Central Oregon
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Root crops such as potatoes, carrots, and beets do well in areas with short growing seasons and cool nights such as central Oregon. |
Although it may not be a gardening paradise, central Oregon is more than a wide expanse of high desert. Successful vegetable and fruit gardening is possible east of the Cascades if you take into account the area's special and widely varying climate and soil characteristics. The growing season may be as short as 80 to 90 days in central Oregon at elevations above 3,500 feet. Also, large fluctuations in daytime and nighttime temperatures, often as much as 40-45°F, affect vegetable and fruit production. Cool nights reduce the chances of successfully growing vegetables that like warm nights.
Soil types in central and eastern Oregon vary widely. Light-textured soils, low in organic matter, nutrient content, and water-holding capacity, are found in parts of central Oregon and the eastern Columbia Basin area. These soils may require frequent applications of fertilizer and water. At the other extreme are the heavy soils high in soluble salts (which can create an alkalinity problem) found in many eastern Oregon areas.
Added organic matter such as manure or compost generally is beneficial for most central Oregon soils. Specific information for each area is available from county offices of the OSU Extension Service or from local garden centers.
Choosing crops
Concentrate on those vegetables adapted to your particular area. Avoid planting vegetables that require special, intense, or improved growing conditions. Root crops (e.g., potatoes, carrots, and beets) and cold-tolerant crops (e.g., cabbage, chard, leaf lettuce, and kohlrabi) do well in high-elevation gardens.
Short-season vegetable varieties offer the best chance of success. For example, cool nights during the growing season may cause a 65-day tomato to require 75 to 80 days or more to mature.
Planting dates
Planting dates for high-elevation, short-season areas generally lag behind those in other parts of the state. In high areas, gardens usually are planted from mid-May, for cold-tolerant plants, to mid-June.
Use plant protection devices, such as row covers, hot caps, and Walls-o-Water, to extend the growing season for vegetables requiring longer periods to mature.
* Tip provided by OSU web sight