Fall Colors

Beautiful fall colors from the front porch...

Finis!

The wall is done but still so much more to do!

Before


After!




I've amended the bed with slow release fertilizer for acid loving plants as well as phosphate to help root development this fall and of course 1/2 yard of compost. Now I just need to till the bed and check the ph level to see if I need to add anything further before planting the blueberries.

Crop Rotation

Bill Thorness of the Seattle Times published a great article on crop rotation. He suggests using the mantra, "leaf, root, flower, fruit" to guide you in planning. By rotating crops in this way, you reduce the burden on the soil, manage overwintering pests and keep plants healthy. Crop rotation is important to all kinds of gardening, but particularly organic gardening. Practicing good rotation methods protects the soil you have worked so hard to build and keeps the pests down to a dull roar.

It's done! It's done!

The garden wall is done! Yay!
::does a happy jig::


Now I just need to till and amend the soil and plant my blueberries - gah.

PS: Will post pictures soon!

Southern 'Sunshine Blue' and Northern 'Berkeley' Highbush Blueberries

Common Name: Blueberry Bush (Southern highbush blueberry)
Botanical Name: Vaccinium corymbosum 'Sunshine Blue'

Planting Time: Fall
Flowering Time: Dainty, waxy, bell-shaped, white flowers appear in May.
Harvesting Time: Mid Season - June. Birds love the fruit, so plants may need to be covered with netting as the fruit begins to ripen. Large tangy berries.
Light: Full Sun - 6 hours to partial shade
Girth: 3' x 3'
Soil: Blueberries are best grown in acidic (pH 4.8-5.2), organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Young plants need extra phosphorus to encourage good root development. Look for a fertilizer that has phosphorus, P, in it(the second number on the bag.) Apply recommended amount for plant per label directions in the soil at time of planting or at least during the first growing season. It is best to avoid fertilizing late in the growing season. Applications made at that time can force lush, vegetative growth that will not have a chance to harden off before the onset of cold weather.
Growth rate:
Prune: Southern highbush plants have low winter chilling requirements. Chilling is a measure of accumulated hours of temperatures below 45°F in the dormant season. Low-chill varieties can be pruned after the first flush of fruit to induce a second crop later in the year. Prune plants as needed in late winter beginning the third year after planting.
Other: Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings. Although blueberries are self-fertile, cross-pollination produces the best fruit crop (larger berries and larger yields). Dark-green leaves turn eye-catching shades of red and purple in fall. Reddish stems can be attractive in winter. USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.
Year Planted: Fall 2008 (Plants already two years old)

03/02/09


03/23/09


Common Name: Blueberry Bush (Northern highbush blueberry)
Botanical Name: Vaccinium corymbosum 'Berkeley'

Planting Time: Fall.
Flowering Time: White, sometimes pink tinged flowers to 1/2 inch across are held in pendant terminal racemes.
Harvesting Time: Large mild berries. Mid to late season harvest / June - July.
Light: Sun to Partial Shade
Girth: Height: 10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m) Spacing: 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m) (I've seen other descriptions that note it only grows 6 - 8 ft)
Soil: 4.6 to 5.0 (highly acidic). Young plants need extra phosphorus to encourage good root development. Look for a fertilizer that has phosphorus, P, in it(the second number on the bag.) Apply recommended amount for plant per label directions in the soil at time of planting or at least during the first growing season. It is best to avoid fertilizing late in the growing season. Applications made at that time can force lush, vegetative growth that will not have a chance to harden off before the onset of cold weather.
Growth rate:
Prune:
Other: Introduced in 1949 it is hardy in zones 5-8. Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings. Bright yellow wood in the winter contrasts nicely with red wooded varieties. Avoid planting in colder exposed areas or areas prone to frost pockets.
Year Planted:

03/30/09

Blueberry Varieties

Blueberry varieties I picked up the other day...

Name: Vaccinium corymbosum 'Sunshine Blue'
Common name: 'Sunshine Blue' Southern highbush blueberry.
Family: Ericaceae.
Description: Edible and ornamental highbush blueberry. Grows into a dense, rounded, semi-dwarf plant to 3-4-feet high and wide.
Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.
Landscape uses: Edible landscaping, containers, mixed borders, hedges, native plant gardens, open woodlands.

Name: Vaccinium corymbosum 'Berkeley'
Common name: 'Berkeley' Northern highbush blueberry.
Family: Ericaceae.
Description: Edible and ornamental highbush blueberry. Grows to 6 - 8 feet high and wide.
Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8.
Landscape uses: Edible landscaping, containers, mixed borders, hedges, native plant gardens, open woodlands.

Bluuuuuuueberries!

DH is "evil"... he made me go to the Farmer's Market with him this morning and then made me buy blueberry bushes. Oh, dang! ::laughs happily:: I better get crackin' on finishing that bed up so there's some place to plant them!

A few things still blooming...

Even with the colder temperatures coming on as autumn bares down on us a few stragglers are still flowering away.

The daliah's continue to be most prolific. They're even making friends.




This is a deep chocolate Canna that was in a bad spot for a couple of years and never got bigger then a leaf or three. I moved it this spring and now it's three feet tall! and trying to bloom for the first time since I brought it home. I hope it does - I've forgotten what color the flower is, though it hardly needs it - the foliage is georgous in and of itself. (Guess I'll have to go take a picture of the whole thing now!)


And the sunflowers of course... summer embodied.

Note to self

Must get Chocolate Daisy's (Berlandiera lyrata) to plant next year! Who wouldn't want flowers that smell like *chocolate*?!

And an Ambrosia Apple Tree, not sure if I can buy a tree commercially but I'll start looking. Best apples yet.

It's a conspiracy!

My health is conspiring against my garden! I'm sure of it. I managed to twank my back again, just for these past few nice sunny fall days. If I could've I would've finished the wall. As it was I irritated the hell out of it by planting some bulbs despite the pain. I'm feeling a little more upright today and so of course look out the window tonight to discover that it's rained. Ug. I did not get as far as I'd planned this year with the yard. I wish I'd gotten further. I hope I can get the stars to align before it starts to get really cold.

The never ending wall project

Oh! I'm so close! I really thought I had enough blocks to finish the wall - looks like one more trip to the store should do it. I'm excited to get this done.

Blueberries *Nom, nom, nom*

Haha! Looks like Vaccinium corymbosum (Northern Highbush Blueberry) will be the perfect plant for my new bed. I don't think I could've planned it any better! I've got all winter to perfect the Ph in the soil. Don't know if I can wait the recommended one year between soil prep and actual planting though.... I love blueberries!

Everything you wanted to know about growing blueberries in your home garden in the lovely green state of Oregon