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Always something to do in the garden
Below you will find reminders of things you can do outdoors this month. You will find this information and much more on the Oregon State University Extension Service website at http://eesc.orst.edu.
Oregon State University Extension Service encourages sustainable gardening practices. Always identify and monitor problems before acting. First consider cultural controls; then physical, biological, and chemical controls (which include insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, botanical insecticides, organic and synthetic pesticides). Always consider the least toxic approach first.
Spread wood ashes evenly on vegetable garden. Use no more than 1.5 pounds per 100 square feet a year. Do not use if the soil pH is over 7.0 or if potassium levels are excessive. Use dormant sprays of lime sulfur or copper fungicide on fruit trees and roses for general disease control. Protect new landscape plants from wind by staking, using guy wires or windbreaks and with careful site selection.
Make sure that landscape plants in protected sites receive water regularly during the winter. Monitor landscape plants for problems. Do not treat unless a problem is identified.
Yard sanitation is important. Rake leaves, cut and remove withered stalks of perennial flowers, mulch flowerbeds, and hoe or pull winter weeds.
You still have time to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses. Don’t delay.
Avoid mounding mulching materials around the base of trees and shrubs. They might provide cover for rodents.
During heavy rains, watch for drainage problems in the yard. Tiling, ditching, and French drains are possible solutions.
Monitor houseplants for adequate water, fertilizer, and humidity. Water and fertilizer requirements generally are less in winter. Check stored flower bulbs, fresh vegetables and fruits for rot and fungus problems. Discard any showing signs of rot.
Make holiday decorations from trees and shrubs in the yard. Consider garden-related holiday gifts for your gardening friends.
Tie limbs of columnar evergreens to prevent snow or ice breakage. If the lawn is frozen, stay off it.
Remember to turn the compost pile.
This is also a good time of year to plant trees and landscape shrubs.
The essentials of successful event planning
If you have an upcoming event to plan or if you are interested in a career as an event planner, Mt. Hood Community College, or MHCC, is presenting the class, “Special Events and Attraction Management” (HT33).
Offered through the Hospitality and Tourism program, this course covers essential aspects of special event management. Topics covered include: leadership techniques and characteristics of successful event managers; annual planning and long term visioning; marketing, sponsorships, fundraising and promotions; risk management, financial projecting and budget planning; operations, production and programming; and other key management considerations.
Peter Mott, an experienced professional special event and attraction manager, will present this interesting class. While with the Portland Rose Festival Association, Mott managed one of the region’s largest events, successfully transforming the Rose Festival’s Festival Center into the new family-oriented Waterfront Village. Earlier in his career, he owned Portland’s popular Last Hurrah Nightclub, was instrumental in the development of the Mayor’s Ball, and established The Grotto’s Christmas Festival of Lights.
This 11-week class will be presented Thursday evenings beginning January 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at MHCC’s Maywood Park campus located at 102nd Avenue and Northeast Prescott Street. Winter term registration for returning students begins Wednesday, Nov. 19 and Monday, Nov. 24 for new students. For information regarding this class, contact Court Carrier, Hospitality and Tourism program director, at 503-491-7486 or carrierc@mhcc.edu or Peter Mott at 360-721-1717 or petermott@comcast.net.
People requiring accommodations due to a disability should contact the MHCC Disability Services Office at 503-491-6923 or 503-491-7670 (TDD).
MAX Transit Tracker gives up-to-the-minute countdowns
MAX riders can now look to the web or their wireless devices to get arrival countdowns telling them to the minute when the next train arrives at any of TriMet’s 54 MAX stations.
The Transit Tracker for MAX is TriMet’s newest addition to taking the guesswork out of riding transit. In September, TriMet was one of the first transit agencies in the nation to offer Transit Tracker information online for all of its 8,000 bus stops.
For MAX or bus arrival information on your computer, go to trimet.org and click on the Next Arrivals button to link to TriMet’s Transit Tracker. A pop-up window display helps you follow the countdown while you continue to use your computer.
If you have a web-enabled cell phone or handheld device, you can get Transit Tracker information anywhere, anytime, by accessing trimet.org/wap.
Besides offering Transit Tracker access through the web, TriMet also has Transit Tracker displays at 16 bus stops and 14 MAX stations.
With Transit Tracker technology at your fingertips, riders can finish a project or run a quick errand and still be assured of making that MAX trip to the airport, or getting to an important appointment on time.
Transit Tracker uses satellite technology and sensors embedded in MAX tracks to monitor the location of each vehicle along its route. Countdowns are based on the location of the vehicle (the distance to the stop) and the scheduled speed along the route. If a vehicle is too far away to make a prediction, Transit Tracker shows the scheduled arrival time instead.
According to TriMet’s Mary Fetsch. “Knowing the precise arrival time allows riders to arrive at the stop just in time to catch MAX or their bus.”
Host a Naturescaping workshop
Is your neighborhood association, friends group, church, or other organization interested in bringing Naturescaping information to your area?
By hosting a Naturescaping for Clean Rivers workshop you bring your friends and neighbors the information they need to take action to make a difference in their own backyards. Local groups, who provide a space for the workshop, provide refreshments and help spread the word.
There is no charge to the host for the cost of the workshop itself if it is held within Portland city limits. There is a charge for those held outside Portland city limits.
The Naturescaping program provides two experienced presenters to hold a four-hour workshop that is free to attendees. Each person receives a free, extensive Naturescaping guidebook and a free native plant.
Workshops are held either on Saturday morning (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or Sunday afternoon (1 to 5 p.m.). Below is a list of the potential workshop dates for spring 2004.
February 28 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1p.m.) or 29 (Sunday, 1 to 5p.m.)
March 6 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or 7 (Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
April 3 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or 4 (Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
May 1 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or 2 (Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
May 15 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or 16 (Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
May 22 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or 23 (Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
June 5 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or 6 (Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
Please contact Betty McArdle of the City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services or BES, Southwest Watershed Resource Center at 503-823-2862 if your organization would like to host a workshop. Her e-mail address is watershedcenter@attglobal.net.
New Graffiti Coordinator
Marcia Dennis was recently named the City of Portland’s new Graffiti Abatement Program Coordinator.
The City’s Graffiti Program works with concerned neighbors and business-owners to identify report and remove graffiti from public and private spaces. Research has shown that prompt and persistent removal of graffiti is effective in discouraging repeat vandalism. The Graffiti Coordinator works with the police, District Attorney, and neighbors to address graffiti throughout the City.
“Marcia Dennis brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Graffiti Abatement Program,” states Eric King, Neighborhood Services Coordinator.
“She has staffed the City’s Graffiti hotline and most recently was a Crime Prevention Specialist in Southeast Portland. She effectively uses her community organizing skills to involve neighborhoods and businesses in addressing neighborhood livability issues. We’re fortunate to have someone with Marcia’s abilities working on this important issue.”
Marcia will be working on improved coordination of graffiti abatement services among other government agencies including the development of a web-based database to report and track graffiti. The program will also focus on implementing an aggressive education and prevention strategy.
“Portland is ahead of the curve in building strong, effective relationships with community members and organizations to address graffiti on public and private property. Our goal is to continue building upon these efforts to make Portland a safe and clean city,” says Dennis. Reach her at the Office of Neighborhood Involvement at 503-823-5860.
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