Coming up . . .

Time to prune hydrangeas?

Many flowers are still looking good now, and many gardeners like to leave the dried blossoms on the plants over the winter. Others prefer to clean up the garden or take the flowers inside to enjoy.

To ensure that you get flowers next season, cut back flower stems just above a bud. You can do that now or in spring. Either way, cut out any dead stems, weak or damaged stems, or any others that don’t fit the shape you want.

No hydrangeas to prune? What about . . .

Fantastic Fall Containers
Join Al’s Experts Josh Clark, in Woodburn, and Lora Keddie, in Sherwood, as they demonstrate how to transition the colors in your landscape to the rich tones of fall starting with containers.
Al’s Garden Center – Sherwood or Woodburn; Saturday, August 29th; 10:00 am.

Rain Garden 101 Workshop
Learn how to construct your own rain garden and about the critical role they can play in urban stream restoration. Learn how to assess a site, choose the best location, select appropriate plants, and maintain a new rain garden. The class is free, but advanced registration is required. Register online with the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.
Metro's Natural Gardening Series at Saint Paul Lutheran Church (3880 SE Brooklyn St.); Saturday, August 29th, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Gardening on Slopes
Richie Steffen (Coordinator of Horticulture at Seattle’s Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden) explores good plant choices for a broad spectrum of steep situations from full sun to dark shade. Considerations and tips for establishing plants and maintaining these difficult sites will also be discussed.
Joy Creek Nursery; Sunday, August 30th, 1:00 pm.

Cover Crops
These are the unsung heroes of the garden – supplying multiple benefits for a minimum of labor! Eric Sears will highlight the different types of cover crops and their benefits. He will also discuss how to plant and dig in cover crops. There is a cover crop for every situation, and they give an organic boost to the overall health and vitality of the garden!
Portland Nursery – Stark; Sunday, August 30th, 1:00 pm.