Protect and Replenish Your Garden Soil with a Cover Crop

What do you do with your garden beds after you’ve harvested the season’s fruits, vegetables, and flowers?

By: Valerie Rose, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Don’t leave the soil exposed to winter rain and wind – protect your precious garden soil with a cover crop. Garden crops draw nutrients from the soil, and cover crops replenish these nutrients. Think of it as home-grown fertilizer.

Cover crops are sometimes known as green manures. Farmers spread composted animal manure on fields, a traditional fertilizer source, replenishing soil nutrients following the harvest. Cover crops are a green, plant-based fertilizer that feeds the soil without animal products, hence the term ‘green manure.’

Cover crops do many important jobs at once, working quietly in the soil when it’s too cold for even the heartiest gardeners to lift a trowel. They include many species of plants: grains, grasses, and legumes (beans and peas). These versatile plants can suppress weeds, retard erosion, add organic matter, and store nutrients for future plants. Organic matter builds better soil structure and fertility, increasing water retention, drainage, and aeration.

Cover crops grow food for the soil instead of ingredients for a salad. When planted in autumn, cover crops are dug into the garden bed in the spring. Once tilled back into the soil, cover crops break down, adding nutrients and organic matter, nourishing next year’s garden. They also provide necessary food for earthworms and microorganisms. Cover crop plants are genuinely masters of multi-tasking.

Many Varieties to Choose From
You have many choices of cover crop plants with differing benefits. Adding and replenishing nitrogen, an essential plant nutrient, clover is a real gift. Clovers are nitrogen-fixers; they take atmospheric nitrogen from the air through the plant leaves and convert it into a form that plants can use. These generous plants store this vital nutrient in small nodules on the roots with the help of soil bacteria called rhizobia. When the plants decay in the ground (or are tilled into the soil), the nitrogen is available to feed other plants. Gardeners should plant crimson clover from September through mid-October and till it under in the spring. Crimson clover is this gardener’s favorite cover crop; I till under most of the plants, leaving a dozen or two to flower. The glorious red blooms are a welcome food source for pollinators in the spring and make a long-lasting cut flower.

Austrian field peas are another great option. This cold-hardy overwintering pea is an excellent choice for cooler, poorly drained soils, which describes many garden beds we know. You can sow this nitrogen-fixing pea as late as the end of November. Dig the plants into the ground in late April or early May in the spring.

Clovers and peas benefit from ‘inoculation’ – coating the seeds with nitrogen-fixing bacteria before planting. Doing this increases the amount of nitrogen each plant can retain. Most seed dealers sell small packets of inoculum, which are actually bacterial spores of rhizobia.

The inoculum and seeds are an easy, inexpensive way to nourish your hungry soil.

Buckwheat roots loosen the topsoil while accessing phosphorus within the soil, which is then stored in the plant’s tissues returning phosphorus to the soil for the next crop. Photo: © Adobe Stock

Some Choices of “Green Manure” Cover Crops

Retrieved from: https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2053/2015/09/list-of-crops-with-garden-coverage.pdf

Don’t Let Them Go To Seed
Cover crops should be tilled or dug into the soil before going to seed. Tilling or digging in is especially important when planting buckwheat, which is sown in summer. Clare Sullivan, a field crops expert for the Oregon State University Extension Service, notes, “The fast growth and dense canopy smothers annual weeds, protects the soil from erosion, and helps conserve soil moisture. The abundance of blossoms attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, and in a pinch, buckwheat can be added to a bouquet.”

Buckwheat roots loosen the topsoil while accessing phosphorus within the soil, which is then stored in the plant’s tissues. “When buckwheat residues are returned to the soil, the phosphorus becomes available for the next crop,” Sullivan said.

Cover Crops on Farms
Gardeners and farmers alike benefit from planting specific crops. Many farmers renew the health of their soil with cover crops. They may plant entire fields or in rows between orchard fruit trees. The Skagit Conservation District’s Cover Crop Grant Program helps eligible farmers purchase seed.

Farmers may plant cereal grasses like oats, barley, or rye. Rye is one of the most commonly grown cover crops on Northwest farms. This crop is vigorous, very cold-hardy, and can germinate and establish in cool weather. Rye grows rapidly in the spring, so it can become difficult to turn under by the time gardeners are ready to work their gardens. Mowing or weed whacking may be necessary before incorporating a heavy cover crop of cereal rye.

Livestock can enjoy grazing on cover crops such as triticale or winter rye. Even a variety of radish is used as a cover crop! Unlike radishes grown in vegetable gardens, the Forage radish loosens soil rather than enhancing a salad. Also known as “tillage radish,” their large roots “till” deep into the ground, naturally aerating the soil. Forage radishes also provide excellent food for wildlife.

Adding a cover crop to your garden is a small task with large benefits. “It seems really unlikely that you’re planting a seed in October that’s going to somehow magically do something good for you,” says David Kidwell-Slak, the National Plant Materials Center Manager for the National Resource Conservation Center. “[But] they provide a lot of benefits without much effort. It makes a pretty amazing addition to the garden.”

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
Cogger, C., Benedict, C. and Andrews, N. (2014) Cover Crops for Home Gardens West of the Cascades. Washington State University Extension Publication FS111E. https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/cover-crops-for-home-gardens-west-of-the-cascades-home-garden-series

McNiff, N. (2022) Cover Crops Benefit Both Commercial Farmers and Urban Gardeners. Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, USDA. https://www.farmers.gov/blog/cover-crops-benefit-both-commercial-farmers-and-urban-gardeners

Allison, J. (3/19/21) Conservation District Program Helps Skagit Farmers Plant Winter Cover Crops. Skagit Valley Herald, GoSkagit. Retrieved from: https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/conservation-district-program-helps-skagit-farmers-plant-winter-cover-crops/article_5021e864-1dc7-5490-abf2-f69cca34828d.html 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Valerie Jean Rose became a Master Gardener in 2009. A former journalist, she enjoys playing with words and plants-particularly her own vegetables.

There is still time
to apply to become
a Master Gardener in 2025
Questions about 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/
Sample Apples and Pears at NW Fruit
On Saturday, October 12 NW Fruit will hold its Sample the Apple and Pear Harvest Day. It is open to members, but anyone can attend by paying a $25 annual membership fee that day. Dr. Cameron Peace of WSU’s School of Horticulture (Pulman) will speak about heritage apple varieties and using DNA to identify varieties. There will be a tour of the many pioneer varieties in the garden and a chance to taste dozens of delicious cultivars thriving in the garden. Bags or boxes of ladder-picked fruit will be available for members to take home in addition to other fruit. Go to the website https://nwfruit.org/apple-pear/ to read more about this event.

Discover the Display Gardens Open House

Join us for this year’s Open House at the Discovery Garden,
the Salal Native Plant Garden, and the NW Fruit Garden
Saturday, June 29, 2024
10:00 a.m. ~ 2:00 p.m.
Free Admission & Parking

Visit 8 acres of gardens at one location in Skagit Valley

By Kay Torrance and Janine Wentworth
Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

Explore all three gardens and talk to the volunteers who maintain the gardens. Use your ‘Discovery Passport’ and map to lead you on a self-guided tour of educational displays and activities including:

• Container Gardening
• Growing Media for Container Gardening
• Drip Irrigation
• Plant Clinic
• Plant Sale

Also booths by:

• Skagit County Noxious Weeds
• Skagit County Natural Resources
• Skagit Conservation District

The Skagit Valley is home to three display gardens operated by volunteers as a learning resource for the public: the WSU Extension Master Gardener Discovery Garden, the Salal Native Plant Garden, and the NW Fruit Garden. The gardens are co-located on the grounds of Washington State University (WSU) Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center (NWREC) in Mount Vernon, WA (directions).

Ask a Master Gardener
Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners will be on-site to provide research-based solutions for your gardening challenges. Visit our Plant Clinic in the Pavilion for solutions to your plant problems or bring in a plant sample for identification. There will be a perennial plant sale. Bring your dull gardening tool to have it sharpened for free.

This year, master gardeners have crafted a special display on container gardening. Learn how to incorporate containers in your landscape or on your patio or balcony. Find out what you can grow and how to prepare the containers for success. There will also be information on planting media and using drip irrigation.

© Nancy Crowell Photography

© Kay Torrance
The Discovery Garden
Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Discovery Garden features 30 themed garden rooms on 1.5 acres with ADA-accessible paths and educational displays. Designed to support Skagit home gardeners by promoting research-based gardening practices, master gardeners have created 30 garden rooms within the garden, featuring hundreds of plants chosen to flourish in Skagit Valley. Master gardeners will be on hand to show you their favorite plants.

The Discovery Garden began in 1994 when 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 plantings of trees and installation of fences was completed in the fall of 1996, transforming a rural agricultural field into a public display garden. Check out the garden’s webpage and browse the 30 garden rooms to find inspiration for your garden.

Salal Native Plant Garden
The Salal Native Plant Garden is a half-acre oasis of native plants tucked behind the Discovery Garden. You can enter by walking through the Discovery Garden and following the paths to the south. Cool off in the shade and explore how you can incorporate low-maintenance natives into your home landscape. See how red osier dogwood, salal, cascara, vine maples, and others could look in your yard. Docents will be available for tours and to answer questions.

The Salal Native Plant Garden was 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). 

NW Fruit Garden
The NW Fruit Garden (formerly WWFRF) is six-acres planted with fruit trees, berry bushes, and other fruit-bearing plants suited for our climate, along with espaliers and informative signage. Tour the Antique Apple Collection in the orchard’s inner oval or tour the entire orchard. Ask about pruning and thinning of fruit. Find out what fruit varieties are best for your needs. The garden includes many unusual plants, such as medlar, sea buckthorn, kiwi, Aronia, and haskaps.

The NW Fruit Garden is located on the west side of the Discovery Garden. The garden was initiated in 1991 to provide a resource for the public to view successful fruit varieties and cultural methods for our Pacific maritime climate. Whether you are choosing two or three fruit tree varieties for a small urban backyard or have a more extensive orchard for family or even farmers-market production, NW Fruit has information on variety selection and fruit culture for the Pacific Northwest.

Master gardeners are focusing on container gardening at this year’s Open House. Check out the options and growing media recipes. © Ginny Bode

Plant Clinic experts will be on hand to answer questions and diagnose your gardening issues. © Ginny Bode

If you can’t make the Open House, all three gardens are open and free to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk. Visit the gardens throughout the year 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
• Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener website
• Salal Native Plant Garden website
• NW Fruit (Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation website

ABOUT THE AUTHORS :

Kay Torrance and Janine Wentworth are Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners and part of the Planning Committee for the annual 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

Mark your calendar for these upcoming master gardener events:

Skagit County Fair
Thursday ~ Sunday, August 8-11, 2024
Skagit County Fairgrounds
Building D
(map)
Visit our booth, see our displays, and talk with master gardeners about how to make your garden beautiful and productive.
Know & Grow Lecture Series
Season Extenders
Presented by Hallie Kintner
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 ~ 1 p.m.
Free Admission
NWREC Sakuma Auditorium
16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon

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!

Tap into Great Gardening Advice at a Master Gardener Plant Clinic

An amazing depth of knowledge and resources are available for home gardeners through Master Gardener Plant Clinics and Info Booths throughout Skagit County.

By: Ginny Bode and Anne Hays, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

Problem with your roses? Does your fruit tree have a virus or a fungus? Is something attacking your pepper starts? Need help identifying plants in your new-to-you garden? Perhaps you have been out and about admiring your garden and noticed that all is not well.

Rather than depending on your neighbor or an online group’s collective input (which may or may not be accurate), visit a plant clinic and get answers to your questions from WSU Extension-trained experts. Master gardeners are an arm of the Skagit County WSU Extension office. They are rigorously trained in scientific gardening methods based on research conducted by leading agricultural institutions.

You’ll find answers to your questions and thousands of other issues faced by home gardeners in Skagit County at a Master Gardener Plant Clinic. Drop in at one of the locations throughout the county, all free of charge, spring through fall.

Master gardeners are taught how to search the many publications that document plant issues faced by Pacific Northwest gardeners and the recommended solutions. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

The plant clinic in Burlington has a large resource library with books on insects, flowers, trees, shrubs, weeds and diseases. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners
What does science-based gardening information mean?
Master gardeners stand on the shoulders of agricultural research powerhouses such as Washington State University and Oregon State University. These land grant universities support the agricultural industry through research, which includes testing soils, finding solutions for diseases, and identifying the best cultivars for specific climates.

All master gardeners sign a commitment to only offer solutions proven in a university research setting. That means we won’t recommend a solution that isn’t proven reliable and safe. The extensive training includes integrated pest management or IPM. These solutions aim to “reduce human health risks, minimize adverse environmental impacts, and maximize economic returns and sustainability.” Clinic volunteers will help you find a solution that best meets your gardening goals. We’ll give you options if you don’t want to use pesticides. If you do want to use strong chemicals, master gardeners will outline the options and safety measures. Sometimes, the plant is in the wrong place, or a disease is in the soil, and the plant will never be successful. Then, clinic volunteers will recommend removing the plant and starting a new one with a disease-resistant cultivar rather than fighting an ongoing issue for years.

Plant disease diagnoses are a regular part of the plant clinic team’s day. Here a Camellia shows signs of both cottony camellia scale (Pulvinaria floccifera) and sooty mold. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

When plant clinic volunteers aren’t busy working on client problems, they are refreshing their knowledge base by identifying insects, weeds, or diseases. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

Who are the plant clinic experts?
You will be astounded at the scientific backgrounds found among the master gardeners who work at the plant clinics. Trained through the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Program, many core volunteers are retired from bioscience, forestry, and geology careers. Through years of diagnostic study and training, others have become experts in fruit tree diseases or insects. At a plant clinic, master gardeners work as a team to identify the problems and regularly cross-check diagnoses. Any master gardener will tell you that clinic experts are rarely stumped. If they are, they won’t stop until they find the answer.

Master Gardener Allison Hitchcock remembers one of the more unique plant identification challenges: “A client came in and wanted us to identify one of many large pits found piled on her property (likely dumped). I was having lunch at the time and just finishing my mango and easily identified the discarded pits with the one in my hand.”

During a recent plant clinic session, master gardeners worked through the identification process for an ant. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

Proper identification is critical to recommending a solution with the least risk or harm to the environment and surrounding living beings. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

Master Gardener Gail Messett remembers an Anacortes clinic visitor who was a fellow master gardener from North Carolina: “She was so glad to see us. She was visiting her son stationed at Whidbey, who had recently purchased a house in Anacortes. She wanted to help him reclaim his mature garden and needed help identifying existing plants and what plants work in the Pacific Northwest. She went back to his house and returned with pictures of plants for us to identify. And, of course, we could suggest native and other plants that would work well in our climate.”

Common Plant Clinic Questions:

• Plant disease diagnosis and treatment suggestions
• Insect identification (and control options, if necessary)
• Plant selection ideas
• General gardening advice, such as pruning techniques, weed control, and pesticide/herbicide application tips
• Gardening resources guidance: We can put you in touch with soil-test sources, native plant societies, mushroom identification sources, and much more

Two Locations in Skagit County
The clinics in Burlington and Anacortes have a library, print materials, access to online resources, and microscopes for plant identification and disease diagnosis. The Anacortes plant clinic is open during the Farmers Market and often attracts visiting tourists or those new to the area and interested in local plants.
Bring Your Suspicious-Looking Plant Materials
Plant clinic volunteers are eager to hear your questions and diagnose plant issues. The questions brought to the clinic also help identify trends throughout the county. Live samples are preferred, either in a baggie or jar, but the team can also work with suitable photos and, often, verbal descriptions. For plant ID, you should include a small branch and any flowers or fruits. Insect and disease samples should include both healthy and affected tissue/branches. Photos should consist of both close-up and landscape shots.

With the information you bring, the plant clinic team will ask questions, use microscopes, and research a comprehensive library of reference materials. Drawing on science-based training and years of experience diagnosing local garden issues, plant clinic master gardeners will track down the source of the problem and offer advice on the least invasive methods to set you on the right course for recovery.

The plant clinic in Burlington is home to Dr. Lloyd Eighme’s (1927 – 2021) extensive insect collection which can be viewed during clinic hours. https://www.skagitmg.org/home/publications/insects/ © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners

Dr. Eighme’s insect collection is maintained and enhanced by Skagit County Master Gardeners and is used to educate the public and to build and share knowledge about insects in our region. © Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners
WSU Extension Master Gardener Plant Clinic Locations and Hours:
Burlington:
Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April through October
WSU Skagit County Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A (near Skagit Airport), Burlington
Anacortes:
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  (Open Saturday, May 18 through Saturday, October 12)
In the Depot Building at 7th St & R Ave., the Farmers Market, Anacortes
Farmers Market Info Booths:
Master gardeners are available at info booths at the Farmers Markets in Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, and Concrete. Though these info-stations aren’t equipped with microscopes and an entire resource library, the master gardener volunteers at the Farmers Market info-stations can answer many of your gardening questions and connect you with the resources you need to be a successful home gardener. Check day and time with local directories.

• Mount Vernon Farmers Market
• Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market
• http://concretesaturdaymarket.com

Visit a Master Gardener Plant Clinic while attending one of these annual events:

Free Admission & Parking
May 11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Skagit County Fairgrounds
Learn More >
Plant Clinic at the Discovery Garden / Display Garden Open House
Saturday, June 29, 2024 – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Discovery Garden, 16650 State Route 536 (Memorial Hwy), Mount Vernon, WA  98273
Learn More >
Plant Clinic at the Skagit County Fair
Bring your plant questions to the master gardener booth at Skagit County Fair, August 8 – 11, 2024

If you can’t visit during plant clinic hours, you can submit your question:

• Online: https://www.skagitmg.org/home/plant-clinic-submission/
• Email: skagitmgplantclinic@gmail.com
• Phone message: 360-395-2368

Alternatively, you can drop samples off at the WSU Skagit County Extension Office between 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Information on preparing your samples for mailing or dropping off is online at https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/mg/clinics/

Please provide:

• your garden location
• a detailed description of the problem, plant, or insect
• send digital photos if possible
• phone number and email if we have more questions

During the off-season, plant clinic staff meets every other week to answer emails and work on problems, so there may be a short delay in receiving your answer.

Remember, there are many reasons your plant may not be thriving. Perhaps it is a tender specimen homesick for warmer climates, or it might prefer a sunnier or shadier location in your yard. It might perk right up with some soil amendment and a different watering regimen. Stressed plants are more susceptible to insect attack and disease. A virus or a fungus might have settled in, or tiny insects might be emerging to feast. The solution could be as simple as picking off the damaged leaves, instituting good winter cleanup practices, or using a handheld sprinkler to wash insects off leaves. A visit to a Master Gardener Plant Clinic will help you solve your gardening challenges and decide what to plant next.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
Sanchez, N. Key strategies for integrated pest management. Oregon State University.(Aug. 2019) Retrieved from: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/pests-weeds-diseases/ipm/key-strategies-integrated-pest-management

ABOUT THE AUTHORS :
Ginny Bode and Anne Hays are Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners, Class of 2022. They are co-editors of the Ask a Master Gardener blog and are always interested in hearing from readers about future topics of interest.

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

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!

Mark Your Calendar:

Skagit Master Gardener Plant Fair-A Growing Tradition

Enjoy fun for the entire family on Saturday, May 11, 2024  8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

By Claire Cotnoir and Hank Davies
Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners and Co-Chairs of the 2024 Plant Fair
Thirty Years and Growing
On Saturday, May 11, 2024 (the Saturday before Mother’s Day, per tradition), the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation will hold its annual Plant Fair, taking over the entire Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering something for every gardener.

The annual Plant Fair kicks off summer for Skagit area gardeners with thousands of quality garden plants for sale, all locally grown or selected by Skagit County Master Gardeners and chosen for success in our local environment. The event is free, parking is free, and master gardener plant recommendations and advice are free. Thousands of plants and other items are available at very reasonable prices.

The Skagit County Fairgrounds, at 501 Taylor Street, is just south of downtown Mount Vernon. Follow the signs to the south entrance on Taylor Street. Note: although the parking area is ample, it is not unusual for a line to form in the earlier hours of the event. Pack your patience, or consider coming a bit later.

The scene at the opening gate is always exciting and has grown over the years.

Sometimes, It’s Fun to Look Back
Gardeners are often surprised by old photos of their gardens and are always delighted by the growth and development they’ve seen since. Plants grow, gardens grow– and boy, do gardening events grow! As Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners are growing and grooming plants to prepare for their 30th annual Plant Fair, they share fond memories of their earlier, smaller events.

The Plant Fair originally started in a field beside what is now the Discovery Garden on Memorial Highway. It moved to the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon in 2015, first occupying one building, and now spreading across the entire fairground with many, many plants, vendors, music, learning sessions and more.

The space allotted for master gardener plant sales, demonstrations, the plant clinic, and The Emporium has also grown all in spacious, comfortable indoor spaces. You’ll find the space for vendor booths, which has also grown, with indoor and outdoor spaces.

Some things couldn’t really grow much bigger. The cashier banners, for instance– this event is a fundraiser, after all! And as always, the master gardeners will be showing off their (often) large, unique hats.

Master Gardener Plants Are the Best!
If you’re looking for tomato plants, head straight for Building D (affectionately dubbed The Tomato Barn), where more than 3,000 plants will be available. You’ll find 40+ varieties that have proven to be favorites of Skagit Valley tomato lovers, plus limited numbers of some “rare and unusual” types. New this year is the Skagit Dwarf Tomato Project. In response to many requests for tomato plants that could be grown in a pot on a deck or condo/apartment balcony, master gardeners have sourced a limited quantity of plants that perfectly fit this need. Look for a table of dwarf varieties at the back of the barn. Or ask one of the many master gardeners for assistance. Check out the tomato list here.>

Like last year, the vast Pavilion building will host a variety of annual and perennial plants, both ornamental and edible. This year’s fair will feature spectacular flowering plant varieties, including Lisianthus, an uncommon and beautiful rose-like plant that is notoriously difficult to start. Master gardeners have done the hard part for you. Lisianthus will be available in apricot, green, and white this year. Hanging baskets of Fuchsia and Coleus pots will be ready for Mother’s Day gifting. Many more varieties for sale include Cosmos, Dianthus, Eucalyptus, white lace flower (Orlaya grandiflora), Scabiosa, snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), stock (Matthiola incana), strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum), Zinnia, bellflower (Campanula spp.), bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis), love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascene), and Silene ‘Blushing Lanterns.’

Chose from an abundance of annuals and perennials in the Pavilion.

You’ll find 40+ proven favorites of Skagit Valley tomato lovers, plus limited numbers of “rare and unusual” types.

In the vegetable section, master gardeners have grown popular varieties well-suited to the local climate. A few examples of the vegetable and herb starts you will find include beet, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, Florence fennel, kale, leek, melon, onion, pepper, pumpkin, Swiss chard, shallot, spinach, summer squash, winter squash, tomatillo, basil, chive, cilantro, and dill.

As always, a wide variety of perennials will be available, including many native plant varieties and edibles like berries, rhubarb, grapes, figs, and perennial herbs. Of course, you’ll find perennially popular peonies! And for the first time, beautiful ‘Spider’s Web’ Fatsia. Also, ferns, trees, shrubs, iris, hardy geranium, Hosta, Epimedium, Trillium, Delphinium, wild ginger (Asarum canadense)-the list goes on. New this year, a pollinator exhibit will help you understand which plants attract which pollinators, their bloom times, and the importance of pollinators for our gardens and the planet.

Bring your plant questions to discuss with a master gardener at the plant clinic held in the Pavilion.

Get ready to go! Bring your boxes, carts, wagons, and, most importantly, your wish list.

Plants and So Much More
Just inside the Pavilion’s main entrance, master gardener plant clinic experts will help you with plant questions and problems. Across the aisle, shop at The Emporium for lightly used garden tools, books, art, and vases. Here, you’ll also find information on the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Program, upcoming events, and how to become a master gardener.

Get your pruners ready-the popular tool sharpening station is in the Pavilion this year and with increased staff. Bring your tools and let our tool experts prepare you for all your summer gardening exploits.

As you exit the Pavilion, head next door to the ‘Free Parking for Paid Plants’ area, where you can “park” your purchases while you continue shopping and enjoying a bite to eat and music in the picnic area. Our popular plant-parking service is returning this year with help from local 4-H members. In Building G, 4-H will also host their annual Small Animal Fair.

All along the grass fairway and in Building C, Plant Fair visitors will find a variety of vendors selling handcrafted wares such as jewelry, glass/metal art, wood sculptures, and gardening equipment. Plus, more plants! Visit educational booths to learn about noxious weeds, energy conservation, bats, and bees. Locally sourced food and drink vendors will be on hand to keep your energy up. Check out the vender list here.>

On the grass fairway vendors will be selling more plants, garden art, food and more.

A wide variety of perennials will be available, including many native plant varieties and edibles.
Demonstrations for Learning
Try attending one of the short gardening demos from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. presented in Building B. Demo topics include pruning, planting tomatoes, gardening with native plants, and more. You may already know Building B as the quilt building if you regularly attend the annual Skagit County Fair. This year, the demonstration area will surrounded by a colorful display of garden-themed quilts on loan from master gardeners and friends.
Get Ready to Go
Bring your boxes, carts, wagons, and, most importantly, your wish list! To help you plan, tomato variety descriptions, plant lists, a vendor list, and demonstration schedules will be available by the end of April on the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation website at https://www.skagitmg.org/plant-fair.

Happy customers at the plant fair!

Pick up your tomato favorites from the 3000+ plants selected for our climate and grown by local master gardeners.
Supporting Skagit County Gardeners
Proceeds generated from the Plant Fair enable the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation, a non-profit organization working in partnership with Washington State University Extension, to support home gardeners by promoting science-based gardening practices and education throughout the year. To learn more about events and programs, visit https://www.skagitmg.org. And join our mailing list to stay informed all year: https://www.skagitmg.org/mailing-list/.

Do you love the Plant Fair? You can help make it great next year by becoming a Skagit County Extension Master Gardener! Ask any master gardener at the fair what they love about the program. To learn about the application process, inquire at the Plant Fair Emporium in the Pavilion building or visit http://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/mg/apply/

ABOUT THE AUTHORS :
Claire Cotnoir and Hank Davies are the Co-Chairs of the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Plant Fair and co-coordinators of the Japanese Garden, Common Areas, and Structures in the Discovery Garden located 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

Free Admission & Parking
May 11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Skagit County Fairgrounds
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!

Red-twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) © Joan D. Stamm

Gardening for Wildlife

Thinking of adding new plants to your garden this spring? Choose from these recommendations to build a healthy ecosystem for your favorite wildlife species.

Updated: August 18, 2024

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

In a blog article last September, I recommended reading Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy for the “why” of gardening for wildlife. This article will explore the “what” and the “where”-as in “what” plants and “where” to buy them.

For the “what,” I suggest Real Gardens Grow Natives by Eileen M. Stark as a guide to site prep, plant selection, and the benefits each plant offers the ecosystem. “Benefit” in this article, as in Stark’s book, is the critical word. It points to what the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has coined as keystone plants.

What exactly is a keystone plant?
According to NWF, keystone plants are “native plants critical to the food web and necessary for many wildlife species to complete their life cycle. Without keystone plants in the landscape, butterflies, native bees, and birds will not thrive. 96% of our terrestrial birds rely on insects supported by keystone plants.”

Stark, a wildlife conservationist and landscape designer from Portland, Oregon, specializes in wildlife habitat gardens that include keystone plants. In the 317 pages of her beautifully photographed book, you will find 100 of her favorite Northwest native plant varieties and their many benefits for wildlife.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) © Joan D. Stamm

Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata) © Joan D. Stamm

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) © Joan D. Stamm

For example, the Garry oak or Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) is one of the top keystone plants Stark promotes in her book. If we want butterflies in our garden, we need to have trees, shrubs, and perennials that host butterfly larvae. The Garry oak is one such tree; it is a host plant for many caterpillars, including the “gray hairstreak, California sister, and Propertius duskywing butterfly larvae.” In addition, the “flowers attract native bees,” and the “acorns sustain populations of mammals and birds such as woodpeckers, nuthatches and vireos.” “Studies show,” writes Start, “that oaks support more insect herbivores than any other plant genus.”

Although incredibly beneficial, not everyone has space for an 80-foot Garry oak. If not, consider another keystone tree: bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata). Birds such as “tanagers, waxwings, bluebirds, towhees, and flickers” will arrive to eat the fruit. A native cherry also hosts “swallowtail and Lorquin’s admiral butterfly larvae.”

If you love butterflies, another great keystone tree is Scouler’s willow (Salix scouleriana); it hosts “western tiger swallowtail, great comma, dreamy duskywing, and mourning cloak butterfly larvae.” In addition, native willow flowers “provide pollen and nectar for bees,” and “small and large mammals feed on buds, leaves, and seeds.”

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) © Joan D. Stamm

Frog on Sneezeweed © Joan D. Stamm

Bumblebee on blanket flower © Joan D. Stamm

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is also a keystone tree, providing “pollen and nectar for large numbers of bees, as well as hummingbird and spring azure butterflies.” Serviceberry fruit, says Stark, “is relished by waxwings, chickadees, woodpeckers, and tanagers,” and it is a host plant for “pale swallowtail, brown elfin, Lorquin’s admiral, and California hairstreak butterfly larvae.”

Along with these important native trees, many keystone perennials can fit into any open sunny space in your garden. A beneficial plant throughout many regions, goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), is a “nectar source for native bees and butterflies, such as the checkered skipper, clouded sulphur, gray hairstreak, monarch [east of the Cascades], and the endangered Oregon silverspot.”

Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum) “provides nectar and pollen for bees and nectar for woodland skipper, pine white, painted lady, red admiral, mourning cloak, and the Oregon silverspot.” It is also a “host plant for field crescent and other butterfly larvae.”

Big-leaf lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) not only “provide[s] pollen for native bumblebees,” it is a “host plant for silvery blue, painted lady, and orange sulfur butterfly larvae. Aphids attracted to the plant are preyed upon by syrphid fly larvae. Seeds are eaten by birds such as sparrows and finches.”

The Viola adunca, a native violet in our state, is a dynamic host plant for at least seven species of butterfly caterpillars and an enticing nectar plant for the endangered Mardon skipper butterfly.

Stark divides her native plant selections into three categories: plants for sun, partial sun, and mostly shade, guiding us in our creed “right plant, right place.” You’ll also find chapters on soil, pruning, watering, weeding, mulching, and much more. Her book is this gardener’s “go-to” choice whenever looking for the right native plant for a particular area and wanting to know the benefit to nature: what bees, butterflies, birds, or caterpillars the plant will attract.

As beneficial as all native plants are for our native wildlife, some natives on Stark’s list may not be suitable for an urban or suburban garden. For example, western red cedar, grand fir, Douglas fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce, are all enormously beneficial, but grow to a height of over 100 feet. The Douglas’ spirea, Stark warns, “may be too assertive for small, moist gardens.” Yet, the Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida, a small shrub with white flowers, might be perfect for a sunny border. Be sure to familiarize yourself with height, width, water requirements, and characteristics such as “vigorous,” “assertive,” or “rapid spreader” to determine if you have the “right plant for the right place.” A Nootka rose’s flowers and hips provide many benefits to wildlife but, over time, will grow into a thicket. However, if you have room for it to spread, it might make the perfect hedgerow, providing not only winter food for juncos and grosbeaks but also a habitat for nesting birds and the western checkerspot butterfly caterpillar.

For a more comprehensive book on creating gardens for wildlife, see Russell Link’s Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Link’s book not only includes extensive lists of native and non-native plants that benefit wildlife but also illustrates how to build habitats for birds, reptiles, mammals, and all the other creatures that make up a complete ecosystem. For example, he details snag locations and which draw native birds. He describes how to create a cavity in a live tree without killing the tree and thus create a habitat for a woodpecker. The book contains several kinds of fully illustrated brush or rock piles, including how to make them, where to place them, and who will benefit.

For example, Link says that “bushtits, chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, towhees,” and others “will use the inside of a brush pile,” whereas “hummingbirds, robins, and towhees will use the outside of a brush pile. Salamanders, snakes, toads, and turtles,” will use the base of the brush pile. He also covers how to create or construct proper birdbaths, ponds, nest boxes, and bat houses and features detailed drawings to illustrate how to build homes for Mason and bumblebees. Included are eight pages of colored photos depicting NW native mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, and other insects, describing our native birds and their preferred habitats.

Bee on Sneezeweed © Joan D. Stamm

Scotch bluebell (Campanula rotundifolia) © Joan D. Stamm

With these three books, Nature’s Best Hope, Real Gardens Grow Natives, and Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, you will be inspired, informed, and guided to provide plants that offer habitat and food (nectar, pollen, insects) for our native wildlife. You will better understand why it’s important to cultivate natives and have a clearer idea of what to plant, thus joining the movement to restore our natural ecosystem.

The only question remaining is “where” to buy all these wonderful beneficial plants?
You can start with our very own Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation’s Annual Plant Fair, which always features a native plant section. The sale occurs the Saturday before Mother’s Day (May 11, 2024) at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon.

The local Salal chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (https://www.wnps.org/salal-programs/garden) offers a twice-yearly native plant sale online with pick up at their demonstration garden adjacent to the Discovery Garden. Sign up to get email notifications.

Some of our local nurseries are beginning to carry more native plants. Azusa Gardens in Mount Vernon on Hwy 20 (https://www.azusagardens.com/) keeps expanding its native plant section each season. They feature two- and five-gallon shrubs such as twinberry, ocean spray, snowberry, red-twig dogwood, mountain hemlock, and others. Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata), in particular, is an attractive and beneficial native shrub easily grown with a little shade. It produces yellow tubular flowers attractive to hummingbirds and the berries are eaten by “thrushes, flickers, grosbeaks, and waxwings”; it’s also a host plant for the “snowberry checkerspot butterfly larvae.” Azusa also carries native ferns, and groundcovers such as bunchberry and wild ginger. They also welcome requests for specific plants.

Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon on Best Road  (https://www.christiansonsnursery.com/) has a native plant section and carries one-gallon great camass (Camassia leichtlinii) in spring. They also have vine maple, salal, western red cedar, fir, hemlock, and kinnikinnick. The latter is a perfect groundcover. Kinnikinnick is not only evergreen, but the flowers are popular with bees and hummingbirds; the berries are eaten by “songbirds and many ground-feeding birds,” says Stark. It is also a “host plant for brown elfin and hoary elfin butterfly larvae.”

Plantas Nativa in Bellingham (https://www.plantasnativa.com/) specializes exclusively in native plants. They pack a lot of choices-conifers, shrubs, perennials, ferns, grasses, water plants, groundcovers, and more-into their small corner lot.

A little farther away but worth the drive, a visit to the Pacific Rim Institute (PRI) https://pacificriminstitute.org/ near Coupeville on Whidbey Island will reward you with not only a native plant nursery but a hike through a preserved segment of Washington’s native prairie landscape that contains the endangered golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta). PRI’s Nursery specializes in 50 native prairie plants. Many, such as woolly sunflower, red paintbrush, campanula, yarrow, larkspur, and fescue, will thrive in a sunny spot in your garden. Red paintbrush, in particular, is a beautiful, easy-to-grow native when planted with another native-like yarrow, woolly sunflower, penstemon, or blue-eyed grass. Due to its symbiotic nature, paintbrush requires nutrients from a host plant’s roots to survive. It blooms throughout summer, and Anna’s hummingbird loves the red flowers.

PRI also specializes in some unique native bulbs-ookow (Dichelostemma congestum), blue lily (Triteleia grandiflora), and harvest brodiaea (Brodiaea coronaria), that I hope will begin to replace my non-native tulips and daffodils for spring cheer.

With the knowledge and expertise of Tallamy, Stark, and Link, and a little help from our many plant retailers, you will be inspired to garden with native keystone plants that provide food and habitat for our indigenous birds, bees, and butterflies. In our age of endangered plant and animal species, we can be a force for eco-restoration right in our own backyard.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Stark, E. 2014. Real Gardens Grow Natives. Skipstone, Seattle, WA

Tallamy, D. 2019. Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Joan D. Stamm is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener and the author of several books, including The Language of Flowers in the Time of COVID: Finding Solace in Zen, Nature and Ikebana.

https://joandstamm.com/

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

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/

Drip Irrigation – Design, Installation and Maintenance

With a little work up front, you’ll save time and money while preserving one of our most precious natural resources

By Bob Bryan, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Master Gardener program priorities help us navigate between horticulture, our natural resources and community needs. As trained volunteers, we are constantly learning the latest in research-based practices to advise homeowners how to maintain gardens and sustainable landscapes. Drip irrigation is a method of slowly delivering water to all types of plantings-from planters to gardens to greenhouses.

Drip irrigation is not new. In Germany in the 1920s farmers used perforated pipes to irrigate plants. Simcha Blass in Israel developed the first experimental drip irrigation system in 1959 and formed the first drip irrigation company, Netafim, in 1965. Drip irrigation places a precise amount of water where you need it, prevents overwatering, conserves water, saves money, and keeps water off foliage, reducing disease. It eliminates hours of hand watering, can be fully automated with a timer, and reduces weeding time. Drip systems can be applied to gardens, vineyards, greenhouses, row crops, window planters, deck and patio pots, existing landscapes, hillsides, or flat terrain, and is long lasting and adaptable.

A simple irrigation system that many turn to when they first transition from hand watering or overhead watering with sprinklers or spray heads is a soaker hose. Soaker hoses are made from 70% recycled rubber and 30% recycled polyethylene products. They can be bought in 25-ft, 50-ft, and 100-ft lengths. The disadvantage of soaker hoses is that they deteriorate over a few years, and they do not emit water uniformly along their length. More water is distributed at the end closer to the source. As you reach the end, less water is available for the plants. One can get the best performance from a soaker hose by using a timer, a filter, and a pressure reducer and operating it at no higher pressure than 10 psi.

Pressure compensating shrubbler watering Japanese Garden at the Discovery Garden on Hwy 536 West of Mount Vernon

1/2-in. dripline with manual timer, filter and pressure reducer for watering a tree.

Step 1: Identify the Water Source

The first step in designing a drip irrigation system is to identify the source of water and point of connection (POC).

• Will you use a hose bibb attached to the house water circuit or a frost-proof hydrant out in the yard?
• Do you plan to use gravity fed water from a cistern or water tank?
• Will you pump water from a lake or creek?

Once identified, you need to measure the flow available from the POC. Think of a drip irrigation system as a collection of emitters. Emitters allow water to flow out at specified gallons per hour (GPH). Common emitters allow 1 GPH or 2 GPH flow. The flow of water available from the POC must be capable of providing enough water to satisfy all the emitters. If you plan to have more emitters than your available flow can provide, you must divide your system into zones and then operate one zone at a time.

Identify Your Flow Rate

Measure your flow rate by placing a 5-gallon bucket beneath the POC, open the valve completely, and time the number of seconds it takes to fill the container. Then the gallons per minute (GPM) = (60 seconds per minute/number of seconds to fill) x (number of gallons).

Drip system components. Composite photos courtesy of Dripworks.

Step Two: Identify Areas you Want to Water

The second step is to decide what areas you want to water. Make a sketch. Take some measurements. This will help you determine the amount of mainline and number of branch lines you need. Mainlines are ½”, ¾”, or 1″ polypropylene, usually black. Branch lines are usually ½”.

The Parts of a Drip Irrigation System

A drip irrigation system consists of the following parts connected in this order: POC, timer, filter, pressure regulator, mainline, branch lines, end cap.

Several companies make drip irrigation parts. Parts from Hunter, Rainbird, Raindrip, Netafim and Jain can be found at big box stores, hardware stores, or landscape suppliers like Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply in Burlington and online like Dripworks.

All suppliers provide similar products. A note of caution: Rainbird ½” mainline is slightly smaller than Dripworks ½” mainline. Rainbird ½” polypropylene is 0.500″ inside diameter; Dripworks ½” polypropylene is 0.600″ inside diameter. Rainbird ½” mainline will not fit on Dripworks barbs in their Easy Loc fittings. Dripworks offers a reducing coupler that allows one to extend a Rainbird system to a Dripworks system. When starting from scratch, it makes sense to decide on one supplier to build your system. Both Dripworks and Rainbird products are of equal quality and diversity. I have built systems with Dripworks parts and will describe them going forward, but Rainbird parts could be substituted.

A 1/2″ mainline with multiple repairs illustrating the result of burying drip lines under mulch. Such hidden lines are invariably severed by weeding activity. © Bob Bryan

Illustration of a 3/4″ mainline with an Easy Loc “T” connected to a 1/2″ drip line through a control valve.
Photo by © Robert Bryan

Timers: A timer allows you to go on vacation knowing that your landscape and patio plants are going to be watered appropriately. Timers are wind-up, battery-powered, AC powered or solar powered. They handle one zone (wind-up) or up to 12 zones. All powered timers offer similar functions. When first powered up, you set the current time and day of the week. Next you choose which zone you are setting up (for multi-zone timers). Then, for each zone, you set the duration, days to irrigate, and a start time for each irrigation (up to four start times). Multiple start times are useful for high volume watering using shrubblers, micro-jets, mini-sprinklers, or sprayers. These devices are designed to cover areas not specific plants and can lead to run-off. You can avoid run-off by watering for multiple short intervals. Galcon LCD timers have worked well for my needs.

The type of soil in your garden will determine the irrigation schedule and emitter choice. Clay soil holds more water, is slow to absorb water, and is slow to release water. For this type of soil use 0.5 GPH emitters spaced farther apart. Loam, which is the optimal soil type, is very porous and retains moisture. Use 0.5 – 1 GPH emitters. Sandy soils are extremely porous and allow quick water flow. Use 1 – 2 GPH emitters closely spaced and water more frequently for shorter periods.

Filters: Because drip irrigation emitters contain very small channels, they are susceptible to clogging. It’s important to always include a filter after the timer. Garden filters come with hose threads or pipe threads. Screen filters remove sediment and debris that can clog a drip system. Filters are rated by filtering capability. The common terms used are mesh, the number of wires per inch and micron, the maximum particle size that can pass through the screen. Home garden screen filters are commonly used for small to medium size irrigation systems with a relatively clean water supply. Common mesh sizes are 50, 100, 150, and 200. I use Irritec hose thread Y filters with 200 mesh.

Most municipal water systems supply water at 40 – 60 psi. This is too high for drip irrigation systems. Pressure regulators come with hose threads or pipe threads. Senninger Garden Regulators are ideal for low-volume drip systems. They will regulate pressure from 10 psi to 40 psi. I use 30 psi regulators in my gardens.

In the old days (back in the 1970s) I assembled drip systems using Raindrip compression fittings. These could be bought at hardware stores or nursery centers. They come in straight couplers, elbows, tees, and hose starts. They are black plastic cylinders with compression elements at the open ends. You push the ½” polypropylene tubing into the open end wiggling it around and jacking it back and forth to force it into the fitting. Once in, it doesn’t leak. But like the Hotel California, once you check in, you can never leave. One day I was watching farm hands installing a field for strawberries near where I lived then in Carlsbad, CA. The tractor and implement produced flat-topped raised beds across the field. Then the workers laid down T-tape (also called drip tape). Then they covered the raised beds with black plastic. They made slits in the plastic and planted strawberry plants in the raise beds. The drip irrigation system was in situ. Dripworks carries the latest generation of tape technology from Toro called Aqua-Traxx drip tape. The emitters are spaced at 4″, 6″, 8″ and 12″ centers. This can be used in home gardens, but it is really meant for large commercial farms. Discovering T-tape led me to a local store that sold irrigation supplies and introduced me to a new type of drip irrigation.

Illustrating a Manifold Swivel System with, from the bottom, a female hose x 3/4″ female pipe adapter, a 3/4″ Standard Amiad Filter, a Senninger Limit Valve (40 PSI), various Manifold Swivel parts, two 3/4″ Galcon Battery Valves, a 3/4″ Female Easy Loc hose start, a 1/2″ Female Easy Loc hose start, and a 4 Station Galcon Battery Timer. Photo by © Robert Bryan

This image shows the manifold system described in the last photo connected to a frost-proof yard hydrant by a high pressure hose. © Photo Robert Bryan

Step Three: Assembly

Back to our drip system design: the common way to start a system is to use a female hose start with swivel. Fittings to build a drip irrigation system are ½”, ¾” and 1″ Easy Loc fittings. The female hose start has a female hose swivel on one end and a locking barb on the other. Attach the female hose start to the regulator’s male threads. Work the end of the polypropylene tubing over the barb and tighten up the locking collar. To take the tubing off, loosen the locking collar and pull the tubing off the barb. All Easy Loc Fittings (a Dripworks product) work this way. When working with these fittings in the cold, it helps to keep a tube of food-grade lubricant such as Lubrifilm to lubricate the barb. Cut the polypropylene tubing with pruning shears. Continue to build out your system with couplers, tees, elbows, inline valves, and male hose end with caps for closing lines. Vendor websites have many plans for gardens of many types. They often include a helpful list of materials (because they want you to buy supplies from them). Perusing these plans will give you ideas for your garden.

Extra Tips:

If you have a long garden bed along the fence or the sidewalk, and want to irrigate the shrubs there, run a ½” mainline down the center. Install the timer, filter, pressure regulator and female hose start at the hose bibb at the house. Dig a narrow trench across the lawn, put ¾” Sch 40 PVC pipe in the trench and run the ½” polypropylene through the PVC. The PVC will protect the drip mainline from being cut by digging and weeding. Easy Loc 90° elbows put the mainline down in the trench, then bring it up in the garden bed. With the mainline in place and closed at the end with a male hose end, punch holes in the mainline with a specialty hole punch. Insert ¼” transfer barbs into the holes. If the shrubs are medium size, you can irrigate with a loop of ¼” soaker dripline. Attach the dripline to the transfer barb and close the end with a goof plug (a plug with different-sized barbs used to repair small or large holes in mainline tubing). If the shrub is small bring some ¼” polyethylene micro tubing to the plant from a transfer barb. Connect it to a Cobra Stake drip emitter (available in ½, 1, or 2 GPH).

Winterizing: Timers, filters and pressure regulators can be damaged by hard freezes. Remove the end caps off of the mainlines and drain the system. Re-install the end caps to keep out insects. Store the timers, filters, and pressure regulators indoors over winter. Remove batteries from the timers.

Setting up a drip irrigation system takes a bit of time and ingenuity, but is well worth the benefits you’ll reap as you save money and time, and have a garden full of thriving plants.

The products described and the opinions expressed above are those of the author and not meant as an endorsement. Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners do not endorse any companies or commercial products.

Pressure compensating scrubber watering rose bush at the Discovery Garden. © Photo Ginny Bode

1/2-in. dripline water system with emitters at 12-in. spacing. The system is set up to water young raspberry plants in the small fruits garden at the Discovery Garden.
Photo by © Ginny Bode

RESOURCES:

Learn more about setting up a drip irrigation system in the Pacific Northwest through these online sources:

https://foodsystems.wsu.edu/crops/irrigation/

https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/drip-irrigation-for-the-yard-and-garden

https://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/pal/drip_irrigation/

http://irrigation.wsu.edu/Content/Calculators/Drip/Drip-Line-Rate.php

https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/drought-advisory-water-conservation-in-gardens-and-landscapes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bob Bryan has been a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener (EMG) since 2009. He has taught the art of drip irrigation in the Know and Grow education seminars offered by Master Gardeners.

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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

Skagit Master Gardeners Share Favorites from Their Bookshelves

By Ginny Bode, Skagit County Master Gardener

Since I was young, I remember the happiness of curling up with a good book as the holiday festivities came to a close. Whether I found a book in the library or received it as a gift, my memories of books and Christmas go hand in hand. Now, often the non-fiction book in my hand is gardening related.

As a recent trainee and now graduate of Skagit County’s WSU Master Gardener program, a new world of books has opened. Early in the program we were taught to find scientifically-proven solutions for the challenges gardeners face instead of anecdotal remedies. Program leaders shared the best reference books for plant propagation, identification, pruning, even noxious weeds and pests found in our area.

The key identifier among Master Gardeners is desire to learn, particularly in their area of focus. When joining the program, I soon became aware that I was among people who not only shared my interest in growing plants, they were also very generous in sharing their knowledge and resources.

To create this list of books for gift giving I solicited fellow Master Gardener classmates for their recommendations to include along with those of program teachers. The following books are top-of-mind choices for both inspiration and reference this holiday season.

For Inspiration:

Windcliff by Dan Hinkley
It may look like a coffee table book, but Windcliff by Dan Hinkley is so much more than stunning photographs. Renowned plant hunter Dan Hinkley shares the stories of creating his two private gardens, Heronswood and Windcliff on Washington’s Kitsap peninsula. Through these stories he captures what it means to be a gardener. His warm prose with the photographs makes this a book you’ll go back to often, putting words to the passion for plants and creating outdoor spaces.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
This book by best-selling fiction writer Barbara Kingsolver tells the story of the year she and her family attempted to live off only what they could grow or buy locally. An early proponent of the ‘eat local’ movement, Kingsolver brings to life our connection with the food we eat and the value of making meals together.
Handbook of Northwest Gardening by Anne Lovejoy
Considered a classic read for gardeners, Anne was one of the first to write about using organic techniques in the ornamental garden. Focused on building a sustainable garden, Lovejoy emphasizes good soil preparation, composting, mulching, and–the Master Gardener mantra-Right Plant, Right Place.

Skagit Authors:

Erin Benzakein’s books Discovering Dahlias, The Cut Flower Garden and a Year in Flowers, are an excellent resource for gardeners whose focus is growing flowers to share as well as to create a profitable business.

A Little Bit of Land by Jessica Gigot
This recent publication by Jessica Gigot opens the door for readers to her life as a sustainable farmer in the Skagit Valley. The joys and challenges of small scale farming, as well as making her way in an often male-dominated industry, and the path that led her to our valley.

Hinkley’s warm prose with stunning photographs captures his passion for plants and creating outdoor spaces.

Bring the first blooms of spring to your garden sooner by using Zeigler’s techniques for jumpstarting hardy annuals.

The American Horiticultural Society’s Plant Propagation book is a go-to reference for propagating plants in Skagit Master Gardener’s plant house at the Discovery Garden.

For Nuts and Bolts Learning:

Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler
Between the first frost in November, and the warmer days of spring, we long to bring in the first blooms of spring and enjoy the beauty inside the home. Lisa Ziegler’s book Cool Flowers explains how to get a jump on early spring blossoms. She profiles over 25 long blooming ‘hardy annuals’ which can be planted during cool conditions rather than waiting for the warmth of spring. Embracing the Master Gardener mantra, Right Plant, Right Place, local gardeners have applied her techniques in our climate with gorgeous results.
American Hort. Society’s: Plant Propagation by Alan Toogood
Rather than taking an unvetted opinion from the Internet, seasoned Master Gardeners use this book as a go-to reference guide for propagating almost any plant. If you’re wondering when to cut, where to cut, when to use root hormone, or when just a cup of water works fine, you’ll find this fully illustrated guide to be an indispensable resource for multiplying your favorite plants.
Kew Gardener Guides:
The Kew Gardens, part of England’s Royal Botanical Gardens is home to 27,000 plant species and subspecies. The science gained from their garden research is captured in a wide range of books for gardeners, including many children’s books. The company’s garden books cover topics as diverse as growing drought friendly plants, medical plants, and recipes for what you grow.
The Apple Grower: A Guide for Growing Organic Apples by Michael Phillips
Looking for a way to grow good fruit organically? Orchardist and researcher Michael Phillips first wrote The Apple Grower almost twenty years ago. Now updated, Phillips guides readers through creating a healthy orchard ecosystem as well as evaluating natural strategies against pests.
100 Plants to Feed the Bees: Provide a Healthy Habitat to Help Pollinators Thrive by The Xerces Society
Bees play a critical role in our ecosystem. This user-friendly guide helps home gardeners create a healthy environment for pollination. Readers will be inspired by this book’s pictures and for attracting bees, butterflies or hummingbirds, learning how to protect and attract bees throughout the season.

When giving books for gardeners, unless they are pure photo inspiration (which truly has its place on a dark January evening in the PNW) look for books with clear instructions, pictures and/or illustrations. Look for climate relevance, i.e., while the world of succulents is enticing, many can be challenging to protect through our Northwest winters. Books listing both the common name and the proper name are helpful for both the seasoned and novice gardener. Find a book for a specific interest if known, i.e., bird feeding, vegetable growing in small spaces, kitchen gardens, or nature around us.

We live in one of the most wonderful places on earth for gardening. Joining the Master Gardener program for many is like finding your tribe. Whatever your growing focus is, the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener program is an excellent resource for those interested in plants and learning to grow better.

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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.