The Columbia County Beekeepers Monthly meeting has been canceled for July since it would have been on July 4.
It’s not too late to plant corn
Vegetable gardening has moved in fits and starts this year. Some gardeners, depending on your location, might consider planting short-season corn like “Sugar Buns.” These take about 70 days to maturity corn. You don’t have to do that this year if you get the corn in the ground this week. Longer season corn should be alright. Some things to remember:
• Plant enough seed in the rows so you can thin down to 8-10 inches between corn plants. If you plant too little seed and something goes wrong, you might not have enough corn plants for a decent row. Our newer super sweet corns aren’t quite as good at germinating in adverse conditions.
• Crow love corn. Find some way to protect the emerging seedlings if there are crows in your neighborhood. Don’t let the crows thin for you. They don’t have your interests at heart. Row covers work well.
• Space your rows 30 to 36 inches apart and plant in blocks.
• Fertilize before you plant.
• Thin the corn when it 3-5 inches high. Control the weeds in the corn row.
Horsetail or equisetum is a gardener’s nightmare
Horsetail emerges from the ground looking something like asparagus. It spreads from underground roots and from spores released as the plant matures. Sadly, it is the worst of all weeds, an herbaceous perennial. It gives every indication ofdying in the fall, but that is a ruse. It returns from the root system next year and for every year thereafter unless you make it miserable.
Equally sadly, it is very hard to make horsetail miserable. Continuous pulling will reduce its vigor, but don’t plan any vacations. Planting heavy sod over horsetail tends to reduce its vigor as well. Heavy weed barriers provide temporary control but the plants will emerge at the edges. Horsetail will go right through the thinner weed barriers (and sometimes concrete).
Casoron, a granular herbicide can be used around woody plants (and only woody plants!) in the late winter, will give significant control. It is useless now. As with all pesticides, read, understand, and follow the label instructions. But as you can see, effective options are limited. The best advice don’t get horsetail in the first place!
Horsetail can show up from imported topsoil. Look at topsoil very carefully for horsetail on site before you buy and/ormove some home. If it is there, don’t take it. Sometimes it comes from spores. Often, it travels as root pieces wrapped within plant root balls. Plant gifts sometime have hidden horsetail that the gardener doesn’t know are there.
Codling moths laying eggs now
Codling moth adults have emerged. If you don’t want their larvae in your apples (the “worm”) you need to start control measures. Spinosad is an insecticide derived from a fungus found in Barbados, of all places. The fungus is cultured much like we get antibiotics and their insect-active compound they produce is purified and formulated into both organic and conventional products. These are now available to the home gardener under several trade names. It will be helpful against both the codling moth and the apple maggot. Sprays should be going on now and at about two-week intervals throughout the summer.
Caterpillars & bird conservation
Birds like caterpillars. Caterpillars don’t move fast and they become easily digested, nutrient-filled meals. Birds are rewarded with a lot of energy in comparison with the energy spent acquiring the larva. Caterpillars are also rich in calcium in comparison to other insect stages. Caterpillar-stuffed birds are happy and they prosper.
In our conifer forests, more than half the caterpillar species and about two-thirds of the total caterpillar biomass are associated with the deciduous trees and shrubs of our native landscape. These include alder, maple, cascara, serviceberry, oceanspray, native cherry, wild roses and wild hazel. Forests that contain less than 35% cover by these deciduous species show significantly less use by a number of birds. Some of these birds are now rare in much of the region.
Conservation practices could include planting key species, perhaps after the valuable timber species seedlings are “free to grow” and possibly having a lighter hand with broadleaf herbicides in the planting. Done correctly, both practices could encourage a more diverse forest without compromising ultimate commercial returns.
Many Extension publications available online
Are you putting up salsa, saving seeds, or thinking about planting kiwis? OSU has a large number of its publications available for free download. Just go to https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/. Click on publications and start exploring.
Got food safety or food preservation questions?
Food Preservation recipes and fact sheets can be accessed online at: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/food/preservation
Important notes
• Donate extra garden produce and/or money to the food bank, senior centers, or community meals programs. It always is greatly appreciated.
• The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.
• The OSU Extension Office is fully open from 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Resource information
Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County
505 N. Columbia River Highway
St. Helens, OR 97051
503-397-3462
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