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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Women in Business Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend March 29, 2007 Garden delight: Updated guide offers tips for our area By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune Dedicated to explaining the tricky and varied micro-climates and soils of this region, the completely rewritten and expanded "Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley" is on sale at area garden shops, nurseries, Grange stores and the county extension service, which is home to the Master Gardeners who wrote the guide. Broad-based gardening books and manuals based on Willamette Valley or Bay Area conditions are helpful, but only this 170-page, spiral-bound book will get gardeners through the unpredictable tight spots caused by our blend of clayey, sedimentary soils juxtaposed with darker, richer earth — all affected by the hotter, drier summers and colder winters here as compared to nearby regions, said Master Gardener president Carol Oneal of Central Point. "This book has a lot more information and illustrations. It goes more deeply into pests and diseases, soil amendments, climate, weather — and the month-by-month section is quite expanded," said Oneal. "We're zooming through the books and are starting a second printing." The book, printed entirely with Master Gardener funding, sells for $20 (suggested price), with all proceeds going back into their causes, including public school programs, scholarships and the training of more Master Gardeners. The book replaces the popular guide of the same title that was printed for the last 22 years by the Master Gardeners. Especially useful is the month-by-month section that walks you through the must-do chores for each month, relieving many gardeners of worries that they've forgotten something. Advertisement In March, for instance, you should have planted your cane fruits, such as blackberries, Loganberries, Marionberries and raspberries, set out rhubarb roots in well-fertilized holes 12 to 18 inches deep and, for transplanting, sown an array of veggies, including artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, leeks, peppers and tomatoes. The guide presents a host of tables for temperature means and extremes, precipitation, first and last frost dates and pH ranges for each vegetable. Unlike the old book,it is indexed and richly illustrated. It leads you through the fine points of composting, building of raised beds, tilling, fertilizing, making compost tea, mulching, watering, making cold frames and turning a lawn into a garden. It's advice is all organic. "If you live in the Rogue Valley and garden, there's no better resource of information," said Master Gardener and grounds chairman Richard Brewer of Ashland. "Its big strength is that it's targeted for the Rogue Valley and the weather here and the varieties that grow here. You may have what you need to know already, but if you're branching out and trying, say, tomatoes, there may be 50 varieties. Instead of asking one neighbor, you can tap the knowledge of 100 gardeners in this book." Like all things the Master Gardeners do, the book is a team effort, written by five Master Gardeners and four scientists. The Gardeners are Tal Blankenship, Kathy Griffin, Marjorie Neal, Dave Rugg and Marsha Waite. The others are climatologist Greg Jones of Southern Oregon University, horticulturalist Kerry Locke, extension agent Melissa Matthewson and City of Ashland water conservation inspector Robbin Pearce. The book was created by Ella Spayde in 1984. She was a member of the second Master Gardener class in 1980. She died last year and the new book is dedicated to her memory. The guide covers vegetables, berries and melons. Companion guides are planned for the future on trees and shrubs, perennials, lawn and ground covers and other topics. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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