Gardening with Chip

Cover crops, compost, or both are good for winter garden beds

Soils that are high in clay tend to resist root, water, and air penetration. This can seriously hinder plant growth for both vegetables and perennial plants. These soils compact easily if worked when too wet. That lessens, even further, soil pore spaces needed to move air and water. Fine roots can't move in compacted clay soils easily. Nutrient uptake by plants (which bind to clay) and water release may both be compromised.

Larger soil pores are needed. There are two approaches that help. First, raised beds improve drainage simply by getting above the high winter water tables that restrict drainage in the winter through to spring. Second, addition of organic matter to soils will significantly improve soil pore spaces as it decays.

Fall is a good time to think about improving your soils for next summer. Organic matter (compost and other materials) can be added to the soils and worked in the fall before winter rain starts.

You can then cover the beds with black plastic and let the composting process go forward. The advantage of this technique is that the soils will be able to be worked sooner in the spring for early planting.

A second option is to work compost in but also follow by planting a cover crop for the winter. This will add to the organic content of the soils and, if the cover crop is vigorous, also reduce weed issues. Legumes like crimson clover, vetch, and/or winter peas are good winter cover crops if planted soon. If you plant a grain with them, make the grain a light addition, not the dominant crop. Cover crops need to have dry enough soil to work in the spring before you can plant your first crop.

Both of these techniques reduce a "weed" cover crop next spring by getting ground coverage with the desirable plants before the "winter weeds" start growing.

Termites on the wing now

Flying termites don't indicate that your house is infested with termites. The two termite species we have (dampwood and subterranean) are native. They are part of our natural landscape and live to recycle downed wood by eating it and pooping out the residue. They certainly have been around far longer than humans in this landscape. When they are in mating flights from early evening until dark, these termites are a feast for many birds, lizards, frogs, bats, etc. It is a banquet worth watching and it is happening now!!

The two termite species both fly to mate. Fertilized queens of both species drop to earth, shed their wings, and look for suitable homes; suitable being the operative word.

A dampwood termite queen requires continuously wet wood. If there is no dirt piled up against your house or no leaking pipes in the walls or anywhere else, you don't have to worry about the dampwood termite. They can't live there.

If you have a wet wood infestation, replace the damaged wood and correct the source of the moisture. Damp wood termite treatment is rarely justified.

The subterranean termites are more devious. They also must have moisture, but they gather moisture by building mud tubes from the earth up to your wood structures. These can be seen on the concrete foundations and posts that support the first floor wood structure. Crawl under your house once a year to look for these tubes. If you find them, you may need to hire an exterminator. However, they aren't common.

Don't get too complacent. Carpenter ants are our number one wood-destroying pest in Columbia and Wahkiakum Counties, and they are very dangerous. They don't require wet wood, though they do readily infest it. That's a story for another column. If you suspect a carpenter ant infestation, you should have your house inspected and develop a treatment plan.

Propagating herbs from seed

Some herbs shouldn't be seed propagated for a variety of reasons. Tarragon from seed has almost no scent/flavor at all. It is not French tarragon, which produces the wonderful anise-like aroma, but it can't produce viable seeds. French tarragon must be propagated vegetatively. The seed from Russian tarragon is basically useless and probably shouldn't be sold. Mint needs to be propagated from runners (which it will do by itself with great abandon), since it can't produce fertile seed. Thyme, lavender, rosemary, and a few perennial plants are generally propagated from cuttings.

Dill, fennel, basil (lots of varieties but all with similar basil flavors), cilantro (coriander), parsley, and chives come true from seed. Sage is a little unclear and is quite easy to propagate from cuttings, so most come to the market with that history.

Final notes

Take excess produce to the food bank, senior centers, or community meals programs. Cash donations to buy food for the food banks are also greatly appreciated.

Very helpful information sources are your local Extension offices. The Columbia County Extension is 503-397-3462, and the Wahkiakum County Extension is 360-795-3278. The Extension Service offices offer their programs and materials equally to all people. They will all know where you can get your pressure gauge tested.

Advice on future garden topics is always welcome by emailing chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu.