Taylor Gardens

02/22/2026

Great cause, nice merch!

Support the enjoyment, conservation and study of Oregon's native plants and habitats. Founded in 1961, the Native Plant Society of Oregon (NPSO) is a statewide network...

02/10/2026

Continuing the propagation theme, an important consideration for home gardeners is the use of peat in planting mixes. I do not use peat because it is as unsustainable as oil, or old growth trees. Here https://rosysoil.com/blogs/news/peat-free-potting-soil are some explainers. The main three issues are 1) Harvest damages a fragile and rare ecosystem - not often mentioned 2) It releases carbon from what is a MAJOR carbon SINK 3) It is not renewable - once gone, bogs take millenia to form.

I buy my potting soil in bulk from Highway Fuel Company in Salem. They have a mix that does not include peat. You can either look for a similar mix near you, or you may want to get the ingredients and mix a homemade batch. Here is a recipe if you want to try it - kind of like sourdough bread making at home :) https://hennepinmastergardeners.org/no-peat-potting-soil-options/

The only downside to many mixes is that they do often add perlite, which is mined, and that also has environmental impacts. It is very useful for improving texture and drainage in potting soil. Using sand as an alternative frequently results in super heavy pots, that also can have a cement-like soil quality.

We all have an effect on our surroundings, so good to interrogate what that is, and how best to improve it. Your thoughts are welcome! Have you tried any of these methods?

By Meleah Maynard, Hennepin County Master Gardener Most every commercial potting mix contains sphagnum peat moss because it’s a good, lightweight, organic amendment that improves drainage, as well as water retention and air circulation. The downside to peat moss is that it isn’t a sustainable re...

01/19/2026

Another way to accommodate the need for moist cold stratification in dormant seeds, like these showy milkweeds (Asclepias speciosa): put them in pots in November or December, cover lightly with soil, and leave them outside in the rain, protected from animal tampering. You can cover pots with woodchips and excavate in the spring, or whatever works for you.

This is especially helpful for this milkweed, because it is so very slow to establish in the landscape - slower even than most perennial natives. Keep them where you can growing well during the summer, whether in pots or in the ground near irrigation or in your "problematic" wet spots. Once they do take hold and start to spread on their own, you will never lack for milkweed plants :)

Did you know there used to be lots of monarch butterflies in the Willamette Valley?

01/02/2026

Winter months are a great opportunity for propagation. For the patient, growing native plants from seed deepens your connection to natural processes.

Here seedling Ribes sanguineum under standard LED shop lights are beginning to push out true leaves. The trick is to keep plants close to the light. The other important thing is to break seed dormancy in this species by a cold, moist stay in a damp sand bed inside a conatiner in the refrigerator. When you see signs of sprouting after a few months, time to put into pots and expose to light. More soon on propagation and seed collecting. The taller item is a cutting made in fall from Baccharis pilularis.

09/17/2025

Word of the day: hibernaculum. Watch out for them this fall. They contain treasures easily destroyed by leaf blowing and clean cultivation
more here-
https://wabutterflyassoc.org/species-profile-lorquins-admiral/

08/15/2025

"But the known world of wild bumblebees is like a 2,000-year-old map: devoid of details and hopelessly myopic."

A journey into the wild and not-so-wild world of bumblebees and the unintended consequences of domestication.

08/06/2025

Proud to be part of this fantastic project! I can help you give native bees what they need. Did you know these 800 species are our very own Oregon natives, and honey bees are not included? 🙂

We learn more about the project and the role volunteers play in uncovering more about Oregon’s bees.

06/20/2025

"In urban and agricultural areas, the emphasis should be on honeybees and common native bees. In “hotspots” we should be putting our resources to maintaining those difficult-to-replace native plant communities that rare bees depend on. To make progress we need to stop thinking of a one-size-fits all approach to “saving the bees.”

Does keeping honey bees in urban areas have impact on native bees? Find an overview of the arguments and suggestions on how to help native bees.

06/19/2025

We have several cuckoo species in our area. We like to encounter them in our bee surveys to gauge the health of their prey. Also, really cool bees!

These solitary bees rely on deceit to provide for their offspring.

05/20/2025

Want to know more about native bees in Oregon? Here it is! Also see below post for further news.

/məˌlɪtoʊˈflɔːrə/ meh-lit-toe-flaw-ruh Welcome to the Melittoflora. The name combines the greek Melitta, meaning bee, and flora, which aggregates the plant taxa from a specific region. In this case the Melittoflora is a data exploration, visualization, and analytical interface that empowers ...