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More South Portland Study Weekend Gardens, pt. 2

The last three gardens on last Saturday's tour included a large shade garden, a tropical oasis and an Asian-inspired retreat. First, the Hilderbrand garden in Oregon City. This garden is set in a grove of Douglas Fir trees and has paved pathways that meander through plantings of dogwoods, hydrangeas, viburnums, kalmias and other shade-loving plants.  The garden of Michael Hicks and Megan Big John is a quarter-acre plot in West Linn. This garden is packed with plantings of tropical plants with big beautiful leaves and vibrant pops of color. Helena Wagner's "4 Seasons Garden" is a garden that I have visited in the past. It features an Asian-inspired theme with beautifully placed plants, with nice colors and contrasts. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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First tomato


Michael is in hog heaven - he picked the first tomato of the season today (the variety is 'Early Girl'). I myself am not crazy about tomatoes. In fact, I didn't even eat them until a few years ago and today I only like them on a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich (which, he informs me, is what we will have for supper tomorrow night). Our vegetable garden is very small, resides under a dogwood tree of all places, and consists of a narrow raised bed that runs around the perimeter of a small enclosed area. Still, there is apparently enough sun to produce tomatoes and a few peppers and herbs. I added mushroom compost this year which really caused the tomatoes to grow at warp speed. I also added a tip that I learned from a lady in my master gardener class that she said her father did and he always had great tomatoes - add 1 tablespoon of lime and 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts to the planting hole. I usually have to spray for blossom end rot but I have not noticed it this year. Perhaps the lady's tip did the trick!
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  1. AnonymousJune 3, 2008 at 5:20 AM

    Gorgeous tomato, I can almost taste it. Good hint about the lime and epsom salts. I've never heard that one before.

    Jan
    Always Growing

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  2. DaveJune 3, 2008 at 6:07 AM

    I wish that tomato was in our garden today! Our plants are blooming but nothing has started yet, although the squash looks like it may have some very soon. I'd better go get the radishes out.

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  3. GailJune 3, 2008 at 6:39 AM

    Everywhere I go I see luscious homegrown tomatoes...sigh! I am going to pass the lime and epsom salts idea on to my local garden friends.


    Gil

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  4. AnonymousJune 3, 2008 at 6:47 AM

    I have heard that Epsom salts, high in magnesium, do affect bloom rates on tomatoes and also peppers. I am a bit jealous that you have your first tomatoes when I have just put mine into the garden! Enjoy that BLT.

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  5. RhondaJune 3, 2008 at 7:14 PM

    OOhh I can't believe you already have a tomato..I'm so jealous..15 tomato plants and all I have is one little green one and alot of blooms. We lime everything up here, acid soil. The lime works because blossom rot is caused by calcium deficiency and epsom is a source of magnesium..which i use regularly on my roses. I actually put egg shells in the hole with my tomato plants..OMG the news is just saying that Obama has made it..anyway..the egg shells are full of calcium. Hey..thanks for visiting my blog and the great comments you left, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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  6. RandyJune 4, 2008 at 5:39 AM

    Well, go Michael! I can't grow tomatoes. Well, I can grow them and they're edible, but never much to look at. There is nothing better than a fresh tomato samich. Years ago a friend from Pennsylvania made me try one with a slice of cheese, I though it would be gross, but I haven’t eaten them any other way since that day. I’m not a big fan of BLT’s, just give me lots of mayo, salt, pepper and a slice of cheese.

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  7. Frances,June 4, 2008 at 12:43 PM

    Hi Phillip, I too am jealous. We have green tomatoes, not close to turning yet, probably while we are away, then the birds will peck holes in them. A BLT sandwich is tradition here with the first red tomato too. Yum. Your stone post was fabulous, you have such an interesting garden, lots of steps and paths and places to stop and contemplate. Wonderful.

    Frances at Faire Garden

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  8. Annie in AustinJune 4, 2008 at 7:04 PM

    Enjoy the first tomato, Phillip, but it's obvious that you're not the real tomato farmer because you only told us that it was a 'tomato'.

    I'll bet Michael could tell us what variety of tomato it is!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    [With Juliets, Viva Italias and one lonely Celebrity so far.]

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  9. Phillip OliverJune 4, 2008 at 9:16 PM

    Sorry about that Annie, I did mean to include it - the variety is 'Early Girl'

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  10. Annie in AustinJune 5, 2008 at 10:26 AM

    Thanks for the answer, and for letting me tease you about the name. Usually 'Early Girl' lives up to that moniker in our garden, but no tomatoes from her so far, Phillip.

    Annie

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  11. Roses and LilacsJune 5, 2008 at 12:48 PM

    It will be the end of July before I get my first tomato. The endless perks of living in the north.

    I used to live not to far from you. Huntsville and then Guntersville.

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  12. The Redneck RosarianJune 6, 2008 at 7:19 PM

    There is nothing like the first tomato of the season! The epsom tip is a new one for me.

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  13. Philip BewleyJune 17, 2008 at 3:30 PM

    That is early! I also vove a good BLT!

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  14. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2009 at 12:09 PM

    Mmmmm....interesting tip. I've always used epson salts on my roses, but never tried it on the tomatoes. You will have to report how it does again this year. I think I will give it a go in our seed company trial gardens.

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