By Margaret Bayne, OSU Extension Staff-retired, OSU Master Gardener
July/August 2019
European earwig. Robin Rosetta, OSU
WSU scientists unmask the humble earwig as an apple-protecting predator. (Seth Truscott,, WSU) https://bit.ly/2KA1CiS
Native forest plants rebound when invasive shrubs are removed. While this relates to the east coast, it is very informative. (Jeff Mulhollem, Penn State U) https://bit.ly/2F50n7K
Watering space plants is hard, but NASA has a plan. (Ellen Airhart, msn.com) https://bit.ly/2WrH4LO
Decoding the mathematical secrets of plants’ stunning leaf patterns. “A Japanese shrub’s unique foliage arrangement leads botanists to rethink plant growth models.” (Maddie Burakoff, Smithonianmag.com) https://bit.ly/2Iuhtgu
Why calcium deficiency is not the cause of blossom-end rot in tomato and pepper fruit – a reappraisal. (Max C. Saure, sciencedirect.com) https://bit.ly/2IyKcRh
Flowers can hear buzzing bees—and it makes their nectar sweeter. (Michelle Z. Donahu, Nationalgeographic.com) https://on.natgeo.com/2Mi6LLl
Learn about natural insecticides. (Todd Murray: & Catherine Daniels; WSU, OSU, U of ID, PNW publication 649) https://bit.ly/2I8UCb0
White tailed deer. US Forest Service
Learn from an expert about managing wildlife conflicts in your home and garden. (Dana Sanchez, OSU, PNW 719) https://bit.ly/2R7BnSg
Paper wasps capable of behavior that resembles logical reasoning. “A new study provides the first evidence of transitive inference, the ability to use known relationships to infer unknown relationships, in a nonvertebrate animal: the lowly paper wasp.” (U of Michigan, via sciencedaily.com) https://bit.ly/2YeG92z
Ah, summer. Thoughts of gentle breezes and abundant harvests. But, wait! Even as I write this, temperatures are soaring. Just how severely plants were damaged by the time you read this will depend upon how rapidly gardeners reacted. Or, better yet, were ahead of the game.
Just how plants are affected by high temperatures depends upon numerous factors, among them the extent and duration of the heat; the relative humidity; windy or not; soil moisture content; also, the kind of plant, its age, site, and general status when the heat hit. Sometimes leaves are only damaged superficially. Other times, tissues die.
Tissue survival is most likely when the plant is fully hydrated well before the heat hits. After extreme heat arrives, stomates close, inhibiting water uptake by roots. So, whenever a heat wave is predicted, water the night before or early morning, between 2 and 6 AM.
Although sufficient and timely irrigation is important, so is temporary shade. Container-grown plants are especially vulnerable to damage during bright, hot weather. If possible, move them to a shaded site until the heat passes; if that’s impossible, rig temporary shade at least 18 inches overhead.
Avoid wilt
It’s critical to avoid wilting because wilted plants are permanently damaged even if the plant “totally recovers” after it is watered. Vegetables won’t produce the abundant yields gardeners expect.
Wilting is obvious with herbaceous plants, less so with woodies. In all cases, watch for subtle changes in leaf color. Early on, water shortages are signaled by an off-color, a somewhat blue- or gray-green.
Abiotic sunburn rhododendron 2015-07-client.jpg These rhododendron leaves reveal varying degrees of tissue damage from excessively bright light combined with high temperatures and reflected light. In the yellow zone: the chlorophyll was killed whereas in the brown areas, tissues took the brunt of the damage and are dead. (Client image; 2015-07)
Other effects of excessive heat include the following:
– Leaves droop, a plant’s temporary response to protect tissues from excess sunlight.
– Flower buds shrivel and dry instead of opening.
– Flowers scorch, especially at the petal edges.
– Fruits with insufficient leafy cover, may sunburn, and eventually spoil.
– Pollination fails, such as when immature summer squash doesn’t enlarge and, instead, rots at the blossom end. Or, when tomatoes stop setting fruit, resulting a harvest lull later on.
– Pollination is incomplete, as when summer squash resembles a billy club.
Blossom End Rot in tomatoes
Blossom end rot in tomatoes won’t be recognized by gardeners for a week or two. It’s caused by insufficient transport of calcium to the bottom of the fruit. (No; crushed eggshells in the soil won’t help.)
Early on, you’ll see a slight graying of the skin color on the blossom end. With continued stress, cells die, producing a black area which gradually enlarges and may permeate the entire fruit with a secondary infection (rot). Perhaps most frustrating is, even though damage isn’t visible on the exterior, the internal flesh has rotted. See “Blossom-End Rot of Tomatoes” (FS139; https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/fs139.pdf).
Abiotic vine maple heat one-sided 2017-08 client.jpg A thorough history and appropriate images are critical to resolving a diagnosis. If only a few leaves were submitted from this tree with one-sided damage from excessive heat, one would probably assume the tree was dead. (Client image; 2017-08)
General guidelines for water
– Water early in the day so that your plants will meet the rising temperatures well supplied with a fully moist rootball.
– On scorching days, consider adding a second brief supplemental irrigation, perhaps up to half the usual amount, in the early afternoon to “top off” soil moisture.
– Realize that the output of drip irrigation and soaker lines is in gallons per hour whereas sprinklers, in-ground or not, is gallons per minute.
Resources
– “Abiotic Disorders of Landscape Plants” (UC); pages 139 to 155.
– “Diseases of Trees and Shrubs” (Sinclair & Lyon, 2nd edition); pages 492 to 494.
“In summer, the song sings itself.” –William Carlos Williams
Summer Volunteer Opportunities Abound!
As summer temperatures rise – so do volunteer opportunities for metro-area Master Gardeners to share proven, successful garden practices with home gardeners. Upcoming Master Gardener Clinic table volunteer events include the: Cracked Pots Art Show @ Edgefield, Backyard Certification Open Garden Event, Mt. Scott Fuel’s Centennial Celebration, the Clackamas County, Washington County and Oregon State Fairs!
Other rewarding, interactive, garden education volunteer opportunities are available at the Oregon Zoo’s Education Center and Metro’s Blue Lake Discovery Garden.
You can find details for all these educational events on CERVIS.
MG Office Helplines
Mary, Vaughn, and Leah give a thumbs up to volunteering at the MG office helplines.
“I can’t believe all that I’m learning volunteering here!” “It’s great to use the information I learned in class.” “Volunteering at the helpline is my favorite volunteer gig.” “I’m astonished, how much fun this is!”
These are comments shared by both Perennial and Intern Master Gardeners volunteering at the MG office helplines this past month. Join in the fun! Schedule a shift this summer! Research and collaborate with fellow MGs while educating the gardening public. Sign-up on CERVIS or contact an office coordinator.
Farmer’s Markets are bustling and Master Gardeners are present at ten area markets to dispense gardening advice.
Schedule a shift via CERVIS for a great summer volunteer experience. Don’t despair if your favorite market schedule appears full. Check back often, as schedules change and openings arise throughout the summer – sign-up on the waiting list for a particular shift. Let a clinic coordinator know if you are willing to serve as a substitute for last minute cancellations at your favorite market.
Beaverton – Gresham – Hillsdale – King – Lake Oswego – Lents – Milwaukie
Oregon City – Sherwood – Tigard
State and County Fair FUN!
Clackamas County Fair
If you want a big dose of summer fun, sign-up for an MG Clinic table at one of the county fairs or the Oregon State Fair. Give sage (OSU proven), garden advice to fair visitors and take a bit of time, before and after your shift, to grab some shaved ice and check out the fair competitions whether it is honey products, the biggest homegrown fruits and veggies, or the best home brew or chocolate layer cake! Sign-up on CERVIS to grab a shift now! Fair admission passes provided to all fair volunteers.
Clackamas County Fair, August 13 – 17 (Tuesday – Saturday). Master Gardeners are in a prime location at the Clackamas County Fair with our clinic table right by the entertainment stage, lovely display garden and plant sale. Join-in! Sign-up on CERVIS or contact coordinator Jane Collier: carushill@web-ster.com, 503-266-1191.
10-Minute University at the Clackamas County Fair! Informative 10-Minute University presentations will take place daily at the Clackamas County Fair at 11:00am in the Floral Department, near our Master Gardener booth. Come on down, sit a spell, and be inspired!
11:00 am – Wednesday, August 13: Designing a Fall Container.
11:00 am – Thursday, August 14: Seed Saving.
11:00 am – Friday,August 15: Bugs, the Good the Bad, and the Annoying.
Washington County Fair, July 26 – 27 (Friday and Saturday). Master Gardeners will host a Master Gardener Clinic table under the OSU Extension tent at the Washington Co. Fair. Answer home gardening questions and learn about all the other great OSU Extension Service programs that take place in Washington County. Sign up on CERVIS
Fun for families too! In addition to the MG Clinic table, Master Gardeners will be hosting two tables filled with educational resources and activities for families and children, with a focus on pollinators and pollinator-friendly plants. To volunteer for the family activity tables contact Annie Raich at annie.raich@gmail.com
Oregon State Fair, August 30 – 31. For the ultimate fair experience, take a quick jaunt to Salem for the Oregon State Fair. Master Gardeners from around the state host the OSU Extension Master Gardener Clinic. Our Metro MG program hosts the MG table on Friday, August 30th and Saturday, August 31st. Don’t miss this festive state celebration! Sign-up on CERVIS
New Hands-on Workshops!
Pruning workshop. Photo courtesy of Angela DeHaven
We have added two new Hands-on Workshops. First up, a Pruning Practicum at the Learning Gardens Laboratory, followed by a Plant Identification workshop at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest. For details and to register go to CERVIS.
Thursday, July 18th, Pruning Practicum at the Learning Gardens Laboratory, with pruning expert Monica Maggio
Saturday, August 17th, Plant Identification, with OSU Forestry Graduate student, Jen Gorski
Community Open House!
OSU’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center
When: Wednesday, July 31, 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Where: NWREC, 15210 NE Miley Rd, Aurora
Blueberry tasting at NWREC Open House
Enjoy a beautiful summer evening at the OSU North Willamette Research and Extension Center’s (NWREC) annual Community Open House, Wednesday, July 31, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. NWREC is OSU’s field research center that serves agriculture in the Willamette Valley. Research at NWREC focuses on berries, tree fruits, Christmas trees, vegetables, specialty seed crops, and small-scale farming.
The Open House will feature Extension faculty and staff sharing informational displays, demonstrations, and explaining their work. Be sure to stop by the berry-tasting booth to sample recently developed berry varieties. There will be fun for all ages, including a hay wagon tour, and the ever-popular tractor driving. Of course, Master Gardeners will be hosting a clinic table answering home gardening questions, along with a garden related activity for visiting children. OSU Family Food Educators will share resources and expertise for proper food preservation, along with a wide array of tasty preserved food to sample.
Grab a bite to eat at a fundraising barbecue, hosted by Canby, Future Farmers of America parents and students. They will be serving up delicious grilled fare, plus fresh berry pie! Farm fresh vegetables will also be for sale.
Join in this fun community event and learn about the valuable agricultural research done at the NWREC.
Log Your Volunteer Hours
Thank you for your passion, energy and volunteer service educating the gardening public. We want to be sure to have a record of all your efforts. Here is the link you need, to download the form, to log your volunteer hours. Even hours recorded on CERVIS need to also be recorded on your individual Volunteer Log Sheet. Log sheets are due by October 1, 2019.
Our hands-on Workshops have had Master Gardeners digging-in with their hands in the soil, practicing pruning cuts, sowing seeds, propagating plants and soaking up a wealth of practical and successful gardening techniques. This all thanks to our dedicated team of Hands-on Workshop instructors.
Thank you to our fantastic group of Hands-on Workshop instructors who generously shared their knowledge!
Jen Aron
Margaret Bayne
Jane Collier
Claudia Groth, with the generous assistance of Rich Becker, Marilyn Frankel, and Linda Goldser
Sandy Japely
Monica Maggio
Luke Maurer
Multnomah Co. Chapter Propagation Team – Sally Campbell, Gloria Bennett, Judy Battles, Linda Goldser, Marilyn Frankel, and Heidi Nichols
Washington Co. Chapter Propagation Team – Helen Dorbolo, Marian Ewell, Jan Guziec, Jim Kronenberg, Jacki Lindquist, Sally McCulloch, Jacque Myers, Ardis Schroeder, and Marilynn Turner
Best wishes and thanks, Elizabeth Price!
Elizabeth Price
The metro-area Master Gardeners are losing a dedicated garden educator as Elizabeth Price packs-up and moves to Central Oregon. Elizabeth has served the metro-area Master Gardener Study Group (formerly the Interest Group), as a team leader, coordinator, and curator for over 7 years.
Elizabeth created a learning environment that encouraged and fostered continuing education among Master Gardeners who attended the MG Study Group. She generously shared her extensive knowledge with fellow Master Gardeners, leading Study Group sessions and special Study Group field trips. Elizabeth would research topics extensively. She would capture detailed images of subjects and curate highlights from the Study Group ‘Show and Tell’ sessions to share with Study Group participants and metro-area Master Gardeners.
We are grateful to Elizabeth for her selfless generosity educating and championing Master Gardeners as garden educators. We send our best wishes to Elizabeth and her husband as they make their move to Central Oregon. We have no doubt, with this move, that a certain Central Oregon Master Gardener program will be gaining a treasured volunteer! Thank you Elizabeth!
Save the Date! Saturday, November 9th – Fall Recertification!
Our annual Master Gardener Fall Recertification Training is scheduled for Saturday, November 9th, 8:00am to 3:30pm, at Clackamas Community College. This annual event is a daylong continuing education opportunity. Earn 6 hours of continuing education/recertification credit by attending. Guest presenters will be announced in our September metro-area Master Gardener newsletter.
2019 Master Gardener Trainees to Receive OSU MG Badges
Amanda proudly displaying her OSU Master Gardener badge.
Our November 9th, Fall Recertification event also gives us the opportunity to congratulate the new class of Master Gardener Interns as they step-up to Perennial status after completing their volunteer requirements.
We will present 2019 Interns with their OSU Extension Service Master Gardener badges and a big shout-out for successfully completing the program. 2019 Interns are cordially invited to attend the full day of training – which will count toward your continuing education/recertification hours for 2020.
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