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Went to Plant What
Lots of new and even not-so-new gardeners have trouble knowing when its
safe to plant. Weather varies greatly from one spring to the next, so
its not always possible to give planting time by date, but rather
it may be better to go by daily high and nightly low temperatures. Watch
those nighttime lows! Its easy to get fooled by sunny days, and
think that its safe to plant annuals, and not realize until your
new baby plants look limp and black that it was freezing every night because
of those clear skies.
Heres a basic, pretty reliable, best-guess list of what can be
planted in what conditions.
Any time the soil is neither frozen solid nor baked solid:
Pansies and Violas (virtually indestructible plants!)
Perennials
Bulbs in their seasons
March as long as its not freezing every night. It
might still be best to keep these in planters on a protected porch.
All of the above plus:
Alyssum
Bacopa
Cineraria and Senetti
Cyclamen
Dianthus and Carnations
Martha Washington or Regal Geranium
Osteospermum (African Daisy)
Primroses, including Fairy Primrose (P. malacoides) and Obconica Primrose
Ranunculus
Snapdragon
Trailing plants like Diascia, Verbena, Creeping Charlie, Creeping Jenny,
Lamium and Dwarf Ivy
Culinary herbs except basil and dill
April nights in the upper 30s to upper 40s, days in the
60s:
Anything listed above, if still available, plus:
Cold tolerant vegetables lettuce and other greens, peas, spinach,
broccoli and cabbage
Wax begonia
Dahlia
Fuchsia
Gazania
Geranium, upright and ivy
Lobelia
Marigold
Mimulus
Nemesia
Nicotiana
Petunia
Phlox
May Nights in upper 40s to 50s, days in 60s to 70s:
All of the above, plus:
Most vegetable starts and seeds tomatoes, peppers, zucchinis, carrots,
corn, basil, dill etc.
Tuberous Begonia
Browallia
Coleus wait til late May when its reliably warm
Heliotrope
Impatiens wait til late May when its reliably warm
Lantana
Salvia
Globe Amaranth
Portulaca (moss rose)
Torenia
Vinca
Zinnia
Remember there is no such thing as average weather. Averages
are reached by going to all extremes and then pooling the results. There
will be those times when extreme cold or heat will catch even the most
experienced gardeners off guard. Thats how we become those old folks
who reminisce, Remember that bad freeze in May of 1987?
Remember 1998 when it didnt quit raining til August?
Happy gardening,
Ellen Egan
What's Happening at Egan Gardens in 2010
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Mar.5 thru 7 |
Spring Re-Opening Weekend
Free pansies (with coupon), cookies and coffee, plant-your own flowers
for kids, nursery tours, good stuff on sale. |
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Sat. Mar. 13, 2 pm |
Waking Up Your Roses for Spring
Vance, whos a very knowledgeable rose-lover, will describe
and demonstrate feeding, pruning, disease prevention and anything
you care to ask about.
No charge. |
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Sat. Mar. 27, 2 pm |
Great Gardens of the Northwest
Vance gets the spotlight again, to tell you about his favorite
public gardens to visit, how to get to them and what to see there.
Since theres no dark room where we can show slides, it will
be speaking and handouts. (No anticlimax when you see the real gardens
that way.) No charge. |
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Sun. April 4 |
Easter We will be closed. |
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Sat. April 10, 2 pm |
The Delicious World of Herbs
You get the benefit of Ellens growing experience and
love of cooking, as she explains how to grow, harvest and use culinary
herbs. Recipes included!
No charge. |
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Sat. April 24, 2 pm |
Planting Mixed Flowering Baskets
Plant your own basket with guidance from Ellen on color choices,
balancing shape and textures, and plant care.
Charge for materials only, usually around $35, depending on your choices. |
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Sat. May 1, call for
time |
Vegetable Gardening Basics
Master Gardener Ken Meier really is a master, an experienced old-time
gardener. He will share his vast knowledge in a talk simple enough
for beginners and detailed enough for the moderately experienced vegetable
growers.
$5 per person |
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Sun. May 9 |
It's Mother's Day, don't forget
Mom! |
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Sat. June 5, 2 pm |
Patio Water Gardens
Vance will demonstrate ways to create easy, no-plumbing water
features and mini-ponds, and the plants to use in and around them.
No charge. |
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Sat. June 19, 2 pm |
Making Hypertufa Trough Planters
Trough planters are wonderful for miniature gardens of dwarf plants
and succulents. In this hands-on workshop you can make your own stone-look
planter from Hypertufa, a concrete mix that looks like stone, but
is lighter weight.
$20 charge to cover materials used. |
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Sat. June 26, 2 pm |
Oh Deer! How toThwart Bambi.
Maia has been rapidly gaining more experience than she ever wanted
in dealing with deer. Shell share her results with various repellants,
restraints and resistant plants. No charge. |
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Sun. July 4 |
We will be closed Independence
Day |
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July 9 thru 11 |
The Annual Annual Sale
Buy one, get one free
No, thats not a typo, we put all the annuals on sale the
weekend after 4th of July every year. This year weve expanded
the selection to include the more expensive premium annuals, like
the Proven Winners and Goldfisch plants. Such a deal! |
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Sat. July 24 |
Planting Living Succulent Wreaths
Live art works you can hang on your garden wall! Misty will guide
you through planting your own wreath of sun, heat and drought-tolerant
plants.
Charge is for materials used, anywhere from $40 on up, depending on
your plant choices. |
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Sat. Aug. 7 |
To be Announced it'll be
good, though. |
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Sat. Aug. 28, 2 pm |
Too Many Pears - Canning,
drying and Pear Face Painting
If youve been out here in August you know that the remnants
of the mighty Bartlett orchard that once covered the whole nursery
area are dropping fruit in mass quantities. Mistys Mom, a good
farm wife, will cover juicing, drying and canning, while Misty and
Maia help the kids paint them for fun. Youre welcome to pick
pears if youll also take a box or bag of them to Marion Polk
Food Share. $5 per family |
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September |
Will there be Le Tour des Plants?
Well know by then. |
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Sat. Oct. 16, 2 pm |
Putting Your Roses to Bed for
Winter
Vance will tell you how to tuck in your roses safely so they wake
up healthy next spring. Pruning, disease prevention, cold protection
and any questions youd like answered. No charge. |
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Sat. Oct. 17, 2 pm |
Putting Your Perennials to Bed,
too.
On our last official day open for the year, Ellen will talk about
what perennials need or dont need- in the way of cutting-back,
feeding, mulching, etc. for good winter survival. |
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