Spring Home and Garden 2014

By Dee CampThe Chronicle

OKANOGAN – Spring cansignal the emergence of hungrybears looking for readily availablefood to replace the calories lostduring winter hibernation.

Feeding bearsand other largecarnivores,eitherintentionally orunintentionally,is illegal inWashington. A2012 lawaddresses“negligentlyfeeding,attempting tofeed, orattracting largewild carnivoresto land or abuilding” andanotheraddressesintentionallyfeeding orattempting tofeed suchanimals.

“This law was establishedmostly for the cases of intentionalfeedings, which are common,” saidRich Beausoleil, bear and cougarspecialist for the state Departmentof Fish and Wildlife. “We neverintended this law to be used as ahammer, but after being warnedon more than one occasion,unintentional feeding can alsoresult in a fine.”

“What I have learned over thelast few years is that inadvertentand intentional feeding of bearsleads to problem bears,”Okanogan County-basedDepartment of Wildlife Sgt. DanChristensen said.

“Illegal baiting activity andfailure to maintain home garbagein a manner that does not attractlarge animal scavenging createsattractants for calorie-hungrybears coming out of hibernation.Until those native plants andberries develop, the bears will seekout a high-calorie diet that wethrow out,” he said.

State and county rulesgoverning garbage storage havebeen in place since the 1940s and“maintaining a trailer filled to thetop with garbage and living in bear

country just do not mix,” he said.“We have found that once thoseattractants are gone, our call loadfor problem bears also reduces.”

He said remotely developedareas that don’t enforce garbagecollection measures have createdthose artificial food sources.

“Outside of illegal bear-baitingactivity, those two areas have oftenbeen found to be the source ofproblem bears,” Christensen said.

Beausoleil said he sees threeattractants that cause 95 percentof the human-bear conflicts, and ifpeople would eliminate them,most issues would be eliminated.

Those attractants are garbage,bird seed and fruit trees.

“Be part of the solution, notpart of the problem this spring,”

said Lorna Smith, WesternWildlife Outreach executivedirector. “Don’t let yourinattention lead to a bearbecoming habituated to human-provided food and losing itsnatural fear of humans. A bearthat doesn’t leave when humansapproach is likely doomed to bedestroyed.”

Okanogan County Sheriff Frank

See Bears 3

Page 2 — 2014 Spring Home and Garden, The Chronicle, Omak, Wash.

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Spring Home and Garden© 2014 The Omak-Okanogan

County ChronicleOwned and operated by Eagle Newspapers Inc.

Roger Harnack, editor and publisherTeresa Myers, advertising manager

P.O. Box 553, Omak, WA 98841618 Okoma Drive, Omak, Wash. 98841

509-826-1110 voice800-572-3446 toll free509-826-5819 fax

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InsideBear necessities ...........................................................................................2Small critters can be a concern....................................................................3Dry climate makes for thirsty plants .............................................................4Upgrading curb appeal can add value to home ...........................................5Drippy faucets waste water, cost extra.........................................................6Garlic takes extra care .................................................................................7As temperatures rise, so do vehicles’ numbers............................................8Down and dirty: Creating your own compost at home .................................9New to gardening? Interest is key..............................................................10

Bear necessitiesAs bears come out of hibernation,

they look for a place to dine

The Chronicle

A bear saunters through the undergrowth off state Highway 155 southof Omak.

Rogers

Christensen

Rogers said his office doesn’t getmany calls about problem bears.There’s been a smattering of callsabout cabins being entered andransacked by bears.

“It’s just part of living here,” hesaid of large animals. “Just takeprecautions.”

At times, cities have had more ofa problem with bears than ruralareas. Omak has had several overthe years, and last year Coulee Damhad problems with bears cominginto town and getting into garbage.

Rogers said people should takeprecautions to avoid being visitedby bears. Garbage cans are one ofthe biggest attractants.

Western Wildlife Outreachsuggests not feeding wild birds untilmid-November, when their naturalfood sources diminish and bears aresafely back in hibernation. Garbageshould be stored indoors untilpickup day or stored in a bear-resistant garbage can.

The outreach suggests pickingup fallen orchard fruit andtrimming low branches, butRogers said that’s impractical inOkanogan County, where fruitproduction is a major industry.

State law specifically exemptsfarming from the list of conditionsthat can bring a ticket.

The outreach suggests storingbarbecue equipment and pet foodindoors, and not feeding petsoutside.

The organization also suggestspeople be careful when they’re outhiking or camping. It suggeststraveling in groups, keeping dogsleashed, make noise in areas oflimited visibility or where bearshave been detected, and storingfood in bear-resistant containersor hanging it out of reach of bears.

Bear spray also can be effective,the group said.

2014 Spring Home and Garden, The Chronicle, Omak, Wash. — Page 3

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Bears from 2

Smaller critters can be a concern

The Chronicle

OMAK – Smaller wild crittersdon’t always menace your garbagecan, but they can wreak havocwith your garden or landscaping.

Rabbits, deer, groundhogs andother wildlife often see greengardens and yards as asmorgasbord of good things to eat.

Anyone who has battledwildlife knows the frustration anddifficulty involved in controllingthem.

The best defense oftentimes isa fence.

A four-foot-high fenceanchored tightly to the ground willkeep out rabbits. Five-foot fencesaround small garden areas usuallywill keep out deer, since they seemto avoid small, confined spaces.With a larger area, all bets are offwhen deer are concerned.

Groundhogs and otherburrowing animals, such as moles,pose more difficult containmentproblems since they will dig undera fence and sometimes climb overit. Burying the fence at least a footbelow the soil surface andextending the top four or five feetabove the ground should do thetrick.

Remember to secure the gate,too.

Scare tactics have been used formany years. Motion-sensitivesprinklers, inflatable owls,clanging pans and rubber snakesstrategically placed around agarden may help scare awayunwanted critters.

It’s a good idea to move andalternate the various scare tacticsfor more effective control. Theanimals won’t be afraid of an owlthat hasn’t moved in two weeks.

Homemade and commercialrepellents can be used, but theyshould be safe to use on foodcrops. You’ll have the best resultsif applied before the animals startfeeding.

Rabbits, deer and

other animals enjoy

garden goodies, too

“It’s just part of living here. Just

take precautionsSheriff Frank Rogers

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REPUBLIC – Here in theInland Northwest, we have a dryclimate.

After the short growing season,providing enough water for avegetable garden or flowers is thetop problem with which gardenersstruggle.

Xeriscaping, wind breaks,mulch and drip irrigation are allmethods that can help get waterwhere we need it and keep it there.

Xeriscaping is landscaping withplants that require little wateronce established.

All plants require regular waterwhen they are first planted. Some,like cactus or succulents such ashens-n-chicks, may need wateringonly for a few weeks.

Shrubs and trees or perennialplants may need regular water fora few months or even through thefirst year to get them established.After that, they may need water

only in times of prolonged heat,wind or drought.

Xeriscaping can also includecollecting rain water, using graywater from your sink or shower,rock gardens and lawn alternatives.It all depends on the gardener.

Wind breaks and mulch helpkeep the water where the plantscan use it — the root zone. Winddoes as much to evaporate wateras heat, so planting a wind breakof trees or shrubs, a low fence oreven putting a tall plant on thewindy side of one that dries outfaster can help keep the moisturewhere you want it.

Mulch acts as an insulator tokeep the soil surface a consistenttemperature and preventsevaporation (and weeds). It alsoimproves the soil and looks nice.

Drip irrigation is one way to getthe most water into the root zonewith the least amount ofevaporation. The root zone isabout 6 to 8 inches deep forannuals and vegetables and somesmall shrubs.

For a large shrub, perennialflower or tree, it can be up to 18inches deep.

How wide the root zone

extends depends on the type ofplant. The rule of thumb is theyneed water up to and slightlybeyond the span of their leaves.

Other benefits from dripirrigation are fewer diseases such

as mold and blossom end rot, aswell as larger harvests.

Some cautions: Setting up adrip irrigation system can be time-and money-consuming initially,and the hose may clog or be cut by

an enthusiastic weeder.Washington State University Extension forFerry County can be reached at 509-775-

5225 Ext. 1116. The office is in thebasement of the courthouse, 350 E.

Delaware Ave., Republic.

Dry climate makes for thirsty plantsXeriscaping, wind

breaks and other

techniques can help

Dee Camp/The Chronicle

A low-maintenance xeriscaped yard in Omak requires less water than its grassy neighbors.

The Chronicle

OMAK – This month,designated as National HomeImprovement Month, is a goodtime to make improvements to theexterior of your home.

By upgrading your home’s curbappeal, you increase the value ofyour house and make a positiveimpact on visitors.

Research from Remodelingmagazine shows that in a mid-range priced home, up to 67.8percent of the cost of a roofreplacement can be recouped whenselling the home.

Replacing a fiberglass entry doorcan bring up to 70.8 percent andreplacing windows can bring a 78.8percent return on the cost.

Curb appeal improvements addvalue to the home overall and canbe considered extremely smartinvestments for homeowners, themagazine’s research shows.

Okanogan County AssessorScott Furman agreed.

“Taking care of your home has adirect relationship to the value ofthe home,” he said. “It is likeanything else, if you take care of it,it will retain more of its value.”

He said he hesitates togeneralize about whatimprovements will bring the bestreturn, since some don’t materiallyadd to the value, while others mayadd value to the home but not inthe same amount as the total cost ofrepair.

“They say bathroom and kitchenremodels get the most bang for thebuck,” he said. “Any repair to y ourhome that needs to be done can belooked at by a potential buyer as a‘cost to cure,’ so they would try anddeduct the cost of that repair, say anew roof, from the purchase priceof the home.”

According to Remodeling, someareas to check include:

• Roofing condition. Usingeither a ladder or binoculars fromacross the street, look for problemareas, such as missing or brokenshingles, along with roofing tilesthat may be flapping in the wind.

These are all indications that anew roof may be needed.

• Siding. Environmentallyfriendly detergents, scrubbingand/or pressure-washing all workwell to remove dirt and algae thatcan grow on siding.

Don’t pressure-wash trimpieces, doors, windows or screens.The extreme high pressure could

crack or destroy the caulkingaround the units.

While cleaning the siding, makesure to check for changes in theexterior from the previous year andbe alert to buckling, rotting, peelingpaint or insect damage that mayneed to be fixed.

• Gutters. Don’t underestimatethe importance of the gutter systemon the home. Each year,homeowners should check to makesure their gutters are clean,unclogged, securely attached to thehome and remain sloped for properdrainage.

Make sure the water running off

the roof doesn’t cause damage tothe building structure, landscapingor property below the roof.

• Windows. If the windows inyour home don’t operate easily,there’s air leaking in or out, orthere’s condensation between theglass panes, it may be time toconsider replacement windows,caulking or repairs.

• Doors. If you can see lightaround a door from the inside, yourdoor is hard to close or lock, or thedoor itself is warped, it’s time toconsider repairs or a replacement.

Even if you can’t see light, airmay be moving through gaps in theweather stripping. A new roll ofweather stripping is inexpensiveand easy to install.

Think about the weatherconditions that your home’s doorsface, along with your energy bills.

• Accessories. Spend time withyour shutters, trim and louvers tosee if they’re rotting, cracked orneed replacing.

Check the bottoms and tops ofcolumns and near the joints incrown and other moldings for waterspots, decay or peeling paint to seeif they’re deteriorating in any way.Check for bug damage, too.


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Upgrading curb appealcan add value to home

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If you take care of

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By Dee CampThe Chronicle

OMAK – That drip-drip-dripfrom a leaky kitchen faucet cantranslate to thousands of gallonsof water down the drain and extrautility costs to boot.

The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency estimates easy-to-fix household leaks account formore than one trillion gallons ofwater wasted each year. That’sequal to the annual householdwater use of more than 11 millionhomes.

On a more personal level, waterleaking from dripping faucets,showerheads and faulty toiletflappers in an average Americanhome can account for more than10,000 gallons of water wastedevery year, or the amount of waterneeded to wash 270 loads oflaundry.

“The culprit is the toilet a lot oftimes,” Omak Public WorksDirector Todd McDaniel said.

A leak of agallon perminutetranslates to1,440 gallons perday.

That can senda customer’s billthrough the roofif leftunattended. InOmak, acustomer gets1,000 cubic feet per month –7,480 gallons – for a base fee.After that, overage fees arecharged.

For a commercial customer, awater leak also can translate into ahigher sewage bill since the latteris based on water use.

McDaniel advises people tokeep an eye on their bills, whichshow usage. If there’s a suddenspike in water consumption fromone month to the next, that cansignal a leak.

A water line break usuallyshows itself with a wet spot in theyard, but the city also tries tomonitor customers’ water use andwarn them about abnormal use, hesaid.

The state requires cities tooutline water use efficiency goalsand write plans to address them.Meter calibration, fire hydrantleakage detection and supply leakdetection all are components of

meeting the state goal of 10percent water leakage or less forthe system.

In 2012, Omak had 9 percentleakage, which isthe differencebetween what’spumped andwhat’s meteredwhen deliveredto customers,McDaniel said.The three-yearaverage was 6.2percent.

Okanoganhad an identical

three-year average, at 6.2 percent.The 2012 leakage rate was 9.4percent, Public Works Director

Shawn Davisson said.In both cities, people can

petition for forgiveness of part ofthe bill on a one-time basis if theproblem is caught and correctedquickly. Each has its own policyoutlining conditions for getting arefund.

Faucet, showerhead and simpletoilet leaks often can be fixedeasily by the average do-it-yourselfer, with just a few toolsand hardware needed. Manyreplacement parts come withinstructions, and help also isavailable from hardware storepersonnel and online.

Repairs can quickly pay for

See Drip 7


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Drippy faucets waste water, cost extraDrops turn into gallons

Count the number of drips in 30seconds to see how many gallons ofwater are wasted from a leaky faucet.Amount one day one year5 drops 0.8 gallon 292 gallons

10 drops 1.6 gallons 584 gallons15 drops 1.4 gallons 876 gallons20 drops 3.2 gallons 1,168 gallons25 drops 4 gallons 1,460 gallons30 drops 4.8 gallons 1,752 gallons


A drippy faucet, left unattended, can waste thousands of gallons ofwater in a year.

McDaniel Davisson

Many repairs can be

tackled by average

do-it-yourselfer

By Twinflower WilkieFerry County Master Gardener

REPUBLIC — When I firstplanted garlic, I thought if I left itin the ground longer it would bebigger and nicer.

So I planted in late spring,waited until September, went todig where the garlic had been —and saw nothing. Digging yieldeda few small, dingy brown cloves.

It had been in the ground toolong. The tops had died down,leaving me no clue where to findthe garlic.

It hadn’t had enough coolweather to get big, and I hadn’tmonitored the moisture, but let itget saturated with fall rains beforeharvesting, which gave me dingybrown garlic that didn’t peel wellor keep well.

Other gardeners had such nicegarlic.

There are two main types ofgarlic: soft neck, which is what ismade into those lovely garlicbraids you sometimes see, andhard neck, which does well in ourclimate and is what I haveexperience growing.

For optimum growth, bothtypes require a deep, well-drainedsoil in a sunny location, a long,cool stretch, and even moisture.

Mulch the soil to keep it cool.Rotate your garlic each year to

prevent soil-borne disease, andplant about three inches deep andfour to six inches apart.

You can plant a garlic crop

successfully in spring or fall.Fall planting, ideally during

early to mid-October, gives theroots a head start on developing

See Garlic 8

themselves in savings — fixinghousehold water leaks can save ahomeowner up to 10 percent onwater bills, the EPA said.

Both cities offer information tocustomers on leak prevention,including a chart showing leakhole sizes and how much watercan be lost in a day.

For example, a hole thediameter of a standard pencileraser leaking water at a rate of 50pounds per square inch wouldresult in a 3,096-gallon loss perday, 92,880 gallons per month or1.1 million gallons per year.

An easy way of figuring waterloss is to count the number ofdrips in 30 seconds, the stateDepartment of Health said.Twenty drips in a 30-second spanconverts to 3.2 gallons in a day or1,168 in a year.

EPA officials said finding andfixing leaks is simple to do:

• Check for leaks. Look fordripping faucets, showerheads andfixture connections. Checkirrigation systems and spigots, too.

• Twist and tighten pipeconnections.

Make sure there is a tightconnection between theshowerhead and the pipe stem. Itmay just need a twist to tighten orsome pipe tape to secure it.

• Replace worn-out fixtures. Ifit’s time for an upgrade, look formodels bearing the WaterSenselabel, which are independentlycertified to use 20 percent lesswater and perform as well as orbetter than standard models.

“Something as simple astwisting on a WaterSense-labeled

aerator and upgrading to aWaterSense-labeled faucet couldsave a household 11,000 gallonsover the life of the faucet,” theEPA said on its WaterSensewebsite.

Water-saving ideas

• Collect rainwater to irrigateindoor and outdoor plants.

• Shorten showers by two tothree minutes and save up to 10gallons per shower.

• If you don’t like mowing,consider replacing your grass withnative or drought-resistantlandscaping (xeriscaping).

• Install WaterSense-labeledlow-flow fixtures or aerators onfaucets and low-flow showerheads.

• Water outdoors just two orthree times a week.

• To reduce evaporation, waterthe lawn in early morning orevening. Watering during the heatof the day or when it’s windywastes water and is less effective.

• Place two to four inches ofmulch around plants and trees toavoid excess evaporation.

• Consider using a commercialcar wash that recycles water, orwash your car on your lawn.

• Sell your lawnmower and usethe money as a down payment toreplace your lawn with a flower orvegetable garden.

• Protect water quality bylimiting or eliminating the use offertilizers, weed killers andpesticides.

• Install micro/drop irrigationor use soaker hoses to wateroutdoors.

—The Chronicle


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Garlic takes extra careIt’s not hard, but it’s

not as simple as just

sticking it in the soil

The Chronicle

OMAK — The temperatures arerising, and so are the numbers ofvehicles on the road.

Whether you’re hitting the roadfor a day trip or a vacation, avoidputting a damper on your travelplans by following these vehiclemaintenance tips:

• An annual full-vehicleinspection may help avoid costlyrepairs.

Joe Cirame, owner of Joe’sAutomotive, 204 N. Main St. inOmak, suggested a visualinspection of your vehicle,including fluid levels, tires, beltsand hoses under the hood,windshield wiper blades andlighting outside the vehicle.

“First of all, you’d want to startoff with some basic maintenancelike lubrication,” he said.

That includes engine oil andfilters, coolant, transmission fluid,power steering fluid and brake fluid.

Oil and coolant should bechecked when the engine is cold,and transmission fluid and powersteering fluid can be checked whenyour vehicle is warmed up.

As for tires, Cirame saidchecking the pressure and treadwill help ensure safety. Abnormal

tire wear can signal otherproblems, such as worn front endor suspension parts, he said.

“When it gets hot out there, ifsomething is going to happen it’sgoing to happen then,” he said.

• Check your air conditioningsystem.

“To help maintain a good airconditioning system, you wouldwant to make sure the coolingsystem is working properly,”Cirame said.

“A cooling system that is notworking properly will affect theperformance of the airconditioning.”

To prevent overheating, Cirameadvised using a 50/50 fill ofantifreeze and water.

If you’re traveling with an RV

or trailer, it’s important to makesure they’re in good workingorder, too.

Before taking any trips, peopleshould check the brakes andlights, and re-pack the wheelbearings, said Mike Roberts,owner of Choice Automotive andRV, 610 Okoma Drive in Omak.

“We change a lot of axles everyyear that are really expensivebecause people don’t pack theirwheel bearings,” Roberts said.

Propane systems andappliances should also beinspected and tested for safety.

“They can be dangerous ifsomething is wrong,” he said.


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without sending up shoots. Mulch heavily and pullthe mulch away in the spring.

This will give you bigger heads of garlic than aspring planting, but if you want to increase your yield,you can put in a spring planting, too.

Plant as early in spring as you can work the soil.The cool weather will help the bulb to form before thetops mature.

Garlic produces allicin, a complex mixture ofsulfides. This makes it a beneficial companion formost crops, helping keep pests at bay.

By the same token, it can be blended with waterand a little dish soap to make it stick, and thensprayed on plants that are under attack. Some pestsare repelled by the smell.

Hard neck varieties produce flower stalks that curlaround artistically into a pointed tip called a scape. Ifthe scape is left to mature, it will form small bulbils,which if planted, would make extremely small headsof garlic.

You could separate them, replant and repeat yearafter year until you got full size garlic heads.However, if you want a good garlic crop from yourpresent planting and don’t care about producingbulbils, snap those scapes off when they first appear.

They will taste great in a stir fry, and the energywill go into forming bigger underground bulbs.

After you remove the scapes, wait until the greensof your garlic plant begin to brown. If they don’t fallover naturally, bend them over and wait for about athird of the foliage to die back. Loosen the garlic witha garden fork, lift it, and shake off the loose soil.

Place the whole plants in a cool, shaded place andlet the tops dry before removing them. Gently brushoff any remaining dirt before storing your crop in acool dry place at about 45-50 degrees.

Ferry County Master Gardeners offer information about gardening

practices, and can answer questions and help solve gardeningdilemmas. Information is available at 509-775-5225 Ext. 1116 or

from the Washington State University Extension office in thebasement of the courthouse, 350 E. Delaware Ave., Republic.


Garlic braids are displayed during the TonasketGarlic Festival in August 2013. Vendors from all overthe region offered garlic and other products.

Garlic from 7

As temperatures rise, so do vehicles’ numbers

Jennifer Marshall/The Chronicle

Cody Jones of Choice Automotive and RV in Omak checks fluids.

By Jennifer MarshallThe Chronicle

Creating your own compost, inaddition to being environmentallysustainable, can be a cheap andeasy way to fertilize your garden.

“There are all kinds of methods– you can do it above ground, in ahole, in a pile,” Okanogan CountyCommunity Action ExecutiveDirector Lael Duncan said.

“We actually have plans so thatpeople can construct their owncomposter if they want to, and itcan be just as simple as digging ahole and adding your compostablekitchen products.”

Composters can also bepurchased in stores.

To make your own compost,combine items such as vegetableand fruit peels and stems, coffeegrounds, eggshells, yard waste,dead flowers and leaves, evenshredded newspaper.

Compost needs a balance ofoxygen, water and carbon, thelatter of which is found in drymaterials such as leaves, cornstalks, straw, sawdust andfireplace ashes, according toMethow Valley School District’sClassroom in Bloom.

It also needs nitrogen, which isincluded in food, coffee grounds,grass clippings, manure, greenweeds and more.

Cover the waste with dirt “somicroorganisms can take hold andbreak it down,” Duncan said.“Keep it turned and keep it moist.”

If you have a composter with ahandle, “I don’t think you can turnit too often,” she said. If you’reusing a shovel, turn the pile aboutonce a week and add more dirt.

In the summer, turn the pile asoften as possible and water it tokeep it from drying out.

Classroom in Bloom notestemperature also plays animportant part.

“Decomposition occurs mostrapidly between 110 (degrees) to160 (degrees) Fahrenheit,”according to the classroombrochure on composting.

And if you’re worried about thesmell, that all depends on thematerials you use. Compost madewithout manure, dairy and meatmay produce fewer odors.

“If you have too much nitrogenin your pile in proportion tocarbon, it will start to smell,”according to Classroom in Bloom.

“If you do it right … there’s

really very little issue with smell,”Duncan said. “Adding that layer ofdirt on top does help. The items

that you’re adding are typically theitems that don’t produce smells inthe kitchen.”


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Methow Valley sixth-graders tend compost bins in mid-April as part ofClassroom in Bloom.

Thebeginnings ofa newcompost heap,housed in abin made frompallets,includes foodscraps andgreens.

Food for All Okanogan

By Jennifer MarshallThe Chronicle

OMAK — If you’re new togardening, the first and mostimportant thing you need to haveis a strong interest in it.

“I think it’s more of a hobbyand an outlet,” Okanogan CountyMaster Gardener Jim Bone said.“It’s more of a relaxing time formost of us, so you’ve got to be ableto enjoy it or you won’t stay with itfor very long.”

Gardens take time to cultivateand maintain, and depending onwhat you want to plant, take somepatience as well.

First, you have to considerwhat type of flowers, plants orvegetables you want, and thenselect a fertilizer – Bone suggestedcompost or manure.

Plants referred to as “annuals”complete their life cycle in oneyear, Bone said. Biennials take twoyears, and perennials, such astrees and shrubs, take longer than

that.“When determining what kind

of things you want, everything isdifferent,” he said, noting thatsome shrubs can grow to 10-15feet tall, while others stay low tothe ground. Some plants thrive indirect sunlight, but those thatneed shade should be planted onthe north side of the house orunder the shade of trees, Bonesaid.

The Master Gardeners haveaccumulated a list of native plantson the Washington StateUniversity Extension forOkanogan County website,county.wsu.edu/okanogan/gardening/Pages/Master_Gardeners.aspx.

The list includes hundreds ofvarieties of perennials, deciduoustrees and shrubs, vines, groundcovers, edible plants, bulbs,annuals, conifer trees and shrubs,and evergreen shrubs.

“Then you have to consider,‘Where do I live?’” Bone said. In aregion such as Okanogan County,geography is diverse, fromriverfronts to dry, sandy hills.

“You need to pay attention toclimate zones,” he said. “Our zonehere is between 4 and 5 – most

plants you look to buy will tell youwhich zone they’re best for.”

Mid-May is about the righttime to begin planting in the

valley, after the last frost of theseason, Bone said. The averagefirst frost is around early October,giving residents about 150 days for

an outdoor growing season.“There’s an old wives’ tale –

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don’t plant if there’s still snow ontop of Omak Mountain,” Bonesaid.

In more mountainous areas,such as Chesaw and the MethowValley, growing season is about120 days with the final frostaround June 1 and the first frost inmid-September.

However, some things, such ascabbage, peas and potatoes, can beplanted sooner.

For those who can’t plantoutdoors or want to start withsomething simple, try hangingplant baskets or growingvegetables in smaller containersinside your home.

“The thing that we have foundis it’s important to empowerpeople to grow a certainpercentage of their own food…even if they just have a coffee canwith a couple of holes punched init,” said Lael Duncan, executivedirector of the Okanogan CountyCommunity Action Council.“There are all kinds of things youcan use as containers.”

Duncan said one of the mostimportant factors in successfulgardening is good soil. Sherecommends that those with landtry composting, but potting soilcan be purchased from gardencenters or hardware stores.

“Buying dirt seemscounterintuitive, but the result iswell worth it,” she said, notingthat plants need soil that is“healthy and pest-free, andcontains a certain amount offood.”

She also suggested using agedmanure, which means seeds fromwhatever weeds the animals atehave had a chance to be killed.

“Chicken manure tends to bereally strong and not have a lot ofseeds in it, so it’s good but youwant to mix it at a higher ratio ofless manure to more dirt,” Duncansaid. “Goat and sheep manuretypically doesn’t have seeds in it.”

Another aspect of gardeningthat takes some consideration iswhen to water, and how often.Bone said grass should be wateredabout once a week in the spring,then every two or three days in thesummer, depending on how hotand windy it is.

As for plants in general, “thewater has to go to where the rootsare,” he said. “Roots need to havesome oxygen and they need tohave some water, but not betotally underwater. You want toget the water to the plant, but thenyou want the top surface to dry outslightly,” which signals that it’s notbeing overwatered.

“You want to soak seedlingswhen you first plant them, thenkeep them moist,” Duncan said.

“Moist is the key word, notdrowning.”

Several years ago, theCommunity Action Council helpedsome local families start their ownsquare-foot gardens through theFood for All program. There hasn’tbeen any funding to continue theprogram since about 2012, butDuncan said the council still offers

brochures and advice for anyonewanting to grow their own food.

When determining what typesof vegetables to plant, she said tothink about the foods you’realready eating and “grow what youwill consume or preserve for thewinter.”

But above all, patience is thekey to perseverance.

“There is a certain element oftrial and error. I’d say one of thekeys is to not be discouraged,”Duncan said. “There are a milliondifferent ways to garden, and it’simportant to really find one thatmakes you happy. There’s a realsatisfaction in producing your ownfood and having that degree ofself-reliance.”

Garden from 10

Okanogan County Community Action Council

Square-foot gardens flourish outside in downtown Okanogan, an example of easily-manageable gardening.

Documents

Spring Home and Garden 2014