, in flower beds or pots.
Dead-head perennials, roses.
Remove diseased leaves from roses, rose beds.
Groom and feed container plants regularly.
Replant tired containers.
Order spring-flowering bulbs.
Remember to moisten compost piles.
Vegetable Planting Guide
May
After May 15 (frost free date for our area) you can sow squash and beans and plant out seedlings of tomato and pepper (protect from 40 degree nights! Cool temps can stunt plants).
Hold off on planting basil till June 1!
There’s still time to plant onion and shallot sets.
You can still sow peas and parsley through May.
Water garden if rainfall drops below an inch a week.
June
Continue sowing squash and beans.
Plant carrots (seed) and celery (transplants).
Plant basil and other annual herb starts.
Apply organic mulches while ground is moist.
July
Net blueberries if you want fruit!
Prepare soil freed up by early vegetable crops;
you can still sow lettuce, carrots, beans and chard.
Plant broccoli and Brussels sprouts for fall harvest.
August
Sow lettuce, mustard greens, turnips and spinach.
Water 101
How to water all of these vegetables and flowers? Well, you could become a Master Watershed Steward. OSU offers a certification program in dealing with the supply of one of our most valuable resources. The Watershed Education team offers Water School the weekend of April 17-18, just before Earth Day. You can learn about everything from riparian ecosystems to invasive species control, from wetlands restoration to dealing with your own backyard forest.
Check out http://oregonstate.edu/conferences/waterschool2009/ for more info!