Oregon Coast Real Estate Blog - Living on the Oregon Coast » Coastal Gardening

Newport Saturday Farmer’s Market

Dean — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:03:16 +0000

The Newport Farmer’s Market is in full swing again this year. Saturdays for 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at 101 and Angle St, right next to City hall in Newport. This is the place to find the very best local produce and fruits and bakery products. Perennials of all sorts as well as vegetable plants, hanging baskets and cut flowers are in abundance. In season, fishermen and artisan cheese makers have stalls. Jewelry, woven fabrics and just fun stuff including pet treats for our four legged friends are to be found.

Speaking of pets, the Farmer’s Market is a gathering of very social dogs who love to see their friends and bring their owners to see their friends. Many local folks attend regularly and we see more visitors every week as Newport’s “secret” market becomes known. This must be similar to what my grandmother spoke about the village markets where she grew up in Sweden. It’s a great excuse to be out and about on a Saturday, come rain or shine. Plan a little time out from other activities on your next visit to the Coast. You will be glad you did.

Hope to see you there.

Fall Garden on the Coast

Dean — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:35:22 +0000

One of the great pleasures of gardening in our maritime climate is the opportunity to extend the growing season into the Fall and Winter. Rarely do we experience hard freezes until late December or early January on the Oregon Coast; and even then, certain crops seem to relish the drop in temperature. Plants such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, parsnips and beets of all kinds love the cool damp Fall weather. When planted in August or September these delicious producers can be used well into Winter.

Even though we are fortunate to live surrounded by evergreens, the sight of new vegetables prospering in the garden after most other plants have gone to sleep for the Winter is a real joy. None of these requires much space and may be inter-planted in flower beds or last years garden beds. A good reputable source for seeds is Territorial Seed Company Since you are in the garden planting those lovely Spring daffodils and tulips, why not try some vegetables?

Golden Beets and Broccoli - two items I've just planted in my own garden.

Spring Visitor to the Oregon Coast

Dean — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:25:31 +0000

Darkwoods Violets (viola-orbiculata) are appearing now in shady spots along with the Western Trillium (trillium ovatum) and are about a week later in blooming. These quiet little plants grow with no attention from people other than to be admired. Showing up in early Spring, they will last until early Summer. This little beauty should not be confused with the blue clumping violet that has become a noxious weed in some areas. Just another perfect example of why the Oregon Coast is a very special place to live.

Oregon Coast Treasures

Dean — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:25:21 +0000

Spring on the Oregon Coast is a magical time. The storms of Winter have come and gone leaving us in wide eyed wonder as the sun appears and the urge to get out and walk around is overwhelming. Now we can do this while enjoying the occasional rain shower. On the walk we may be greeted with one of the most spectacular signs of Spring, the blooming of Trillium Ovatum or Wake Robin. These flowers colonize in shady areas that were once forest floor. Since our coast was all forest floor not long ago, the chances of having borders full of Trilliums is very good. They will appear near and under last year’s fronds of the sword ferns and along shady road sides. Trilliums resent picking and transplanting so the time to enjoy is the few weeks when they are in full bloom and when they turn a light purple you will know that this season’s bloom is about done. This is just one of the treasures of the Oregon Coast.

Signs of Spring on the Oregon Coast

Dean — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:12:28 +0000

Daylight savings time starts Sunday March 8. So it’s Spring forward at midnight one hour. Another sure sign of Spring is Pacific Tree Frog activity. We hear them singing in our gardens and hopping across the roads at night. You may wonder what’s so special about these little guys. Well, for one thing they sound great and if you have heard a frog croaking as part of the sound track of a movie or TV program, chances are very good that the sounds you heard are the recorded songs of the Pacific Tree Frog. So when you buy your first (or next) Oregon Coast Home, you can count on discovering these frogs nearby. We have the best of all worlds — our properties are rural in nature, with healthy habitats for all sorts of wildlife, yet not far from services, shopping and the arts.

March To-Do’s for the Oregon Coast Homeowner

admin — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:18:15 +0000

This is a good time to mark the location of all your flowering bulbs. They’re beautiful and fleeting. If you mark them with a little wooden marker, you won’t disturb them when you plant your beds. March is also a good time to double check shrubs, especially blueberries and cane berries to remove any dead wood or damaged branches.

Oregon Coast Gardens in February

Dean — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:51:13 +0000

Having just returned from a trip to snowy Vermont, I am reveling in the contrast of what my Oregon Coast garden has to offer in February. Crocus were out when I left a week ago, and now the daffodils are making an appearance. My daughter’s family has at least six weeks more of snow, rain and the resulting mud season. Watching the grandkids learn to ski and bracing for the cold each time I stepped out of their Vermont home makes me appreciate even more Oregon’s lush, temperate, coastal climate.

Pest Control in Your Oregon Coast Garden

admin — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:37:19 +0000

Slimy, slimy slugs. We are fortunate to have a native banana slug that closely resembles a ripe banana — and they generally live in wooded areas away from our homes. Unfortuantely, probably the major pest in the coastal garden is an import from Europe: the Brown Slug. These voracious creatures live out of site during the winter in shady, dark places. They will devour vegetable starts and flowers. They’re good climbers, sometimes greeting you at eye level next to your door. Because I garden organically, I avoid the use of chemicals for pest control. There is commercially available bait in any garden store. However, my favorite supplier of the very best slug bait is Escar-Go Supreme at www.gardensalive.com. The secret to success to using any slug control product is frequent and consistent applications. Start baiting before you even see them come out for the season.