Growing Food, and Community, on the Oregon Coast

Garlic at Taft 7-12

For the past 2 years I have been volunteering to help create a garden and greenhouse program at our local middle/high school, Taft 7-12 in Lincoln City.

The kids' tomato plants

It has been inspiring, interesting, challenging and at times exhausting-- but always rewarding.  My privilege in this role is to work with young people who have a lot on their minds, besides the usual challenges of schoolwork and teen romance.  Many of these students have complicated lives at home, and it can be daunting for them to find the energy to merely learn the standards, much less excel.

Cover crop to enrich the soil

Besides providing them a place to learn about plants, soil, food, science, biology, math, etc... my goal is to give them a safe place for creativity and expand their world.  Give them a reason to get outside, which they do very little.  Give them a place to discover things that are unexpected, like a frog that was hiding by the greenhouse, what fennel tastes like, or the pride of harvesting tomatoes they grew from seed.  Simple joy.

The UCC Congregational Church garden near NW 25th

Our garden is not alone in Lincoln City, providing a place for folks to gather and learn about growing food. Community gardens are powerful in their singular ability to unite people who would otherwise never meet, much less become friends.

Some ambitious peas at the UCC garden

People of all ages, different cultures, some with kids, all belief systems... who come together with only the common bond of growing food for themselves or family.  Community gardens provide the company of others, and in exchange they might impart some long-forgotten tomato wisdom.

Lincoln City Community Garden on NW 21st

Master Gardener demonstration garden- compost bins
 and water collection system.  This garden is located at
Oregon Coast Community College (north).

Brand-new cloche garden at the Food Pantry, built by master gardener Rick Anderson.  Adding fresh produce to the food bank offerings.

Happy artichokes and strawberries at the Taft Community Garden,
 located one block east of Hwy 101 near SW 51st
(at the public parking lot).

 Visit one of Lincoln City's six community gardens to grow food, find inspiration, gardening knowledge, or maybe just enjoy nature in the city.  For an even larger garden community, visit Kitchen Gardeners International and expand your world.

March Preparations

Raspberry foliage emerging

As the days get longer and the buds begin to swell, we gardeners start to get a little itchy.  Time to get to work on something... anything... in the garden.  But when the weather is not cooperating, what to do?

First I will point out a few things to avoid in the wet and windy weather we are having this week, as March comes storming in.  One of the first things we are tempted to do is mow the lawn.  Especially when it starts to look a little shaggy.  While it's best to catch the growth before it gets too long and you end up mowing several inches at once, one of the worst things you can do for a lawn is plop your 200 lbs of mower on those little skinny wheels onto sodden soil.

Soil compaction is one of the enemies of growing healthy plants, and this includes grass plants.  The more you run around on that saturated ground with a heavy mower, you are compacting the soil particles-- which in more exact terms, means you are removing all-important "pore space."  Pore space is comprised of thousands of tiny voids which allow for passage of air, water and nutrients, and penetration of roots.  Aerating your lawn doesn't even cure this problem; it remains compacted between the new holes.  Let the lawn dry out before you mow, and it will respond with better absorption of nutrients, water and therefore healthy growth.

Another thing to avoid, for the same reason, is tilling wet soil.  While it's tempting to haul out the rototiller on the one dry day, the soil around here usually stays wet for a while.  Additionally if you receive heavy rainfall in the days following your handiwork, it will merely turn to mud.  And more compaction.  Get the idea?

Moving on to what we should do in preparation for what will surely be a banner year (one can dream), here's a few ideas from the list that I've been doing in my own and others' landscapes and veg garden:

Empty out the composter or dig out the bottom of the old pile to remove the beautiful finished material.  Be sure to protect it from heavy rain while you work, and store it somewhere dry like in a trash barrel with lid.  Then it will be ready to use in your garden beds and containers as needed, and the composter will be ready for the next season of trimmings.


Start seedlings for cole crops, also known as brassicas, such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower.  They germinate well in cool temps and will thrive when you transplant them in a few weeks to their outside bed.  Also any salad greens, or Asian greens, will happily germinate in the cooler spring weather.  Start warm-weather plants like tomatoes and peppers, on bottom heat.  All of these are ideally started under lights or a sunny window, then raised to the stage of transplanting. Seed catalogs are great resources for more exact timing and procedures.

Cut back any of last year's growth on most herbaceous perennials if you haven't already done so.  If you cut back ornamental grasses, watch for any early growth that's emerging.  Ferns cut all the way back in early March will allow the new fiddleheads to emerge untouched, for beautiful fresh foliage after a couple weeks.

Plant peas outside in a spot that can support a trellis for climbers; otherwise you can try your hand at 'bush-type' peas.  I always have more luck with climbers, and higher yield.  These include sugar-pod and shelling types. Other than tomatoes, I think garden peas are one of the best reasons for growing your own veg.
It's a little late for dormant sprays on fruit trees, these should have been completed in February.  If you wish to enjoy indoor blooms, now is a good time to trim a few small branches to bring inside.

If you haven't already finished ordering seeds, do it now.  There are still many deals available for early ordering in March.  Also check your local garden center for seed potatoes and onion sets, if you didn't order them by mail.  Onion sets will give you a big head-start on growing onions rather than starting from seed, and your local nursery will order the appropriate varieties for your area.  For mail order, my favorite seed catalogs are Johnny's, Territorial and Seeds of Change.

Side-dress hungry plants with complete fertilizer or compost (I prefer well composted chicken manure); this includes plants like raspberries, asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes.  Also consider top-dressing your lawn with a thin layer of compost instead of high-nitrogen fertilizer.  It should be very fine with no woody pieces.

Clean up storm debris from winter/spring wind events.  There are inevitably plenty of needles, small branches and leaves that should be raked up and composted.  Raking also just makes things look tidy and gives the gardener a warm feeling of satisfaction.

Finish planning and/or construction of any cold frames, raised beds, cloches or other structures you are planning to use this spring. Once your starts get going you will be surprised how soon these are needed!

Locate sources for potting and garden soil, compost, fertilizer that meets your needs and sensibility.  I prefer and recommend organic materials, which can be harder to find and expensive.  Spend a little time now talking to others who use similar methods to yours, call the extension office, and find the best places to buy.  In NW Oregon, I like the deals at Concentrates Inc.

Tune, clean and sharpen garden tools, including power equipment. Frustrating beyond measure when you need a tool to work and it doesn't... trust me, when you need it to work, the small-engine shop will have a backlog. Do it now!

Control weeds (I mostly use a sharp hoe at this point) before they get too large, and set seed. You will save a lot of work later. Our favorite tool for this is a De Van Koek (Dutch) diamond hoe, which is now the DeWit diamond hoe. To this same end, refresh any mulched or bark areas toward the middle of March so you don't lose it all to heavy rain and wind. The rock yard should have new supplies by then.

Control moles as you see fit; some folks use sound-devices, some use poison or traps. My experience and that of my organic farmer friends is that traps are most effective, but require daily monitoring and a strong stomach.  I don't care to use poison for many reasons, not the least of which is non-target animals getting hold of it.  Sound devices (I have used many kinds) don't often work. You may have a different outcome. My best luck has been with the non-toxic, castor-oil based repellent products, especially those in a liquid hose-end application which soaks the soil. Be aware they don't kill, but move the critters somewhere else.

Slugs and deer are a challenge in most western Oregon gardens; now is the time to bait (I use the less-toxic iron phosphate kind) for slugs or use some form of control. I used to try beer traps, copper bands, etc. It just depends on your site and how many there are!

If you have a large defined garden to protect from deer, get some fencing up-- not the cheap kind but the 7' tall, strong-as-metal kind. This stuff lasts for years-- ours is over 10 (like new). We had deer knock down our posts one time running into it, the fencing held. If you want to keep out deer it has to be at least 7' tall, they jump. For repellents, I've had good reports of this one and I started using another last year that worked great and smelled a lot better, made from rosemary & mint oil. Might try making it myself. Repellents are helpful where you can't install a fence, or don't like the look of one, like an ornamental landscape.

Finally, if you are wanting a handy guide for western Oregon, check the website of Oregon State University extension, where they provide a handy month-by-month garden calendar. You can click on a printer-friendly PDF for each month and insert that into your garden calendar as a guide throughout the year.

Winter Vegetable Gardening on the Coast

There are those of us who just can't give up the taste of fresh produce from the garden.  Nevermind the December storms, pouring rain, gale-force winds... we have to get our fix.

By now nearly all of my outside raised beds in the garden have been put to rest with cover crop and a blanket of straw.  Perennial herbs and pathways are newly dressed with wood-chip mulch, and tender hanging baskets have been brought inside.  Still, there are opportunities for winter vegetables with a little extra effort.

The enchanted Swiss chard forest in December

Normally this time of year I would still have large kale plants, which after frost come into their glory with sweetness.  Unfortunately this year the kale patch had to be rotated at just the wrong time due to poor planning and I didn't manage to get the winter crop started on time.  Other brassicas fared better, with my broccoli and cauliflower just finishing a few weeks ago (late November).

A star of the garden this past year has been 'Bright Lights' chard, with another bumper crop this year, and quite a few of the volunteer seedlings carefully transplanted to the front and side yards for use in the "edible landscape."  If you want to add edibles to your manicured front yard, this selection is outstanding for color, structure and it holds throughout the year.  When it finally bolts to seed there is a spectacular tall (over 5') spike that rises and produces thousands of seeds... so cut that and lay it down where you want a new patch.

Garlic has been planted for next season, and the herbs all neatly trimmed with a final harvest in late fall going to the drying shed.  There are still a few late artichokes on my established plants, and the foliage adds a striking evergreen texture to the front yard landscape.

The tomato house - center lid left in place

Access to the tomato house via end panel

Finally I wanted to share some options for off-season cold frames.  Nearly every ambitious vegetable gardener will know already about season-extension by the use of these adaptable little structures, merely a rectangular frame with some sort of removable glazing for the top. They are useful in starting early or keeping late many marginal crops like baby lettuces or Asian greens, and critical for transitioning plants that were started inside in the spring.

Small cold frame by peach tree - doing temporary duty storing straw

We have identified a few sunny spots in our tight city landscape where we custom-built frames from reclaimed materials, and another is used in the garden for growing tomatoes.  You will note from the pictures the variety of design, depending on how it's used.

Gull-wing cold frame - designed to fit SW facing nook

Important on the coast is to provide a way to secure the lid for high winds.  The last thing you want is an airborne lid crashing through your neighbor's window... or some other tragedy.  Also be sure to create a sloped lid on your frame, so that more light enters from the south.  Remember the sun is at a very low angle at our 45-degrees-north latitude in winter; a box with equal sides will create too much shade inside for your plants.  If you create a very tall frame like our tomato-house, be sure there is access on the sides for planting, harvesting, etc.  It will be impossible to manage just from the top.

Detail of lid construction - note angled top edge

Additional resources - great books I use on this topic include Winter Gardening in the Maritime Northwest and Gardening Under Cover: A Northwest Guide to Solar Greenhouses, Cold Frames, and Cloches

Eating the View

Who says a landscape has to be merely beautiful? By the same token, why must edible plants be banished to the back garden, out of view? I'm here to tell coastal homeowners: yes, you can have your beautiful landscape and (like cake) eat it too.

A trend has gripped the nursery industry these past couple years, with the onset of the scary economic situation that began in late 2007. "Edible" plants are all the rage. Funny thing is, for many vegetable and fruit growers like me, edibles have always been our reason for gardening in the first place. We may have all started with a tomato plant or two, and before you know it, the winter seed catalogs have us prancing down the garden path toward exotic herbs and Asian greens, not to mention strange fruits.

By now, many of you have become familiar with attractive landscape-quality edibles like kale, Swiss chard (especially the 'Bright Lights' variety) and the striking artichoke. These dinner staples can be worked right into a varied perennial or shrub border, fitting in as comfortably in the front yard as the veggie patch.

What you may not realize, or perhaps haven't considered, is that many fruiting plants are front-yard stunners as well. Why bother with barberry and cotoneaster in your foundation plantings, when you could instead plant an elderberry, evergreen huckleberry, cranberry, currant or gooseberry? Many of these plants offer more than just the fruit but also floral and changing-color leaf displays to enjoy. Those among us with an adventurous spirit, willing to pay attention to cultural plant needs, might even try the cutting-edge seaberries or honeyberry.

Working old familiar standards into a landscape can be easier than you think. In the past couple years, I have transformed a formerly sad juniper-patch into strawberries, and the south side of my garage is the perfect habitat for a 'Frost' peach tree, trained into a fan. This pink-flowered stunner provided 30 fruits in its first year. A stone retaining wall is now lined with a row of 'Saanich' raspberries instead of handrail, and the back fences of my property support a 3-way pear, 3-way apple and 3 new varieties of grape selected for the coast. The apple and pear are espaliered, to make the most of limited space.

Take a good long look at what is filling your front yard and ask some questions like, does it get full sun? Is there shelter from the strongest winds? What is that plant (in place now) doing for me-- is it flowering, providing groundcover, or just taking up space? Do I appreciate the texture, color, fall display? After you assess these questions, you can begin to think through what edibles might take their place, and provide you with more than just scenery. What you might get instead, is good eats!

My fruiting plant sources in the Northwest: Raintree Nursery (WA) and One Green World (OR). Be sure to check what can be shipped into your state-- many are prohibited to cross state lines.

Peaches, Pears and Peas

The arrival of spring on the coast is like most anywhere, heralded by the blooms of daffodils and crocuses, while deciduous trees emerge from dormancy. Spring heath (often called heather) is in full bloom, mostly of the 'Mediterranean Pink' or white varieties. A few hebes have been coaxed into bloom after an unusually sunny late winter. But the stars in my garden promise future bounty: peaches, pears and peas.

The coast is a challenging site for the would-be fruit gardener, and stone fruit in particular can be picky about climate. Typically they perform best where winters are cold to accumulate enough "chilling hours," followed by a sunny spring that encourages pollinators during bloom and ample moisture to develop the fruit. With cherries, the rain must come to an end in time that the fruit won't crack just as it's mature. Peaches and apricots normally want some more heat than we can provide on the Oregon coast, and the wind can be a challenge to branches and leaves.

My good fortune was to work for a nurseryman a few years ago who brings to our area one particular peach variety that is disease-resistant (peach-leaf curl is a problem) and grows vigorously, with lower chilling requirements. The variety is 'Frost' -- a selection discovered in western Washington state. Given my less-than-ideal setting, I am training my peach on the south-facing wall of our garage into a fan shape. If you are familiar with espalier apples, it's the same idea. Build a substantial post-and-wire trellis with space between it and the wall, plant the tree relatively young and carefully select and train the branches into place. Even if this tree never produces a fruit, its beautiful pink blossoms look fantastic against our pale-yellow wall. The south-facing aspect provides reflected heat and a barrier to north winds in summer.

The pears are also coming into bloom, and with a city lot, I am again working with an espaliered form. Like the peach, pears would prefer a warmer late-spring climate, as in the outstanding inland tree-fruit areas of central Washington and Oregon's Hood River area. But my little 3-way (3 different varieties grafted on one tree) pear receives full sun and is in a protected site, so last year it produced several fruits in its first season. Unfortunately the raccoons got them before me, so that will need to be remedied this year. The dense show of white blossoms on the north fence against the woods is a treat in itself.

Peas are among the best reasons to keep a vegetable garden-- the taste difference from what you can buy to what comes out of the garden rivals that of homegrown tomatoes. When picked fresh and immediately shelled, garden peas have the sugars intact and are frequently eaten raw -- at least in my garden. My border collie will wait for the sweet pods to hit the ground and gobble them up. Our climate could not be better for peas, with ample moisture and cool moderate temps. The sugar-snaps I started in a large pot in January have now moved outside and are climbing the trellis with abandon. An abundance of white flowers promise peas are soon to come, but even the young shoots are tasty and can be sampled on salads or stir-fried.

March on the coast is proving to be cool and rainy, but the warm January has brought many plants out of dormancy early, and we can begin to enjoy the colors of spring.

Next up: planning your coastal landscape