Category Archives: Gardening

Wesley Younie is a painter and trendsetting garden designer leaving his mark all over Portland. Through his business, Wesley Younie Creative, his calendar is packed with eager clients seeking drought-tolerant and aesthetically pleasing flower-filled landscapes.

Past clients include Sequitur Wine in Newburg, Union Wine in Tualatin and dozens of private residences, including many here in Concordia.

Ready to take the plunge and pull out your lawn? Younie recommends starting with the parking strip. “You want it to be low maintenance,” he said. “Why not fill it with plants and shrubs that thrive in the Pacific Northwest?”

Visit WesleyYounie.com to see more of his work or get in touch.

The following interview took place in late summer, in Younie’s stunning home garden in Concordia.

Shelton: Looking at your paintings, I’m noticing an interest in nature. Also, a lot of small details. How does your painting interact with your garden design?

Younie: “Well, it’s all the same elements. I say, ‘I’m painting with plants.’ Kind of cheesy to say, but true. It’s the same formula if you’re painting a landscape, except you’re doing it in 3D. And color is huge in my gardens. There are colors I don’t like using. There are colors that are favorites, and those that are really easy to blend together—purple, blue, pink, white, dark red. If I like a bright color, it’s usually orange.”

Your personal garden is packed full of plants. And when I walk down the long sidewalk in front of your house, nestled between the parking strip and the rock retaining wall that lines your lot, I instantly feel transported. Not sure I can pinpoint what that feeling is though. What is it about for you?

“To me, it’s the same thing as art. It’s all about creating a feeling. I once wrote in an artist statement, ‘I want my work to transport you to another world.’ It’s the same in gardens. I like different themes and playing with mixing themes. Parts of my garden are Japanese, parts are tropical and other parts are really arid, natural California desert–looking. It’s so important to have the big picture, then the details. I think that’s what a lot of homeowners can’t figure out. What’s the big picture of my garden or landscape?”

When you set out to design a garden for a client, what are your priorities?

“I really want the client to love the garden. And making sure they are set up for success. Like, don’t let them put a vegetable garden in the shade.”

What’s going on in our gardens in October? What should we be doing?

“Fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs because it’s starting to rain and you can have them watered for free. You can start planting fall edible plants too, as well as bulbs.”

Can we plant flowers for spring?

“Perennials, yes, because then they go dormant, then they come back and they look great. It’s a great time to add color to your garden.”

Where do you buy plants?

“My favorite nursery in town, Xera Plants at 1114 SE Clay St. I like to promote them because they’re local, they have good prices and all their plants do great in our climate.”

Speaking of climate, how do we plant for a warming one?

“What I’ve been into, and I’m seeing with clients, is a huge push for pollinating flowers that help the ecosystem by attracting bees and other insects. I went to a big nursery conference, and they said pollinators are the number one thing people are asking for. That makes me happy that people are thinking about this.

“And with the fires and climate change— Oregon is getting hotter—there are so many plants that are going to look green, are drought tolerant and are going to look way better than a dead lawn. I love taking out a lawn. And a lot of the gardens in the neighborhood that I’ve done are that. How much better for the ecosystem is a pollinator garden that’s creating habitat than a dead lawn?”

Leigh Shelton is the new lead ad representative for CNews. She loves raising her three children in Concordia and doing yoga nidra. For advertisement inquiries, contact Leigh at CNewsBusiness@ ConcordiaPDX.org.

By Marsha Sandman | CNA Media Team

Walking through the Faubion K-8 School playground at 2930 N.E. Dekum St., a covered asphalt area is scattered with a riot of colorful flowers and the words “Plants Rule.”

On this winter day the flowers are drawn in chalk. But soon planting should start in the Faubion garden, which has 20 raised beds.

This is evidence that Betsy Lattig, known as “The Garden Lady” at Faubion is having a positive impact on the students. Betsy comes from Growing Gardens, a local nonprofit organization with garden programs in 10 schools throughout Portland.

The organization’s website sums it up, “Youth Grow provides hands-on education in school gardens to help all children feel accepted and empowered to make healthy choices, become stewards of the environment, share their culture and increase community resiliency.”

The program integrates science, biology, sociology, healthy eating, cooking and other core subjects with outdoor education. As a year-round educator, Betsy starts the gardening journey with classroom visits.

She facilitates intercultural and inter-generational community building through events and workshops, and in the garden as students plant and nurture their crops.

Students often eat straight from the garden, and families are invited to harvest during the summer.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to deliver hands-on garden lessons in the Faubion community,” Betsy said. “I’ll be taking students outside during the school day, as well as during a Schools Uniting Neighborhoods programming, to delve into garden education.

“We’ll be growing food, eating fruits and veggies, doing creative projects, and growing a program based on the needs and visions of the Faubion community.”

Volunteers are a vital part of Growing Gardens, because they also mentor and donate plant starts to in-need Faubion families for three years to grow home gardens and develop healthy eating habits.

In addition, the harvested produce is donated to the school cafeteria, school-based food pantries and families.

The students also attend cooking classes, taste test their own recipes, and the more popular recipes are shared with other Portland school lunchrooms.

Growing Gardens is funded by donations, grants and fundraising dinners hosted by local chefs. During the first two weeks of April, Faubion plans to host a plant sale.

Orders are taken in the school office and at CharityAuction.bid/FaubionPlantSale. Plant delivery is scheduled May 8, just in time for Mother’s Day.

Growing a garden not only cultivates plants. It also grows self-esteem, healthy bodies, and environmental awareness, according to Betsy. So she advises getting your hands dirty.

After living east, south, north and west, Marsha Sandman is home at last. And she wants to hear your story. Contact her at MarshaJSandman@ gmail.com.

By Karen Wells | CNA Media Team

Youth gardening programs have had a presence in many urban communities since the late 1880s. Early garden classroom pioneers saw the value of linking common gardening practices to the training of real-life skills, practical science applications and the creative arts to grow a well-rounded, capable young adult.

In Portland, some youth garden programs have disappeared across the years, due to lack of support or when the core group of children reach their teenage years/adulthood. A few programs have withstood the stress of time.

Grow Portland, Growing Gardens, and Portland Parks and Recreation Community Gardens are the current elders of the local youth garden scene. With the help of the Oregon State University Master Gardener program – plus funding from a variety of creative sources and support from neighborhood schools’ PTAs – these programs have remained constant lighthouses on the grow-healthy and eat-green landscape.

These programs serve thousands of children and their families annually. They serve up curricula steeped in worms, soil and garnished with seeds and poetry. The prize for a perfect radish is the glow of wonder and pride on a child’s face. A symphony of commingling cultures, languages, hand gestures and traditional wisdom is directed by competent professionals embellished with compassion, courage and the joy of transformation.

A champion of Concordia’s local youth garden classroom scene is City Repair Project (CRP). It’s the dream of Portlander Mark Lakeman that evolved into existence in 1996. The CRP mission is to inspire and foster thriving communities through artistic reclaiming of public spaces around Portland and nationally. During the past 21 years, the project has partnered with several Portland youth garden classrooms.

To learn more on how CRP intersects with the youth garden scene, attend Village Building Convergence. Ten days of mind-blowing and inspiring community building, hands-on workshops on permaculture, placemaking and urban design are scheduled in Portland June 1-10.

Resources

Do you want to assure the continuation of youth gardening programs and/or participate in them? Here are resources to contact.

• Community Gardens. Portland Parks and Recreation
• Garden Education. Portland Public Schools
• City Repair Project
• Village Building Convergence

By Jolie Donohue, The Gardening Goddess

Cover crops, sometimes known as “green manure,” are quick growing and planted primarily to keep the soil covered for a short period, often during fall and winter. Then plowed under, they reduce erosion and suppress weeds by providing competition.

When the lush green decomposes, it returns large amounts of nutrients and organic matter to the soil. That stabilizes moisture content and improves garden soil texture.

Members of the legume family – crimson clover, Dutch white clover, fava beans, Austrian peas and vetch – return nitrogen to the soil. They host nitrogenfixing bacteria and extract nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form that can be used by plants.

Other cover crops include rye, buckwheat and oilseed radish. There are also seed mixes that contain various cover crops.

Fall is a great time to plant cover crops. Unless you are growing winter crops, you are probably cleaning up and putting your vegetable garden to bed at this time of year. So why not plant some cover crops?

Depending on the variety you choose, they are usually seeded before November. Plant cover crop seeds by broadcasting, check seeding rates for individual varieties. The seeds must be covered by soil and kept evenly moist while germinating. Most cover crops need full sun.

Every year at the beginning of October, we plant crimson clover in three raised beds. With a daily light watering, we are rewarded with germination in less than seven days, then lush green grass followed by bright flowers in the spring that attract bees before being turned over.

Fava beans are another excellent cover crop that grows into tall three-foot vigorous plants with beautiful flowers. The deep taproot loosens up those hard clay soils we have here.

Oilseed radish have the same beneficial taproot quality of fava beans; however, they are in the cabbage family so you need to consider them in your garden crop rotation schedule.

Rye germinates quickly and tolerates harsh conditions. Their dense mat of roots makes them excellent erosion controllers.

Jolie is a Concordia neighborhood resident who offers garden design and consultation services, and teaches workshops about therapeutic horticulture, floral design and seasonal recipes. For more information, visit MissJolieAnnKitchenGarden.blogspot.com and JolieAnnDonohue.com.

By Jolie Donohue, The Gardening Goddess

Portland’s warm fall and mild winter temperatures are an ideal climate for growing food into winter, and you still have time to plant in September.

According to the farmer’s almanac, our average first frost will be Nov. 15. When thinking about fall and winter edibles, you want them to be at harvestable maturity by then.

So, if you are interested in planting broccoli and the variety you select says90 days to maturity, count back 90 days and you should’ve planted by Aug. 15. Other factors that affect plant growth are the shorter daylight hours and the farther position of the sun during fall and winter.

September may be too late to plant long-maturing crops like Brussels sprouts and parsnips; however, you still have lots of choices. Look for crops with less than 60 days.

Some crops that do well in the cooler weather are: arugula, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chervil, cilantro, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mesclun mix, mustard greens, parsnips, peas, radishes, radicchio, rutabagas, salad greens, scallions, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips.

Many crops are intended to overwinter. You plant them in the fall and they mature for harvest the following spring or summer. Fava beans, garlic, onions and shallots are all overwintering crops. There are also many overwintering varieties of broccoli, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower.

A great resource for timing your fall/winter planting is the Territorial Seed Company’s very informative winter planting chart atterritorialseed.com/product/14053. T

o extend your growing season by providing some frost protection, you can purchase a frost blanket from your local nursery. Row covers like frost blankets are placed directly on plants and pass air and water freely. They can typically protect plants down to 26 degrees.

You can also construct a simple hoop house or cold frame over your raised bed. Directions for these DIY projects abound on the internet. Happy planting!

Jolie Donohue is a Concordia neighborhood resident offers garden design and consultation services, and teaches workshops about therapeutic horticulture, floral design and seasonal recipes. For more information, visit missjolieannkitchengarden.blogspot.com and jolieanndonohue.com.

By Jolie Donohue

Spring has sprung full force in Portland. In May we are itching to fill up the edible garden for our summer harvest. Tomatoes are a favorite of gardeners everywhere. One of my all time favorite garden quotes comes from public radio show host Mike McGrath “Everybody wants to grow tomatoes. Tomatoes are the gate way drug to all of gardening.”

Lest we get too eager to start planting tomatoes, here are some tips for successful growing in Portland:

• Tomatoes like warm weather. They need consistent minimal night temperatures of 55 degrees. In Portland this is typically between May 15-June 1. Planting your tomatoes too early will result in stunted or dead plants.
• Tomatoes like warm soil. They need consistent soil temperatures of 60 degrees. • Plant your tomatoes into the garden by transplants/start s. Portland does not have a long enough or hot enough summer to facilitate direct seeding tomatoes. If you want to start tomatoes by seed start seeds indoors in mid-February.
• Tomatoes need a full sun location, ideally south facing, where they receive 8-10 hours a day of sun. They will not set fruit in shady areas.
• Tomatoes are “heavy feeders ” and appreciate being planted with an organic granular fertilizer, which will slow release to your plants through out the season.
• Tomatoes are prone to blossom end rot. To prevent the disease blossom end rot, add a calcium source into the planting hole, such as a spoonful each of rock phosphate or bone meal and lime.
• Tomatoes have very long root systems (3-4 feet) and they ne ed plenty of room to grow. Make sure your planting bed is deep enough for the tomato’s roots.
• Tomatoes are big plants and need proper spacing to thrive. Give the plants plenty of space between each other, at least 4 feet wide per plant.
• Tomatoes need support. They have dense branches laden wit h heavy fruit. Install a tomato cage or other support system at planting time to preven t later damage to your plant.
• Tomatoes don’t need a lot of water. Be consistent with a deep watering a few times per week throughout the growing season. Inconsistent watering c ontributes to fruit splitting and blossom end rot.
• Tomato plants take several months to produce in Portland. Expect your harvest to begin in late August and end in October when cold temperatures ha ve set in.
• Rotate your crops. Do not grow your tomatoes in the same place every year. This will create disease and pest problems. Use a 4-year rotation for all edible crops.

For more information visit www.jolieanndonohue.com

By Jolie Donohue, The Gardening Goddess

Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal and spiritual. Generally herbs are defined as any plant used for flavoring, food, medicine or perfume.

Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices based on the part of the plant that is used. An herb refers to plants used for their green leafy parts—either fresh or dried.

A spice is a culinary product from another part of the plant such as seeds, berries, bark, roots and fruits. Some plants are used both as herbs and spices, such as dill weed and dill seed or cilantro leaves and coriander seeds.

Many herbs are beautiful as ornamental plants in the garden. In addition to their fragrance, herbs have a wide variety of colors, textures and shapes to delight all the senses.

Growth habits of some common culinary herbs are:

• Evergreen woody perennials: bay laurel, lavender, rosemary, and lemon verbena
• Evergreen perennials: thyme
• Herbaceous perennials: bee balm, chives, fennel, lovage, mints, oregano, roman chamomile, sage, tarragon.
• Biennials: angelica and parsley
• Annuals: basil, chervil, cilantro, dill, and German chamomile

Most herbs prefer well-drained soil and need full sun, 6-8 hours a day. Direct sunlight is needed to achieve maximum flavor and fragrance. Herbs grown in the shade become leggy and lack intense flavor. Some herbs that can be grown in partial shade are mints, lemon balm, chervil and wintergreen. Some herbs that can be grown in full shade are angelica, sweet woodruff and yerba buena.

Notorious for thriving in poor soil, most herbs do not need much fertilizer. Watering depends on the season, the location, and the type of herb. In the warm dry weather of summer, herbs grown in containers dry out more quickly than herbs grown in the ground. Once established, most herbs are quite drought tolerant.

Pinching back new growth as it emerges will develop a bushier growth habit and a fuller appearance for basil, and most other herbs. Herbs that develop into a woody shrub, like rosemary or lavender, can be pruned after flowering. Herbaceous perennials like mints, bee balm, and sage can be cut back to a few inches above the soil during the winter.

Harvest fresh herbs as needed for cooking. Morning is the best time to harvest herbs, as that’s when they have the most flavors. Leaves have the highest levels of oils when the blooms just begin to appear.

To dry herbs, hang small bunches from the ceiling in a dry, dark location with good ventilation for one to two weeks. Store dried herbs in a clean sealed glass jar in a cool dark place. Consider making herbal pesto and freezing in an ice cube tray. These make great winter additions to soups, stews, sauces, and salad dressing.