0318 treasure valley gardening 24p

2 TREASURE VALLEY GARDENING • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 IDAHO STATESMAN • IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM

TREASURE VALLEY Water-wise choices 4Plant-buying tips 7Seed libraries 8Getting started 10Big events 11Planting calendar 12Resources & more 14Outdoor living 15Got a new space? 16Plant breeding 20A gardener’s vow 22

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On the cover: A lovely lilyfrom Elaine Walker’s garden.KYLE GREEN PHOTO

Gardening

Annual:A plant that flowersand produces seed in one sea-son. Some annuals will dropseed that sprouts in the gardenthe next spring.

Hardy:This refers to a plant’srelative resistance to cold.Hardy plants generally survivetypical temperatures for their

zone. The Treasure Valleyranges from USDA Zone 5 to 7,so pick plants that are hardy inthose zones.

Hybrid:Acrossbetween twospecies.Theymaybenatural—peppersandsquashgrownneareachotherwillcross—butmanygardenplantsare theresultofhumansputtingpollenfromoneplantonto theovaryofanother.

Perennial:Generally,aplant thatgrows foroneseason, thenlivesthroughwinterbeforefloweringandsettingseed.However,someperennialswill flower theirfirstyear.Perennialsmay liveforjusta fewyearsor fordecades.

pH:Anumber representing thedegreeofalkalinityoracidityofasubstance. It’s important ingardeningbecause thepHofsoilcanaffect theabilityofplants tothriveorevensurvive.

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IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM • IDAHO STATESMAN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 • TREASURE VALLEY GARDENING 3

1573368-01


Nepeta, or catmint, is the firstof my favorites as it is incrediblydrought-tolerant, is a pollinatormagnet and bounces back intobloom 4 to 6 weeks after a trimmidway through the season. It hasbeautiful gray-blue/green foliagethat complements its soothing,cool blue flowers. Pictured togeth-er on page 5, you see Walker’s Lowcatmint (Nepeta x faassenii)paired with Rhus aromatica GroLow in fall color.

Another great catmint is PP Lit-tle Trudy (Nepeta x psfike, pic-tured at left). This selection stays

compact, only reaching 12 inchestall and wide. Many catmints havebecome known for spreadingthemselves around, but this one isknown for its sterility.

Rhus is the next genus, appreci-ated for its many applications inthe landscape, aromatic foliage, in-teresting leaf shape, beautiful fallcolor and drought tolerance. Idahohas a native species that grows onthe slopes of draws where season-al water flows. It can grow up to6 feet tall and wide, and it, too, hasattractive fall color. Rhus aromati-ca Gro Low is a little smaller instature than our native species,R. trilobata, typically reaching 3 to4 feet tall and spreading up to 6feet. Another favorite sumac isAutumn Amber (Rhus trilobata).This selection grows the flattest,typically reaching 2 feet tall andspreading up to 6 feet, making it anice groundcover for dry slopes.

You are most likely familiar withthe venerable garden oregano andits many fine culinary uses. How-ever, some may be less familiarwith other perennial,ornamentaloreganos varying infoliage, size, growth habit andflower displays. While there aremany fun varieties available to tryin the garden, Origanum liban-oticum, pictured at left, is uniquewith its drought-tolerant moisturepreferences, special hop-like flow-ers and long season of interest withminimal care and maintenance.

The gray-green foliage is toppedthroughout the growing seasonwith chartreuse calyxes and brightpink-lavender flowers peeking out.This must-try plant stays tidy in thelandscape, only reaching 10 to 12inches tall by 18 to 24 inches wide.

Gardening in the IntermountainWest, many have discovered theversatile Salvia or sages. Howev-er, some lesser-known varieties arejust as versatile, prefer drier condi-tions, and have unique attributesthat warrant experimentation.Mojave sage (Salvia pachyphylla)makes a great low shrubby peren-nial. It has moderately evergreen,silver-green foliage topped in sum-mer by large mauve bracts gar-nished with beautiful blue flowers.This species grows up to 3 feet talland wide. It is best to deadheadblooms in the fall to keep plantshealthy. Another awesome selec-tion is the Silver sage (Salvia argen-tea). Its big, broad, fuzzy leaves area great alternative to the widelyplanted lamb’s ears, providing asimilar texture in design but differ-ent flowering characteristics. Thissage displays tall stems, to30 inches, with white flowers.

The plant forms basal clumps ofsilvery-green leaves spreading18 to 24 inches. For final considera-tion, try Platinum sage (aka Salviadaghestanica, it’s pictured onpage 6). Again, silver-green matsof foliage make a sturdy founda-tion for this plant. Beautiful, darkblue spires rise above as the warmweather of summer arrives. Thisselection is excellent in rock gar-dens or near the front of borders

Top performing perennials forWATER-SMART LANDSCAPES

Toask a plant lover topick hisorher topfive oreven10 favoriteplants is likeaskinga parent tochoosea favoritechild; it’s impossible. I’mgoingtocheat a little and keep the list tofive orsoofmy favoriteperennial genera forwater-smartgardensand landscapes.Thegoal is tosharethesegreat plantswithyouand entice youto trysome, orall, inyourgarden thisseason.

Home landscapingTOBY MANCINIHorticulture director at

the Idaho Botanical Garden

PP Little Trudy catmint

Origanum libanoticum, an ornamental oregano


as its small growing habit of less than 1 foottall and wide would be lost otherwise.

For a brilliant splash of color in the gar-den, consider awesome Oenothera, orevening primrose (not pictured). As thecommon name suggests, new flowers openin the late afternoon and stay open until thefollowing morning when they begin to fadeand drop. As the flowers finish their show,they give way to interesting, large andwinged seed pods. Oenothera macrocarpais a species native to dry regions of Texasand Missouri. While it’s not indigenous to

this part of the country, it adapts well to oursoil and climatic conditions. An exquisitevariety of this species is Silver Bladeevening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpavar. incana). It has the same large, brightyellow flowers but with foliage that is deep-er blue-gray/green and more pronouncedred stems. It’s an attractive combination inthe landscape. For a show-stopping display,pair this evening primrose with the fine tex-ture of my next favorite perennial, BlondeAmbition blue gramma grass.

Walker’s Low catmint, front, with Gro Low sumac

Photos provided by Toby Mancini

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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Perennial,ornamentalgrassesareexcellent for the landscape, providing a con-trasting texture to that of other perennialsand shrubs. Also, when left to stand tallthrough the winter, they help give our gar-dens structure and a unique beauty that onlythey can provide, catching snow as it gentlycovers the winter garden. Bouteloua gracilisBlond Ambition PP22048 is an attractivegrass displaying a soothing blue-green col-ored foliage with uniquely fashioned seedheads extending above the plant. As winterapproaches, this grass shows a bright goldencolor in its foliage. An equally beautiful andworthwhile addition to the water-smart gar-den is Muhlenbergia reverchonii. This Un-daunted Muhly grass exhibits an unmatchedsplash of color in the late-season garden withits cloud of pink flowers arriving in Septem-ber and persisting until frost; it’s also a blue-green foliaged grass during the growingseason. Both grow relatively reserved, onlyreaching 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.

As an obvious plant geek, I find it easy toshare my enthusiasm for plants with others.I only touched on a few reliable performers,but there are many more wonderful plantsavailable today to create beautiful, interest-ing, year-round gardens that are alsodrought-tolerant. Don’t let the perception

of “zero-scape” detract from what can bepossible. Be encouraged to try these andother great water-smart plant selections inyour landscape not only to reduce watercosts, but also to enjoy a truly beautifulgarden that is great for the environment.

If you are looking for additional re-sources on these and the many other greatplants for water-smart landscapes, comevisit us at the Idaho Botanical Garden at2355 Old Penitentiary Road in Boise, orvisit www.plantselect.org.

Platinum sage

Undaunted Muhly grass

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BY JOE LAMP’LGROWINGAGREENERWORLD.COM

Looks can be deceiving, even at nurseriesand garden centers. When it comes to plantbuying, some of the best looking can be justthe ones you don’t want to bring home.True, it’s hard to walk away from thoseplants in full bloom or the biggest shrub ofthe lot. But over the years, I’ve learnedsome important buying tips that help me re-sist the urge. The results have been a muchhealthier and more productive garden.

Allow me to let you in on a little industrysecret. Plant growers and retailers knowmost of us cannot overcome the compellingurge to purchase plants in full bloom. In de-fense of the industry, though, it’s very hard tosell a nonblooming flowering plant to mostretail consumers. However, plants already inflower require a lot of energy to sustain thoseblooms, robbing valuable resources neededto look their best in your garden. Yes, thenursery wants plants at their peak of color,and so do you, but not until they’re plantedand established in your garden. By the timethat happens, the blooms that sold you at thenursery are long gone.

Over the years, I’ve purchased countlessplants to feed my personal obsession aswell as for clients through my design andconsulting practice. Here are some impor-tant considerations when buying:

DON’T BUY THE MOST BLOOMINGBuy the plants that have flower buds but

the fewest blooms. Taking this approach al-lows you time to get the plants in the groundand settled in first. If you’re really brave,pinch off the blooms completely before youplant them. They’ll grow back soon enough,and you’ll have a more established plant thathas the staying power to look even better.

CHECK THE ROOTSDon’t be afraid to pull plants from their

container while at the nursery. Sure you’llget some funny looks from some, butknowledgeable employees will know exact-ly what you are doing. This is especially im-portant for woody ornamentals, trees andshrubs. Healthy plants typically have rootsthat are light in color. Stay clear of plantsthat have dark roots or ones that have rootsthat have formed a tight spiral around the

inside of the container. These plants are potbound and often have a difficult time estab-lishing in the landscape. A noticeable odorcoming from the roots is a sign of root rot.These conditions can’t be detected withoutremoving the plant from its container.

INSPECT EACH PLANT FOR PEST SIGNSMany pests first make their way into

your garden hitchhiking on the plants youbring home from the nursery. Pests usuallyhide on the underside of the leaves. Beforeyou buy, look closely. Clues to their pres-ence include leaf stippling, small blackflecks or sticky residue on leaves, especiallyon the underside.

PASS ON BUYING ANY PLANTS WITHFOLIAGE THAT IS ABNORMALLY LIGHT

It may be an indication that it was over- orunder-watered. Ironically, these extremes ex-hibit similar symptoms, adding unnecessarystress on the plant. Either case is undesirable.

AVOID PURCHASING PLANTS THATAPPEAR TO BE LEGGY OR STRETCHED

Your goal for great-looking plants that

will thrive in your garden is to purchasethose that don’t exhibit any apparent signsof stress. Plants that are leggy or appearstretched have been growing in light thatwas insufficient for their needs.

Although they may recover, their grow-ing conditions have been less than ideal.Look for full, compact alternatives.

AVOID ANY SIGNS OF DISEASEA great deal from the markdown shelf is

never a good reason to bring a potentiallydiseased plant into your garden. As an extrameasure of protection, purchase plant vari-eties that are disease-resistant. These areespecially common with vegetable plantvarieties. Although “resistance” does notensure that plants will be immune from aparticular disease, it does indicate the plantdisplays genetic characteristics that mini-mize the impact of certain specified risks.

Joe Lamp’l is the host and executive producer ofGrowing a Greener World on national publictelevision, and the founder of The Joe GardenerCompany, devoted to environmentally responsiblegardening and sustainable outdoor living.

How to select the best plants when shopping at a nursery

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It is a wonderful time to bea vegetable gardener. Ris-ing interest in saving

seeds and preserving ourvast heritage of vegetablecrop varieties has resultedin an increase in the avail-ability of rare and uniquevarieties. Access to thesevarieties has been madeeven easier with the grow-ing popularity of seed swapsand seed libraries.

Whether you are new tovegetable gardening or havebeen doing it for years, seedlibraries are an excellent re-source for finding new seedvarieties and learning newtips and tricks to enhancethe enjoyment of one of

America’s favorite pastimes.Like a traditional library, a

seed library is a collection ofseeds that can be shared orloaned. Patrons check outseeds at the beginning of theyear and then return seedsfrom the plants they grew at

the end of the year. Thereare now several hundredseed libraries located acrossthe country, each one oper-ating a little differently buteach having the generalpurpose of preserving heir-loom, open-pollinated, andlocally adapted seedvarieties, and educating thepublic about growing foodand saving seeds.

Seed saving is a skill thattakes training and practice,and each type of plant variesin the techniques requiredfor harvesting and cleaningthe seed. This is why educa-tion is a central focus ofmost seed libraries. Begin-ners are recommended to

start with plants that haveeasy-to-collect seeds, suchas peas and beans, and canmove on to more complexseed collecting as their ex-perience grows. Guidelinesare also given on how toprotect plants from cross-pollinating to ensure thatthe seed remains pure.

Properly labeled and pureseeds are of upmost impor-tance when including seedsin a seed library.

Seeds must also be open-pollinated varieties, ratherthan hybrids. While hybridvarieties have their virtues,seed collected from themwill not produce offspringthat is true-to-type. As long

as cross-pollination withother varieties is avoided,open-pollinated varietiescan be maintained genera-tion after generation.

Heirloom and locallyadapted varieties are also afocus of seed libraries. Heir-looms are varieties with astory behind them and have

Seedlibrarieshelpgardensandcommunitiesgrow

Photos by JOAN SPRIGGS / Provided by the Eagle Public LibraryThe Eagle Public Library is at 100 N. Stierman Way. Eaglelibrary patrons and nonpatrons alike are welcome to visit thelibrary to learn more about the seed collection.

Vegetable gardeningDANIEL MURPHY

Horticulturist atthe Idaho Botanical Garden

1593549-011596979-01


been passed along for manygenerations within a familyor community. Locallyadapted varieties are thosethat have been developed ina particular region and havetraits suited for thrivingwithin that region.

If you would like to makea donation to a seed libraryand are unsure where yourseeds fall within these cate-gories, the curators of thelibrary can help you deter-mine that, so don’t be afraidto ask.

The Treasure Valley ishome to a handful of seedlibraries, one of which is lo-cated at the Eagle PublicLibrary (cityofeagle.org andthen click on city depart-ments to find more informa-tion about the library).

Launched on Earth Dayin 2013, the seed collectionnow carries more than 200varieties of vegetable andflower seeds, includingsome native species.

Joan Spriggs, the collec-

tion’s curator, and a group ofvolunteers prepare individ-ual packets of seeds for li-brary patrons to take homeand plant. New seed packetsare put out on display eachweek in the order that theyshould be planted, alongwith some guidelines onhow to grow them.

Recognizing that manypatrons are new to seed col-lecting, participants are en-couraged to return seedscollected from their plantsbut not excluded from theprogram if they don’t.

In conjunction with thecollection, Eagle PublicLibrary maintains a demon-stration garden and offers aseries of gardening classestaught by local experts.They also have some seedcleaning equipment avail-able for checkout for thoseready to start saving seeds.

Apart from curation andeducation, seed libraries canbe a place to foster and buildcommunity. Spriggs has wit-

nessed a community grow-ing around the library’s seedcollection. Patrons call inasking for seeds and are ex-cited to share their gardeningstories. Last year, the libraryhosted a salsa-making activi-ty and a giant pumpkin con-test. This year, it will contin-ue to host activities that re-volve around produce grownfrom the library’s seeds.

Another popular seed li-brary in the Treasure Valleyis the Common Wealth SeedLibrary. Find out more aboutit at www.snakeriverseeds.com/seed-library.

General information onseed libraries can be foundat www.seedlibraries.net.The Eagle Public Librarywebsite also recommendsvisiting www.howtosaveseeds.com and www.seedsavers.org.

With spring in the air, it isthe perfect time to join yourlocal seed library, find newthings to grow and makenew friends.

The seed library at the Eagle Public Library also includes an information display with handoutson guidelines for planting, resources and more.

160


BY DEAN FOSDICKTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS

There are few things as enjoy-able to start — or that providefresher returns — than gardening.

But how should you begin?A helpful first step is to develop

a plan. Decide what you want togrow. Choose the best place forgrowing it. Determine how muchyou can safely harvest and store.Finally, lay it out.

“Novice gardeners often starttoo big and soon realize they don’thave the time or energy to fullydevelop or maintain their originalgarden plan,” said Gail Langellotto,a horticulturist with Oregon StateUniversity Extension Service.

“Another common mistake isgardening without first getting toknow your soil,” Langellotto said.“Different soil types present dif-ferent gardening opportunitiesand challenges.”

What that means is getting a

soil test done if you prefer an in-ground garden. You also can doyour planting in raised beds orcontainers. That way you can in-troduce commercially blendedsoils, many of which include slow-release fertilizers and water reten-tion capsules to give seeds orseedlings a quick boost.

Want guidance?“Many people search for advice

on the Internet,” Langellotto said.“But a fantastic and underused re-source is your local extension of-fice. We provide gardening advicethat is reliable, fact-based and rele-vant to your particular gardeningsituation.”

Easy-to-grow plants include an-nual flowers. But perennials gen-erally take care of themselves onceyou get them established in theright location, Langellotto said.

“For vegetables, I have a list of‘the easy eight’ that beginning gar-deners might want to start with:

radishes, peas, leaf lettuce, carrots,spinach, bush beans, summersquash and hybrid tomatoes,” shesaid. “Most of these crops are veryforgiving and easy to grow if youunderstand their basic needs.”

Here are some general tips fromLarry Campbell, an extensionagent in West Virginia:

Æ Gardens should get six toeight hours of sunlight per day.

Æ Soils should be well drainedand slightly acid to neutral, or inthe 6.5 to 7 pH range.

Æ Choose plants suitable to ourregion or USDA plant hardinesszone. The Treasure Valley areausually ranges from USDA Zone 5to 7, so pick plants that are hardy inthose zones.

Æ “Also, keeping records of theperformance of the various vari-eties grown each year can aid thegardener with plant selection,”Campbell said.

“I think the best rules of thumb

are have fun, don’t be afraid to ex-periment in the garden, and don’tbe afraid of failure,” Langellotto

said. “Realize that no one is bornwith a green thumb or a brownthumb. Gardening can be learned.”

No green thumb yet? There’s help.Ifyouneedanswerstogardening

andfoodpreparationquestionsorpestandpesticidequestionsorwantto takeamastergardenerclassorother food-andfamily-relatedclasses,checkouta localUniversityof IdahoExtensionOfficeforhelp.

Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday, except holidays.

ÆAda County: 5880 GlenwoodSt., Boise, 287-5900, email:[email protected]

ÆCanyon County: 501 Main St.,Caldwell, 459-6003, email:[email protected]

Visit them online at www.uidaho.edu/extension/ada andwww.uidaho.edu/extension/canyonor try web.cals.uidaho.edu/idahogardens and www.extension.uidaho.edu/youthfamilyhealth.asp.

The county extension offices

provide a wealth of informationthrough their websites. There is a lotof Idaho-specific information forlandscaping and gardening as wellas links to information from acrossthe nation. For example, link to a sitewhere you can download the com-plete USDA guide to home canningfor free. (And for an easy tip sheetto help you plan your garden, visitthis link from the Michigan State Ex-tension: www.migarden.msu.edu/uploads/files/gardenPlanning.pdf.)

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PRIVATE GARDENSTOUR 2015When: Sunday, June 21Where: West Ada County(primarily the Eagle and Meridian areas)Price: Advance ticket price is $20 for IdahoBotanical Garden members and $25 for non-members. If you purchase tickets the day of theGarden Tour, the cost will be $30 for gardenmembers and $35 for non-members. When youpurchase your ticket, you’ll receive more detailsabout the tour, including a map of locations.Information: Tickets for the 2015 tour are for saleat the Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 Old Peniten-tiary Road in Boise, or online at www.idahobotanicalgarden.org. For more information, callIBG at 343-8649. (As the tour gets closer, you’ll

find updates online.)Æ This year marks the 29th anniversary of the

Idaho Botanical Garden’s garden tour. The annualtour is a fundraising event supporting the IBG’shorticultural operations and Lunaria Grant Pro-gram. The garden is a nonprofit organization.

Æ The eight gardens on this year’s tour rangefrom large 5-acre “estates” to small suburbansites, all packed with combinations of beds, con-tainer plantings, hardscapes and more. It’s a greatway to get inspiration for your own garden. Visi-tors will see everything from how to incorporatevegetable gardens into the landscape, use nativesand hardy plants, techniques to adapt to low wa-ter conditions and how to provide food and habi-tat for birds and pollinators.

Æ Highlights include a collector’s garden, ahome vineyard, a Japanese garden, a naturalized

garden planted with natives of the IntermountainWest, and a garden featuring 40 different vari-eties of roses. Water features in the 2015 gardensrange from the Boise River to a small backyardpond constructed by the homeowners. Many ofthe gardens feature extensive container plantings.

Æ Plan for the tour to take more time this year asa bit more driving may be involved than regularattendees are used to.

Æ A member of IBG’s horticultural staff will beon hand at each property, along with a list ofselect plants showcased in each garden. Wherepossible, sources for some of the more interestingplant materials will be provided.

Æ Volunteers are needed to help with GardenTour 2015. Contact the Idaho Botanical Gardenfor more information on volunteering for this orone of the garden’s many other events.

When: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, March 20;10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 21; and11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 22Where: Boise Centre, 850 W. Front St., BoisePrice: $8 general, $3 ages 12-17,free for children younger than 12Information: gardenshowboise.com

Æ Gardeners can find plenty of ideas hereas well as a bonsai exhibition, an orchid sale,a Fairy and Miniature Garden contest and ajudged flower show. You’ll be able to visit thedisplay gardens, talk with landscapers anddesigners about your dream projects andcheck out the many gardening products forsale at the show.

Æ The featured speaker is Sue Goetz, au-thor of “The Herb Lover’s Spa Book.” (That’sSue Goetz, pictured at left.) She’ll speakabout herb spas and herb-spa gardens onFriday and Saturday.

Æ There are also many other seminars,featuring topics that range from gardendesign to growing tomatoes and peppers tocaring for air plants. See the website for acomplete list of seminar titles and times.

Æ Wine & Jazz Nights are Friday and Satur-day, with wine from 3 Horse Ranch Vine-yards. Beer tasting is Saturday and Sundaywith Slanted Rock Brewing Company andBoise Brewing. Details/times on the website.

GardeningEVENTS

Photo by NELL LINDQUIST / Idaho Botanical Garden Garden Tour coordinatorThe Gladis family garden, which is on an “arm” of the Boise River in the Eagle area, is one of this year’s stops on the Private Gardens Tour 2015.The annual event benefits the Idaho Botanical Garden.

BOISE SPRINGHOME SHOWWhen: 5 to 9 p.m. March 19 and 20 (Thursday andFriday), 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 21, and11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 22Where: Expo Idaho, 5610 N. Glenwood St.Price: $5 general, $4 seniors and free for those12 and younger.Information: boisespringhomeshow.com

Æ More than 240 vendors will be on hand tooffer inspiration and the latest products to getthose projects started and finished. Many of thedisplays are devoted to landscaping and creatingoutdoor living areas, and you’ll be able to talk withTreasure Valley experts about landscaping, hard-scaping and other masonry, pools and patios, localgardening and more.

Æ You’ll also find everything from new windowdressing to backyard furniture, cooking ideas andother home-related advice.

Æ There are cooking demonstrations featuringTreasure Valley chef Michael Encinas fromRosauers at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 1 and 3 p.m.Saturday.

Æ This popular annual show is presented bySpectra Productions.

Photo by HAYLEY GOETZ / Provided by theBoise Flower and Garden Show

There are many plant sales that benefit nonprofits inthe Treasure Valley. For instance, the Idaho NativePlant Sale is on April 25 (members-only on April24). The Idaho Botanical Garden sale is May 2(members-only on May 1). DETAILS ABOUT THESEAND MANY OTHER PLANT SALES, PAGE 14.

Many gardening stores and nurseries, parks depart-ments, the Idaho Botanical Garden, libraries, com-munity groups and others offer resources to helpgardeners. Many also host free and low-cost class-es. Check the websites and with the stores for infor-mation.ALISTOFSOMEAREARESOURCES,PAGE14.

PLANT SALES, LOCAL GARDENINGRESOURCES AND MORE ON PAGE 14

BOISE FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW

spring

MARC

H❏

Ifyouhaven’talready,begin

seedingtenderplantssuch

aseggplantsandsw

eetpeppersindoors.Planttomatoes

indoorsattheend

ofthemonth.

❏Outdoors,plantpotatoes,peas,spinach,

lettuce,beets,onionsandAsian

greens.❏

Transplantordirect-seedcole

cropssuch

asbroccoli,cabbage,cauliflower

andBrusselssprouts.

❏Startadding

compostto

yoursoil.❏

Remove

protectivewinterm

ulchfrom

perennialbeds,trimoutold

foliageand

applymulch

forsummerassoon

as

trueleavesdevelop.M

ulchwillconserve

moisture

andhelp

preventweeds.

❏Coverseedlingsand

transplantswith

agriculturalfleecetoprotectfrom

birds.❏

Expectroller-coastertemperatures.

Don’tgetim

patientandplantoutside

tooearly.

❏Plantbare-rootrosesand

trees.Arrange

dripirrigation

ofnewplantsand

mulch

towithin

about2or3

inchesoftrunks.❏

Divide

overgrownperennialsexcept

forpeonies,lavender,Orientalpoppies,

Siberianirisand

beardediris.

APRIL

❏Shearback

groundcoversandwake

upyourflow

erbedswith

ageneralfertil-

izer.❏

Prunerosesw

henforsythia

blooms.

Fertilize.❏

Protecttenderplantsfromfrost.

❏W

henthe

forsythiabloom

s,usecrabgrasspre-em

ergentchemicalora

corn-glutenmealtreatm

enttoprevent

crabgrass.❏

Plantconifers,treesandshrubs.A

lsoplantsum

merbulbs:allium

s,cannas,hostasand

daylilies.❏

When

daffodilsbloom,plantparsnip

seeds.❏

Prunebuddleias,shrub

dogwoods

andcaryopteris.

❏Prune

lavendertoshape

asitshows

signsofnewgrow

th.❏

Beginhardening

offindoorseedlingstoacclim

atethem

tooutdoorlife.Shel-

tertenderseedlingsfromwind.

❏Watch

foraphidsandknock

themfrom

plantswith

ablastofw

ater.Benefi-cialinsectsw

illtakeoversoon.

❏Setup

supportsforpeonies,delphini-um

sandother“floppers.”

❏Ifan

arboristtellsyouthatyourtree

needsnutrients,fertilizeitno

laterthanJune

15toallow

thetree

toprogress

toward

winterdorm

ancy.

MAY

❏Deadhead

(remove

spentblossoms

from)tulips,daffodilsand

crocuses.Don’trem

ovefoliage

untilit’syellowor

brown.

❏Continue

pruningspring-flow

eringshrubsim

mediately

aftertheyhave

bloomed.

❏Locallore

saysthatwhen

thesnow

ismelted

offShaferButtenorth

ofBoise,it’ssafe

toplantm

ostannualsoutside.May

9isthe

averagelastdate

offrostinthe

TreasureValley.

❏Ifyou

haven’tfedyourroses,do

itnow

.❏

Inmid-M

ay,directseedcorn;in

lateMay,cucum

bers,beans,squash,otherwarm

-weathervegetablesand

melons.

❏Feed

yourlawnwith

1/4ofitsannual

fertilizerallotment,unlessyou’re

usinga

mulching

mow

er.❏

Plantannualstofillin

perennialbedsand

concealyellowing

foliageofspring-

flowering

bulbs.

JULY

❏Plantshort-season

beans,beets,carrots,collards,radishes,cabbage,broccoliand

similarplantsforsecond

harvestinfa ll.(Ifyou

wantanotherhar-

vestofspinach,thisisn’tthetim

eto

plant.September—

incoolerw

eather—

isbetter.)❏

Make

sureyou

arewatering

treesdeeply.❏

Dosum

merpruning

tocorrect

shapeofshrubsand

trees.Pruningnow

willencourage

theleastunw

antedgrow

th.

❏Watch

fordestructiveinsects,and

hand-pickorblastoffw

ithwater,if

possible.❏

Iftomatoesgetbrow

npapery

bot-tom

sorpeppersgetbrownpapery

sec-tionson

theside,it’susually

becauseof

acalcium

deficiencycaused

byuneven

watering.A

slongastem

peraturesarepredom

inantlyunder100

degrees,deeply

waterin-ground

tomatoesonce

aweek.H

igherdaytimetem

peraturesmean

youneed

towaterevery

fouro rfive

days.Containerplantsneed

more

frequent—even

dailyortw

ice-daily—

watering

invery

hotweather.

SEPTEM

BER❏

Plantfast-growing

lettuceand

Asian

vegetablesearlyinthe

month

forhar-vestbefore

winter.

❏Plantspinach

andmache

forearlyspring

crops.❏

Potupfrost-tenderherbsand

pep-persforw

interingindoors.

❏Divide

peonies,ifyoufeelyou

must.

Theycan

growform

anyyearsw

ithoutbeing

divided.❏

Feedlaw

n1/4

ofitsannualfertilizerrequirem

ent.❏

Harvestw

intersquashwhen

athum

bnailwon’tpenetrate

theskin;can-

taloupewhen

itdislodgeseasilyfrom

thevine,w

henantsappear,orw

henyourcat/dog

takesabite;and

water-

melon

when

thebelly

isyellowand

thevine

tendr ilnearestthemelon

isbrown

anddry

(orwhen

itsoundshollowwhen

youthum

pit).

❏Harvestbasiliftem

peraturesarepre-

dictedtofallbelow

38degrees.

OCTO

BER❏

Average

killingfrostisaboutO

ct.9.❏

Plantwildflow

erseedsthatneedstratification

(freezingand

thawing).

❏Laterin

themonth,plantgarlic

andshallotcloves.❏

Remove

longcanesofrosesthat

coulddam

ageothercanesby

wind

whipping.G

ivetreesdeep

drinksofwater.

❏Startcleaning

garden.Disconnect

hoses.Have

sprinklersystemblow

nout

inearly

October.

NOVEM

BER❏

Spreadlasthalfoflaw

n’sannualfertilizerallotm

entintwosessions,a

week

ortwoapart.

❏Use

powerm

owerto

vacuumand

shredleavesforuse

aswinterm

ulchor

asaddi tionstocom

post.❏

Plantspringflow

eringbulbsaftersoil

temperature

dropsbelow60

de-grees.(Buy

yourbulbsearlierinthe

seasonifyou

wanta

bet-terselection.Keep

inacool,

dryplace

orrefrigerate.)Forw

intercheer,buybulbsforforcingindoors.

DEC

EMBER

❏Harvestparsnips,kale,beets,

turnips,leeksandcarrotsaftera

moderate

frostorlightsnow.Flavor

willbe

sweeterthen.

❏Check

treesandshrubsforw

eakorbroken

branchesthatmay

befelled

bysnow

later.Youcan

re-move

thesenow

,sparingyourtree

orshrubdam

agethatm

ightadmit

disease.❏

Once

theground

freezes,mulch

perennials,takingcare

nottopull

mulch

tightlyaround

themain

stem

ortrunk.Leavean

in chortw

oring

openaround

stemortrunk,lestyou

createidealconditionsforcrow

nrot.❏

Rakeleavesfrom

flowerbedsto

keepthem

frommatting

anddirect-

ingmoisture

away

fromplants.

❏Coverstraw

berrieswith

pineneedle

straworotherstraw

notcontam

inatedby

herbicides.❏

Make

holidaywreathsorholiday

decorationsofconifersorotherevergreens.

JANUARY

❏Read

catalogsanddream

.Order

seedsearly,takingcare

nottoorderif

youstillhave

viableseedsfrom

lastyear.❏

Check

storedvegetablesfrequently,

removing

thosethathave

rotorotherspoilage

indicators.❏

Ifyouhaven’talready,covercom

postpile

with

tarptopreventrain

andsnow

fromleaching

nutrientsoutofthepile.

❏Plantonion

andshallotseeds

indoors.

FEBRUARY

❏Inventory

holdingsinfreezerso

youcan

planwhatto

includeand

howmuch

toplantin

yourveggiegarden

thisyear.❏

Inspectgardentools.Rem

oveany

rust.Sharpenspades.

❏Check

the“bones”ofyourlandscap-

ingforvisualappeal,and

make

planstoim

proveitw

ithadded

shrubsorhard-scaping.❏

Plantseedsofbroccoli,cabbageand

othercolecropsindoors;prune

trees/shrubs,exceptforspringbloom

erssuchasforsythia

andlilacs.

TREA

SUREVALLEY

GARDEN

ING12-13

•W

EDNESD

AY,MARC

H18,2015

Gardeningsummer

YOUR

HANDY,PULL-O

UT

AND

SAVE

“Toeverything

thereisa

season...”

ECCLESIA

STES3:1

“Thedifference

between

gardeningand

housework

isthatw

henyou

dust,thefurniture

doesn’tgrowand

thekitchen

floordoesn’tbloom.”

CASSA

NDRA

“MRS.G

REENTH

UMBS”D

ANZ

“Beforethe

rewards

theremustbe

labor.

Youplantbefore

youharvest.

Yousow

intears

beforeyou

reapjoy.”

RALPH

RANSO

M

“Ifyouhave

a

gardenand

alibrary,

youhave

everythingyou

need.”CICERO

JUNE

❏Plantoutseedlingsofpeppers,

tomatoes,eggplantsand

basilinearly

June.Watch

forlatefrosts.

❏Tackle

weedsregularly

andfrequent-

lyso

youkeep

ahandle

onthe

situation.Rem

ember,m

ulchalso

keepsweed

seedsfromgerm

inating.❏

Feedrosesaboutevery

threeweeks.

❏Monitorlaw

n.When

itgetsabluish

castandfootprintsdon’tbounce

backreadily,w

aterdeeply.❏

Keepyoureye

outfordestructiveinsects;ifnecessary,use

theleasttoxic

controlsfirst.❏

Thinfruiton

yourfruittrees.

AUGUST

❏Fertilize

rosesforlasttimethis

season.Mostgardenersstop

fertilizingrosesby

Aug.15.

❏Prune

maple

andbirch

trees,rem

ovingcrossing

andweak

branches.❏

Harvestpeppersto

stimulate

furtherproduction.H

arvestanddry

orfreezeherbs.❏

Divide

crowded

andnonbloom

ingbearded

iris.Ifyou’regoing

todivide

Orientalpoppies,do

itduringsum

mer

dormancy.

❏Collect,dry

andlabelseedsfrom

nonhybridplants.

❏W

hencorn

silksturnbrow

nand

dry,startchecking

forripeness(earendsinside

husksshouldbe

roundedinstead

ofpointed).

winter

Aseasonalto-do

listtokeep

youon

track

fall

spring

MARC

H❏

Ifyouhaven’talready,begin

seedingtenderplantssuch

aseggplantsandsw

eetpeppersindoors.Planttomatoes

indoorsattheend

ofthemonth.

❏Outdoors,plantpotatoes,peas,spinach,

lettuce,beets,onionsandAsian

greens.❏

Transplantordirect-seedcole

cropssuch

asbroccoli,cabbage,cauliflower

andBrusselssprouts.

❏Startadding

compostto

yoursoil.❏

Remove

protectivewinterm

ulchfrom

perennialbeds,trimoutold

foliageand

applymulch

forsummerassoon

as

trueleavesdevelop.M

ulchwillconserve

moisture

andhelp

preventweeds.

❏Coverseedlingsand

transplantswith

agriculturalfleecetoprotectfrom

birds.❏

Expectroller-coastertemperatures.

Don’tgetim

patientandplantoutside

tooearly.

❏Plantbare-rootrosesand

trees.Arrange

dripirrigation

ofnewplantsand

mulch

towithin

about2or3

inchesoftrunks.❏

Divide

overgrownperennialsexcept

forpeonies,lavender,Orientalpoppies,

Siberianirisand

beardediris.

APRIL

❏Shearback

groundcoversandwake

upyourflow

erbedswith

ageneralfertil-

izer.❏

Prunerosesw

henforsythia

blooms.

Fertilize.❏

Protecttenderplantsfromfrost.

❏W

henthe

forsythiabloom

s,usecrabgrasspre-em

ergentchemicalora

corn-glutenmealtreatm

enttoprevent

crabgrass.❏

Plantconifers,treesandshrubs.A

lsoplantsum

merbulbs:allium

s,cannas,hostasand

daylilies.❏

When

daffodilsbloom,plantparsnip

seeds.❏

Prunebuddleias,shrub

dogwoods

andcaryopteris.

❏Prune

lavendertoshape

asitshows

signsofnewgrow

th.❏

Beginhardening

offindoorseedlingstoacclim

atethem

tooutdoorlife.Shel-

tertenderseedlingsfromwind.

❏Watch

foraphidsandknock

themfrom

plantswith

ablastofw

ater.Benefi-cialinsectsw

illtakeoversoon.

❏Setup

supportsforpeonies,delphini-um

sandother“floppers.”

❏Ifan

arboristtellsyouthatyourtree

needsnutrients,fertilizeitno

laterthanJune

15toallow

thetree

toprogress

toward

winterdorm

ancy.

MAY

❏Deadhead

(remove

spentblossoms

from)tulips,daffodilsand

crocuses.Don’trem

ovefoliage

untilit’syellowor

brown.

❏Continue

pruningspring-flow

eringshrubsim

mediately

aftertheyhave

bloomed.

❏Locallore

saysthatwhen

thesnow

ismelted

offShaferButtenorth

ofBoise,it’ssafe

toplantm

ostannualsoutside.May

9isthe

averagelastdate

offrostinthe

TreasureValley.

❏Ifyou

haven’tfedyourroses,do

itnow

.❏

Inmid-M

ay,directseedcorn;in

lateMay,cucum

bers,beans,squash,otherwarm

-weathervegetablesand

melons.

❏Feed

yourlawnwith

1/4ofitsannual

fertilizerallotment,unlessyou’re

usinga

mulching

mow

er.❏

Plantannualstofillin

perennialbedsand

concealyellowing

foliageofspring-

flowering

bulbs.

JULY

❏Plantshort-season

beans,beets,carrots,collards,radishes,cabbage,broccoliand

similarplantsforsecond

harvestinfa ll.(Ifyou

wantanotherhar-

vestofspinach,thisisn’tthetim

eto

plant.September—

incoolerw

eather—

isbetter.)❏

Make

sureyou

arewatering

treesdeeply.❏

Dosum

merpruning

tocorrect

shapeofshrubsand

trees.Pruningnow

willencourage

theleastunw

antedgrow

th.

❏Watch

fordestructiveinsects,and

hand-pickorblastoffw

ithwater,if

possible.❏

Iftomatoesgetbrow

npapery

bot-tom

sorpeppersgetbrownpapery

sec-tionson

theside,it’susually

becauseof

acalcium

deficiencycaused

byuneven

watering.A

slongastem

peraturesarepredom

inantlyunder100

degrees,deeply

waterin-ground

tomatoesonce

aweek.H

igherdaytimetem

peraturesmean

youneed

towaterevery

fouro rfive

days.Containerplantsneed

more

frequent—even

dailyortw

ice-daily—

watering

invery

hotweather.

SEPTEM

BER❏

Plantfast-growing

lettuceand

Asian

vegetablesearlyinthe

month

forhar-vestbefore

winter.

❏Plantspinach

andmache

forearlyspring

crops.❏

Potupfrost-tenderherbsand

pep-persforw

interingindoors.

❏Divide

peonies,ifyoufeelyou

must.

Theycan

growform

anyyearsw

ithoutbeing

divided.❏

Feedlaw

n1/4

ofitsannualfertilizerrequirem

ent.❏

Harvestw

intersquashwhen

athum

bnailwon’tpenetrate

theskin;can-

taloupewhen

itdislodgeseasilyfrom

thevine,w

henantsappear,orw

henyourcat/dog

takesabite;and

water-

melon

when

thebelly

isyellowand

thevine

tendr ilnearestthemelon

isbrown

anddry

(orwhen

itsoundshollowwhen

youthum

pit).

❏Harvestbasiliftem

peraturesarepre-

dictedtofallbelow

38degrees.

OCTO

BER❏

Average

killingfrostisaboutO

ct.9.❏

Plantwildflow

erseedsthatneedstratification

(freezingand

thawing).

❏Laterin

themonth,plantgarlic

andshallotcloves.❏

Remove

longcanesofrosesthat

coulddam

ageothercanesby

wind

whipping.G

ivetreesdeep

drinksofwater.

❏Startcleaning

garden.Disconnect

hoses.Have

sprinklersystemblow

nout

inearly

October.

NOVEM

BER❏

Spreadlasthalfoflaw

n’sannualfertilizerallotm

entintwosessions,a

week

ortwoapart.

❏Use

powerm

owerto

vacuumand

shredleavesforuse

aswinterm

ulchor

asaddi tionstocom

post.❏

Plantspringflow

eringbulbsaftersoil

temperature

dropsbelow60

de-grees.(Buy

yourbulbsearlierinthe

seasonifyou

wanta

bet-terselection.Keep

inacool,

dryplace

orrefrigerate.)Forw

intercheer,buybulbsforforcingindoors.

DEC

EMBER

❏Harvestparsnips,kale,beets,

turnips,leeksandcarrotsaftera

moderate

frostorlightsnow.Flavor

willbe

sweeterthen.

❏Check

treesandshrubsforw

eakorbroken

branchesthatmay

befelled

bysnow

later.Youcan

re-move

thesenow

,sparingyourtree

orshrubdam

agethatm

ightadmit

disease.❏

Once

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decorationsofconifersorotherevergreens.

JANUARY

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catalogsanddream

.Order

seedsearly,takingcare

nottoorderif

youstillhave

viableseedsfrom

lastyear.❏

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thosethathave

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with

tarptopreventrain

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andshallotseeds

indoors.

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holdingsinfreezerso

youcan

planwhatto

includeand

howmuch

toplantin

yourveggiegarden

thisyear.❏

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rust.Sharpenspades.

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the“bones”ofyourlandscap-

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make

planstoim

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shrubsorhard-scaping.❏

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othercolecropsindoors;prune

trees/shrubs,exceptforspringbloom

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andlilacs.

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orfreezeherbs.❏

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dry,startchecking

forripeness(earendsinside

husksshouldbe

roundedinstead

ofpointed).

winterAseasonalto-do

listtokeep

youon

track

fall


GardeningRESOURCES

PLANT SALES TOBENEFIT NONPROFITSEach year, we invite nonprofit groups tosend in information about upcomingplant sales by a specific deadline. Belowis the information from the groups thatparticipated. There are many other plantsales in the Treasure Valley. Follow theStatesman calendars for more informa-tion and updates. The Treasure Valley isalso home to several amazing gardeningstores and nurseries that specialize inplants that grow great in our area. Theirexperts also can help you find what’sright for your yard.

Saturday, April 25: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Idaho Native Plant Society sale, MKNature Center, 600 S. Walnut, Boise.For information, visit www.idahonativeplants.org. The group publishes a plantavailability list on the site closer to thesale date. Idahonativeplants.org alsohas many resources for gardeners. (Themembers-only sale is Friday, April 24.See the website for details.) Informa-tion: [email protected].

Saturday, April 25: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Plant sale for 8th-grade student scholar-ships by Sacred Heart Catholic Schoolparents, 811 S. Latah, Boise.

Saturday, April 25: 10 a.m. to noon atCecil D. Andrus Elementary, 6100 N.Park Meadow Way, Boise. Plant sale inhonor of Earth Day with vegetable andflower starts. Proceeds will be used tohelp launch a new school garden.

Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2:Idaho Botanical Garden Plant Sale.Members only from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday(free with membership). Open to thepublic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday(half-price garden admission that day).Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 Old Peni-tentiary Road, Boise. Information:www.idahobotanicalgarden.org.Benefits IBG horticulture programs andensures practical experience for Collegeof Western Idaho horticulture students.The waterwise and unique plants forsale were grown by the students andIBG staff as part of the curriculum. Lookfor the sale catalog to plan your pur-chases (and your yard) in advance.

Saturday, May 2: 8 a.m. to noon. AdaGardeners plant sale, 10608 W. CruserDrive (southwest corner of Franklin andFive Mile). Proceeds benefit scholar-ships for second-year students at theCollege of Western Idaho and other

groups and activities that support gar-dening within the Boise metro area.

Saturday, May 2: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at theBoise 1st Congregational United Churchof Christ, 2201 Woodlawn Ave., Boise.Proceeds benefit youth programs.Visit www.boisefirstucc.org/what-s-happening/plant-sale for information,or call Lee Hipsher at 615-1505.

Monday, May 4, to Saturday, May 9:1 to 3:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to2 p.m. Saturday. (Sale will likely continueon Wednesdays through Fridays from1 to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 16,until sold out.) Borah High School sale,6001 Cassia St., Boise. Greenhouse atback of campus. Heirloom and hard-to-find tomato plants. Hanging baskets;custom “builds” for personal pots orbaskets at the sale site. [email protected] forordering and more information. Benefitsthe school’s horticulture program.

Thursday, May 7, and Friday, May 8:St. Luke’s Auxiliary Mother’s Day plantsale. (7 a.m. May 7, at the MeridianMedical Center east end of lobby and 7a.m. May 8, at the Boise Medical Centermain entrance. Sales run until all plantsare sold.) Proceeds benefit the Chil-dren’s Hospital. New choices this year,including succulents. Information:Debbie Haltermann at 954-1105.

Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9:10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Boise Urban Gar-den School plant sale (formerly the Ida-ho Horticulture Society sale) will be heldat BUGS garden , 4821 W. Franklin Road(near corner of Orchard and Franklin),Boise. Edible plants, garden vegetablesand pollinator plants will be available.

Saturday, May 9: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Her-itage Park, 185 E. State St., Eagle. TheIdaho Gladiolus Society sells a variety ofplants, including Mother’s Day planters,annual and perennial flowering plants,vegetable starts, raspberry and straw-berry plants and gladiolus corms. Pro-ceeds support the annual gladiolusshow in August.

Saturday, May 9: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Payette Valley Gardeners at the PortiaClub in Payette, 225 N. 9th St., Payette.Vegetable and ornamental plants.Benefits the Payette Valley Gardenersand the Friends of the Portia Club.

Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16:9 a.m. Garden Girls and Guys first annu-al plant sale at 9861 and 9863 W. Coun-

tryman Drive (from Overland at theMillcreek wheel). Proceeds benefit theRuth Melichar Bird Center. Information:Lisa 408-832-9156 or Karen 853-6108.

Friday, May 15; Saturday, May 16;and Sunday, May 17: 9 a.m to 3 p.m.Golden Garden Club plant sale at10305 Harvester Drive in Boise.Locally grown herbs and perennials.

NATIONAL PUBLICGARDENS DAY

When: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m Friday, May 8

Where: Idaho Botanical Garden,2355 Old Penitentiary Road, Boise

Information:www.idahobotanicalgarden.org

Celebrate National Public Gardens Daywith free admission to the IdahoBotanical Garden. Get tips and advicefrom local vendors and more.

AREA LAVENDERFESTIVALS

When: Saturday and Sunday,July 11 and 12

Where: The Lavender Merchant in Kunaand Silver Fox Farm in the Emmett area

Information: Check the websites athttp://thelavendermerchant.net andhttp://silverfoxlavender.com

U-pick opportunities, lavender products,food, crafts and more.

Æ University of Idaho ExtensionOffices, see information on page 10.

Æ Idaho Botanical Garden:www.idahobotanicalgarden.org

Æ Idaho Native Plant Society:www.idahonativeplants.org

Æ Foothills Learning Center:bee.cityofboise.org/foothills

Æ Idaho Water Garden & KoiSociety: www.iwgks.org

ÆUnitedWaterCo.:Findconservationresourcesonline; toura low-waterdemonstrationgardenin-seasonat itsheadquartersat8248W.VictoryRoadinBoise.www.unitedwater.com/idaho/idaho-conservation.aspx

Æ Boise Urban Garden School:Programs for kids and more.(www.boiseurbangardenschool.org).In partnership with the city of Boise,BUGS opened a new education cen-ter in Comba Park, 2995 N. Five Mile.

Æ See the Statesman gardeningcolumns and calendars in Saturday’sExplore section and visitIdahoStatesman.com/gardening.

Æ Many gardening store websites arealso full of good plant information,tips and advice.

Æ Garden clubs: The Garden Clubs ofIdaho website (www.gcii.org) has in-formation about the state organiza-tion but also contacts for local chap-ters. The Idaho Native Plant Society(idahonativeplants.org) also wel-comes new members. There is an AdaCounty Master Gardeners group(extension.uidaho.edu/ada/tag/master-gardener) for people involvedin the master gardeners program.

Æ Tomato Independence Project:Learn more about this Americanfavorite and garden staple.treasurevalleyfoodcoalition.org.

Æ Idaho Capitol grounds in Down-town Boise: In growing season, it’s agood place to get “water-wise” ideas.

Æ Community gardens: Let’s MoveBoise has a list at www.letsmoveboise.com/community-gardens.

ÆValleygardeningclasses/help:Public libraries, the IdahoBotanicalGarden,mostareagardening/land-scapingstores, theAdaandCanyonExtensionOffices(relatedinformation,page10),BoiseParks& Recreation,BoiseCommunityEducationandmanyothersoffer freeor low-costclasses/help.Visit theirwebsites forinformationorcheckouttheStates-man’sGardencalendaronSaturdays.

Idaho Statesman file

LOCAL RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE


BY MARIA MARTINSHOPATHOME.COM

Ask national design expert Kathy Peter-son to show off a favorite space in herhome, and she’s likely to wander outside.

She’ll head to her spaciousback porch, which holds aneclectic mix of white outdoorand indoor furniture, all set offby a pale yellow floor. Lampsand plants add to the lived-in,casual look.

“Your patio, porch, deck orbackyard is an extension ofyour home, so make it invit-ing,” says Peterson, a designexpert, author and TV person-ality who has appeared ondozens of TV shows on net-works like HGTV and PBS andlives in southern Florida. “Out-door spaces provide a place,not only for relaxation, but for entertainingguests, meditating and playing board games.”

One thing Peterson suggests when spruc-ing up a deck, patio or other outdoor space

is to go on a treasure hunt inside the home.“If you have a well-protected outdoor

space, you can certainly use indoor furnitureand accessories,” says Peterson, whose web-site (kathypeterson.com) details her work as

a consultant and speaker.National design expert Nate

Berkus says it’s simple to turnan outdoor “hangout space”into an outdoor dining area.“My outdoor space gets moreuse now that I added sofa-likeseating with loads of pillows,so it’s more comfortable to sitand stay for a while,” saysBerkus, who keeps a well-stocked bar and drink trayshandy. “And just becauseyou’re outside doesn’t meanthat you shouldn’t add a fewdetails, like hurricanes (candleholders) and a vase or two to

hold fresh-cut flowers from your backyard.”

Find more fashion, beauty and deal stories atShopAtHome.com.

Spend some time, effort getting the patio ready, too

SHANE KEYSER / Kansas City Star fileA makeover can transform a patio space into a showplace. Take some time to clean up and plan,and then visit a furniture or garden store if you need new patio furniture. Well-made patio furni-ture is an investment that will pay off summer after summer. Then, arrange and accessorize.

Ifyouarethinkingabouthardscaping,fencingorsomeotherinvolvedproject, it’swisetoconsultwithaprofessional first.Seearecentstorywithtipsabouthardscap-ingat IdahoStatesman.com/Treasure.

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THE

BLANKSLATEGARDEN


In the summer of 2013, I movedto a new house. So new, in fact,that it had a minimal, builder-

installed front yard and nothingbut dirt in the back and side yards.

At first glance, it seemed intimi-dating. A sea of nothing that wasbegging for something. I had tostop looking at it in order to de-cide what I wanted out of a back-yard because all I could see waswhat it wasn’t. Then I had to de-termine how those wants wouldfit in with what I had to work with.

A vegetable garden was a must-have; a covered patio would benice. The backyard was sloped, so Ihad to decide whether I wanted myraised beds on a slope or install aretaining wall and make two levels.

The landscaper’s mantra is “in-stall the hardscape first.” So thefirst order of business was to installa patio, a concrete pad for the trash

BY ELAINE WALKERSpecial to the Idaho Statesman

PHOTOS BY KYLE [email protected]

This picture at rightwas taken before

the fencing wasinstalled between

Elaine Walker’shouse and her new

neighbor’s houseand before the hard-

scaping was put in.Below, the new

vegetable gardensin the new

raised beds.Before photos provided

by Elaine Walker

Afterbuyinganewhouse, thisgardenerhad to

start fromscratch

BEFOREAFTER

cans, a walkway connecting every-thing and a retaining wall to breakthe backyard into two level areas.

Next, I had to decide where thevegetable garden would be. Thebest place would be next to thefence on the west side of the yardso the garden would get late after-noon shade. But that was farthestfrom the kitchen door, so theraised beds went on the east sideof the yard.

The lower level of the yard nextto the back fence was the perfectplace to have a grape arbor. Sofour varieties of grapes wereplanted along the back fence. Thewest side of the yard then becamethe perfect place for fruit trees.

A friend had given me a peachtree she started from seed. It’ll be afew more years until I find out ex-actly what kind of peach it is. An-other friend gave me a ponderosapine seedling, and that went intothe west side, too. There’s stillspace for one more tree, and thatwill be an apple.

If you’re an apple grower, you’re

probably saying to yourself, “Butyou have to have two apple treesfor cross-pollination.” So it was offto the library to get a book on grow-ing fruit trees in small spaces. Onebook suggested planting two dwarftrees 2 feet apart and prune accord-ingly. The two trees will go in assoon as I decide which varieties Iwant and the ground thaws.

The east side of the house isfairly close to the house next doorand the two houses produce quitea bit of shade. I filled that areawith shade-tolerant shrubs, smalltrees, hostas and other shade-

tolerant plants. Most of the plantscame from the Idaho Native PlantSociety plant sale (see the plantsale list on page 14 for more infor-mation). When the plants get big-ger, it’ll be a nice place to relax ona summer afternoon.

WORK ON THE FRONT, TOOThe front yard was a sea of

grass with a small flower bed upagainst the front porch and a smallgarden bed next to the driveway.The HOA granted me permissionto remove an area of grass in themiddle of the front yard to plant

some native trees and shrubs.When they get taller, they’ll lookreally nice and give the frontporch some privacy.

The developer/builder planteda few shrubs in the garden bed bythe front porch. One small shrub

was already leaning forwardtrying to get more sun. Thisnorth-facing bed has shade mostof the day and was crying out forshade-tolerant plants. So all the


Above, Elaine Walker — the author ofthis article — with her new raisedbeds in the background. Those aretomato plants on the left up againstthe house. At right, before the retain-ing wall and raised beds. The trayshold some of the native plants Walk-er bought to plant in her new yard.

American Giant sunflowers line the fence at Elaine Walker’s new house.

Walker’s Asiatic lilies in full bloom(and this section’s cover “models”).

Walker cradles the first raspberryfrom her new yard.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

BEFOREAFTER


shrubs were transplanted to sun-nier spots and hostas, heucheras,ferns and other shade-lovingplants were installed.

The garden by the driveway hadtwo lonely plants. I didn’t like ei-ther of them, so I dug them up andgave them away. Then I turned thearea into a xeric garden. After thedrought-tolerant plants were inplace, they almost died before I

capped off two sprinkler heads!Now they’re doing great. Lastsummer, they produced colorfulblooms until late fall.

The yard is still a work inprogress. There’s one area in thebackyard that’s still blank. It hasn’tyet told me what it wants to be.

In the front, I want to removegrass next to the sidewalk andplant more xeric plants. The heat

The new house one year after the Walkers moved in. Elaine Walker did some work on the front yard, but she stillwants to do more.

Before photo provided by Elaine WalkerThe new house one day after the Walkers moved in.

BEFORE

AFTER

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from the sidewalk causes the grassto struggle and weeds to get afoothold. Flowering shrubs andforbs (herbaceous floweringplants) plus low-lying succulentswould be a better choice there.

And those beautiful red pep-pers that I grew in last summer’sgarden? I’m going to sneak those

into the sunny part of the frontyard for an extra dash of color!

Elaine Walker has lived in the TreasureValley for 10 years. She is a formerAdvanced Master Gardener and was acontributing writer to the Statesman’sgardening website until she decided todevote more time to, yep, gardening.

1. Get a soil test to determine what kind of soil you’re dealing with. In mycase, the pH was 7.3 — too high for some plants. It may take a few years toget your soil tamed when it comes to nutrients and pH.2. Measure your yard and draw a “floor plan” to scale on a large sheet ofpaper. (You can get large sheets at an art supply store.)3. Where do you want hardscape such as patios, walkways, planter boxes,raised beds, a fire pit and an outdoor pizza oven? (Yes, I want an outdoorpizza oven.) Draw them to scale on your floor plan.4. When it comes to plants, start with trees. How big will the tree get atmaturity? And when will it get that big? In 10 years or 50 years? Drawthem in to scale at maturity.5. When trees are young, sun-loving plants can go around them. As theymature, the sun plants can be replaced by shade-loving plants.6. Next,pencil inshrubs.Again,determinesizeatmaturityanddrawtoscale.7. Lastly, pencil in smaller shrubs and flowering plants to scale. Any blankspace left over? Determine whether you want lawn or more native plants.8. You don’t have to do everything the first year!

TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED (OR STARTING AGAIN)

Elaine Walker hasn’t decided what to do with the area to the right of the steps, but she has planted grapevines alongthe fence and is excited to grow more vegetables in her new raised beds.

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There are at least 20,000species of plants on Earth thathumans can safely eat, but of

those, about 150 are intensivelygrown for human food, and onlyfour are the main sources of car-bohydrates for humans: corn, rice,wheat and potatoes.

Domestication and breedinghave so radically changed manyspecies that it’s difficult to discov-er the original wild sources that allplants come from. Is it importantto know their wild sources? Yes.

Those wild sources have beenalive for so long, they’ve been ex-posed to and developed resistanceto many diseases. If cultivatedplants begin succumbing to a dis-ease, breeders can go back to thosevery tough wild versions to breedresistance into the vulnerable, ten-der version.

We can also improve on the win-ning originals and gain more vari-

ety in the process. New breedersare surfacing and proliferating inAmerica, and they’re breeding vari-eties to be more productive, moreresistant to disease, and easier togrow in small spaces and with lesswater. The end result is often morenutritious and more attractive, too.

The Pacific Northwest climateis excellent for agriculture, and ithas become a hotbed of plantbreeding. Several plant breeders

are active in this area (our latitude,roughly), so those of us who growtheir newly improved plants canfully acclimate them withoutmuch trouble.

Some plant breeding can be soeasy a child can do it. Indeed, someof today’s prominent breedersstarted breeding plants asteenagers. The passion for this maystart with recognizing a feature onone plant that’s different fromothers in the same bed, or finding afruit or vegetable of remarkablebeauty or flavor, and then savingseeds from that plant and sowingthose seeds in ensuing seasons.

For instance, if you find onetomato among many of the samevariety that does not have skincracks around the stem end, youcould save those seeds for plantingthe following year. Then, providedit is a mutation (a change in theplant’s DNA) and not just a one-

time anomaly, you should getsome that are resistant to cracking,but you’ll probably get others withcracks due to genetic diversity.Breeders would “rogue out” (pulland destroy) plants that did havecracks on fruit.

Again, after saving seeds fromthe noncracking fruit and plantingthose, more should be free ofcracks each growing season.Breeders usually strive for fiveyears of reliability (in this case nocracking) before they issue thenew variety for others to grow.

Breeding new plants or plantswith new attributes can be diffi-cult, depending on what variationyou’re trying to get, and depend-ing on what plant you’re trying toalter. Some plants, for instance,only go to seed their second year,and if their first winter kills them,there’ll be no seeds. The mild win-ters of the “wet or west” side of

the Cascades in Washington andOregon provide a fertile haven forplant breeders of biennials.

Active breeders in our vicinityinclude Tom Wagner, Frank Mor-ton, Carol Deppe and Alan Ka-puler. (You may have already reada bit about Carol Deppe in mySaturday, March 14, column.)

When your children look forheroes, here is a remarkable set.Most, if not all, are opposed topatenting plants, so their productsare open pollinated, a consider-able gift to humanity. If you growvegetables they developed, youcan save seeds and grow the samevegetables in succeeding years.

TOM WAGNERMost seed sellers do not credit

Tom Wagner with his great GreenZebra tomato, but he put it on thecommercial market in 1983 in his“Tater-Mater seed catalog.” That

Plantbreeding—it’sreallyprettycool

GardeningMARGARET

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failure to credit the variety’s devel-oper leads some to think of GreenZebra as an “heirloom” tomato.

Wagner now farms near Everett,Wash., continuing his passion forbreeding tomatoes and potatoes.See his website at www.tom8toes.com. He likes to start potatoes fromTrue Potato Seed (TPS), sincethey’re naturally free of disease andeasy to work with. Not all potatoesdo set seed pods, but they’re cer-tainly handy for a plant breeder.

Wagner started breeding plantsas a teenager. Then growing up inKansas, he worked on creating atomato that didn’t crack in thatstate’s heat. He’s also bred antho-

cyanin-rich tomatoes, even offer-ing a blue version of his greatGreen Zebra tomato. Anthocyaninis a popular quest among breedersinterested in intensifying the nu-trition of common food plants.Food containing high levels ofanthocyanins (usually blue or pur-ple in color) are high in antioxi-dants that improve human health.

FRANK MORTONFrank Morton started his breed-

ing career in 1983 after spotting ared lettuce among the greens hehad grown for sale at a farmersmarket. For a few years, he grewsalad greens in the Puget Sound

area for market and then latermoved to Oregon. He still special-izes in salad greens, includingsome wild greens in his repertoire,along with variety-improving in-terests in amaranth, quinoa, mus-tards and orach.

He sells his organic seed fromGathering Together farm in Philo-math, Ore., via www.wildgardenseed.com. Like the other breeders,he knows his plants sufficientlywell that he’s quick to notice achanged color or texture, alertinghim to save seeds from betterplants, for instance.

CAROL DEPPECarol Deppe, a geneticist with a

doctorate from Harvard, is well-prepared to breed plants. Whenshe left academia and began to gar-den, she wanted to grow vegetablesthat weren’t in existence, so shebred them herself. Her first book,“Breed Your Own Vegetable Vari-eties” was published in 1993. There,she explains the process of breed-ing specific plants in plain lan-guage, encouraging other garden-ers to breed their own varieties.

One of her finds was poppinggarbanzo beans. There is a varietyof bean that grows in the Andes,called Nuna, but it only producespods with beans during short days,when such plants would be killedby freezing in our area. (Many gar-banzo beans, including those thatcan be popped like popcorn, dogrow and produce in our area dur-ing our usual gardening months.)

She’s also bred three other drybeans, three flour corns, two flintcorns and two winter squashes.Her Sweet Meat Oregon Home-stead is a superb, heavy-meatedwinter squash that I’ve grown herebefore squash bugs proliferated.(I’ll make changes in growingmethods before I grow it again.)

Her new book is “The Tao ofVegetable Gardening,” and shesells seeds via her website fromOregon at www.Caroldeppe.com.

ALAN KAPULERAnother plant breeder in Ore-

gon is Alan Kapuler. He startedplant breeding as a teenager, whenhe won the Westinghouse Nation-al Science Talent Search for his ex-

periments on his hobby orchids.He graduated from Yale at age 19,and then earned a doctorate fromRockefeller University in molecu-lar biology.

Disapproving of colleagues'breeding lethal viruses for purpos-es of war, Kapuler left academiaand the East to move to Oregon.He and his wife, Linda, are stillselling their own seeds online athttp://peaceseedslive.blogspot.com. They have a diverse selec-tion of flowers and vegetables.

Since teenagers can start breed-ing, any of us can.

More information is availablethrough Deppe’s books and atwww.ofrf.org/blogs/new-tools-organic-farmers-teach-diy-plant-breeding. Another excellent bookis “Plant Breeding for the HomeGardener; How to Create UniqueVegetables & Flowers” by JosephTychonievich.

Maybe your teenager can breeda tomato that tastes like a peach.

ReadMargaret’scolumneverySaturday intheStatesman’[email protected].

“Gardening in the Treasure Valley” by Statesmancolumnist Margaret Lauterbach is full of advicespecifically about gardening in our area.This expansive book costs $20 including taxand can be ordered at IdahoStatesman.com/promotions for pickup at the Statesman.Shipping is available for $5 more per book.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GARDENING INMARGARET LAUTERBACH’S BOOK

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BY BARBARA DAMROSCHSPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POSTAs President Dwight D. Eisen-

hower once said, “Farming looksmighty easy when your plow is apencil and you’re a thousand milesfrom the cornfield.” His gibe wasaimed at Washington policymak-ers, but I’d say the same thingabout planning my modest sum-mer garden.

In my mind it will be perfect, andnone of the mistakes I might havemade in the past will be repeated.But as I’ve come to realize over theyears, my garden’s chief enemy isneither bug nor blight, but my ownbottomless enthusiasm.

Before I order any seeds, I willread the catalogs with a critical

eye. I will understand that a “vig-orous” tomato plant or heirloomsquash vine or even “trailing” nas-turtium may be code for “growthhabit similar to strangler fig.”

If I buy those seeds anyway,I will limit myself to one or, well,maybe two or three varieties.When they come I will not sow allthe seeds in the packet, but if bysome chance I do and they all ger-minate I will not plant them all. IfI just can’t help myself and do justthat, I will make sure not to crowdthe seedlings but set them out atthe proper spacing, even if itmeans there are some left over.I will not waste several days tryingto find homes in the neighborhoodfor those seedlings, as if they were

kittens, but throw them on thecompost pile where they belong.

I will apply a mulch to the gar-den to prevent weeds from sprout-ing. Even though it is sometimeshard to come up with a source ofbaled straw or hay, especially if Istart the garden too late in the sea-son (which is definitely not goingto happen again this year), I willfollow through on the mulch. Ifthat fails, I will cultivate all myrows every few days with a drawhoe, while the weeds are still tiny,to avoid having them take over. Ofcourse that would never happenthis year because I’ve learned mylesson once and for all.

This time, the Belladonna del-phinium I keep planting, in the

hope that it will not turn whitewith mildew, is banished from thegarden. Fortunately, the seeds Ihave for it would not germinateanyway, because delphinium re-quires fresh seed. I will finallythrow out those and all the otherold useless seeds I’ve saved in thathuge box on my desk.

I will set up all the hoses andsprinklers in their proper placesand leave them there, not dragthem around to water the chickensand wash the car, as has happenedevery year in the past. The lawnmower and all the tools, wheelbar-rows, trellising devices, bugsprays, Band-Aids and vole trapswill also stay in their designatedspots, no matter who needs them

elsewhere. Anyone who violatesthat rule will not be fed; in fact, Imight not feed anybody at all.

Finally, I will make enough timefor my garden this time around.Houseguests will not arrive, espe-cially those with pets, and if theydo I will hand them a sleeping bagand direct them to the barn. I willforget the birthdays of familymembers, all of which fall in themonths of April, May and June.Except for mine, which is in July,and I am canceling that. I will justremain the same age this year.

Damrosch’s latest book is “The FourSeason Farm Gardener’s Cookbook”;Visit her website at www.fourseasonfarm.com for information.

Well, I won’t do that again. But if I do ...

Photo by Barbara DamroschThe author’s garden on a good day. Gardening is a commitment that requires gardeners to find hope each year that they’ll have time to do it right.


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