Winter is here, but gardening issues continue to flood into Ask an Expert, an online question and answer tool provided by Oregon State University Extension Services. Oregon State University extension teachers and master gardeners respond to inquiries within two working days, usually less. To ask a question, just visit the OSU Extension website and enter the question and the county where you live. Here are some questions from other gardeners. What’s yours?
Q: I am considering using the galvanized sink from my local farm store as an elevated vegetable garden bed. Are there any risks in using these for vegetables? I have read the different opinions on the possibility of zinc leaching into the soil and being absorbed by plants and whether the zinc level will be toxic to the resulting vegetables. – Clackamas County
Answer: The galvanized tank is an excellent gardening container. The plants grow well inside, and they save a lot of bending over in the garden. The only problem when growing vegetables is that over time, small amounts of zinc and cadmium will seep out of them. Keep in mind that animals drink from these tanks. Before the plastic age, galvanized water pipes were the norm. Zinc is a small amount of essential minerals. The main risk comes from exposure to acidic foods such as kimchi.
This information comes from OAR Food Sanitation Rules, page 46. “4-101.15 Galvanized metal, use restrictions. * Galvanized metal must not be used on food contact surfaces of utensils or equipment that come in contact with acidic food.” It may help you to put it in perspective.
One solution is to use plastic gaskets or panels on the walls of the tank. Using them at the bottom will interfere with drainage.
The sink has a drain hole, so when used as a watering device, the tank can drain water. You may wish to increase the drainage by drilling more holes. Another trick is to place the slot on the block base. This not only helps keep the drainage holes open, but also provides a cool place for frogs and lizards. They will eat the insects in your garden.
With a little planning, you can provide a safe and easy-to-use elevated bed for your plants. The glue may be epoxy type glue, which should not cause problems. This article has good practical suggestions for using galvanized containers for vegetable gardening. Growing vegetables in galvanized containers. – Anne Schmidt, Master Promotion Gardener at Oregon State University
Question: About six years ago, I bought a small pot of raspberries and planted them between several retaining walls, and between a plum tree and an apple tree (the shadow is quite large). The mixed soil was brought in from a commercial landscaping company. After that, they reproduced well, producing larger and larger stems, and many high-quality raspberries. That is, until last summer, the stems were only half high, and the berries were less prolific and smaller. Even new stems that spread downward are affected. I forgot to add any fertilizer last year, but I didn’t do much in the previous years. They poured enough water. Do you know why this happens? Should I prune the old stems or what? – Multnomah County
Answer: What you describe may be as simple as trimming a cane, fertilizing or needing more sunlight. The lack of sunlight may be due to your two fruit trees providing more shade than in previous years.
On the other hand, your plants may suffer from fungal diseases, viral diseases, and even insects. I didn’t repeat it, but included two links, one from OSU and the other from the University of Kentucky. I suggest you read these two articles in full. The OSU file contains information from planting to pruning, while the British file is about plant pathology. – Seamus Ramirez, Master of Promotion Gardener at Oregon State University
Q: I have completed my project. I dug a 10-12 year old Japanese maple tree in the snow, transplanted it into mostly brown and gray clay, and then mixed it with a ternary soil mixture purchased from a commercial company. I often use their soil in meadows and flower beds and have never had any problems in the five years I have used it. Of course, I kept some of the soil of this tree and used it. I use Regal Green and 2-2-2 granular lime/fertilizer mixture.
I first dig a hole and sprinkle about 4 cups of 2-2-2 fertilizer on the bottom of the hole. I covered it with some three-way soil. I put the tree in the hole. I covered the roots with existing clay and 3-way soil, and used about three to six cups of fertilizer around the roots and roots, then repeated the process with the soil, then fertilized again, and covered everything with 3-way spil and the other three Or four cups of fertilizer. My main question is: Do you think I am doing well in terms of fertilization, can I/should do something else? Can I go back and do other things? I was thinking that the ground around the root ball is very dense clay. Should I go back with a large tiller and chew the 3 feet outside the root zone really well, mix the three-way soil and add more fertilizer? Do you have any feedback? – Clackamas County
Answer: First, prevent weeds from competing with your maple trees. Remove all grass and weeds under the tree canopy. Covering can help. A 3 to 4 inch thick organic mulch layer covers the roots of the tree to help maintain moisture, moderate soil temperature and prevent weeds. Keep the mulch about 6 inches from the trunk.
It is recommended not to fertilize new transplants for a few years, nor to mix fertilizer with the soil used, as this can cause root damage. However, adding a small amount of low-nitrogen fertilizers and root stimulants during the planting process will help nourish the trees and help survive.
Other suggestions include watering thoroughly after planting. Slowly drip water into the basin and refill it as the water seeps in until the water stays on the surface. Repeat twice in the first week. From then on, water when the soil is dry 3 to 4 inches below the surface. In the absence of heavy rainfall, deep water the soil around the roots of the maple tree twice a month.
In addition, for a tree that is as old as the one you transplanted, it is usually best to position the tree in the direction it was grown in the previous location. Fill the hole with the extracted soil to the same height on the maple trunk as it was at the previous position.
Here are a few articles about transplanting maple trees. – Chris Rusch, OSU Extension Master Gardener
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