Symphyotrichum hallii
(also listed as Aster hallii)
Hall's Aster (Symphyotrichum hallii) is a summer blooming native perennial.
From mid to late summer, this 3-4 ft tall plant is covered with 1" flowers ranging from white to very pale lavender.
Hall's Aster is a major pollinator resource, providing pollen and nectar for all sorts of bees and butterflies from summer into fall. Full sun, and drought tolerant.
Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a popular PNW native shrub. It provides a beautiful display of white flower clusters in the spring, gives tasty berries in the summer, and then breaks out in gorgeou fall color.
It's easy to grown. It can be a focal point plant, giving wonderful 4 season displays, but will also fit nicely into a shrub border or hedgerow. The berries attract many types of birds and the flowers give nectar for butterflies.
Plant serviceberry in an open, sunny or partially sunny location with a healthy dose of compost and supplemental summer water for the first year or two. Serviceberries are slow to moderate growers, but once established are trouble free and quite drought-tolerant.
You can let the birds eat the berries or harvest them for making pies, jams and jellies. The berries can be dried and used like raisins.
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska, Jim Pojar, A. MacKinnon, and Paul B. Alaback, Lone Pine Pub, 2004, 528 pgs. ISBN-13: 9781551055305
This book was recommended by a number of my plant friends when I first arrived in Oregon. I needed some help to identify plants on my property and this book was just the thing. It comes in hardback, but I prefer the paperback version which is very durable and easy to take with me on hikes and travels.
The pictures in this book are very useful and include both flowers and foliage which helps with identification during the non-blooming periods. The book focuses on herbaceous flowering plants, but there are sections for trees, shrubs, ferns, and aquatics plants. Now that I'm rehabilitating a pond on my property, the aquatics section has been very handy. The book includes a notes section with information about historical uses or interesting lore about the species.
Review by Ann Geyer
Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades, Updated 6th Edition: The Complete Guide to Organic Gardening 6 Updated Edition, Steve Solomon, Sasquatch Books. Seattle, 2013, 356 pgs.
ISBN-13: 978-1570618970
Whether you are new to the Oregon Coast or have gardened here for years, Steve Solomon's book will be a much thumbed reference for all types of vegetables. The latest version, a special updated 6th edition, addresses issues of soil, seeds, compost, watering, planting times, harvesting and so much more. Steve Solomon, who founded the Territorial Seed Company, was one of the early advocates of organic gardening and benefits of small-plot vegetable gardening in the Pacific Northwest. The advice is practical and suitable for all skill levels.
This is a great resource!
When I first moved to Oregon and encountered the diminutive but fiery vine maple (acer circinatum) I was immediately enchanted.
Vine maples really shine in a coastal garden. They are uniquely adapted to our mild temperate climate with the result that it takes only a minimum fall in temperature to extract the dazzling display of red, gold, and yellow color.
Once the leaves have dropped, the vine maple continues to provide a winter focal point offering lovely variegated grey and white bark. This is especially striking with trees that have been pruned to showcase multi-trunked structure, somewhat like a crape myrtle. Allow the top of the tree to grown into a spreading leafy canopy. Keep the canopy thinned to allow wind passage and light to reach the interior.
Vine maples have a streamlined profile so can be place closed to structures or paths. Placing bulbs, small shrubs, or groundcovers under the vine maple makes a nice plant grouping. The maple will provide partial to full shade to all those wonderful shade loving natives. Try a vine maple anchored planting by a stream, water chase, or drainage area.
Maintenance is simple. Give the tree some shelter from direct ocean wind. Planting the tree on the inland side of a house or structure is just the ticket. As a native, the vine maple does not require fertilizer, but will benefit from topdressing of compost annually. The tree will appreciate a weekly long-slow watering during the dry months but will probably endure without it. Prune to shape the tree into your desired shape.
LCMGA always has a number of vine maples available during our annual spring plant sale.
"The extraordinary photos are beautiful and help to identify the nearly 400 common wildflowers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, W Montana, Wyoming and Alberta."
This guidebook has helped me identify plants from the Oregon Coast to Montana. There is a precise description of each flower's habit, range, and key characteristics. The 10 pages of "Visual Guide to Families and Genera" has been especially helpful for identification. It's a great addition to your personal reference library.
Wayside Wildflowers of the PNW
Dee Strickler, Flower Press, 1993, 272 pages.
Sally Reill, Lincoln Co. Master Gardener
Revised January 2017
All root crops do well in our climate, preferring loose deep soil. They generally will need high potassium fertilizer. Seedlings should be thinned to provide ample space for plants to grow.
Carrots: All varieties, but note the mature length; shorter varieties are better suited to heavier soil. Carrots need regular and ample water.
Beets:All beets are good. ’Cylindra’ and ‘Forono’ are excellent 6” to 8” long roots giving you more beet for the space. ‘Touchstone Gold’ and ‘Boldor’ produce sweet, golden beets, ‘Chioggia’ is a nice striped Italian heirloom. The tops are wonderful in salads or sautéed. Beets require boron and our soils are generally deficient, use a fertilizer with micro nutrients.
Radishes: All standard types do very well. Thin seedlings to allow room for larger radishes. Specialty radishes such as Asian varieties may have very specific seasonal planting needs. Some are only suitable for fall or early spring planting. Consult a nursery catalog for information about specific varieties.
Carrots and radishes must be direct seeded. Beets can be started inside and transplanted CAREFULLY after the first or second true leaf appears.
Turnips and Rutabagas are also good possibilities.
Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts
All brassica seeds should be started inside and transplanted outdoors once risk of frost has passed.
Broccoli: ‘Belstar’ is organic, all season, cold hardy and compact. It produces a large first head & many side shoots. ‘Arcadia’ and ‘Marathon’ are good winter hardy varieties. Consider tall sprouting types too.
Cabbage: ‘Alcosa’, ‘Caraflex’, and ‘Ruby Perfection’, ‘Red Express’ and ‘Integro’ are proven varieties.
Cauliflower: ‘Snow Crown’ is early and almost ‘fool proof; ‘Cheddar’ and ‘Graffiti’ are brightly colored. Cauliflower may not mature properly if plants are too large when transplanted or if temperature extremes occur when they are small.
Kale: All grow well here! ’Wild Garden’, ‘Red Russian’ ‘Redbor’, are varieties to consider. ‘Toscano’ is the sweetest! Ornamental kales are very edible! Kohlrabi: ‘Kolibri’ and ‘Gigante'.
Brussels Sprouts: Plant in early summer for summer planting and fall harvest. Leaves need to be removed between sprouts. All cole crops must be monitored for aphids, slugs and cabbage worms (the larvae of white butterflies). If plants wilt during the day it is likely root maggots, a fly larvae.
The cooler temperatures are good for cool season greens. There are hundreds of lettuce varieties! Look for slow to bolt and tip burn resistance.
Favorite varieties: ‘Winter Density’, ‘Cherokee’, ‘Coastal Star’ ‘Concept’, ’Little Gem’, ‘Bambi’, ‘Merlot’, ‘Buttercrunch’, ‘Red Cross’, ‘Continuity’, ‘Jester’, ‘Celinet’, ’Panisse’, ‘Oscarde’ and ‘Rouxai’. Mesclun or baby leaf blends will give you a nice variety of textures and colors. Spinach, endive frisee′ and escarole grow well in cool seasons.
Chard: Does especially well; ‘Bright Lights’, ‘Ruby Red’, ‘Neon’ and ‘Golden Sunrise’.
Arugula, mustards and micro greens:Most tend to bolt quickly. Seed every few weeks directly in soil to keep a constant supply. Many catalogs have greens mixes, good choices for home gardeners.
Asian/Italian/exotic greens: Most are easy, some may be seasonal or need special circumstances for proper growth, consult catalogs. If you are growing close to the ocean or in a windy location, a cloche will provide protection to produce tender greens.
Green and bulb onions, shallots and leeks are best started from seed to avoid diseases. All varieties do very well. Start seeds in late February or early March for June planting. Green onions/scallions will not form a bulb in our area.
Full size onions: ‘Expression’, ’Candy’, ‘Sierra Blanca’, ‘Red Wing’, ‘Exhibition’, ‘Ailsa Craig’.
Shallots: ‘Conservor’(J, B), ‘Ambition’(B),’Camelot’. Leeks: ‘Lincoln’(N), ‘Megaton’ (J), ‘King Richard’, ‘Lancelot’.
All varieties do well in our coastal climate. Here are a few proven varieties.
Fingerlings: ‘French Fingerling’, ‘Rose Finn Apple’, ‘LaRatte’, ‘Blossom’. ‘Amarosa’ is red flesh with pink interior.
Standard yellow flesh: ‘Yukon Gold’, ‘Red Gold’, ‘German Butterball’, ‘Yellow Finn’.
Blue flesh: ‘Purple Majesty’, ‘All Blue’.
White flesh: ‘Purple Viking’, ‘Red LaSoda’, ‘Red Norland’, ‘Kennebec’, ‘Red Pontiac’. Seed potatoes are available @ farm/garden stores in March. If it is past mid April try catalog vendors.
Oregon named varieties and ‘Cascadia' were developed at OSU to be disease resistant. These are all bush varieties, they will stand up to wind better than tall types.
Sugar pod: ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’, ‘Oregon Giant’ ‘Sugar Daddy’. Snap: ’Cascadia’, ‘Sugar Sprint’, Shelling: ’Oregon Trail’.
Bean seeds need warm soil to germinate, are easy to start inside in pots and transplant carefully outside after last frost. Dark bean seeds germinate better in cool soil.
Bush:‘Jade’, ‘Derby’, ‘Oregon 54’, ‘Maxibel’(green), ‘Soleil’and ‘Rocdor’(yellow), ‘Jumbo’ (Italian flat).
Pole Beans:These must be trellised, they don’t stand up well to wind but take less space and are more productive. Varieties to consider are: ‘Fortex’, ‘Helda’, (Italian flat).
Summer Squash grows are easy to grow. Plant two plants to improve the pollination of flowers that is required for success.
Coastal favorite:‘Sure Thing Hybrid’ and ‘Paternon’ zucchini produce fruits even when there are no bees and no male flowers!
Zucchini: ’Gadzukes!’, ‘Cocozelle’ , ‘Fordhook’, ‘Cupcake’, ’Gold Rush’, ‘Gold Mine’. Yellow crookneck: ‘Horn of Plenty’, ‘Summerpac’.
Scallop: ‘Sunburst’, ‘Peter Pan’.
Winter squash and pumpkins: These require a long season, good pollination and some warmth to mature. Choose the shortest maturing varieties, under 90 days, for coastal areas. ‘Honey Bear’ acorn does well close to the ocean if it is protected. ‘Sunshine’ and ‘BonBon’ are very sweet, good inland. Butternut squash is a different species and will not cross pollinate with other winter squashes.
Pickling, lemon, standard slicing and seedless types will grow better with protection. Cucumber plants like to be warm and seeds require very warm soil to germinate. Unless it is stated that they set fruit with no pollination, most cucumbers require pollination by bees or insects. The following proven varieties, classed as parthenocarpic, require NO pollination: ‘Sweet Success’, ‘Diva’, ‘Agnes’. Greenhouse and Seedless English varieties: ‘Pepinex’, ‘Socrates’ , ‘Iznik’, ‘Tasty Jade’ are all good.
There are literally 1000s of varieties of tomatoes. A few guidelines will help YOU choose what is right for your circumstances. All tomatoes will do best with protection even in the east county, choose the sunniest spot available. Cherry and grape types are likely to ripen earlier. For the cloche choose Determinate (DET), or dwarf varieties; they will stay shorter. Most tomatoes will do well in a greenhouse with good ventilation. Indeterminate (IND) tomato plants can get quite tall and should be staked or caged; large fruited ‘heirlooms’ may not ripen in this climate. Always choose the earliest varieties. When growing tomatoes in pots, be sure the container is large enough to support a large plant. All tomatoes require good nutrition and a constant supply of water to prevent ‘blossom end rot’.
Peppers must have substantial protection, sun and heat to mature. Hot peppers generally ripen better than sweet varieties. If you can provide full sun and heat most will do well. A closed cloche is a great protection device. Choose short season, early maturing sweet varieties or they will not ripen quickly enough.
Celery: Grows very well, it requires high N, and lots of water. ‘Tango’ is good. Protect from slugs!
Bulb Fennel: ‘Orion’ & ‘Orazio’ can be started inside, are easy to grow and quick to produce nice large bulbs, no major problems.
Corn: Requires a long warm season, can be grown inland if you choose early varieties of 75-80 days or less. I like ‘Luscious’, an organic bi-color.
Tomatillos: Have similar needs as tomatoes with a big, sprawling growth habit, need lots of space.
Eggplant: Difficult to grow in the maritime climate, it requires more heat than peppers, a very sunny, warm spot MAY work.
Artichokes: They like our climate, need lots of space, sun, well-drained soil, and must be protected with mulch during the winter. Artichokes don’t like cold wet roots and may not survive cold winters unless soil is very well drained. They are very attractive to aphids and a good place for earwigs to hide. You will need to be vigilant to keep these pests at bay. Artichoke variety ‘Imperial Star’ will produce chokes the first season.
Asparagus: Long lived perennial, spreads outwards and needs space. VERY attractive to slugs, asparagus MUST be protected before spears emerge, use slug bait or copper strips. Asparagus can be grown from crowns available in the spring or from seed, either way they will take 2-3 years before becoming large enough to eat. You can cut them for approximately six weeks, then leave the spears to grow out and store energy for the following years’ crop. Both crops require substantial space, nutrition and water.
Jerusalem Artichoke or ‘sunchoke’ is actually a tuber that grows underground from roots of a perennial sunflower native to eastern North America. Easy to grow, plant grows 5’-9’ tall and can be very invasive. Grow this in a large container or space where you don’t care if it spreads. Harvest the tubers in fall. It also produces small 3” yellow sunflowers nice for cutting.
Coastal Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, Carla Albright, Taylor Trade Publishing, 2007, 250 pgs. ISBN-13: 978-1589793170
Carla Albright is an Oregon State Master Gardener, teaches OSU Master Gardener classes and writes a gardening column for the Tillamook Headlight Herald while also working as a professional gardener on the Oregon coast.
Her book is a combination of how-to guide, workbook and concise plant encyclopedia. She makes specific plant recommendations that will survive and thrive in our sometimes harsh conditions. The workbook portion are useful for focusing attention on the elements, (salt spray, rainfall, sun, wind) that make up a coastal garden environment. Chapter 7, “Plants To Avoid In Coastal Gardens” is a special favorite of mine.
The book also includes a brief travel guide for coastal public gardens and a compact bibliography pointing us to further research possibilities.
