Hypertufa Troughs Serve as Lowland Homes for Native Alpine Plants

Grow these tiny gems seen on an alpine hike

By: Sonja Nelson, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Nestled low to the ground among the peaks of the North Cascade Mountains are tiny alpine plants that delight hikers as they stroll the high country of Skagit and Whatcom Counties. If these hikers are also gardeners, it is tempting to dig a few of these gems to take home and plant in their home garden. Digging and removing plants is, of course, prohibited on public lands, including national parks, forests, and recreational areas. Moreover, the plants most likely would die when snatched out of their high-altitude environment and planted in the soils found in the lowlands of our ecoregion.

However, alpine gardening enthusiasts have found a solution to recreate the beauty they see in the alpine regions of the North Cascades. Using containers created to grow plants away from their native environment and plants purchased from nurseries specializing in alpine plants, gardeners can successfully grow these tiny gems seen on an alpine hike.

The containers, called “hypertufa troughs,” are constructed to provide the specific requirements alpine plants and succulents need to thrive. They also blend nicely into a garden or can be placed on a deck or patio.

Hypertufa trough planted with mountain heathers native to the North Cascades. The trough is placed on a deck in Bayview in Skagit County. Photo © Sonja Nelson

Snow covering the mountain heathers trough, pictured in Photo 1 (to the left), acts as insulation just as it does for these plants in their native home in the North Cascades. Photo © Sonja Nelson

Hypertufa troughs originated from the naturally occurring tufa rock, a type of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water and build up around organic matter, eventually decomposing, leaving a porous rock. English farmers of the 1800s chiseled feeding troughs for their animals out of this rock. Years later, creative gardeners adopted these old containers, covered in moss and worn by decades of exposure to the elements, as decorative planters. A few of these sought-after antique troughs are still found in Europe but are often too heavy and expensive to transport across the Atlantic. (1)

Since tufa rock was not readily found and available in the US, gardeners in the 1930s-1940s began to make tufa-like troughs using a mix of ingredients with Portland cement. They called them “hypertufa.” (2)

Growing small alpine plants in hypertufa troughs has many advantages. The trough materials serve as insulation against extreme hot and cold temperatures that can occur in our ecoregion. The troughs also drain well, so standing water is never a problem, and the roots of alpine plants grow into the porous hypertufa and tend to thrive.

In addition, the Portland cement in the hypertufa mix slowly releases some calcium and magnesium that plants need. And, because the trough is relatively lightweight, they can be moved from place to place in the garden for the best exposure through the seasons. (2)

Ecoregions
Growing alpine plants in hypertufa troughs gives gardeners the pleasure of seeing them close to home in their gardens and protects them from the possible ravages of warm summers in their native locations.

Skagit Valley is located in the Puget Trough ecoregion, with mild, wet winters, and warm, dry summers. Here, precipitation averages 40 inches per year, with a mean January temperature of 39° F and a mean July temperature of 65°F. This climate differs from the climate of the North Cascades ecoregion, where many of our Washington native alpines for our hypertufa troughs grow in the wild. High elevations in the alpine regions are often covered with snow for many months. (3) The North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) traverses this ecoregion’s subalpine and alpine sections.

The Plants
The choice of North Cascade alpine plants for troughs is considerable. To get started, as an example among alpine plants, choose from the mountain heathers, the saxifrages, and the gentians.

Mountain Heathers
The common name “heather” can refer to many different highland species throughout the world. North Cascade heathers are called “mountain heathers” and include the genera Cassiope and Phyllodoce. Common names include white mountain heather, Alaskan mountain heather, pink mountain heather, and yellow mountain heather. (6)
Saxifrages
Members of the genus Saxifraga are widespread in the North Cascades, many of which grow in the subalpine and alpine regions. Examples seen by the author are Tolmie’s saxifrage (Saxifraga tolmiei) at Chain Lakes, Alaska saxifrage (Saxifraga ferruginea) at Twin Lakes, and western saxifrage (Saxifraga occidentale) on Chowder Ridge (Pojar and Mackinnon1994).

Saxifrage at Bagley Lakes in the North Cascades. © Sonja Nelson

Broad-petalled gentian (Gentiana platypetala) at Cutthroat Pass in the North Cascades. © Sonja Nelson

Gentians
Members of the genus Gentiana are also widespread in the North Cascades. Four gentian species are native to the North Cascades: king gentian (Gentiana septum), broad-petalled gentian (Gentiana platypetala), swamp gentian (Gentiana douglasiana), and alpine bog swertia (Swertia perennis). (6)

Although hypertufa troughs are highly suitable for growing alpines at low elevations, many small native plants and succulents also find the troughs an amenable environment for growth and a refuge from fluctuating temperatures.

Growing Mix
The soil mix used in the troughs cannot be the same as the soil in your garden. Alpines especially need good drainage, which means water seeps through the medium quickly and does not pool around the plant crowns.

A basic trough medium recipe is 2/3 to 3/4 by volume potting mix with either peat or coconut coir and 1/3 to 1/4 by volume coarse perlite. Add fertilizer if the soil mix does not include it. (2)

The extensive Trough Courtyard at the UBC Botanical Garden in Vancouver, BC features an extensive collection of alpine rock plants. © Ginny Bode

This tiny Brassicaceae is tucked between rocks in a trough garden at the UBC Botanical Garden. © Ginny Bode
Making Hypertufa
Recipe mixes for hypertufa can be found on the Internet. The recipe below is from Rosemary Read, Editor of The Social Gardener for the Whatcom Horticultural Society.
Lightweight Frost-proof Troughs “Tufa”
by Rosemary Read, Editor, The Social Gardener

Materials Needed (parts by bulk):

• 1 part Portland cement
• 1 ½ parts fine peat (screened)
• 1 ½ parts horticultural vermiculite and/or perlite
• 2 cardboard boxes (which, when fitted one inside the other, leave a gap of approx. 2 in. between the sides.)
• 2-3 wood dowels (approx. 2 in. long)
• Chicken wire (or metal strips) for reinforcement

Peat Moss and Sustainability

Increasingly, master gardeners are looking towards sustainable materials and encouraging gardeners to use a peat moss substitute whenever possible. Coconut coir is a sustainable product, and can be used instead of peat moss at a ratio 1.5:1 of the coconut coir and cement to water and perlite. However, it does not decompose as quickly as peat moss, which leaves pits and crevices and resembles true tufa rock. The full recipe and directions for using a peat substitute can be found here > 

Download the full report debunking the myth of the sustainability of peat bogs by Linda Chalker-Scott, PhD., WSU Extension Urban Horticulturist and Associate Professor.
Download here>
Steps to Making a Hypertufa Pot
Mix the dry ingredients and add water to make a thick, creamy consistency that can be poured. Mix in an old wheelbarrow, bucket, or container that can be moved and washed out when the project is complete.

1) Set up the outer mold cardboard box where you can move around it freely and where it may be left to harden. It is best to cover surfaces with plastic.

2) Pour mixture into the floor of the outer mold (2″ or more).

3) Press the wooden dowels into the mixture. In addition to making drainage holes, the dowels will support the inner box.

4) Place the inner mold on top of the dowel plugs.

5) Place in chicken wire (along sides and corners).

6) Pour in the mixture until it reaches the top.

7) Leave 24 hours. Remove the outer mold (peel off).

8) Rough sides to make it look “old” (chisel).

9) Leave the inner mold longer to harden.

10) Leave trough a week or more to harden before knocking out the plugs.

11) Leave the trough for 2 weeks to “cure” by soaking it in water, which is changed every 2-3 days.

_______ – _______

Safety Warning: Concrete contains chemicals that can cause skin irritation and lung damage. Read the warning labels on the material purchased. When working with concrete, always wear gloves, a facemask, safety glasses, and old clothing. Set up your work area outside, away from breezes, children, and pets.

_______ – _______

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

1. Carpenter, J. How to Make a Hypertufa Garden Trough. Retrieved from: This Old House.com

2. Chips, L. (2018). Hypertufa Containers. Portland, OR, Timber Press

3. Ecoregions in Washington, Landscape America, (http://www.landscope.org/washington/natural_geography/ecoregions/).Read, R., Personal Communication, (May, 2024). Lightweight Frost-proof Troughs “Tufa” The Social Gardener, Whatcom Horticultural Society, Bellingham, Washington.

4. Reed, W. High and Dry for a NW Icon. (2023, Fall). Washington State Magazine
Retrieved from: https://magazine.wsu.edu/2023/07/31/high-and-dry-for-a-nw-icon/

5. Pojar, J., MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska. Tukwilla, WA, Lone Pine Publishing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sonja Nelson is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener, Class of 2009.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a master gardener may be directed to:  Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Know & Grow
Gardening for Fragrance
Presented by Diana Wisen
Free
Tuesday, June 18 ~  1 p.m.
NWREC Sakuma Auditorium
16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon

Visit the annual Open House at the Display Gardens:

Saturday, June 29
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free Admission & Parking
Discovery Garden
16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon
Learn More >

A Second Act for Your Square 1-Gallon Pots at the Discovery Garden!

Bring your leftover square 1-gallon pots to the Discovery Garden (16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon). The bin for recycling the square 1-gal pots is located in the parking lot, just north (to the right) of the main entrance.
We only need square 1-gallon pots like the ones pictured below (bottom right). The recycling bin will be available now through fall. Simply put your pots into the bin, and we take care of the rest!

© Jerald E. Dewey, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

The Tents are Coming-No Cause for Alarm

Caterpillars signify new, rejuvenating life

By: Virgene Link-New, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Perhaps it is our fatigue, our weariness with the darkness of winter. Or maybe it’s our eagerness to see the lush new green of spring bursting forth that fuels our distress and disappointment over the early spring appearance of caterpillar tents in our trees.

Do not despair. Those tents are a sign of another type of life bursting forth: one that will replenish soil over-watered by winter rains and feed many species who have suffered from hunger during the winter. Those tents indicate the under-appreciated western tent caterpillar, Malacosoma californicum. There is also a forest tent caterpillar that is less common, Malacosoma disstria. The first is our most common tent maker in this region. Others are called webworms or tussock moths.

Hawthorne with early tent caterpillar damage © Virgene Link-New

Hawthorne recovered from tent caterpillar infestation © Virgene Link-New

Their egg cases were deposited on deciduous trees and shrubs last year in the late summer and early fall. An egg case is many eggs “glued” together to form a “mass.” In the case of the tent caterpillar, it looks like a silvery Styrofoam mass when fresh. As the temperature warms, the eggs begin to hatch. The newly emerged hatching caterpillars spin a silken web to provide themselves with some protection from predators and weather. At first, they feed inside the tent, then they enlarge their tent as they grow. Since these caterpillars feed in early spring, the young leaves they consume are essentially recycled into compost that rains down to replenish the soil. The host tree has enough time to grow new leaves after the caterpillars have departed. Often, you see caterpillar tents in trees that later fail to develop. This is probably due to weather or other factors like disease or fungus.

Early tent caterpillar damage on apple tree. © Virgene Link-New

Apple tree two weeks after tent caterpillars dispersed. © Virgene Link-New

As they grow, the caterpillars eventually leave the tent and wander about, searching for more leaves to eat and a place to spin a cocoon. They undergo complete metamorphosis, the process of changing from an immature form to an adult form. At this time, they are more easily preyed upon by other insects, spiders, birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Even their cocoons can be food for other species. Once they have emerged as moths to mate, they are more easily consumed by birds and bats. They are also vulnerable to viruses, diseases, and fungi.

Now, if you are in business and your livelihood depends upon fruit production or tree production, then action is necessary as energy is spent on producing more leaves. Also, the tents can interfere with setting of fruit. Orchardists act in the winter to remove the egg cases by peeling them off or pruning them out of the branches. The removed egg cases can be harmlessly dropped directly on the ground, which makes them available to predators like ground beetles and centipedes and allows any natural enemies whose parasitized eggs have been deposited in the egg case to exit!

If you have a small, just-planted tree, you should do the same action as the orchardist since unestablished trees are more vulnerable to stress. Or an ornamental tree by your front door would be aesthetically displeasing with tents, and you might want to take some action in that case. If you’ve missed the window for removing the egg cases, the web with caterpillars inside can be pulled off or pinched when cool or in the evening if pruning would distort your desired shape. These mechanical removal methods are more environmentally friendly than the use of pesticides and do not result in chemical run off during rainfall that eventually reaches Puget Sound. As a reminder, please do not use a torch to burn the tents, as fire is more damaging to the plant than defoliation.

Larger trees will put out new leaves and should be less vulnerable to attack the following year as they seem to develop some resistance. Weakened trees are partially killed only when severe infestations (total defoliation) are combined with drought or other stressors (like disease). In forests where trees are too overcrowded for nutrients and moisture, this is a form of natural thinning.

Parasitized tent caterpillars © Virgene Link-New

Proper mulching helps trees withstand drought because water can reach the entire root system. © Virgene Link-New

These past several years, the Pacific NW has been impacted by drought. Although tent caterpillars do not impact conifers (evergreens), their obvious dead tops in our landscape indicate that our trees suffer from a lack of water.

To protect the trees in your landscape, ensure they receive at least one inch of water per week out to the drip line. This is one reason the WSU Extension Master Gardener program recommends not having grass or plantings directly under your tree. You can use a moisture meter to read the depth to which water (rainfall or supplied) is reaching.

Our native trees have evolved with our native insects and thus have a symbiotic relationship that benefits the entire food web. Particularly, the tent caterpillar seeks out red alder in the native forest. Other host plants are those in the rose, birch, and willow families, to name a few.

Later in the year, we hardly notice the trees that hosted tent caterpillars, as we’ve forgotten which trees were defoliated in the abundance of new leaves. Please be tolerant of some damage because this species plays an important role in the ecosystem.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Eighme, L. (2009) Insects of Skagit County, Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation, pp17-18 & p124. https://www.skagitmg.org/wp-content/uploads/Public Pages/Library/Insects_of_Skagit_County_Eighme_2022.pdf

Colman, S., Antonelli, A., Murray T. “Tent Caterpillars” Washington State University Extension, December 5, 2022. https://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/fact-sheet/4377/

Tallamy, D. (2019) Bringing Nature Home, Updated and Expanded: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon

Western Tent Caterpillar, U.S. Forest Service, 2011.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5303047.pdf
Drought Information and Resources. Washington State Department of Agriculture
https://agr.wa.gov/departments/land-and-water/natural-resources/water-quantity/drought-infoThe Ultimate Guide to Mulching Around Trees. The Eco Tree Company, Madison, WI. April 21, 2021.
https://ecotreecompany.com/how-to-put-mulch-around-a-tree/
Bruner, J. (1993) Tent Caterpillar, WSU Fruit Tree, Washington State University
https://treefruit.wsu.edu/crop-protection/opm/tent-caterpillar/
Tent Caterpillar IMP Strategy Fact Sheet
https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SPU/SWAC/TentCaterpillarIPMFactSheet.pdf

Koszarek, L. (2023) Moths: The Forgotten Pollinators. Penn State Extension Master Gardener, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA Retrieved at: Moths-The Forgotten Pollinators

Upcoming Skagit Master Gardener Foundation Events:

Master Gardeners at SICBA Home & Garden Show
March 22 – 24 at the Skagit County Fairgrounds
Visit our booth, see our displays, and talk with master gardeners about how to make your garden more beautiful and productive. Learn about free events and programs for home gardeners in Skagit County.
Food Innovation – Food Waste Prevention – Free
April 6, 9 AM to 12PM at the Port of Skagit
Celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week. Check out the worm composting bin, attend food waste prevention classes. Talk to the Skagit Gleaners. The WSU Breadlab sale starts at 10 AM. Event held at the Extension Office on 11768 Westar Lane, Burlington.
Know & Grow: Growing Roses in Skagit County – Free
April 16, 1 PM at the NWREC Sakuma Auditorium (16650 State Route 536; Mount Vernon) Presented by Virgene Link-New
Skagit County Master Gardener Plant Fair – Free
May 11, 8 AM to 2 PM at the Skagit County Fairgrounds
Learn More >

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Virgene Link-New has been a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener since 2006. She is an avid insect collector and is garden manager of the Rose Garden in the Discovery Garden on SR 536 west of Mount Vernon.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Gardening for Pollinators

A journey of learning

By: Patty Puckett Tingler, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Pollen is a fine powdery substance, typically yellow, consisting of microscopic grains discharged from the male part of a flower. The term pollinator is not limited to wind, insects, animals, and butterflies. Some unexpected insects such as beetles and moths are also pollinators, performing the critical task of transporting pollen to the female parts of other plants, enabling fertilization and the production of seeds and fruit. Pollinators are vital to global crop production. According to an article published by the U.S. Forest Service, “Of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world, i.e., those that produce all of our food and plant-based industrial products, almost 80% require pollination by animals.”

It is widely assumed that the honeybee is the predominant pollinator. However, there are many types of bees, solitary and social, and they all play a role in pollination. Typically, in a home garden, you’ll find solitary bees that are not part of a hive; however, all bees play a role in pollen distribution and pollination.

© Patty Puckett Tingler

The Banded Wooly Bear is the larval stage of the Island Tiger Moth. © Virgene Link-New

A honeybee on a kale blossom Caption © Virgene Link-New

Flowers, Fruits, and Veggies

Gardeners should consider choosing plants that will provide pollinators with a variety of feeding choices all season long. Choosing early and mid-spring blooming flowers or bulbs to attract pollinators is a wise strategy. Once the pollinators have been attracted to the garden, vegetables will be bountiful all summer long. Fruit trees in blossom are ready to be pollinated. Be sure to share the bounty with birds later in the season as they were likely part of the pollinator team.

Remember to be patient. Attracting pollinators is laying the groundwork for years to come, so efforts made now will affect the garden and pollinators in the future. Watch and study your space for attractiveness to pollinators as you would for sun and shade. Neighboring plants can repel certain pollinators and you may need to move or rethink what to plant in a particular area to attract the pollinators for garden needs. Gardening for pollinators is a journey of learning and understanding.

The Western Swallowtail has a lifespan of only 6 – 14 days. Caption © Virgene Link-New

Hover fly on dahlia © Virgene Link-New

Attracting Pollinators

If you personally like scented plants then you already know which plants pollinators enjoy. In addition to scent, think of using the open face of a flower as a landing place for the pollinator to rest while gathering and distributing pollen. Whether it’s a bee, a butterfly, or a bird, rest areas will encourage different pollinators to return. In the Pacific Northwest, especially western Washington, pollinators are lured by crocosmia, coneflowers, lavender, catmint, and sunflowers to name a few. One easy-to-grow pollinator-friendly annual is lacy phacelia, also known as blue tansy. It is a beautiful lavender color, grows easily from seed, and bees will flock to this plant. Distribute the seeds around your yard and enjoy its tall, beautiful splendor.

The number of scented plants in the Pacific Northwest is quite wide, from climbing vines like honeysuckle to lavender and lilac bushes. There are plenty of native species to choose from that are drought tolerant once established such as camas, lupine, salvia, and checker mallow also known as Malva. Daisies, asters, California poppy, catmint, and sage are also pollinator-friendly plants easily grown in the PNW.

What can we do to support pollinators?

How we can best support pollinators depends on the season. In fall, it’s best to put down your rake and leave the leaves on the ground. Mother Nature will do her best to push the leaves together under shrubs or against a structure. Some pollinators burrow under these leaf accumulations to overwinter. Wait until the spring weather is warmer (above 50°F) before cleaning up the garden as the pollinators will need the warmth as they emerge from their winter habitat.

Reduce the areas of grass on your property by adding shrubs, trees, and perennials that will provide visual interest and habitat for birds and insects. Use fewer toxins and chemicals, when possible. Pollinators need water for many purposes, including drinking, cooling, and reproduction so be sure to provide a source of shallow water near pollinator plants. Recycle pots or repurpose other containers (buckets, watering cans, birdbaths, etc.) on your patio or landscape to encourage more pollinators. Secondhand stores are full of items waiting for a reimagined purpose.

By providing backyard habitats or even a patio garden of scented, open flowers, bees and other pollinators will find your offerings. Support them by providing plants that help them do their job. Look online for native Pacific Northwest plants, shrubs, or seeds. Visit a local nursery to get plant recommendations or attend classes. Use your local library to learn more about creating or filling your garden with pollinator-friendly plants.

The more you learn about the world around you, the easier it is to live simply with our environment. Becoming aware of your environment and learning more about pollinators will open your eyes to the beauty and intricate connectivity of nature. We co-habit with and need insects, birds, butterflies, and other creatures to act as pollinators to plants to provide us with both beauty and nutrition. Our health, both physical and mental, would not exist without the efforts of the earth’s pollinators.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Why is Pollination Important ? U.S. Forest Service
Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildflowers/pollinators/importance

James, D. Pollinators retrieved from https://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/pollinators/

Krischik, V. Pollinator Conservation Biocontrol: Beneficial Insects | IPM and Pollinator Conservation University of Minnesota retrieved from: https://ncipmhort.cfans.umn.edu/beneficial-insects

Zagory, E., Hetrick, K. (2016) Introducing 10 Bees and 10 Plants They Love. University of California, Davis
https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk1546/files/inline-files/10-bees-10-plants_0.pdf

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Patty Puckett Tingler is a certified Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener, Class of 2022.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Learn from the experts at the
Country Living Expo
& Modern Homesteading

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Learn More and Register Here >>

These Gardening Topics and More:

• Fruit Tree Pruning & Grafting
• Microclimates in the Garden
• Low Maintenance Gardening
• Roses
• Bee Keeping
• Soil Sampling
• Veggie Gardening
• Growing in High Tunnels, Cold Frames, and Unheated Greenhouses
• Pest Control
• Hop Growing
• Flower Arranging
• Know Your Native Trees
• Introduction into Mason Bees

Seed Saving and Sharing

Open the door to learning about plants in a whole new way.

By Sheri Rylaarsdam, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Want to see an adult in an eight-foot-tall sunflower costume? Let your vegetables grow into monsters? Save some cold hard cash? Save an heirloom plant or design a new one?

These are all possibilities once one starts down the road of seed saving. You can begin almost accidentally by not pulling all the radishes in the garden. Several weeks later you’ll notice they have grown six feet tall with multiple branches and hundreds of seedpods. The original radish is an unrecognizable nob at the bottom of the magnificent plant.

Radish plants gone to seed in the author’s garden. © Photo by Sheri Rylaarsdam

Radish seed pods can be collected when they turn brown and look dried out. Interestingly, they are also edible. © Photo by Sheri Rylaarsdam

Now you know getting started is easy enough. So next you may be asking “What other vegetables produce harvestable seeds when left to grow?”

First, always save seeds from open-pollinated plants, not hybrids. Open-pollinated seeds are plants pollinated openly by wind, rain, or flying critters. Heirloom seeds are included in this category, named so because the saved seeds have produced ‘true to type’ plants for fifty years or more. The seeds collected from hybrid plants are sterile because they are a manually-produced cross between two varieties and will not grow true to form.

It is easiest to save inbred or self-pollinated seeds. These are seeds of plants whose pollen is transferred within the same flower or from one flower to the other within the same plant. Peas, beans, lettuce, and most tomatoes are examples of plants with inbred or self-pollinating seeds.

Beet plants grow tall when left to seed. © Photo by Sheri Rylaarsdam

Cobra green pole beans going to seed. © Photo by Sheri Rylaarsdam

Harvesting Self-Pollinating Seeds
Let beans and peas dry on the plant, then pick the pods to shell. Thresh the pods by hand. The chaff can be winnowed by tossing the pods in the wind and catching the seeds in a basin.

Lettuce seeds send up a seed stalk, ripening two to three weeks after flowering. Harvest daily by shaking the seeds into a paper bag. The lettuce feathers and chaff can then be separated from the seeds using a fine mesh screen.

To save seeds from tomatoes, choose fully ripe tomatoes. Cut across the equator of the tomato and scrape out the gel and seeds. Let the seeds ferment for a couple of days until a black or white mold forms on top. This helps remove any pathogens on the seed surface and also removes the natural germination inhibitor that coats the seed. Strain off the mold and rinse the seeds slowly and carefully. Drain in a fine mesh strainer and dry thoroughly on a saucer. Be sure to label the saved seeds with the name of the variety and the date they were saved. Since the viability of seeds is most affected by fluctuating temperature and moisture levels, it is important to store them in a cool, dry place-ideally in a tightly closed glass jar in the refrigerator.

Harvesting Wind-Pollinated Seeds
Varieties of wind-pollinated plants need to be separated by distance or mature at different times in order not to cross. Wind-pollinated plants include beets, chard, spinach, and corn. Corn pollen is light and can be carried long distances by the wind. A distance of two miles is the recommended isolation distance. A minimum of two hundred plants is needed to have enough genetic diversity.
Harvesting Seeds Pollinated by Bees
Bee-pollinated plants include many ornamental flowers and these vegetable families: Apiaceae (carrots, dill, parsley, cilantro, parsnip, chervil, caraway), Amaryllidaceae (onion, garlic, shallots, scallions, chives, leeks), Brassicaceae (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, kale) and Cucurbitaceae (squash, pumpkins, gourds). If vegetables have the same Latin name they can cross. Avoid cross-pollination by allowing just one type of vegetable from each family to go to seed. For example, if one lets leeks go to seed, do not let onions, garlic, shallots, scallions, or chives go to seed at the same time. The seed-producing vegetable also needs to be isolated from other seed-producing vegetables in its family by one-half mile. Cucurbitaceae are often hand-pollinated. Professional seed savers often use a system of cages to avoid cross-pollination.

Carrots, cabbages, beets, and onions are examples of biennials. These should be left in the ground or stored over the winter and replanted in spring to produce seed in the second year.

Start with something easy. Choose a variety of beans, peas, lettuce, or tomato that is delicious, grows vigorously, is a good producer, and is resistant to pests and diseases. Once you’ve started saving seeds, collect all the seeds you can. Then you’ll have plenty to plant next year, some to share, some to donate to a seed library or take to a seed swap.

Sharing seeds by donating to a seed library can make it easy for new gardeners to get started. Supplying seeds and information encourages gardeners to be out in nature, eat healthy food, and save money. Seed swaps are an excellent way to get seeds for the garden for the whole next year. Seed swap events usually have music, food, classes, and sometimes adults dressed up like sunflowers!

One can support biodiversity by supporting seed banks, buying from seed companies that increase biodiversity, and contributing to seed libraries and local seed guilds. The U.S. has lost a large percentage of its food plant biodiversity in the last 100 years. By saving seeds, you are doing your part to preserve the genetic diversity which is vital for the future of our food supply.

Seed stewards work to increase, not decrease, biodiversity. By saving and growing open-pollinated varieties of vegetables in the same area for many years and selecting for taste, disease resistance, and productivity, one can develop an improved vegetable. The selected variety will have the characteristics necessary to withstand unfavorable local conditions such as drought or heavy soil.

Seed saving is a gateway to learning about vegetables and flowers in a whole new way, witnessing their whole life cycle and how they interact with other plants. It has led to a new appreciation for nature’s abundance. Through seed sharing, I’ve contributed to altruistic causes that make a difference in the daily lives of people in our community. And I’ve met interesting people that make me smile-such as the fellow seed sharer wearing an eight-foot-tall sunflower costume.

REFERENCES:

Ashworth, Suzanne, 2002, Seed to Seed, Seed Savers Exchange

Gardening for Everyone: Seed Saving/WSU Lewis County Extension/ s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2057/2022/02/Seed-Saving-Handout.pdf

Op-ed: Saving Heirloom Seeds Can Protect Crop Diversity/civil eats/civileats.com/2022/01/27

Community Horticultural Fact Sheet #17/ WSU Jefferson County Extension/ extension.wsu.edu/jefferson/master-gardener-seed-library

Hubbard, Kristina K. January 11, 2019
https://civileats.com/2019/01/11/the-sobering-details-behind-the-latest-seed-monopoly-chart/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sheri Rylaarsdam is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener, Class of 2019. She is an avid seed saver and vegetable grower.

_________

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener, may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/mg/

There’s No Better Place to Make Cider than the Skagit Valley

With the feel of fall in the air some of us just can’t resist the lure of a science project. And there is no better than pressing apples to make apple juice and cider. 

By Ginny Bode, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Master Gardeners are an inquisitive bunch and are known for their resourcefulness when it comes to making use of the bounty found in their gardens and orchards. From apples to zucchinis, Master Gardeners have multiple ideas for their preservation and use, all capitalizing on our garden’s harvest because after all, what is better than sitting down to enjoy the food and drink you’ve sourced and prepared?

First off, let’s make sure we are speaking the same language when it comes to apple juice and cider. Many of us think of apple juice as the clear juice that we drank at lunch in school. Apple cider was a rich unfiltered juice we enjoyed in the fall. Those terms are no longer accurate in the marketplace. Though many still use the term ‘cider’ to refer to a non-alcoholic beverage pressed from apples and Websters still defines cider as both fermented and non-alcoholic, in the last 10 years the terminology in the US (both legal and popular) has changed to align with the rest of the world, and cider refers to a fermented drink. For this article, the liquid pressed from apples, both clear and with pulp, is referred to as juice and sometimes sweet cider.

Toby bought his press Correll Cider Press with an electric drive mill more than 20 years ago. He and his friends press 100 gallons of sweet cider each year. © Ginny Bode

While many are content to press their apples to make a pulp-rich juice to drink hot or cold year-round, the juice is also the first step in making ‘hard cider’ or apple cider vinegar. Here we’ll take you through the process of choosing apples and pressing for apple juice and point you to many resources for making fermented apple cider, including that of WSU’s cider research program here in Skagit County.

Choosing The Right Apples For Pressing

Since the settling of America, the northern zones of the US have produced an abundance of apples. Understanding and selecting the right apples for pressing is essential to achieving a delicious and well-balanced flavor.

While many apple varieties can be used and each cider maker has a personal preference, certain types are better suited for cider making than others. Master Gardener Toby Richner has been pressing apples for 40+ years. He believes the key to his success is choosing apples by the season of ripening. Apples ripening early in the season, such as Gravenstein and Pink Lady are tart and considered dessert apples. Ripening later in the season, cider apples such as Kings and Northern Spy produce a sweeter juice because they have been exposed to the sun much longer in the season. Look for apples that possess a good balance of sweetness, acidity, and tannins. He recommends blending apple varieties and possibly adding a ratio of pears to achieve a balanced taste.

These ¾ full 5 gal. buckets of apples pressed into 2 gallons of cider… plus several glasses for ‘test’ tasting. © Ginny Bode

The apples are ground with a mill prior to pressing. © Ginny Bode

At the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC (research center) on Hwy 536 West of Mount Vernon, researchers have compiled a list of 73 cider cultivars-evaluating the apples for their vigor, susceptibility to disease, and quality of the juice for making cider. Though the study is intended for commercial growers the list is helpful when selecting the best apples for your project. https://cider.wsu.edu/ciderweb/

You will need thirty to forty apples to press a gallon of juice. The volume of apples needed to produce many gallons of apples can be cost-prohibitive for the hobbyist unless one has access to an orchard, or can source apples from friends and neighbors. Toby Richner sources the apples needed for the 100 gallons of cider he and his friends produce by relying on years of relationships developed through trading apples for gallons of fresh pressed juice.

Windfall vs. Picked

Many home cider-makers believe windfall apples, those which have fallen due to ripeness and wind, produce the best cider. Scientists say using windfall apples safely depends on how you intend to use the juice-drinking immediately or processing to make hard cider.

If pressing for sweet cider only, WSU Masters student Seth Brawner, working on cider research here at WSU Mount Vernon NWREC, recommends against using windfall apples. He says, that even if pasteurized, the toxin patulin can survive in the juice and cause people to get sick. To avoid this, only use picked apples in sweet cider. Seth goes on to say, “If using your pressed juice to make hard cider, windfall apples can be used because fermentation is considered a “kill step” because the alcohol produced during this process will destroy patulin and eliminate pathogens in the cider.”

When using windfall apples, take extra vigilance. Always cut away any areas bit by deer or other critters, dispose of any rotten or wormy areas, and wash thoroughly in a chlorine bath. Poor-quality fruit will diminish the taste of your cider. Michigan State University Extension has produced an excellent food safety guide referenced below.

Master Gardener Toby Richner has been making sweet cider for more than 40 years. Beyond enjoying great cider year around, he enjoys the community they’ve built trading apples for fresh pressed cider. © Ginny Bode

The press bears down on the milled apples to release the juice which flows into food grade containers-in this case, stainless steel buckets. © Ginny Bode

Equipment Needed for Homemade Sweet Cider

Along with apples, to embark on your home cider making journey you’ll need:

–      Cider Press– to efficiently extract the juice from the apples.
–     Food processor or grinder– to break down the apples before pressing.
–     Large food-grade vessel- a 20-30 gal container for mixing juice before bottling
–     2-3 gal. food-grade buckets for ‘catching’ the juice as pressed
–     Jugs and/or bottles – for storage

There are various methods for pressing apples available, ranging from simple hand-pressing techniques to using a specialized cider press. The cider press is the most efficient method of crushing the apples and releasing their juice while leaving behind the pulp and seeds. Home presses are available in many sizes and styles ranging from $100 to over $2000.

Preparing the Apples For Pressing
Start by washing the apples thoroughly to eliminate dirt or debris. Inspect each apple for any signs of damage or rot. Remove any spoiled fruits to ensure the quality of your cider. After cleaning, quarter the apples into small pieces, then, keeping the seeds and stems, grind them with a food processor or mill.
Pressing The Apples, Extracting and Storing the Juice
Now the fun begins-pressing the ground apples to obtain their flavorful juice. Capture the juice as it flows from the press. Strain the juice through a fine mesh, sieve, or cheesecloth to remove any remaining solids that may have slipped through the press. Transfer to clean jugs with airtight lids, leaving headspace for expansion when freezing. If you don’t have room in your freezer, the juice can be preserved through the canning process. Refrigerate if you plan to drink right away.

Commercially sold juices and sweet ciders are usually pasteurized for food safety purposes. Many home juice and cider-makers believe unpasteurized juice retains more flavor, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Though pasteurization doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of foodborne illness, it does reduce it.

The Fermentation Process: Taking the Next Step to Cider

When the apples have been pressed and the juice made, the real science project begins – the fermentation process. This crucial step is what turns pressed apple juice into flavorful and aromatic cider.

Adam Coy started his cider making adventure in his garage. He is now the cider maker for Farmstrong Brewing’s Ragged & Right Project in Mount Vernon. Coy says “cider making is fairly simple when you break it down. You need juice with a fair amount of natural sugar, a clean vessel to put it in, and a little yeast to start it all off. It should be kept cool, but not overly cold/freezing. Then it’s just a matter of time to let the yeast do its work. With just a few basic tools, anyone can make cider at home.”

He started home brewing, referring to it as an adult science project.  And like many cider makers, he bought the juice from a local orchard and found the basic supplies at the local brewing shop: a 6 gal. carboy (water cooler style jug); water lock and stopper; a hydrometer; a siphon and a thermometer.

Master Gardener Bob Bryan does the process from start to finish using apples from his orchard to create the cider. Filling the 6 gal. carboy with fresh pressed juice, he then lets the sediments settle out overnight before getting started. He uses sulfur dioxide (SO₂) to kill the microorganisms in the fresh-pressed juice. Then within 12-24 hours adds his preferred strain of yeast. The yeast consumes the natural sugars and converts them to alcohol. Both Bryan and Coy equate cider making to wine-making and enjoy the process of constantly measuring and maintaining proper temperature and oxygen levels to ensure successful fermentation.

The exact steps to the fermentation process can be found at https://cidersage.com/tutorials/hard-cider-making-tutorial/ or in WSU’s publication Hard Cider Production and Orchard Management in the Pacific Northwest. (https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/hard-cider-production-and-orchard-management-in-the-pacific-northwest/)

Once a prominent part of American culture, cider making in the US is experiencing a resurgence in consumer demand with a 30-fold increase in the number of cideries. Skagit Valley is home to one of the main US apple research programs at WSU Mount Vernon NWREC and is an excellent place to start your cider making journey.

RESOURCES AND FURTHER LEARNING:

If you are highly interested in furthering your hard cider making expertise, the Cider Institute also offers online and in-person courses, including one offered in Mount Vernon in December of 2024. https://www.ciderinstitute.com/courses#Courses

https://cider.wsu.edu/  Washington State University

https://hardcider.cals.cornell.edu/ Cornell University

A brief history of cider in the US: https://cider.wsu.edu/history-of-cider/

https://www.agbizcenter.org/resources/all-things-cider/

https://www.nwcider.com/ Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) is a regional group of cider makers and orchardists from the PNW and British Columbia.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/its_cider_time
Sprague, S. and Venema, C.; Michigan State University Extension – November 22, 2022

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/pasteurized_or_unpasteurized_juice_whats_the_difference

Nichols, J., Michigan State University Extension – September 12, 2014

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ginny Bode is Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener and Co-editor of the Ask a Master Gardener Blog.

_________

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener, may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/mg/

Mock Orange © Joan Stamm

Tallamy’s “Homegrown National Park”

A grass-roots movement of individual homeowners and gardeners growing native plants to restore habitats for biodiversity

By Joan D. Stamm, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

For the last thirty years, I’ve been enamored with native plants from Asia-peony, azalea, camellia, hydrangea, wisteria, kerria, bamboo, and chrysanthemum to name a few. I’ve grown or tried to grow all of them in my garden to use in ikebana (Japanese flower arranging). But more recently, after reading Douglas Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard-a book that would irrevocably change my view of gardening-I’ve turned to NW natives.

Tallamy, a professor of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware, urges us to ditch our lawns and ornamentals-our “introduced” species-and grow native plants instead. Conservation zones and national parks are not enough. Although these areas are meant to preserve native habitat for native plant, animal, and insect species, they are a small fraction of our overall landmass. “Turfgrass has replaced diverse native plant communities in more than 40 million acres, and we are adding 500 square miles of lawn to the United States each year,” says Tallamy, quoting from Elizabeth Kolbert’s Pulitzer prize-winning book The Sixth Extinction.

Monkey flower (Erythranthe lewisii) © Joan Stamm

Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum © Joan Stamm

Then there’s the question of how we use our water resources as we see drought spreading across the Western U.S. and other parts of the world. “In the U.S., lawn irrigation consumes on average more than eight billion gallons of water daily”; and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, “40-60 percent of fertilizers applied to lawns end up in surface and groundwater.” In addition, we have pesticides that further contaminate our water and routinely kill pollinators. “Forty percent of these chemicals are banned in other countries because they are carcinogens.”

Tallamy goes on to say that 3 billion birds have already disappeared since 1970 due to loss of food and habitat. “A staggering loss that suggests the very fabric of North America’s ecosystem is unraveling.” Birds are like the “canary in the coal mine” of climate change. When our birds start disappearing, we humans are in trouble. “In North America, 432 species of birds are at risk of extinction.”

Tallamy’s mission is to begin a grass-roots movement of individual homeowners and gardeners growing native plants to create corridors of natural landscape. His argument is simple: instead of millions of acres of lawns, golf courses, and urban/suburban “deadscapes,” we need native habitats to restore biodiversity. “It is insects that run the world,” he says, “and it takes certain native plants to support healthy populations of those insects.” In short, we need what Tallamy calls a “Homegrown National Park”: a return to the natural world with a balanced ecosystem.

Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata) © Joan Stamm

Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) © Joan Stamm

Tallamy suggests three action steps:

• Reduce our lawns (which will curb water, fertilizer, and pesticide use).
• Plant more natives (which will bring in beneficial habitat, food for native pollinators, and reduce water use).
• Remove invasives (because they crowd out and replace vital natives).

After reading Tallamy’s book I woke up to how “me” centered my gardening had been: growing plants that pleased only me, without the slightest thought to our many birds, butterflies, bees, and other creatures struggling to survive. For example, I found no reference that listed my beloved peonies as pollinator-friendly plants in the Pacific Northwest. Hydrangea? No. Kerria and wisteria? Not really. Camellia? Maybe. Cisco Morris suggests that Anna’s hummingbirds enjoy ‘Yuletide,’ since it is red, single-petaled, and blooms in winter, but I have no personal observation to report. More importantly, “80% of a hummingbird’s diet is insects and spiders.”

Backyard before conversion to natural landscape © Joan Stamm

Backyard after conversion to native corridor landscape © Joan Stamm

“And what about cultivars?”, many ask Tallamy. What about those many stunning and alluring flower and leaf varieties produced through selective breeding that we find at most of our nurseries? According to research done by Tallamy and other scientists, whether a cultivar retains any benefit to pollinators depends on what got modified. He advises avoiding plants where the leaf color has been changed from green to brown, purple or red (because insects like chlorophyll), and best to avoid flowers that went from single-petaled to multi-petaled (bees can’t get inside), or plants that have been made sterile. On the other hand, a woody plant made shorter is relatively okay. In sum, no size fits all. A quick tutorial can be found on the Grow Native website https://grownative.org/learn/natives-cultivars-and-nativars/ or in the Q&A in Tallamy’s book.

Two last bits of important advice for encouraging beneficial insect/caterpillar production to feed those hungry birds is to “leave the leaves” and turn off outdoor nighttime lighting. Cleaning up leaf litter destroys important habitat for invertebrates. “Our fall cleanup,” says Tallamy, “is particularly hard on bee populations; the perennials we are anxious to cut back after they have bloomed are where pithy stem nesters are hoping to spend the winter.” As for outdoor lighting, harsh LEDs destroy moths and other nighttime insects that are crucial to the ecosystem. Either turn off outdoor lighting at night, invest in motion detectors, or if you must have light, use “yellow bug lights.”

As for my ikebana arrangements? Well, my strong attachment to certain Japanese flowers won’t depart easily, and I’m not saying that I won’t grow a few peonies anymore, but I know too much now to return to my old habits. I’ve started using native plants and flowers in my flower designs.

If you do decide to join the Homegrown National Park movement and go “native,” get registered here: https://www.homegrownnationalpark.org/ . Collectively, I believe we can make a difference and help restore our earth’s ecosystem. With so many dire statistics, there’s no time to lose.

REFERENCES:

• Fitzpatrick, John and Marra, Peter. September 2019. “Decline of the North American Avifauna.” Science.
• Kolbert, Elizabeth. 2014. “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History”. New York: Henry Holt & Co.
• Morris, Ciscoe. October 11, 2017. “Keep your hummingbirds happy…” The Seattle Times.
• Tallamy, Douglas W. 2019. “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard”. Portland: Timber Press.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joan D. Stamm has recently completed the requirements as a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener (EMG) Class of 2023. She is the author of several books, most recently The Language of Flowers in the Time of COVID: Finding Solace in Zen, Nature and Ikebana.

_________

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener, may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/mg/

Discover the Skagit Valley Display Gardens Open House

Discover the Discovery Garden, NW Fruit Garden, and the Salal Native Plant Garden

By Janine Wentworth, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

June is the beginning of summer blooming, fruit and vegetable growth and early harvests.

Enjoy the summer gardens of Skagit Valley at the Discover the Display Gardens Open House. Skagit Valley is home to 8 acres of display gardens operated by volunteers as a learning resource for the public.

Discover the Display Gardens
Open House

June 24, 2023 · 10 am – 2 pm

Free Admission

• Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Discovery Garden
• Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation
• Salal Native Plant Garden

All three are nestled together in the green fields of the WSU Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center west of Mount Vernon on HWY 536 (Memorial Hwy.)

While all three of these gardens are open to the public daily, the Annual Open House is focused on educating and inspiring visitors interested in many specific areas of interest, including pollination, water-wise gardening, native plants and raising fruits and vegetables in the Skagit area.

The Discovery Garden
Designed to support Skagit home gardeners by promoting science-based gardening practices, Skagit area WSU Extension Master Gardeners have created 30 garden rooms within the garden, featuring hundreds of plants chosen to flourish in Skagit Valley. Come and spend time with the volunteers who maintain the gardens and learn more about what they grow.

In addition to tours of the garden rooms, Master Gardeners will be on hand offering activities for all ages including:

• Free garden tool sharpening
• Solutions to plant problems
• Plant identification– to help you know what you have
• Expert advice on weed identification and management

While at the Discovery Garden, visit the small fruits garden and learn more about food you can grow in your own back yard. Photo © Nancy Crowell Photography

Visit the learning station near the pond in the Naturescape Garden. There you will see Koi fish and learn about pond maintenance and construction as well as drip irrigation.

Bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy the day at the Discovery Garden. Photo © Nancy Crowell Photography

Learn about effective gardening at the 8 education stations located throughout the garden area. Master Gardeners will offer instruction on topics such as:

• Developing healthy soil
• Composting
• Pollinator support
• Fruit tree pruning and thinning
• Gardening with native plants
• Weed identification: Match examples of common weeds with their names so you can learn how to identify them and control them
• Clean water and water conservation: Visit the learning station near the pond in the Naturescape Garden. There you will see Koi fish and learn about pond maintenance and construction as well as drip irrigation

Pollinators: Learn about plants that support pollinators from Master Gardeners who plant and care for the pollinator gardens and the pollinators that live in the garden. The pollinator station at the Open House will teach ways to help native bees and other pollinators thrive in home and community landscapes because pollination is an essential survival function.

Local Food: The Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners offer extensive resources for local gardeners. During the Open House, Master Gardeners will be giving talks on healthy soils, growing your own vegetables, and weed identification and eradication. The Grow Your Own Food page at https://www.skagitmg.org/home/resources/food/ is also an excellent resource for gardeners getting started.

While at the Discovery Garden, visit the Vegetable, Small Fruits, and Doc’s Arbor garden rooms for ideas and examples of food-producing plants that grow well in the Skagit County area.

Educators from the Xerex Society will be at the Open House demonstrating techniques for making your garden pollinator friendly

Learn smarter vegetable gardening tips from the Master Gardeners who have research and tested a variety techniques that face gardeners in the North Puget Sound area.

Throughout the growing season, garden waste is sorted, chopped, and chipped– the browns and greens are com­bined and turned, giving us nutrient-rich compost in a few months.

Composting: Curious about how to get started composting? Composting reduces waste and provides an inexpensive treatment for home gardens and landscapes. Healthy soil is essential to have healthy plants. Come talk to our soil experts and learn about your soil and what you can do to improve it.

Growing the Discovery Gardens since 1996
In 1994, the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners had a vision for a garden that would demonstrate best practices for gardening in the Skagit area. After two years of planning, the garden’s first structure of trees and fences was placed in the fall of 1996. Over the following two years, many committed WSU Extension Master Gardeners, along with the help of the community, planted the gardens.

The WSU Master Gardener Program addresses important sociologic and environmental issues by teaching research-based horticulture information. We want people to have important skills and abilities that help mitigate challenges and to understand that everyone has a role to play in creating and sustaining healthy and resilient communities.

Salal Native Plant Garden
The second garden participating in the Tri-Garden Open House is the Salal Native Plant Garden. Bordering the Discovery Garden to the south, the Salal Native Plant Garden is entered by walking through the Discovery Garden following the paths to the south. This labor of love and concern for native plants is manifested in an extensive and charming display garden.

Created twenty-five years ago as a collaborative effort between volunteers of the Salal Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society and the Washington State University Agriculture Extension Agency at Mount Vernon (WSU), the Native Plant Garden is now a half-acre oasis that holds the seeds for the future of native plants in the lower Skagit Valley. The garden is a terrific resource for homeowners who want to learn how to incorporate more native plants into their landscaping.

Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation (NW Fruit)
The third garden on display is the fruit garden known as the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation (or NWFruit.org). Here volunteers will answer questions about fruit trees. The 6-acre garden was designed and constructed by volunteers of the foundation and contains large informational signs and handouts based on the research conducted by Washington State University.

During the Open House volunteers will be on hand to explain examples of netting for bird control, a Tatura trellis, and answer questions about the expansive espalier display.

The fruit garden contains a large collection of fruiting plants with many unique varieties, including a collection of 17 variations of Gravenstein apples, a collection of antique apples from all over the world, and unusual fruits such as medlar and blue honeyberry. Located on the west side of the Discovery Garden the fruit garden is open to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk.

Please join us for the Open House festivities on June 24, 2023 from 10 am – 2 pm. You are welcome to bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy the day with family and friends.

The gardens are open and free to the public throughout the year, 7 days a week from dawn to dusk. Visit the gardens throughout the seasons to view the seasonal changes. Signage in each garden identifies plants and makes for interesting and educational self-guided tours.

RESOURCES:

• Discover the Display Gardens website
• Learn about Master Gardener program priorities: https://mastergardener.wsu.edu/priorities/
• Interested in Composting and Vermacomposting? See our recent blog article at: https://www.skagitmg.org/vermicomposting/
• Get started growing your own food: https://www.skagitmg.org/home/resources/food/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Janine Wentworth became a master gardener in 2018. She and Kay Torrance are co-chairs of the Discovery Garden Open House.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a master gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Italian Arum: Beautiful, Poisonous and Invasive

Don’t Be Deceived by This Beautiful Ground Cover

By Valerie Rose, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

What a deceptive plant! First of all, Italian Arum (Arum italicum) is not strictly Italian. Native to Asia, Europe, and North Africa, some botanical resources say it’s also found in southern Europe. Other common names include Cuckoo’s Pint, Italian Lily, and Orange Candle Flower. While many of these names point to Italy as the source of this problematic plant, its roots appear much more widespread.

Italian Arum is also deceptively attractive. The bright orange berries brought color to an otherwise nondescript area of the yard, so I let it grow. Now I wish it had never found my address. It now appears in most of my garden beds, even in the lawn, where it has made friends with the equally intrusive buttercups. They’re conspiring to take over the whole yard, and I struggle to keep them at bay. We gardeners are seriously outnumbered.

My yard is not alone. In addition to being a pest in Skagit County, the plants are found between 10 and 100 acres in Whatcom, King, Skamania, and Clark Counties. More acres have been infested since that figure was published in 2018 by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA.) Italian Arum is also invading forest understories and wetlands, forming dense infestations, and crowding out native plants.

Because it is so invasive and poisonous to humans and animals, the WSDA classifies it as a Class C Noxious Weed. The WSDA describes Class C Noxious weeds as those “… already widespread in Washington. In some cases, counties may require property owners to control Class C weeds, but more often counties simply try to educate residents about why controlling them is a good idea.”

What about Class A and B weeds? The WSDA describes these categories:

“Class A Noxious Weeds are non-native species whose distribution in Washington state is still limited. Eradicating existing infestations and preventing new infestations are the highest priority. Eradication of all Class A plants is required by law.”

Arrowhead-shaped leaves can be all green or have cream-colored or silver-gray veins, purple splotches, or speckles. © Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board

Thick underground tubers store much of the plant’s energy and water underground, which is why the tops regrow so easily when cut or mowed. © Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board

Class B noxious weeds are nonnative species whose distribution is limited to portions of Washington state but may be widespread in other parts. Class B noxious weeds are designated for mandatory control in regions where they are not yet widespread.”

Like many invasive plants, Italian Arum likely escaped from someone’s garden. Originally planted as an ornamental ground cover, it certainly does cover ground. The first documented site in Washington state was on San Juan Island in 2002. This (ob)noxious weed is currently invading the west coast of the US and lower mainland British Columbia and across the mid-Atlantic states.

Not only is this plant invasive, but it also contains calcium oxalates, poisonous to humans and animals. According to the North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox, the calcium oxalates, if ingested “…will cause throat and tongue swelling that will result in difficulty breathing or possible death.” Simple skin contact can cause mild to severe irritation. Always protect your skin when attempting to remove Italian Arum.

Unfortunately, the plant tolerates most soil types, is drought tolerant once established, and thrives in partial shade to full sun. Like many undesired plants, it has more than one reproductive strategy. It grows from both tubers and berries, reaching 12 – 18 inches tall. The arrow-shaped leaves appear in early autumn, with hood-like flowers blooming in April and May: their acrid odor attracts flies as pollinators. When the foliage withers, stalks emerge, eventually covered in clusters of berries. The plump berries are initially green, changing to a vivid orange-red. This dramatic show continues through August, giving birds plenty of time to snack on the berries, and then deposit the seeds around your yard and beyond – conveniently coated with fertilizer.

Once established, Italian Arum is maddeningly difficult to get rid of. According to the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, “There are no effective ways to control the plant, and it is unresponsive to herbicides. Manual removal is difficult. If removed, all parts of the plant should be placed in the trash and not your compost bin.”

Spreading by both roots and seeds, Italian arum rapidly forms colonies. © Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board

Spread by both tubers and seeds, Italian arum multiplies quickly, creating new plants. © Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board

2-acre infestation on Lopez Island actually worsened after it was repeatedly mowed, dug, torched (in winter), and then covered with a heavy tarp. © Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board

An Oregon State University Extension’s Ask An Expert webpage offers this: “Some suggest success by pouring boiling water on the plant’s roots. If using vinegar, a 20% vinegar solution is best. This type of vinegar, sometimes called horticultural vinegar, can be found at garden centers, farm stores, or online. Wear gloves and protective clothing to protect your skin from possible irritation. Follow-up work will be required to control any plants that develop from missed plant parts.” I will explore this strategy, as my annual ritual of carefully digging the roots and bulbs has not eliminated this invasion.

Don’t let the pretty leaves or colorful berries fool you into letting Italian Arum take root in your yard. And tell your friends and neighbors not to allow Italian Arum to charm its way into their gardens.

RESOURCES:

• Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
  https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/italian-arum
• https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/NoxiousWeeds/weedlist.htm
• North Carolina Extension Gardener/Plant Toolbox
  https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/arum-italicum/
• https://cms.agr.wa.gov/getmedia/8e970f5e-72b0-4dcc-99d5-a1c9aad48ef7/ItalianArum.pdf
  Italian Arum Distribution, 2018, Washington State Department of Agriculture
• Clackamas County Weed Wise
  https://weedwise.conservationdistrict.org/arit-2
• Oregon State University Extension, Ask An Expert
  https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-expert/featured/how-can-i-organically-get-rid-italian-arum
• https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/13974/Italian-Arum

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Valerie Rose became a Master Gardener in 2009. A former journalist, she enjoys playing with words, and plants other than Italian Arum.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Master Gardeners Visit the UW Botanic Gardens

Hallmarks of the Master Gardener Program: Shared Love of Plants and Learning

By Kay Torrance, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

What would draw a group predominately made up of WSU Cougs to venture into the heart of UW Huskies territory? It wasn’t a sporting event, but plants and a visit to the University of Washington’s extensive botanic resources: the Washington Park Arboretum, the Elisabeth C. Miller Library, and the new state-of-the-art UW Biology Greenhouse.

Regardless of the school colors they fly, a common characteristic among Master Gardeners is a shared love of plants and an ongoing commitment to learning. So it follows that when the opportunity to visit the extensive plant collections housed at the UW arose, it was not a surprise when registration filled quickly for the early March visit.

The tour’s first stop was the 230-acre UW Botanic Gardens Washington Park Arboretum. Noted for its meandering footpaths, the arboretum gardens feature collections of oaks, maples, camellias, and accompanying understory. During the early March visit the Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden was still in full splendor. The subtle colors of flowering hellebores and witch hazel were striking against a backdrop of textured bark from birches, maples, and twig dogwoods. Rhododendrons and camellias added a splash of dark green. The arboretum is open every day from dawn to dusk, free of charge.

Photo: Bobbi Lemme

Photo: Kay Torrance

Photo: Jessimine Tuttle

Elisabeth C. Miller Library at the botanic gardens was the second stop on the trip. Here, Brian Thompson, Library Manager and Curator of Horticultural Literature guided the Master Gardener group through the library’s extensive resources.

The Elisabeth C. Miller Library features Pacific Northwest Connections, a collection dedicated to plants and gardening in our unique climate. The library also features collections focused on geographic areas from around the world including New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, South Africa, Chile, and the Mediterranean. The library’s collection of over 16,000 books includes rare and historical books, botanical drawings, nursery catalogs, and over 200 current periodicals and back issues.

The walls of the Elisabeth C. Miller Library are devoted to rotating art exhibits. Outside of the library is a tranquil courtyard adorned with plants from all over the world and furnished with scattered chairs and tables, a perfect place to read and contemplate gardening. The library is open to the public six days a week.

Photo: Diane Bowman

Photo: Charlene Day

Photo: Kay Torrance

The final stop of the Master Gardener’s bus tour was the new UW Biology Greenhouse at the Life Sciences Building. The 20,000-square-foot greenhouse first opened to the public in 2022. The state-of-the-art building is home to over 4,000 species of plants and growing! Master Gardeners were guided through four-themed garden rooms: Warm Tropics, Tree of Life, Cool Tropics, and Desert. On the cool, early March day, it was wonderful to take our coats off and step into a desert and then into a jungle.

Seattle botanical artist Crystal Shin was our docent for the Desert Room where plants are grouped by continent of origin. As the primary botanical illustrator for the University of Washington Herbarium book Flora of the Pacific Northwest (2^nd Ed.) Crystal has spent extensive time studying and illustrating plants in the UW collection. The Desert Room holds an impressive collection of North American cacti and a table of euphorbias from Africa. Prized specimens include a Welwitschia from Namibia, and a cherry blossom pink Adenium, and examples of Gasteria. Many of the plants demonstrate convergent evolution where plants adaptation mechanisms resulted in similar appearance despite separate evolutionary lineages.

Alex Lowe, a graduate student advisor, led the Master Gardeners through the Tree of Life room where plants are displayed in their evolutionary order of appearance starting with algae and mosses and then moving through Selaginellas, lycopods, ferns, gymnosperms, and finally angiosperms. The room includes examples of plants with economic importance such as bananas, pineapples, peppers, vanilla orchids, tobacco, and cotton.

Photo: Kay Torrance

Photo: Kelly Maupin

Photo: Kay Torrance

Next, we walked into the lush Warm Tropics room with Hannah McConnell, Ph.D. candidate, and were surrounded by palms, gingers, water plants, and orchids including a huge Grammatophyllum specimen.

The final garden room was the Cool Tropics Room. Here, Nile Kurashige, greenhouse plant technician introduced the group to tropical plants native to higher altitudes or latitudes. Highlights of the room included more orchids, carnivorous plants, Hoyas, and a huge Angiopteris fern reaching toward the ceiling.

In addition to the four garden rooms, the greenhouse complex has five climate-controlled rooms for education and research purposes and classroom space for courses in plant biology. The Biology Greenhouse supports UW students in subjects ranging from plant ecology to landscape architecture and anthropology. The greenhouse is open to the public for browsing on non-holiday Thursdays, and on the 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays of each month from 12 – 4 pm.

As the final tour wrapped up and we boarded our bus to head home, we were grateful for the learning opportunity, and realized how fortunate we are to have these world-class botanical resources open to the public and so close to home.

REFERENCES:

More info can be found at:

https://www.biology.washington.edu/facilities/greenhouse

Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/uwbiogreenhouse/.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/inside-uws-new-greenhouse-and-a-closeup-look-at-its-rare-and-exotic-plants/

New home gives biology department’s plant collection room to grow

Leo Hitchcock and Arthur Cronquist Ed. 2018. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. 2^nd Ed. Seattle, WA, University of Washington Press

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kay Torrance is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener. She is Coordinator of the Naturescape Garden at the Discovery Garden on State Route 536 west of Mount Vernon.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener, may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Tree Squirrels of the Pacific Northwest

Gardener’s Friend or Foe?

By Kathy Wolfe, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Squirrel ˈskwə-rəl
noun:

1. a: Lively, adorable, cavorting, wide-eyed, bush-tailed acrobat whose antics and gyrations are a joy to watch.b: Destroyer of flower beds and home irrigation lines, raider of bird feeders, disease-carrying rodent full of fleas and ticks.

Here in lies the ambiguity of the squirrel. At times they can be the most entertaining creatures in our yard and at other times they can be very destructive to our landscapes, wildlife, and home structures.

Identification:
Washington has four native species of tree squirrels.

The Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) measures 10 – 14 inches in length, including its tail, with a reddish or brownish gray back and an orange or yellowish belly. Douglas squirrels are usually found in cedar, pine, and fir forests in western Washington and the Cascade Mountains.

The Red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is approximately the same size as the Douglas squirrel and lives in semi-open woods and coniferous forests in northeast Washington. Their rusty-red coat and white or grayish-white bellies help identify them.

The Western Gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is a larger animal measuring between 18 – 24 inches long. It has a gray upper body and creamy undercoat featuring a long, bushy tail with white edges. Western Gray squirrels are found in western and central Washington in low-elevation oak and conifer woods.

The Northern Flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is smaller than the others, measuring 10 – 12 inches in total length. It can have a dark gray or brown body with a creamy underbelly. The large, dark eyes are another key to identifying it, as is the wide and flat tail. Seldom seen, they glide through the trees at night.

In addition to our native squirrels, the Eastern Gray squirrel and Eastern Fox squirrel were introduced in Washington in the early 1900s. They are the most common tree squirrels in urban areas and are often spotted in parks, campuses, and residential areas. The Eastern Gray squirrel, gray with a reddish wash in summer with a whitish belly, is about 20 inches long, half of which is its prominent, bushy tail. The Eastern Fox squirrel is approximately 22 inches long which includes a large tail measuring 9 – 10 inches. Its coloration is usually dark gray with a reddish cast and orange to deep buff underpinning. The fur color of both introduced squirrels can vary widely and sometimes they can be almost entirely black. 

Squirrels enjoy eating acorns, seeds, tree buds and berries as well as plants and twigs.” Photo by Nancy Crowell / WSU Skagit County Extension Master Gardener

Squirrels are vulnerable to hawks, owls, dogs, coyotes and bobcats. Watch your back, little fellow! Photo by Nancy Crowell / WSU Skagit County Extension Master Gardener

Eating habits:
Squirrels can be seen eating acorns, seeds, tree buds, and berries as well as plant material and twigs. Occasionally they will eat parts of a bird’s nest– the eggs, or baby chicks. Insects and fungi are also a part of their diet. They store their food in hollow stumps, abandoned burrows, and any hidey-hole they can find – including exhaust pipes, under flower pots and in unused cars. In the fall when Douglas squirrels and Red squirrels are harvesting and storing food for winter, you may see debris under oak, maple, nut trees, and conifers which indicates that the animals have been breaking off seed and nut clusters and dropping them to the ground where they harvest them for a meal or store for later use. You might find a pile of cone scales under a tree where squirrels have harvested the seeds of the cone.
Nesting, mating, and lifestyle habits:
Hollow cavities are also used for nesting. Leaves, twigs, shredded bark, moss, insulation and other soft materials are used to structure their nests. When hollow cavities are not available, spherical or cup-shaped nests are built in trees, bird nesting boxes or even attics. In cold weather, red squirrels may nest underground, often near where they have stored their food. Urban squirrels generally nest in buildings or other structures.

Mating occurs in early winter to late spring, with one litter of two to four babies produced in March through June. Some species may have a second litter in August or September.

Although squirrels are relatively safe when up in trees, they are vulnerable on the ground to hawks, owls, cats, dogs, coyotes, and bobcats. Vehicles, disease, and starvation are also killers. Squirrels can live for three to five years, but most die within their first year.

Squirrels are most active from dawn to dusk. They do not hibernate in winter but remain in their nests if the weather is stormy or cold.

If you watch squirrels running up and down a tree, you might notice their speed. Their double-jointed hind legs propel them forward quickly. They also use their very sharp front claws to grip and climb.

Listen to their distinctive call. A Red or Douglas squirrel whose territory is being trespassed may produce a rapid tsik tsik tsik. The Eastern gray squirrel flicks its tail while making a que, que, que, que sound.

Managing Human/Squirrel Interaction:

Tree squirrels can be destructive to bird feeders and bulb plantings among other things. Should a squirrel decide to take up residence in your attic or down your chimney, you won’t be pleased. To limit this, look around your buildings and eliminate access through dryer and roof vents, rotten siding or boards. Keep tree and shrub branches pruned away from buildings and roofs to eliminate access to these areas. Barriers around fruit trees, bulbs, and tree bark can be used to deter these determined creatures. Check the Internet for examples of designs that might work for you. You may also want to try commercial deterrent sprays.

To prevent potential conflicts, you should never feed squirrels. Use squirrel-resistant bird feeders and check bird nesting boxes for squirrel nesting sites.

If a squirrel gets adapted to hand-feeding (as cute as it is), it may lose the fear of humans and become aggressive. If a person is bitten or scratched by a tree squirrel, immediately scrub the wound with soap and water and flush liberally with tap water.

How would you describe the squirrels in your yard? Cute and amusing entertainers or destructive, vermin-infested rodents? Perhaps a little bit of both?

REFERENCES:

“The Pacific NW Squirrel, Cute Furry Creatures or Pesky Rodent”, Get Smart Rat Solutions. https://getsmartratsolutions.com/the-pacific-nw-squirrel-cute-furry-creatures-or-pesky-rodent/

“Living with wildlife: Tree squirrels”, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/species-facts/tree-squirrels

 Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, Russell Link, University of Washington Press, 2004.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathy Wolfe has been Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener since 2002. She is Co-coordinator of the vegetable garden at the Discovery Garden on State Route 536 west of Mount Vernon.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener, may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Midnight Marauders

Managing Those Pesky Slugs and Snails

By Diana Wisen, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Pacific Northwest gardeners probably spend more time discussing slug damage than almost any other garden problem. Slugs require moisture in the soil and vegetation, both of which are abundant in our area.
During cold or dry weather, they can move down into the soil. Adult slugs and snails live through the winter in this region, seeking shelter underground. In dry or hot weather, they can borrow down as much as 6 feet to find cool dampness. They can seal themselves off with a parchment-like membrane for protection from the elements. They are Gastropods from the Greek meaning “belly foot”.

Most of the slugs and snails you see in your yard are non-native, invasive varieties. The native Banana slug, a good guy, is found mostly in wooded areas, not suburban landscapes, and tends to eat only decaying matter. There are many species of non-native slugs that attack your plants.

Two of the most destructive are the common gray field slug, genus Arion (several colors of these large slugs), and the brown snail that is becoming more common as it can survive drier conditions easier than slugs.

Slugs eat young vegetables starts, strawberries, daffodils and tulips, and many other things, with new dahlia shoots and marigolds being among their favorites. You have to start early and be vigilant in your efforts to manage the slug and snail population in your yard. There is no such thing as just one slug. Slugs can lay anywhere between 30 to 100 eggs at a time, several times a year, mostly in late summer. Slugs are hermaphrodites: adults have both female and male organs, so all can lay eggs. Sometimes the eggs hatch right away and other times they hatch the following spring. Look for clusters of tiny, pearl-like eggs beneath leaf debris, boards, garden pots, and other damp places and crush them immediately.

Those little eggs will soon turn into ravenous baby slugs which eat 30-40 times their body weight every day! Their teeth are like a rasp that shreds the vegetation as they glide along. Slugs tend to come out at night or on cloudy days when it is cool and damp. This is your clue as to when to head out to hand-pick. However, only about 5% of the slugs are above ground at any given time, thus making control efforts difficult and ongoing.

There are five main types of control and for best results, you may have to utilize all of them, though you will never be able to eliminate slugs completely.

Biological:
Some predators eat slugs. Toads, frogs, snakes, and beetles will eat small slugs, so encourage them in your yard. Sometimes chickens and wild birds will eat baby slugs, but gag on large slugs. Ducks and geese eat slugs, but this poultry solution is not for everyone.
Cultural:
Change the conditions so the area is not conducive to slugs. Keep the soil dry. Mow nearby meadows or grassy areas. Keep a 6-foot-wide strip of dry, bare ground around your vegetable garden, use arborist chips for pathways, till your soil in early spring to expose the slug eggs, and plant things that slugs tend not to eat. Crushed eggs shells, ashes, and diatomaceous earth do not work. The slug’s mucus thickens to protect it from sharp surfaces.
Mechanical:
People love to talk about their favorite tools for slug control.
– A sharp shovel or weeding tool, a Hori-Hori knife, an old kitchen knife or scissors, or a hoe. Keep them all handy. Many people regularly go out at night or early morning with a bucket of soapy water on a search and destroy mission. The frequency is up to you, but the more often the better the results. Be sure to wear disposable gloves as slugs carry diseases such as Salmonella. Be sure to keep a lid
on the container.
– A wide band (3″) of copper tape firmly attached around the base of containers and raised beds will prevent slugs from climbing up. They will not cross copper. But make sure there are no slug eggs in the soil already in the pot!

This large red slug (Arion rufus) is one of the larger slug varieties, with an appetite to
match. This photo shows the slug’s round pneumostome (nose and breathing hole) and
the black optical tentacles protruding from its head. © Photo by Jason Miller.

Large red slugs descend on a pile of discarded raspberry canes. With voracious appetites,
these slugs can devastate many small plants overnight, skeletonizing the leaves and
diminishing the plants’ chances at survival. © Photo by Jason Miller.
Chemical:
There are many products on the market to kill slugs and snails. Read the label before purchasing and using it at home. Follow the directions exactly. The newer products are distributed differently than was done with the products of a few years back. Newer products use ferrous (iron) phosphate as the active ingredient and require only sprinkling sparsely over an area. Slugs are attracted to the bait, they eat it, and it makes them stop eating and slither away to die. You won’t see the dead bodies, but after a few days, you will notice the damage has stopped. These newer products remain active for up to 2 weeks, even if it rains. They are safe to use around children, pets, and wildlife.

There are some products available that use metaldehyde as the active ingredient and it works very well, but they can be poisonous to children, pets, and wildlife.

Home Remedies:
Do not use salt. Slugs rehydrate and salt damages your soil and plants. Fermenting yeast attracts slugs, so some people use beer. You provide the party, and the slugs show up, drink their fill and drown. It has its advantage. The slugs come to you; you don’t have to go out looking for them. You can use a cottage cheese carton, cut a couple of openings in the side, set it in the ground up to those holes, fill it with beer or your homemade brew, and put the lid on. Check and empty it every couple of days. Slugs are also attracted by the smell of dead slugs and show up to join the party. Keep your dog away since dogs are known to slurp up the whole thing, dead slugs, and all. You can use old beer, but not wine or stale beer. Apple vinegar sometimes works. You can also make your own fermenting recipe: 1 Tbsp brewer’s yeast or baking yeast, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, and 2 cups tepid water. Mix and allowed to stand for an hour or so. It will last for 2 or 3 days.

Remember it takes regular attention and vigilance to manage slug and snail populations. Keep at it and over the years you will see a decline in the numbers you have in your yard.

About the Author:
Diana Wisen is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener and is the Coordinator of the Fuchsia Garden at the Discovery Garden on SR 536 in Mount Vernon.
References:
Gordon, David George. 2010. The Secret Life of Slugs and Snails-Life in the Slow Lane Sasquatch Books, Seattle, WA

“Managing Slugs and Snails” State University- 10-Minute University OSU Master Gardener Program and OSU Extension Service

Those Pesky Slugs” Article by Mary Robson King County Area Extension Agent (now retired) May 2000

Schenk, George. 2002. The Complete Shade Garden. Timber Press, Portland, OR

Questions about home gardening or becoming a master gardener, may be directed to:  WSU Skagit County Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Washington State University Extension helps people develop leadership skills and use research-based knowledge to improve economic status and quality of life. Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Skagit County. Extension programs and policies are available to all without discrimination.  To request disability accommodations contact us at least ten days in advance.