Hi all, Lane County Extension Master Gardener John Fischer here with KLCC's Good Gardening.
I really appreciate the opportunity to be a source of garden information for all of you each month. But having the most productive vegetable patch means digging deep for ideas.
Let's start close to home. My neighbor grows better onions than I do. They are bigger, and last longer. The main difference in our methods is fertilizer. I work some seed meal into the soil at planting time. He fertilizes two more times during the growing season. Your neighbor may have ideas to try- or extra onions to share or trade.
The internet is an amazing information resource, and an amazing source of endless junk mail if you click on the wrong site. By using sites ending in edu, or org, you will get fewer ads for miracle cures, and more scientifically tested information.
I Like the UC Davis page on integrated pest management, the PNW handbook site, and of course the Lane County Master Gardeners page. See these links below. Even during the pandemic, the Master Gardener hotline has been open - via message or email.
Local garden stores are also a great resource full of people who know the plants and seeds they sell. If they don't consider shopping elsewhere.
There are several local seed companies in Oregon. Territorial seed in Cottage grove tests, breeds, and raises seed that is particularly well suited to the Pacific Northwest. And their catalogue serves up a healthy portion of growing advice too.
One Green World in Portland is the fruit source, and again the catalogue provides information, ideas, and plants.
But the best source of information for your garden is you. Nobody else has the same combination of soil, sun, and micro-climates. Over time, you will learn where lettuce lasts, potatoes prosper, and turnips thrive in your yard.
I'm John Fischer with KLCC's Good Gardening.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/lane/have-gardening-question
https://territorialseed.com/pages/come-visit-us
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