Deodar Cedar

Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) Habitat Deodar cedars are native to the Himalaya mountains from Tibet to Afghanistan. They often grow at high altitudes in India. Size Deodar cedars grow in the typical pyramid shape of conifer trees. Most deodar cedar trees we see in cultivation are around 70-80 feet (21.2-24.2 m) tall, but they have the potential to reach 250 feet (76 m). They are also a very broad tree and can easily spread to 50 feet (15 m). Life Span Deodar cedars can live 1,000 years Cedrus deodara is in the Pinaceae family and is a true cedar unlike some trees we are familiar with, such as western red cedars, which are not actually cedars. The term "true cedar" refers to the fact that the deodar cedar, along with a few other closely related trees, was classified as cedar long ago. Later, when more of the world was explored, certain trees, such as our native red cedar, reminded people of what they knew as cedar trees. They gave them that same common name but anatomically they are quite different trees. To this day our Thuja plicata, also a member of the Pinaceae family, is referred to by its common name of western red cedar but it is no more closely related to cedars than to pines or redwoods. The pine family includes 10 genera and about 200 species mostly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. Members of this family that naturally occur in the Pacific Northwest are Abies, true fir; Psuedotsuga, Douglas fir; Picea, spruce; Pinus, pine. The true cedar, Cedrus, is commonly planted here for ornamental purposes. The Answer is Blowing in the Wind We are all familiar with the important role animals, such as bees and butterflies, play in pollinating plants. Flowers attract animals through bright colors or by aroma. Conifers, however, evolved long before flowering plants and this complex relationship between plants and animals. But conifers still need to get pollen from male cones to female cones. For this they rely on wind. Conifers make up for the unpredictable and unreliable nature of wind by replacing efficiency with sheer volume. There are two kinds of cones on conifers, male and female. The cones we are most familiar with that are hard and fall to the ground are the female cones, which contain seeds. The male cones are small and produce large quantities of pollen. This is evident at certain times of the year when the ground, as well as sidewalks and cars, are covered with a fine yellow-green powder. Male cones are lower on the tree to prevent their pollen from fertilizing the female cones on the same tree. Cross breeding is important in almost all organisms.

Garland Nursery free compost Saturday

Free Compost This Saturday at Garland Nursery Garland Nursery Close the Loop with Free Compost Saturday, October 16 September 20, 2009 Dear Shelley, Allied Waste & Garland Nursery are working together to close the loop and spread the word about the compost being made at the Pacific Region Compost Facility, just north of Corvallis. This sustainable compost is made with organic material from area neighborhoods and gardens. Stop by Garland Nursery on the 16th to get a free scoop of compost (approximately 1/2 yard). We think you will find this local product is a winner. For more information about the Pacific Region Compost Facility:http://corvallis.disposal.com Thank you for your patronage. Sincerely, Lee, Erica, and Brenda Garland Nursery Owners Garland Nursery | 5470 NE Highway 20 | Corvallis | OR | 97330

It's been awhile since I wrote

A busy summer with lots of surprises.

Now it's time to get ready for fall.

This morning I

sweep the sidewalk

washed the side of the house where the window boxes were

pulled up the zucchini plants

pulled up another tomato plant

trimmed the lemon balm

trimmed the oregano

dead headed the marigold

moved empty pots to the side of the house

and pulled a couple of weeds

Being outside in the morning to get that vitamin D is crucial for me living in the NW

I did purchase a light box and use it too, but nothing beats the real deal.

Also being outside you can evaluate what needs to be done in prep for winter.

Harvesting

Herbs drying in the green house

Parsley, thyme, sage, oregano, and a surprise dill plant

Tomatoes ripening in the green house

Such a funny year of gardening, it looks like a long season after all but not enough heat.

So I'm hoping that putting things in the green house will create the heat they need.

You would think it was summer

A lovely day in Oregon.

Eric is cleaning the boat inside and out a huge job.

I decided to work on the garden.

1st Cut down the asparagus ferns and picked the red berries. I think I will dry them and plant them and see if I get asparagus.

2nd Trimmed down the parsley to dry in green house

3rd Collected the hops to dry in the green house

4th Picked the tomatoes to ripen in the green house

5th Collected sage, thyme, and rosemary to dry in green house

6th Collected the pulled up tomatoes plants, asparagus ferns and hop vines to put in a yard debris pile.

7th collected more tomato seeds for planting next year

8th planted purple deerfield garlic that came in the mail today.

I ordered it in January but they don't ship till Oct.

There is a lot to do in the yard but that is good enough for today since it's 4:00 pm

Blowing leaves, weeding, pruning and more harvesting.