Planting a Vegetable Garden in the Pacific Northwest

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Here in the temperate Pacific Northwest, we have conditions favorable for a lot of great edible plants, but more challenging for others. We can grow cool season veggies like nobody’s business. Peas, lettuces, collards, kale, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and the like are made for our weather. We struggle more with veggies that like heat or long growing seasons like tomatoes, corn, melons, and peppers, though they are not impossible, they just require more care and consideration.

Western Washington falls into USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9, so planting recommendations will vary a bit depending on where you are exactly. Here on Whidbey Island, we are in Zone 8b. You can find your Hardiness Zone HERE, this will come in handy for understanding which plants will do best for you and when to plant them based on the temperature range.

The very first thing you will need to do to plant an annual vegetable garden is make sure that you’ve got good soil ready to plant into. Here on Whidbey and much of the PNW we have either very sandy/rocky soil or hard clay soil. Either type will need a lot of amendments to grow vegetables, which generally require a rich, loamy, well-draining soil. If you want to try to make your native soil better, first get a soil test to tell you what you need to add to make it more hospitable. If you would rather avoid the work of building your native soil you can instead create raised beds or garden in pots or planters, using a pre-mixed soil for the purpose of gardening, such as G&B Organic Raised Bed soil. Even with pre-mixed soil you will still want to read up on what you’re planting, as some crops will need more fertility than others, and if you want to continue to use the same soil for many years there are considerations for that as well.

Once you have a place for your plants to live, you can begin to plan what to grow. It is easy to get excited and want to grow a little of everything, trust me! A good strategy for choosing vegetables and other food plants, is to go through your fridge and pantry and find out what it is that your family eats most or finds most enjoyable. It can be a balancing act as well, if you’re limited for space or time in the garden, you’ll have to find what works best for you. My family eats a ton of garlic, onions, leeks, and potatoes. I’ve found that while I can grow garlic and leeks really well, I am not as successful with onions or potatoes in the quantities we would need, so rather than eat up a lot of my garden space I buy onions and potatoes from local farmers who can grow them better and in greater quantities. I can grow zucchini and other squashes enough for our needs, so I prioritize those over broccoli or brussels sprouts, which we love but take up a lot of space and are harder for me to keep pest free. A couple of cherry tomato plants fit nicely into our space, but for my large tomato canning projects I don’t have the space to grow as many as I would need so I opt to buy those as well. Perhaps you have a hard-to-find vegetable or fruit that you love? Maybe you can grow it yourself! We are big fans of hardy kiwi and ground cherries, but these are rarely found at the market, so we grow them. Don’t be afraid to experiment, try out lots of things, some will work great, and some may not, but that will just make next year’s garden a more likely success.

Once you’ve chosen what you want to grow the question becomes, to grow from seed or get starts? I found personally that starts are a great way to get used to gardening, as they are more likely to grow well, and you’ll avoid the pitfalls of seed starting. There are some things that do better from seed, such as carrots, beets, and other root veggies, so if you’re up for the challenge of growing from seed these would be a good place to start. Things like peas and beans do great as well. Some things, like tomatoes, peppers, and melons, which require an early start and a long growing season will have to be transplanted into the garden no matter what, so buying starts is the easiest way to go. But again, if you’re up for the challenge you can read up on starting your own seeds indoors in trays or pots. We’ve got a Video to help you too!

When to plant is the next question that arises. You will need to know the first and last Frost Dates for your region (find yours HERE). Once you know these dates you can plan when you can start planting and calculate when is the latest you can plant based on the length of time your chosen plant takes to grow and ripen. On seed packets or plant labels you’ll see when the best times are to plant them based on frost dates or just a range of dates. For starts you want the “transplant outside” date as opposed to seed starting date. Here is a great Planting Calendar for the PNW from Deep Harvest Farm right here on Whidbey. If you’re unsure, asking local Master Gardeners, nursery staff, or farmers can be helpful. There are lots of groups out there to help gardeners, people love helping others get into gardening!

Finally, you’re ready to plant! Having a few tools such as a small hand shovel, a hori hori, a larger shovel for bigger plants, a garden fork, gloves and a stool or knee pads can be helpful. Most gardeners have their favorites, my trusty garden fork is a go-to for me, as well as the hori hori. Follow instructions for each plant or seed, depth of planting as well as watering are important. Be ready to water regularly throughout the growing season, annual veggies especially need regular water, but not too much, and benefit from soaker hoses or ground level watering if possible, to avoid wetting the plants themselves. The cool, moist PNW weather is a recipe for fungal growth, so giving plants space for airflow and keeping them from getting too wet is important for plant health. Investing in a well-placed, good quality irrigation system can be a huge time saver as well as help to keep plants at their best.

Once your plants are in the ground it’s a matter of keeping them watered, well fed with fertilizer as needed, protecting from pests, and watching for potential health problems. If you’re like me, you’ll check on your little plant babies every day, watching them grow and change. Catching things early is best, so while visiting be sure to watch for pest nibbles, droppings, bugs or slug trails, yellowing or wilting leaves, fuzzy white or grey film, spots or anything that seems abnormal and then treat as necessary. There are lots of strategies for dealing with garden troubles but having an Integrated Pest Management plan can help to address them. WSU has a couple of pages dedicated to helping home gardeners manage common pests. Check out Hortsense for plant problems and weeds, and Pestsense for common indoor pests. Growing your own food at home can be challenging and rewarding. You’ll be getting fresh air, exercise, hands in the dirt, connecting with nature, and eventually fresh, healthy food. For some of you perhaps, this could be the beginning of a lifelong passion. We at Venture Out are here to help you along the way, with tools, plants, seeds, soil, fertilizers, education and advice – Happy Gardening!

If you’d like to start your own seeds in a greenhouse or sunny window, check out this video with Tobey Nelson for detailed instructions!

How to Prune a Shrub Rose

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Horticulturist Tobey Nelson walks us through how to prune a shrub rose in winter. 

Late winter is the best time of year to prune a shrub rose. Follow these basic steps for success!

  1. Remove dead wood.
  2. Remove any canes that come from below the graft.
  3. Remove any branches that grow toward the interior.
  4. Remove weak and spindly growth.
  5. Remove any damaged, broken or diseased canes.
  6. Finish by deadheading the canes and consider cutting back by one third for height control, if desired.

Remember to always prune to an outward facing node, as Tobey describes in her video.

To learn more about Rose care, visit our How to Have Success with Roses blog post.

How to Prune a Hybrid Tea Rose

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Horticulturist Tobey Nelson walks us through how to prune a hybrid tea rose in late winter. 

Late winter is the best time of year to prune a shrub rose. Follow these basic steps for success!

  1. Remove dead wood.
  2. Remove any canes that come from below the graft.
  3. Remove any branches that grow toward the interior.
  4. Remove weak and spindly growth.
  5. Remove any damaged, broken or diseased canes.
  6. Finish by deadheading the canes and consider cutting back by one half to two thirds for height control, to avoid long and leggy growth.

Remember to always prune to an outward facing node, as Tobey describes in her video.

To learn more about Rose care, visit our How to Have Success with Roses blog post. 

Strawberries 2021

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Quinault

This everbearing strawberry produces large, soft, deliciously sweet fruits that are great for eating fresh and for making preserves. Quinault produces from late spring through fall.

Hood

A June bearing strawberry that produces medium, sweet, and juicy berries that are known for their high sugar content. Great for eating, preserves and freezing for mid-winter treats.

Rainier

This June bearing has delicious fruit that are disease resistant. Easy to grow, these plants have attractive foliage. Produces soft, large berries that are great fresh or processed.

Shuksan

This June bearing strawberry produces large, firm berries that are great for fresh eating and excellent for freezing and for preserves. Plants are hardy to -20 F.

Regardless of the variety, many Strawberries are loved by (and safe for) dogs!!

Winter Gardening with Pollinators

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We gardeners are stewards of the earth. We share our garden not only with plants, but with the many critters that depend on them. This includes pollinators! Many species of insects and birds act as pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, hoverflies, moths & butterflies, and more. Since pollinators are inextricably linked to food security (so many of the foods we eat require pollination, such as all fruits, beans, squashes and more), we should all be concerned about their health. Many of the choices we make as gardeners can support these creatures. Here are a few simple ways that you can help your local pollinators.

Winter-flowering plants provide food for pollinators

One of the most fun ways to help local populations of pollinators is to include winter-flowering plants in your garden. Though most of these insects hibernate during the cold temperatures, they can awaken and become active on warm days. Having a nectar source is important; it provides nourishment to them.  Cheer yourself and feed these little friends with some of these winter flowers. Planting in groups can make it easier for these winged friends to find this food.

Mahonia

There are several species of Mahonia, or Oregon Grape, that you can plant in your garden.  Pictured is the large evergreen shrub Mahonia x media, which is the earliest to flower. No garden should be without one! Their bright yellow flowers in December thru February are loved by hummingbirds and gardeners alike. The best part for Whidbey Island gardeners is that the deer do not love this plant!

Hellebore

How about another indispensable garden plant?! This easy-to-grow evergreen perennial brings cheer and nectar with its blooms, from December through March in shades of white, cream, pink, red and even black! Another early flowering perennial worth including is Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris).

Primrose

These delightful perennial plants can be tucked in many little spots in the garden. Use them in beds as a groundcover or between deciduous perennials, or plant in pots for a spot of winter and early spring cheer. Other plants like this to include would be Cyclamen & Pansies.

Heather

Here’s a true work-horse plant! Heathers and Heaths offer evergreen interest – especially if you choose a variety with golden or silver foliage – as well as flowers from fall through spring. These are drought tolerant and deer-resistant!

Winter & spring flowering bulbs

We can’t overlook the contribution that winter & spring flowering bulbs make to the pollinator menu. Well known blooms such as Crocus, Muscari, Dutch Hyacinth as well as lesser-known ones like Snowdrop (Galanthus) and Winter Aconite are fun to include in the garden and offer nectar as well.

Erysimum

Deliciously fragrant Wallflower (Erysimum) is a treat for the nose as well as the pollinators.  These sun-loving, drought- and deer-tolerant semi-evergreen perennials are great for early color in the garden.

Other plants that are not pictured that are great sources of nectar include early flowering trees & shrubs, such as Witch Hazel, Forsythia, Cherries, Plums, Strawberry Trees (Arbutus), Abelia, Daphne, Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas), Hebe and others.   

A “messy garden” is okay with pollinators! 

It is okay with many of these creatures if you aren’t a tidy gardener. “Messy gardens” can offer food and shelter. Plants that you didn’t deadhead can throw off the random bloom in the winter, offering a meal to any nectar-lovers flying by.

Loss of habitat is a leading reason for pollinator decline. Our gardens can help offset that loss. Random garden debris, such as leaf litter, spent stems, and curled up bits of bark and branches, offers shelter and nesting spots for overwintering insects. Give yourself a break and help your garden buddies.  Instead of raking every bit of debris up, leave a layer of litter and debris in place to compost and to provide this needed habitat.  

Only use organic chemicals in your garden

One of the major reasons pollinator populations are in decline across the globe is exposure to harmful chemicals. Make your garden a safe place for bird and insect life (and in turn, many other forms of life) by avoiding toxic chemicals such as Weed and Feed, Preen, Nicotine-based sprays (aka neo-nicotenoids) and other insect killers.

Learn more about pollinators:

Photo credit to Jennifer Reetz.

Fall Garden Maintenance Tips

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Fall is a busy time in the garden. Here are a few helpful tips and things to think about to help you be an effective gardener during this beautiful season.

Update Pots for Winter

This is a great time to give your pots a refresh. Dig out your summer annuals and replace them with fall and winter interest plants. Consider a colorful conifer for interest every day of the year. Get your flower fix by including a winter-flowering perennial like a Heather or Hellebore. Add some evergreen grass for texture, such as Bronze Carex or Blue Fescue. Tuck in a few seasonal annuals for splash. At this time of year, choose from Pansies, Cabbage Mums, or Cyclamen. Finish it off with something like Wintergreen, which offers red berries for a final bit of zip. Don’t forget to work in a few fresh handfuls of compost or manure to give your plants the fertility they need to be their best.

Protect Your Trees, Shrubs from Deer

Late fall/early winter is rutting season. This is when bucks rub their antlers and foreheads on trees, shrubs, fenceposts, etc. to release their scent and mark their territory. Surround your plants with fencing, monofilament, or deer spray to protect them from damage. Even “deer resistant” plants are eligible for rutting damage. 

If you would like to read more about protecting your plants from deer, you can read this blog post. 

Tidy Up with Care

Keeping a clean garden is important for disease prevention, but it is also important to consider the birds and bugs. Strategically leave some standing dead perennials to provide winter interest in the garden, as well as food for the birds. 

Any flower in the daisy family makes seeds that small birds adore. Take the easy road – instead of deadheading your Brown-Eyed Susans, Asters, and Heleniums, leave them to form seed heads. When it snows, it’s really charming to watch little birds land on these stems and peck their dinners out!

Spent stems can be beautiful! Plants such as grasses, Iris, Phlomis, Artichoke/Cardoon, Yarrow, Agapanthus, and Allium make beautiful seed heads that provide lots of interest when left standing for the winter.

Don’t get too tidy in the garden or you can clean away habitat for nature’s helpers. Creatures like ground beetles, snakes, and lizards eat slugs, slug eggs, and other bothersome critters. They need the cover of stones, branches, and leaves to hide in during the winter. Create habitat for them by leaving some of your deciduous perennials “unkempt” for the winter. Letting the foliage die back naturally and rot provides cover. You can also leave a few small logs laying around, or create small piles of stones for them to hide in. Evergreen grasses, ferns, and perennials are also wonderful shelters for these garden friends.

Stop the Pest and Disease Cycle

Keep your plants healthy next year by cleaning up diseased foliage now. Don’t perpetuate disease by composting the infected foliage; instead, throw it in the trash. This includes common garden plant diseases such as black spot, botrytis, powdery mildew, shot hole, and other fungal infections.

Prevent overwintering pests. If you have had an insect infestation in your garden, read up on how that critter overwinters, and take care to disrupt their overwintering habits in order to have fewer pests next year. 

Those of us with fruit trees should clean up all fallen fruit to prevent overwintering of fruit pests such as Apple Maggot. Dispose of the fruit–do not compost it. Similarly, rake up and dispose of the leaves from any trees that have suffered from scab to prevent fungal spores from overwintering.

To cut or not to cut? 

Some plants are puzzling! When should we cut them back? Here are a few ways to think about plants that I find helpful in analyzing what to cut back or not. 

Meet the Silvers! These are plants like Lavender, Russian Sage (Perovskia), Lamb’s Ear (Stachys), Wormwood (Artemesia), Senecio, and so on. Pretty much any plant with silver foliage does NOT want to be cut back when it is chilly. 

Another group is “plants on the verge.” These are plants that are on the verge of hardiness here in the PNW. These include any woody shrubs/perennials from warmer places, such as Pittosporum, Manzanita (Arctostaphylos), Grevillia, Leptospermum, Eucalyptus, Hebe, and so on.

Another group of plants that should NOT be cut back are the evergreen grasses. Plants such as Carex (of all types), Blue Oat (Helictotrichon), Blue Fescue (Festuca), Mondo (Ophiopogon), and Lilyturf (Ophiopogon) are all grasses that prefer to be left alone and should rarely be cut back! If these plants start looking tattered, you can cut them back in the spring when temps start to warm and your lawn is waking up. Follow a trim with an application of a nitrogen fertilizer for the best regrowth. Only cut these plants back every several years.

Reconfigure

Since fall is the best time for planting and transplanting, it’s a great time to take a fresh look at your garden. Did it work this year? Are there changes you’d like to make? Do you have enough winter interest? Take advantage of low-stress weather (for the digger and the plant!), as well as the many root-growth cycles that autumn and winter offer and make your garden edits and additions now. 

Shop for Fall Color

The best time to buy a plant for its fall color is when it’s showing it. Come on over to Venture Out to see the show and make your selection. Here are a few of my favorite plants for fall foliage:

  • Sumac (Rhus) ‘Gro-Lo’
  • Dogwood (Cornus) ‘Baileyi’
  • Cranberry Viburnum ‘Winterthur’
  • Witch Hazel (Hamamelis)
  • Cherry (Prunus)
  • Maple, especially Acer ginnala
  • Smoke Bush (Cotinus)
  • Barberries (Berberis)
  • Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Shop for Winter Interest

When the leaves are falling, it’s a good time for plants to reveal their winter charms, bringing the focus to their forms, bark, or persistent berries/fruit. Here are a few of my favorite plants for winter interest:

  • Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
  • Vine Maple (Acer) ‘Pacific Fire’
  • Striped Bark Maple (Acer tegmentosum)
  • Spindle Tree (Euonymus europea)
  • Hawthornes Crataegus lavallei or ‘Winter King’
  • Crabapples (Malus), especially ‘Golden Raindrops’
  • Korean Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
  • Stewartia pseudocamellia or monadelpha

And then, of course, there are all the colorful conifers that number too many to talk about here. (Learn more about my favorite conifers in this blog post.)

Protect and Improve Your Soil

This is the time for making compost, spreading compost, mulching, and for planting cover crops. Mulches and cover crops help protect your soil from erosion caused by winter rains. They can help keep nutrients from being carried away with the rain, and they can help prevent cool-season weeds from germinating.

Fall clean up offers lots of material for the compost. Remember that fallen leaves and spent plants are often a great source of trapped nutrients. Adding this plant material to your compost will make it more nutritious for the next plants to receive it. Maintain the potency of the compost pile by keeping it covered so rain doesn’t wash away all its goodness.

Prepare for spring beauty!

Look ahead and plan your spring garden now! Plant bulbs such as Daffodil, Hyacinth, and Tulip for a welcome blast of color in the spring. Protect them from squirrels digging by covering the planting area with a piece of hardware cloth staked over the bulbs. In my garden, Daffodils, Alliums, and Dutch Hyacinth are the most deer resistant of the bulbs.

Sow cool season annual seeds like Love in a Mist (Nigella) and Larkspur.

October and November are also the best months to plant garlic!

Prune

Once a plant has lost its leaves, it is safe for pruning. This is the easiest time to see the skeleton of the plants. It is really best to wait until the plant has been dormant for a while. Fall is an okay time for light pruning.

Winterize

Prepare for freezing and windy weather. Turn off and winterize your irrigation system. Drain and hang hoses. Protect spigots with insulating covers.

Bring in any tender patio plants that you wish to overwinter, such as Hibiscus, Princess Flower (Tibuchina), Bougainvillea, Mandevilla, Geranium, tender Succulents, and so on.

Windproof your garden. Store your patio furniture. Make sure row covers are weighted down. Tidy away buckets, watering cans, etc.

Slug and Snail Control

Whenever it is moist, slugs and snails flourish! Protect your plants by using a non-toxic, iron phosphate-based slug bait like Slug Magic or Sluggo. Products like these control the slug and snail population without causing danger to dogs and cats.

Certainly, this isn’t ALL there is to do in the fall garden, but hopefully this helps you get started!

Happy gardening!

Oh, Deer! Winning the Battle with Whidbey Island’s most Notorious Garden Pests

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Deer are a part of life on South Whidbey. They are often seen wandering the roadsides, strolling the outskirts of town, and munching their way through local gardens. For newcomers to the island, deer sightings illicit delight: “They’re so cute!” But this attitude quickly changes with the first forays into gardening here on the rock.

If you don’t experience problems with deer in your landscape, count yourself lucky! For the rest of us, these cute creatures can be a real nuisance. Here are some strategies for gardening in deer country.

Choose Deer Resistant Plants

This is a first step, but we have to be honest: no plant is 100% “deer proof. Whidbey deer have been known to consume even the most thorny, stinky, and downright poisonous plants known to gardeners. From Barberry to Euphorbia, Japanese Forest Grass to Foxglove, no plant on our island seems to be safe.

Young deer, especially, are willing to try just about anything. And “try” doesn’t always mean an exploratory nibble: sometimes the critters strip several branches before deciding they don’t like it.

Here at Venture Out Nursery, we offer a list of “Deer Resistant Plants” to our customers. It includes the prickly, smelly, and toxic options mentioned above, as well as beautiful and worthy things like Russian Sage, Yarrow, Bear’s Breeches, and Hellebore. But it comes with this disclaimer: no plant is 100% deer proof. What a deer will eat may depend on the herd, the season, the location of the plant, and what other food is available nearby.

Use Barriers

Try these options to protect your landscaping from the cute invaders:

  • Build a deer-proof fence. Deer can jump up to 8 feet high, so make sure your fence is tall enough to deter them.
  • Protect tempting plants with chicken wire.
  • Protect plants with fishing line. Drive three to five wooden stakes into the ground around the plant or tree, then wrap the perimeter in fishing line, spiraling from bottom to top. You can leave about 6” between each wrap. Deer are uncomfortable ducking their heads into small spaces, so the fishing line provides an effective barrier, and, possibly, a more attractive option than chicken wire. Make sure your stakes are tall enough to protect the desired plant or tree: deer can stand on their hind legs to reach those upper limbs!

Use Repellents

Deer seem to be especially interested in new plantings, often devouring plants within the first week of them being planted. Make the first introduction a negative experience by keeping new plants well-doused with deer repellent spray. Here at Venture Out, we carry a non-toxic formula that is safe for people, pets, and wildlife. Made from hot peppers and putrescent egg solids, these sprays effectively repel deer as well as rabbits and squirrels. It is even safe to use on fruits and vegetables. Just remember to wash it off before you take a bite, so you don’t get surprised by a yucky, spicy mouthful! Reapply frequently in rainy weather.

Even Deer-Resistant Plants Need Protection During the Fall

Eating plants isn’t the only way that deer can wreck a garden. The autumn through early winter is rutting season, when the deer are mating. Male deer can do serious damage to the garden. They rub their antlers on any tree or shrub in their path in order to leave their scent and thereby define their territory and attract mates. Discourage damage to your plants by protecting them with chicken wire or fishing line during this time of year.

We hope some of these techniques prove useful in your landscape! Please visit us at the nursery for more ideas for keeping your garden beautiful despite living in deer country.

Written by Olivia Round & Tobey Nelson.

 

Learn about some of Tobey’s favorite deer resistant plants and tips in this video!

How Can You Help Your Plants Thrive During the Winter?

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Landscaping in the Pacific Northwest comes with plenty of challenges: from deer and rabbits decimating garden beds, to clay soil rotting roots, and summers without natural irrigation. Another challenge often not considered in our NW climate are the freezing temperatures in the winter. While we do have milder temperatures than much of the US, the past few years have shown a colder side to winter. Most gardeners on the island will have a hard time forgetting the snowmageddon of last February, and many are still dealing the damages caused by that late winter storm. While not everything is preventable, there are offseason tasks that help limit the damages from a sub-freezing blast.

The post-season clean up: While most people are finding more excuses to be indoors, pests and pathogens are also trying to avoid the cold. Leaf litter, cluttered branches, and fallen debris are the perfect habitat for unwanted garden visitors. Air circulation is crucial for limiting diseases. Pruning to encourage air flow between individual trees—as well as in the plant itself—is a method of prevention. Crossing and clustered branches should be pruned out in the early fall so the plant has time to seal the pruning cuts before going dormant. Leaf litter and debris should be collected out of the garden to limit the pathogens overwintering.

Mulch: Now that the garden has been cleaned, it’s time to put down a protective layer of mulch. Aged bark and compost blends add the most nutrients and provide organic material to improve the soil. Apply the mulch thickly to the beds, but take care not to suffocate the trees and shrubs by covering their crowns. The area where the trunk meets the roots demands oxygen flow, so be sure to leave a 1-2’ circumference around the base of trees and shrubs. Dormant perennials, however, can benefit from extra mulch on top of the crown. Plants that die all the way back to the ground, like agapanthus, artichokes, and joe pie weed, can have mulch added on top to protect the crown from the frost.

Sub-freezing protection: Most winters in the Pacific Northwest have sporadic freezing and thawing periods throughout the season, but hardy plants will survive without extra protection. There are times, however, when the weather forecast can show below freezing for more than a week. If this is the case, the first thing gardeners should do is water. While it might seem counter intuitive to water in the part of the country known best for its excessive rainfall in the winter, once the water freezes it will be unavailable for the plant to use. Garden beds have usually stored up enough rainfall by this time of year to not bother watering, however containers and any plants under a cover will need to be checked. If the soil is dry before the freeze, it will remain that way until the temperatures thaw it again. Be careful not to get any water on the leaves as frozen water droplets will damage evergreen foliage.

Once the containers have the proper water level, some of them might need to be protected if the freezing reaches less than 25 degrees. Containers do not protect roots as well as in garden beds, because the roots are essentially above ground. If the plants are in a ceramic container, make sure the walls of the pot are thick enough to block the frost from damaging the roots. If you have frost-proof pottery, then the walls will be thick enough. Terra Cotta and plastic are often not thick enough to protect roots in severe weather.

To help a plant’s survival, wrap the plant base in blankets, thick plastic, or surround them with mulch to add an extra layer of protection. Plastic and blankets can also be used to cover tender foliage and buds from the freeze. Some winters we have warm weather before a hard frost, so the plant is tricked into beginning to wake up for spring before getting blasted by the freeze. If new growth or flower buds are forming before the hard freeze is predicted, the plastic or blankets can help reduce the damage.

Snow: The best scenario for a week of sub-freezing temperatures is to start the week off with a snowstorm. Snow acts as an insulator that can save cold damage from occurring if it’s left in place. Restrain the urge to uncover your plants from the snow and let nature’s insulation work its magic. The only exception is heavy snow that can sometimes break off limbs. If any tree or shrub looks as if the whole limb is bent past its limit, removing the snow to release the pressure can help save the limb. Know that by doing this, you are exposing the foliage to the freeze, but potentially saving the branch from breaking under the weight of the snow.

While the tasks listed above can help prevent the damage and loss of plants in the winter, the best prevention is always plant selection. While some winters are safe for higher-zoned plants, the best insurance is still to select plants for lower zones. The Pacific Northwest is usually a USDA Zone 8, which means plants can survive around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. There are still wind chill and microclimates on the island to account for, so plants zoned for 7 or lower have the best chance of surviving extreme sub-freezing temperatures.

Like most of gardening, there is a trial and error aspect to finding the right plant selection for your particular garden. Our aim with this post is to help you give plants enduring winter the best chance to thrive in the coming spring.  

-Your friends at Venture Out 

Growing Rhododendrons on Whidbey Island

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Rhododendrons are ubiquitous in Pacific Northwest gardens—to the point where some would consider them a “boring” addition to the landscape. But the case for planting rhododendrons is strong: These evergreen shrubs are hardy and resistant to diseases and pests, with a long blooming period. They tolerate freezing temperatures better than most other broadleaf plants. They also thrive in part shade and moist and acidic soils, making them perfect candidates for the Pacific Northwest!

Rhodies are one of the most widely hybridized plants in the world, but the original species still exist. “Species Rhodies,” as they’re called, are found growing in nature across the Northern Hemisphere, with a high concentration in the Sino-Himalaya area (think Eastern China).

Although not widely available, these “Species Rhodies” are being cultivated and sold by a few growers in the Pacific Northwest, including Chimacum Woods in Port Ludlow, Washington. That’s where Venture Out Nursery sources their selection of Species Rhodies!

Rhodies arrived in Europe during the height of the Renaissance, during the age of exploration. The first collected Species Rhodies were brought to England in 1656, and the shrubs were soon incorporated into many European gardens. Rhododendrons were able to withstand the collection and delivery process better than other plants, due to their fibrous and relatively shallow root systems.

Optimal Rhododendron Growing Conditions

Sun: Sun and shade tolerance vary among varieties, but in general, rhodies prefer morning sun and afternoon shade.

Soil: Rhodies need acidic, loamy, well-drained, moist soils.

Deer: Rhododendrons are generally deer-resistant, although young plants should be protected from curious fawns.

Pruning: The canopy can be carefully cut back by up to 1/3. The best time for pruning is usually after the blooming period has just ended (summer to fall, depending on the species).

Fertilization: Rhodies will benefit from an all-purpose or slightly acidic fertilizer, like the “Azalea, Rhododendron, & Camellia” fertilizer by G&B, which is now in stock at Venture Out Nursery. Rhodies can be fertilized in the early spring as the shrubs are beginning to bud, to encourage blooms and new growth. 

Favorite Species Rhododendrons

Large Leaves

Rhododendron kesangiae: Rose pink flowers fade to pastels. Superb large leaves, and one of the most reliable and hardiest of all rhododendrons. Can grow into a large shrub or a small tree.

Rhododendron fictolacteum: White flowers with deep purple spots on throat. Leaves can grow up to 1 foot long with fuzzy orange undersides. Can grow 5 feet in 10 years.

Rhododendron rex: Glossy, large leathery leaves, pale white flowers with rosy tints, and dark purple spots. Can grow 6 feet in 10 years.

Unusual Flowers or Foliage

Rhododendron orbiculare: Soft pink, bell-shaped flowers. Wide, rounded leaves can resemble lily pads. Compact growth habit.

Rhododendron spinuliferum: Tubular blooms in red, soft orange, and white. Unusual twisting, airy growth habit means this shrub won’t have the tidy, rounded shape of many rhodies. Long, deeply veined leaves add interest. Can grow 8 feet with 10+ years.

Rhododendron wiltonii: Soft pink blooms blotched with darker rose tones. Leaves have prominent veins and cinnamon-colored undersides. Forms a rounded shrub 4‒5 feet high in 10 years.

Fragrant Flowers

Rhododendron auriculatum: A late-bloomer (July‒August) with white flowers that sometimes blush pink and are always deliciously fragrant. Hairy, narrow green leaves. Can grow 6 feet in 10 years.

Rhododendron decorum: Late-blooming white, fragrant blossoms. Can grow 10 feet in 10 years, larger with time.

Hummingbird Early Favorites

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Looking for plants that hummingbirds love? Anna’s hummingbirds, the only species to overwinter rather than migrate south, will especially appreciate these cold season bloomers. During the long months of January, February, and March, nectar is less abundant. But with spring in the air, this is the perfect time to plant your garden for next year’s winter hummingbird buffet!

Pulmonaria

Also called lungwort, this shade-loving perennial is blooming now in a variety of colors, from hot pink to violet blue. Pulmonaria is a rich source of nectar, providing food for bees and butterflies, as well as hummingbirds. The rough leaf texture deters the three most common garden pests on Whidbey Island: slugs, rabbits, and deer. Pulmonaria’s attractive spotted leaves are very resistant to powdery mildew, and it blooms well in part sun to deep shade.

‘Yuletide’ Camellia

Yuletide is one of the earliest blooming camellias. With bright red petals and a golden center, it’s no wonder these flowers attract hummingbirds. This glossy-leafed evergreen shrub blooms well even in part shade.

Mahonia x media ‘Charity’

This winter-blooming shrub has already flowered for the season, but the vivid yellow, fragrant flowers provided food for overwintering hummingbirds in December and January. Mahonia is also deer and rabbit resistant, and tolerant of both sun and shade.

Hellebore

With a variety of flower colors and leaf textures, the selection of hellebores seems endless. These perennials bloom from January to March, are shade tolerant, and are both deer and rabbit resistant.

Flowering Currant

A native flowering shrub that bursts into bloom in March, just in time to feed the returning migratory hummingbirds. Even with the recent cold weather, we saw some flowering currants blooming last week!

Bleeding Heart

These nodding pink blooms appear in early spring, attracting hungry hummingbirds. Bleeding heart prefers moist soil and part shade.

Other Hummingbird Attractors

Water Sources

Hummingbirds need access to shallow pools of water for drinking and bathing. Shallow bird baths (we’ve got some beauties!) or garden misters are recommended.

Hiding Places

These tiny birds need a place to rest, out of view of predators. Tall shrubs offer the perfect respite.

Healthy, Organic Gardens

Did you know hummingbirds also eat insects? It turns out they can’t survive on sugar alone! Hummingbirds need to consume small insects and spiders for protein, so cultivating an organic garden free of chemical pesticides will provide them with a balanced diet.

Undisturbed Nests

Be careful when pruning or removing trees in your landscape: there might be a hummingbird (or other bird species) nest up there! Hummingbirds lay eggs the size of jelly beans in late winter/early spring, and hatchlings remain in the nest 3 weeks after they emerge. By May or June, the hatchlings should fly away and a nesting tree can be removed.