January and February are months of restlessness for Yakima’s Zone 5 gardeners. While the winter wonder of bark and berries, conifers and cones and frosted foliage is appreciated, I find myself yearning for something fresh and alive. Even the dried arrangements that were stunning centerpieces in my home in November have lately lost their luster. The good news is that gardeners in cold climates like ours can gain an early glimpse of spring thanks to the age-old process of “forcing.”

Forcing tricks barren branches into thinking it’s spring, so they’ll unravel silk blossoms and verdant green leaves when taken indoors. Spring-blooming trees and shrubs form their flower buds during fall, and after at least eight weeks of temperatures below 40 degrees, their branches are capable of blooming if you can provide them with the perfect environment. Here are some simple steps to follow:

Using sharp pruners, make an angled cut on pencil-thin branches with enlarged flower buds (which tend to be rounder and larger than leaf buds.) Do this on a sunny afternoon or when temperatures are above freezing. Bring the cut branches indoors and strip the buds, twigs and leaves from lower sections of the stem that would eventually be underwater when placed in a vase. Make a slit or two in the bottom of the stem in a star or cross pattern before putting stems into a bucket of water (or, if possible, submerge the entire stem in the bathtub overnight). This begins to break the branch and bud’s dormancy. Then move the branches to a cool area (60 degrees) in indirect light. Warmer temperatures and brighter light can cause buds to develop too rapidly and prevent them from opening properly.

Change the water every two to three days to keep it fresh. The low humidity in Yakima homes may cause the buds to fall off, so try to keep the branches misted (and, if you can manage it, wrapped in wet newspaper). Depending on the type of branch and when you cut, you should see buds swell and begin to open within one to six weeks.

At this point, move the stems to a brighter location and use them in arrangements. Cool temperatures around 65 degrees will prolong the blooming period.

A word of caution before you dash out the door, pruners in hand: There have been memorable years when I was a bit overzealous in my harvest of dormant branches. While they were thrilling in my indoor arrangements, when May arrived the donor plant looked like the victim of a very bad haircut that took a whole season to grow out. Be prudent when pruning, always maintaining an attractive shape for your blooming shrubs.

Remember too that when it comes to fruit trees, the blooms you remove in February were destined to be the summer or autumn harvest. Avoid those awkward conversations like I’ve had with my husband, when he wonders why there are so few apricots and plums. Where did they all go?

For cutting as early as mid-January, try forsythia, witch hazel, poplar and willow. These take 2-3 weeks to force and are easy. In February, add maple, alder, apple, crab apple, quince, cherry, apricot and pear to that list. In March, try hawthorn, honeysuckle, mock orange, lilac, spirea, magnolia and dogwood. These March varieties are a bit more difficult and may need a month or more to bloom, so be patient while you await your reward: the almost magical emergence of fresh flowers and foliage in the harsh days of midwinter.

By Carol Barany/WSU Master Gardeners

Relax! Impeccable neatness in the autumn yard, without a fallen leaf in sight and with all the natural refuse cut back, collected and bagged, is no longer the mark of a fine gardener. When I see a black plastic bag of leaves on the curb, I want to bring it home, since leaves are one of the most extraordinary gifts nature gives us. Soil needs replenishing each year with organic matter, and leaves are the perfect food, since they decompose into humus. Humus contains both nutrients and fiber that adds structure to soil.

But that doesn’t mean that leaves should be left where they fall, covering the yard through winter. In fact, leaves left in this way can become a smothering mulch instead of a nourishing fertilizer. Clear your driveways and paths, then take a look at the following tips for how best to use the leaves nature gives us.

• Research has found that turf grass benefits from leaves chopped by a mulching mower and then left on the lawn instead of being raked off. Running my 10-year old mulching mower three times each week, I am able to mulch ALL the leaves that fall on my lawn from two 75-foot-tall maples with trunks five feet in diameter — with no raking or blisters. The shreds are so small that they seem to disappear immediately.

• It was once practice to cut down most perennials in autumn, but now gardeners recognize that winter interest is provided by more than evergreens and conifers. In addition to their ornamental qualities, certain perennials in the winter landscape are important resources for birds and butterflies. Many species of butterflies lay eggs on the leaves of perennials for overwintering, and if we cut down and compost these plants, we may be composting next seasons’s butterflies, too. Birds visit our feeders, but also come to our gardens to eat the seeds from perennials such as Echinacea, Heliopsis and Rudbeckia, and use perennials as cover and resting grounds.

• For those perennials that don’t contribute much to the winter garden, mulch ’em. After the first killing frost, I chop the tall ones down with hedge clippers, leave the debris in place, then run my mulching mower over the remains. Setting the mower deck as high as possible, I can shred without damaging any drip irrigation lines. Humus is my garden’s gold.

If you must rake and bag your leaves, check for leaf pick-up times in your neighborhood.

If you’re a Yakima resident, use the biodegradable bags that the City Refuse Division on Fruitvale Boulevard provides for free — that ensures those leaves will be taken to the Yard Waste Recycling Center in Terrace Heights. If you use biodegradable bags that you find elsewhere, or black plastic bags, these leaves will be picked up, but will be taken to the landfill instead.

An inspired container contains three design elements: a thriller, a filler and a spiller. Photo by Gordon King

By Carol Barany

Every home, apartment, restaurant and boutique should have at least one container garden. Container gardens are living art, adding personality and panache to any setting, most notably on our downtown Yakima streets.

But if you don’t know where to start with your own, here are some easy tips.

Start with a container that has adequate drainage and fill it with a potting mix that retains moisture, but provides drainage as well. Small pots dry out faster than large ones. Plants depend on a steady, reliable source of water and nutrition throughout the growing season, so during our hot Yakima summers, you may have to water daily — at least. Supply your favorite fertilizer at half strength every two or three weeks to support continuous growth. Remove spent flowerheads and unsightly foliage at least weekly. Maintenance is everything.

An inspired container contains three design elements: a thriller, a filler and a spiller. The thriller is the centerpiece plant, something big and bold that captures attention. Fillers are flowers or foliage that complement but do not compete with the star. Mounding and billowing at the base of the thriller, fillers add substance and texture, weaving the composition together. Spillers tumble out of the pot — hopefully in an exuberant cascade.

It’s OK to create a quick garden by cramming plants into your container for instant impact, rather than skimping on plant material and waiting for it to grow in. Avoid combining too many colors in the same pot, and for maximum pop and punch, use two to four plants of the same variety. The actual container is an important design element, so pick one that accentuates the plants or the surroundings. Buy the largest, most spectacular pot you can afford and remember that one superb container is more effective than a dozen that are nondescript.

A planter at the intersection of Yakima Avenue and Second Street in downtown Yakima. Photo by Gordon King

Plant recommendations for the Yakima area:

Thrillers: Purple Fountain Grass is a good substitute for the Calamagrostis acutiflora that has been used in the downtown planters. Also try phormiums, dracaenas, Persian shield or any of the ornamental grasses that provide texture and architectural interest.

Fillers: Try coleus bred for sun tolerance, lantana, geranium, plectranthus, impatiens, hybrid heuchera, hebe, begonia, calibrachoa, diascia, abutilon, succulents and browalia.

Spillers: Hybrid petunias are great, as well as lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Jenny), alternanthera, helichrysum petiolare (licorice plant) and angelonia.

A composition for the shade might include shade-loving coleus, fern, cordyline, fuchsia, lobelia, hosta or ivy.

Container Plants: Common and Scientific Names:

Purple Fountain Grass = Pennisetum setaceum “Rubrum”

Persian shield = Strobilanthes dyerianus

Phormium = Phormium tenax

Dracaena  = Dracaena marginata

Cordyline = Cordyline australis

Coleus = Solenostemon scutellariodes

Lantana = Lantana camara

Geranium = Pelargonium

Plectranthus = Plectranthus ciliatus

Hebe = Hebe speciosa

Ivy = Hedera helix

Earth-friendly gardens and yards are colorful, diverse, drought-tolerant, friendly to birds, butterflies and other wildlife, and, in the long run, less work than the clipped shrub- and lawn-dominated yards we’ve known for decades.

As practitioners of sustainable gardening, Master Gardeners focus on the challenges of designing garden spaces that will become easier to care for with each passing season. They will also tell you that no ground cover, perennial or shrub needs to be watered, fed, edged or mowed as often as a lawn. To that end, if you are reading this because you want to garden “greener,” you can save water by removing some of your lawn — it is a water hog.

Planting the right plant in the right place, with the proper soil, light exposure, protection from wind and moisture and drainage, will help you grow healthy plants that are not so prone to insects and diseases, as well.

Here are some other “Master Gardener” tips on how to garden “greener”:

• Create border and island gardens that replace some of your turfgrass.

• Plant trees with groundcover underneath. There are many shade-tolerant and sun-loving groundcovers that tolerate varying degrees of foot traffic: pachysandra, liriope, lamium, thyme, ajuga, blue star creeper, creeping thyme, sun-loving creeping phlox, “hens and chicks” and many varieties of sedum (Stonecrop). You may have seen “Steppables,” as well. The native evergreen Arctostaphylos uva ursi (Kinnikinnick or Bearberry) are examples of the many ground cover plants that are slightly taller. Ornamental grasses also make excellent ground cover.

• Water lawn infrequently but deeply.

• Install drip irrigation or soaker hoses and use a timer.

• Water in the early morning when there is less evaporation.

• Consider using recycled “gray” water — water from the house, such as dishwater, air-conditioner condensate, water from dehumidifiers, etc. — on ornamental plants.

• Reduce evaporation by maintaining a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch on top of all bare garden soil. Pile it around your veggies and landscape plants.

• Reduce water loss from hanging baskets by lining the insides with black plastic (except for the bottom) and using small amounts of water-absorbing crystals in the potting mix.

• When digging new beds, work compost or other organic matter into the soil to improve drainage and water-holding ability.

• Group plants together that have the same water needs.

• Get composting! Compost can include your grass clippings, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable scraps, shredded junk mail, leaves, egg shells and anything else that will break down.

• Find creative ways to use garden prunings by building trellises, gates, furniture or garden ornaments with it.

• Use sticks for labeling and plant support.

• Plant trees and shrubs that provide cover and food for small wildlife. Plant flowers and herbs that provide food for good insects and bees. Create a habitat such as an old log or pile of rocks in the corner of your yard for frogs.

COMPOSTING

Composting isn’t that difficult, and you get to use up a lot of waste that would ordinarily end up in your garbage or your garbage disposal. Compost needs alternate layers of “brown” matter, such as fall leaves, shredded newspaper and pine needles, and “green” matter, such as vegetable scraps, garden trimmings and grass clippings. “Red Wiggler” worms are very effective at biologically decomposing kitchen food wastes. You can buy a bin or container specially designed for vermiculture or you can make your own.

Get more information on beginning backyard composting on the Yakima County Public Services website: http://yakimarecycles.com/composting.asp.

ABOUT PESTICIDES

Encourage wildlife in your garden by not using pesticides. Rather than spraying at the first sign of something crawling, ask yourself if the bug is really a problem or just a passing cosmetic issue. If it is a real threat to your garden, try picking the offender off the plant by hand or using a strong spray of water from the hose. These are frequently all you need for insect control. If necessary there are many environmentally safe options, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (commonly known as Bt), which is an insecticidal bacterium widely used for control of many plant pests. There are also a variety of oils, soaps, repellents and natural insecticides that solve the problem with less impact on the environment and less collateral damage to nonpests. Be sure to follow directions and use only as indicated on the label.

The topic of the Master Gardener Spring Symposium this year is “Environmentally Friendly Gardening in Yakima.” All talks are from 7-9 p.m. in the Davis KIVA and are open to the public. $30 for the series or $10 for each class.

March 9: Ciscoe Morris. Topic: Environmentally friendly garden design.

March 16: Andy Stepniewski. Topic: Birds and bees in the garden.

March 23: Bonnie Orr. Topic: Worms and composting.

March 30: Jeannie Stephens. Topic: What’s new in perennials, shrubs and trees for the Yakima garden.

Viewed from one’s frost-laced window, a winter garden is quiet and serene. Plants finally put themselves to rest after three seasons of exuberant growth. Yet there is no reason for the December garden to be stark and uninteresting. Bright flower and foliage may be missing, but winter’s neutral color palette provides a backdrop that draws the eye to other aspects of a garden’s structure that may have been missed during summer’s heyday.

Without the distraction of foliage, stems and bark can now provide rich textural interest, especially when peeking out from an icing of glittering frost or snow. The winter shape of a plant forms an intricate lattice. The muted colors of seedheads, berries and evergreens add an unexpected punch of color and attract native birds, perhaps adding the most satisfying visual element of all. The following plant selections, recommended by some of our Valley’s most extraordinary gardeners, can make your landscape a wonderland this winter.

Cornus stolonifera, or “red twig dogwood”

No winter garden is complete without a red twig dogwood. “Arctic Fire,” a recent introduction that is more compact and lush than the taller native, is a perfect choice. White blooms in May and June are followed by pale berries, which attract birds. The glory of this plant comes with winter’s chill, when its 3- to 4-foot stems are transformed from ordinary brown to a brilliant scarlet, adding a spectacular hue to the winter landscape.

Ilex verticillata, or “winterberry”

Winterberry is a native, deciduous holly that grows 6 to 10 feet tall. When its serrated glossy green leaves drop in the fall, stems festooned with brightly colored berries are revealed. When shopping, remember that fruit is set only on pollinated female plants, so be sure to place a male pollinator nearby.

Acer griseum, or “paperbark maple”

The paperbark maple is a deciduous slow grower, reaching a height of 20 feet and an equal mature spread. The pleasing rounded shape of this tree and its crimson fall foliage make it a high impact addition to gardens large or small. Its cinnamon-stick bark, unclothed and fully revealed in winter, exfoliates in papery curls and is irresistible to the eye and to the touch.

Calamagrostis x acutiflora, or “Karl Foerster” grass

Feather reed grass was the first ornamental grass to be named “Perennial Plant of the Year,” in 2001, by the Perennial Plant Association. Foliage breaks early in the spring and reaches 3 to 4 feet, with blossoms emerging in June and July atop sturdy stalks that reach 5 to 6 feet. Shimmering with frost, these seed wands will sway with grace through winter winds and stand up despite heavy snowfalls.

Picea bicolor, or “Howell’s Dwarf Tigertail” spruce

Dwarf and intermediate growing conifers are low maintenance and highly ornamental in all seasons, especially winter. This selection grows slowly to 3 to 4 feet in height and almost twice that in width in 10 years. Especially striking in the snow, the architecture of the branches as they radiate from the center of the tree and grow upward exposes the glittering cool silver-blue undersides of the needles. If that wasn’t enough, stunning violet cones in clusters cap the branches each spring.

Congratulations — that bouquet from your garden is gorgeous.

Now, how do you keep your cut flowers looking fresh, not frazzled, for days to come?

Whether you grow your own flowers or buy them, following these simple suggestions will help them last and last.

* KEEP IT CLEAN. Use only clean vases, buckets, pruners and water. This practice diminishes the growth of bacteria that plugs stems and causes rotting. Use a solution of a few drops of dish soap and one teaspoon of liquid bleach mixed into a gallon of water when you’re picking your own flowers. Use enough to fill the container to a depth of four inches.

* GET UP EARLY. In Yakima, the perfect time to pick is first thing in the morning because the stems are most turgid then, making the flowers less likely to wilt. Flowers picked as soon as they open and before the pollen appears last the longest. Use sharp pruners to make the cuts and not scissors, which squeeze and compact the stems. Don’t break off flowers with your fingers as you wander through the garden! Smashing the stems of woody bloomers such as lilacs will not make them last longer. Instead, make an additional upward cut across the end of the stem.

* PROPER PREPPING. Remove all foliage below the water line. Then submerge the stems in water while you make a new angled cut, removing 1 to 2 inches of the stem. Place flowers in a clean container filled 4 to 6 inches deep with water containing a floral preservative. Floral preservatives can be purchased, or you can make your own by adding two tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, two tablespoons of sugar and half of a teaspoon of household bleach to a quart of 100- to 110-degree water. Use 160-degree water for dahlias. The preservative keeps bacteria from growing, feeds the flowers and will prolong their life by up to 75 percent. Poppies, euphorbias, hollyhocks and other flowers that exude a sticky sap should have their stem tips placed in a pan of boiling water for 10 seconds before conditioning.

* CHILL! If possible, refrigerate the flowers or place them in a cool, dark place for six hours or overnight before arranging them. The life of most cut flowers more than triples when they are held at 40 degrees for at least six hours before they are arranged. Cool air temperatures are the most important factor in extending a flower’s life, so avoid placing your flowers in direct sunlight or close to a heat source.

* TOSS. Some flowers will fade faster than others. When this happens, be sure to remove the faded ones immediately, because flowers often release ethylene, a gas that will cause the remaining flowers to fade even faster. Change the water often — every day if possible — and give the stems a fresh cut at least every other day. If you have the luxury of space, returning the flowers to the refrigerator at night will give them an additional boost.

July and August are months of lush abundance in the Yakima Valley, when gardens explode not only with extraordinary produce, but with extravagant flowers. For centuries and across many cultures, flowers have provided not only a feast for the eyes, but for the palate as well. Many flowers are edible and can make a beautiful and delicious addition to recipes.

But before you head into the garden and pick a bunch of blooms to add to tonight’s dinner menu, it’s important that you know precisely what you are eating.

Photos of food bedazzled by blooms entice readers from the pages of cookbooks and magazines, but just because that dish may be garnished with flowers does not mean that the garnishes are safe to eat. The widespread use of pesticides by commercial growers is a reality, making it essential that cooks obtain flowers from a dependable, food-safe source. Never eat flowers from a florist or gathered from the side of the road.

Better to use those flowers from your own garden, so you know they are completely safe. Roses, nasturtiums, pansies, violets and lavender are flowers that can be used easily and are good choices for the flower-as-food novice. Not only do they make gorgeous garnishes, but thyme, oregano, sage and chive flowers have a milder taste than their leaves and can safely be used as you would the herb.

Salad with Chive Blossom

If you are choosing homegrown flowers to eat, remember that many can potentially cause gastric distress and some are outright dangerous. Always consult a list of poisonous plants before you even consider eating a particular flower, and never use floral preservatives with edibles. Pick freshly opened and perfectly formed flowers from your garden in the morning or late afternoon, when the water content is high and flavors and essential oils are at their peak. Remove the pistils and stamens — the pollen-bearing parts of the plant. This step is especially important if you have asthma, hay fever or allergies.

If this is the case, you may want to avoid eating flowers altogether, or do so very cautiously in small quantities, to be absolutely sure you will not have a dangerous reaction. Continue your preparations by washing the flowers thoroughly in cool water, followed by a revitalizing 30- to 60-second plunge in an ice water bath. Drain on paper towels and then carefully remove the petals or other parts to be eaten. In some flowers, such as roses, you may decide to scissor away the whitish part of the petal where it connects to the stem, since it can add bitterness. You can store the flowers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, but try to serve them just as fresh as possible.

Ten common plants that you shouldn’t eat:

(From livescience.com)

Narcissus

Rhododendron

Ficus

Oleander

Chrysanthemum

Anthurium

Lily-of-the-valley

Hydrangea

Foxglove

Wisteria

By Sara Perry

A beautiful and appealing landscape is part of what makes our homes lovely, comfortable and comforting places to be.

Purchasing plants can represent a significant investment, and mistakes can be frustrating and costly. Luckily gardeners are notorious share-alls and advice from an experienced gardener – especially one who gardens in the same area you do – can be very helpful.

I recently asked some of our most experienced WSU Master Gardeners to share their “best picks” for plants – ornamentals or vegetables – that thrive in their Yakima area gardens.

Tomatoes are at the top of many gardeners’ priority lists, and this is certainly true for Larray Prather. Larray and a team of dedicated Master Gardeners propagate thousands of plants each year at our greenhouses in anticipation of our annual spring plant sale. Tomatoes and peppers are his specialty. When the sale is over, Larray goes to work in his huge half-acre garden where he grows more than 200 tomato plants, peppers and other veggies. Here are his top picks:

* Super Fantastic – an indeterminate hybrid tomato with a smooth taste that cans, juices, sauces and slices;

* Kelloggs Breakfast – a yellow beefsteak that has won our annual taste-off more than once. Larray says, “You just have to get over having a red tomato.”

* Sun Sugar – an orange hybrid cherry – sweet and yummy;

* Burpee’s Supersteak – an indeterminate hybrid for those big hamburger-bun-sized slices;

* Nu Mex Big Jim – a medium hot pepper;

* Fat and Sassy – a sweet bell pepper that really performs;

* Armenian cucumbers (which are really melons!) – He likes them fresh and pickled.

Hosta is one of Kris Vestad’s favorite ornamentals. Propagated for its lush green, blue or multicolored leaves, it fills in beautifully under shrubs and trees. This low-maintenance, long-lived plant thrives with afternoon shade and even watering but will grow in sunnier spots as well.

Kris’ favorites:

* Big Daddy – true to its name with large, deep blue, heart-shaped leaves that grow to 3 feet;

* Albo-marginata – with deep green, white-edged leaves that grow to about 2 feet;

* June – with a variegated leaf that is a little smaller.

Carol Barany’s expertise is filling large spaces with free-flowering, long-blooming perennials, and the beautiful gardens surrounding her lovely old period home prove it.

* Of geranium Rozanne Carol says, “When I first found this “Perennial Plant of the Year” for 2008, it was love at first sight, and I haven’t changed my mind since. This plant is simply the best hardy geranium, and my favorite perennial.” Rozanne’s violet-blue blooms continue all summer.

*A Dahlia called Fascination, with striking blackish-purple stems and leaves, is the best of the dark foliage dahlias, according to Carol. A diminutive 24 inches tall, its pink blooms make great cut flowers.

* The Centranthus ruber called Alba is a warm-white version of the familiar red (or pink) Valerian. Carol says this tall flower with pretty silver-green foliage “never seems to be without flowers, and it responds well to deadheading. When it’s time for a haircut, I whack the bushy, upright plants back with hedge-clippers, then wait for the next flush of blooms. Hands down, when people tour my garden, this is the plant they ask me to share.  There’s no better recommendation than that!”

Diana Pieti grows a wildlife-friendly garden:

* Agastache rupestris, Licorice Mint, or Agastache cana, Bubble Gum Mint — for the hummingbirds and butterflies

* Amelanchier, Serviceberry — a North American native shrub with small white blooms in spring and edible, blueberry-like fruit for people and birds

* Cornus stolonifera, Red Twig Dogwood — with its beautiful red branches in winter for general wildlife habitat.

Zinnias are everywhere in Bill Gillespie’s yard. “We plant them in thick drifts in our largest beds. Miniature, short and giants go well together and provide a mass of color from ground level to 4 feet high.” Some favorite varieties include State Fair, Dreamland and Lilliput; all are available in mixed colors.

Mary Killingstad is hooked on garlic.  Plant certified, disease-free cloves in the fall, feed and water well and you will be rewarded in July with large heads of home-grown culinary heaven.  Mary likes two heirloom hardneck varieties called Chesnok Red and Persian Star.

“Hemerocallis” or Daylily, and “Gaillardia” or Blanket flower, are two of LaVonne Benner’s garden stalwarts.  Easy to grow and maintain, and available in lots of colors, they bloom all summer.  A hybrid flowering shrub called “Caryopteris clandonensis” or Dark Knight is also on her list of bests, with its attractive blue-purple flowers that bloom from July until late summer.

The Yakima Arboretum’s annual plant sale runs 3-7 p.m. Friday, May 7, and continues 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 8. This is a great way to find a new-to-the-market selection of trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses and vines for your yard.

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program is an organization of trained volunteers dedicated to horticulture and community service. Do you have questions about gardening or landscaping? Call the Master Gardener Clinic at 509-574-1600 or visit us at the WSU Extension office on 104 N. 1st Street in Yakima. New volunteers are welcome.

By Jim McLain

Start Your Own “Salad” Garden…Easily

Over the last several years, vegetable gardens have been popping up like dandelions in backyards across America. One reason for the renaissance of vegetable gardening has been the recession.

But there is also another reason: a desire for fresh produce that has been grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Not so long ago, organic farmers and gardeners were thought to be sort of, well, wacko. But organic gardening — gardening without chemicals  — has now gained mainstream acceptance.

If you are considering starting your first vegetable garden this year, whether you decide to jump on the organic gardening bandwagon or not, heed these two words of advice: start small.

Unfortunately, many first-time gardeners are overly enthusiastic and plant a garden that is far too large. By the time the heat of summer rolls around, many of these gardens have become jungles of abandoned weeds.

Ease into vegetable gardening by limiting your first to just one small 8-by-4-foot raised bed that will grow a surprising amount of produce.

Here’s how to start: purchase three 1-by-6 inch pieces of rot-resistant cedar lumber that are 8 feet in length. Cut one of them into two 4-footers. Nail them to the ends of the two remaining eight-foot boards. Voila! You now have the beginnings of a small 32-square-foot garden.

Select a site that receives at least six hours of sunlight a day. Dig out the turf if it is to be located where there is now lawn. Settle in your frame, then fill your raised bed with soil to within two inches of the top. You may be able to “borrow” soil from your flowerbeds, or you can buy garden or potting soil by the bag at garden centers. Add some garden compost or composted steer manure to enrich the soil.

For your first garden, consider limiting it to a “salad” garden — one that will provide ingredients for tossed salads throughout the gardening season. Begin your garden in the latter part of April or early May. Plant some of these cool season vegetables: radishes, lettuce, mesclun, chard, spinach and Walla Walla sweet onions. Two weeks later, plant carrots.

Run your rows across the width of the bed. Rows can be as close as four inches apart for your lettuce and other greens. They won’t need to be thinned because you will be harvesting them while they are still small.

Using the cut-and-come-again method, harvest just enough for one salad at a time. Use scissors to snip leaves about an inch above the ground. Your plants will then regrow and give you a second and possibly a third cutting before they begin to bolt and set seed.

When your cool season vegetables have passed their prime, replace them with warm season salad vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Buy tomato transplants of varieties that have “bush” in their name, such as “Bush Early Girl.” They will take up less space. Even so, you will need to use a tomato cage to support and confine them. Two plants will likely produce all the tomatoes you need. On the other hand, you should have room for at least three or four sweet pepper plants, which should also be bought as transplants.

For cucumbers, construct a simple, space-saving trellis at the end of your bed for them to climb. You will need to tie the vines to the trellis when they first begin to run, starting them on their upward journey. Seed your cucumbers in the garden or start transplants indoors.

Keep your garden producing by successive planting — replacing each crop that has finished producing with a new planting of the same or different kind of vegetable. This can be continued right into July or even later for some vegetables, including carrots.

Nothing succeeds like success. By keeping your first vegetable garden small, you will expend minimum time and effort, but you will reap the benefits of a successful first garden. In following years, you may decide to expand your gardening by adding an additional raised bed to include a variety of other vegetables you didn’t have room for this year.

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program is an organization of trained volunteers dedicated to horticulture and community service. Questions about gardening, landscaping, or this program can be directed toward the Master Gardener Clinic at 509-574-1600, or visit the WSU Extension office at 104 N. First St. in Yakima. New volunteers are welcome.

Enjoy an Indoor Garden This Winter

By Marge Greenwood

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.  ~Chinese Proverb

Rich red roses in a flush of bloom; russet and yellow striped petals bursting amid lush green chrysanthemum leaves; pendulous succulents dripping with fat buds and blooms — winter hothouses bring us these out-of-season beauties to delight our eyes and brighten our homes during the holiday months of winter.

Lovely to give and receive, the charms of flowering plants can linger on after all the decorations are put away and the cut flowers are faded and gone.  Some can even be transitioned outside in spring.

Miniature roses and chrysanthemums are beautiful and easy to grow.  Both need bright light, but the flowers will last longer if they are not in direct sunlight while blooming.  Tolerant of some temperature variation, they prefer 60 to 70 degrees, a spot away from heat vents or cold air returns, evenly distributed moisture and good drainage.  Spray with water occasionally or set a saucer filled with gravel and water under the pot to provide humidity.  After blooms fade, don’t expect new growth right away – a resting period is normal after heavy bloom.  If your plant doesn’t appear to be maintaining health, it may need a larger pot.

When all danger of frost is past, roses and mums can be hardened off and planted outdoors in a sunny spot with well-drained, fertile soil.

Most poinsettias end up in the garbage or compost after the holidays.  Admittedly they are a little difficult to care for, and coaxing them to re-bloom takes dedication and vigilance.  But for those up to the challenge the results can be stunningly rewarding.

Ideally, poinsettias prefer 60 to 70 degrees with about six hours of indirect light a day.  Extremes and fluctuation in temperature will cause leaf drop, so when bringing your new poinsettia home, protect it from the cold and position it away from cold windows and warm or cold drafts.  Only water when the soil is dry and remove decorative foil for good drainage.  Never let it sit in standing water.

When leaves drop, usually by early spring, prune back to eight inches, repot and continue to water and fertilize.  After new growth appears and while nighttime temperatures are above 55 degrees, pots can be put outside.  Continue fertilizing and pruning to keep plants healthy and compact. Stop pruning in August.

Now comes the fun!  Beginning in October cover plants each night for fourteen hours of uninterrupted dark (black plastic works great) – then uncover and expose to bright light for six-to-eight hours a day, keeping temps between 60 and 70 degrees. Follow this regime for eight to ten weeks for brilliantly colored bracts by the holidays.  Tip: don’t fertilize your plant while in bloom.   With proper care, you will enjoy your poinsettia for years.

Christmas cactus is an interesting and different plant.   Its arching, dangling growth habit offers interesting visual lines punctuated by tropical-looking flowers.

Preferring cool but not freezing temps, these cacti dislike drafts such as those near a vent or an outside door.  Allow the top inch of soil to dry between thorough waterings.   Do not over water!  As with most tropical plants, however, they do like humidity and respond well to a gravel and water-filled saucer under the pot.  After blooming, place in a cool room and give limited water for a 30-day rest.  A few leaves may drop during this process.

To encourage blooms, cover plants for 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night starting in October.  Alternatively, cool temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees will also trigger budding.  This can sometimes be accomplished by setting the plant near a cold window pane.  As buds form on the side near the window, turn plant a quarter turn to expose another side.  The first buds will begin blooming and continue around the plant as you continue to turn it – thus extending bloom time.

Plants can be repotted in early spring – one tip though, they do seem to flower best when kept pot-bound.  This tropical specimen cannot be planted outside, although pots can be placed outside in sheltered areas during stable, warm weather.

The pleasures of flowering plants in winter are worthy of their maintenance, which itself is part of the sustaining gift for those of us with a gardener’s heart.