The Dirt: Gardening Resources from Dennis' 7 Dees
Basic Indoor Plant Propagation
Many indoor plants can easily be propagated by using one of the following methods: Offsets Plantlets Stem/cane cuttings Leaf cuttings Layering Division Often, there may be more than one way to propagate a specific plant. The ideal time to propagate is during the...
Fall Color & Container Combos
As our summer annuals begin to wane and container plantings start to lose their luster, it is time for a change. Planting fall containers is best done by mid-October, with at least 6 weeks left...
Breathe Easy With These Great Indoor Plants
Since we have all been spending more time at home, thoughts about our indoor air quality might be coming up more often. Modern home-building has created a tightly sealed space for us to safely...
Tomato Tasting 2020
With so many festivals and events cancelled in 2020, it should come as no surprise that we will not be holding our annual Tomato Tasting Festival this year. The good news, however, is that this has...
Trees in the Landscape: Summer & Fall Focus
Summer has been long and hot, and for most of us, our time has been spent (very) close to home. Whether you’ve passed the time surrounded by towering Douglas Firs in Lake Oswego, admiring Japanese...
Ornamental Grasses
Grass Care & Maintenance Most grasses are deer resistant and many are drought tolerant once established; see specific lists below for best selection. Winter dormant grasses turn a straw color in...
September in the Garden
For Fresh Color Seasonal classics like mums, winter pansies, and ornamental cabbage and kale provide a fresh pop of color to your fall/winter container plantings. Stop in soon to see our wide...
All About Ferns
Most perennial ferns are understory plants and cannot tolerate very high light levels. As with tropical ferns, the same plant will have lush, dark green foliage at lower light levels and tough,...
Made in the Shade: Successful Shade Gardening
In an area with an abundance of trees, one of the biggest challenges for gardeners is shade. Generally, a partially shaded area is one that receives 3-6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Wet, dry, and...
Entertaining in the Garden
I just have to say, I really love my garden. Sure, I have my share of bugs and slugs, weeds, and thugs—there is plenty of imperfection, but I see that as part of the beauty. My garden provides me a...
Growing Sedums & Succulents, Indoors & Outdoors
Succulents come in all shapes and sizes and are generally grouped into two categories: winter hardy and NOT winter hardy (a.k.a. annual). Although the world of hardy sedums and succulents is full of...
Fall & Winter Veggie Gardening
Certain vegetable varieties grow well in cooler weather. Crops planted during summer may be ready between September and October or grown during winter for harvest in early spring. Roots actually get...
Carnivorous Plant Care
Selection Beginner Plants Sundews (Drosera capensis, Drosera binata) Pitcher plants (Sarracenia flava) Butterworts (Pinguicula grandiflora, Pinguicula moranensis) Intermediate Plants Venus flytraps...
August in the Garden
For Fresh Color There is still a lot of summer left to enjoy! If the pots of flowers and hanging baskets put out early season are looking haggard or have dried out during your vacation, replace them...
Drought-Tolerant Gardening
Successful Water-Wise Gardening: A Brief Overview Because almost all drought-tolerant plants have a vast, far-reaching root system that seeks out water deep below the soil’s surface, well-amended...
Growing Citrus in the Pacific Northwest
Every home should have at least one citrus plant! Packed with vitamin C, citrus trees have shiny evergreen leaves, fragrant flowers, and attractive fruits that hang for months. Although it’s not so...
Watering 101
Factors that complicate watering include type of plant, exposure (sun/shade, wind, etc.), growing conditions (in-ground versus container), soil type/planting media, how long it has been planted, and...
Warm Weather Planting Tips
Here we are in late June/early July, and by now the excitement of planting may be tempered by the need to keep plants hydrated and healthy for the rest of the summer. At times, watering may feel...
July in the Garden
Long, hot days and warm nights make July a great time for outdoor living, but remember to water! Hanging baskets, containers, vegetable gardens, flower beds, and new plantings are especially...
Vines in the Garden
3 Basic Growth Styles: Clinging, Twining & Climbing with Tendrils Clinging vines use foot-like attachments to adhere to a surface. They climb best on structures with a grainy texture such as...
Facts About Bee Pollinators
Look carefully for groups of bees crowded together in the evening or early morning. They may be hanging by their jaws from various plant parts, hidden inside flowers that are closed up for the night...
A Hydrangea for Every Garden
Hydrangeas are a genus of deciduous shrubs with a long list of species and cultivars grown in Pacific Northwest gardens; most are summer bloomers with a long flowering season and do best in partial...
Pet-Safe (Non-Toxic) Indoor Plants
Indoor plants! Seems like they’re everywhere these days—used as home and office décor, featured in health and beauty publications, posted and shared on social media, and even growing in our schools,...
Backyard Bouquets
For many of us, our daily lives are fast-paced, hectic, and demanding. It can often be a challenge to feel like we have time to properly take care of ourselves and our families, let alone to find...
June in the Garden
Although summer arrives late this month, this is still a great time to plant! Many warm season beauties are available now, such as dahlias, lilies, zinnias, and begonias. Landscape plants can also...
Upcoming Events
Seed Starting for Beginners
Indoor Vertical Gardening: Hanging with Plants
