This week, no garden hints.
Read a good book.
Go on an art walk.
Go to a movie.
Play family games.
Go on a drive.
Plan a vacation.
Go skiing.
Go for a hike.
Visit your child's school and
make a visit.Bring cookies.
Compliment a worker.
Listen to good music.

Back to normal again.
We need the rain and the snow.
Watch the grass, it is growing pretty
fast so it will need to be mowed soon.
 Pruning..should be near done on tree
fruits and berries other than for grapes.
 Keep the weeds under control in
the raised beds, yes even now.

More rain in the Willamette Valley, which
is needed.  More snow in the mts.
One blueberry farm had bud break and
small leaves showing.
With the frosty weather, lawns may had been
 damaged if much walking was done on the
lawns = more lawn diseases this spring.
Broccoli - more soft rot in the broccoli heads, it
 has been really bad this winter.
many pesticide classes for private and consultants
 that need credit, check ODA web site or
 local Extension web sites.

Chard and broccoli still doing well.
Some winter annual weeds but they are slow
this year. Grapes still dormant so wait until after
Feb. 15th to prune.

Dang lawn is 2 inches tall, but too cold to cut.
For lawns, use  a low N, and medium P
and K to encourage root growth.
Be patient, Feb. 21 is the typical weather
break date for cold-ish weather.

Still nice to sit by the fire, reading,
sharing, enjoying family.

Blueberry and peach buds have broken; 
give them a good copper spray very soon;
pussywillow buds are over one inch long; 
I see various spring bulbs, up 1-2 inches; 
garlic is really doing well - 6 inches tall.
Keep all plants, bulbs, tender potted plants,
blueberry roots covered with a good mulch.

Warmer weather is coming but
still cool weather.
Leaves on the garden and compost
pile has been reduced 50% already.
Pruning still going on.  Many good
pruning classes for those who want
pruning tips.

During this cold weather, we have or at
least I have, forgotten about the plants in
pots.  Fortunately, the soil hasn't frozen
other than for short  periods in the early
mornings.  If the temps are below 32 degree
for the next two-three days, roots will start
to be damaged.  Cover with straw, leaves or mulch. 

If you have a greenhouse don't forget to
water plants at least twice  during the month.
Adding a fan to the greenhouse helps to
moderate cold in the greenhouse.

The cold AM temps are causing the soil
to freeze and can damage grass and lawn
 if you walk on the frozen lawn.  Even in
Springfield at 4:00 pm, the shaded soil was
still frozen.  IF  the lawn freezes, try not to
 walk on the lawn, walking on the lawn will
cause the  lawn leaves to break;  which CAN
cause lawn diseases.

Literature says that pruning below 32 degrees
can damage the limbs.  In 44 years of pruning,
I had NOT seen any damage to tree fruits YET
 that were pruned between 32 - 20 degrees F.
Be sure to make sharp,clean pruning cuts.

Sad news, Gray's in Springfield is gone!

Such a nice sunny day on Friday.

Saturday, pruning class at 10:00 am
at Thistledown.

Use copper or lime sulfur for apple anthracnose,
to clean up peaches for peach leaf curl,  and
cherries and plum for dead bud and pseudomonas.

Most bulbs starting to show about 1 inch. 
May need to cover them with 2 inches
of compost or mulch.

Saw my first tree fruits in a store today.
Way too early to plant any tree fruits.  Best to
wait until around Feb. 15.  Many trees that
are indoors, will soon loose dormancy and
then when they go back outside, the fruit
and leaf buds will be damaged if it gets
below 32 degrees.

If bought early, place in a cool, protect
 the roots with sawdust or mulch, and
plant in mid February.

2nd week of January.
Continue to prune.
Peaches still seem to be tight budded so get
 the copper spray on the peach trees.  Typical
Dec. 15, Jan. 15 and Feb. 15 with copper or
 lime sulfur spray.

Lots of upcoming gardening, landscape,
tree fruit and pruning classes.  Go to---

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/gardens

Below 32 degrees F. again today.
8 degrees out Noti way,  brrrrrrrr.
The soil is starting to crunch when you walk on it.
Make sure all water sources, pipes, irrigation lines,
water faucets are covered.  For added protection,
leave the faucet furthest away from
the water source slightly running.