Willamette Valley

150-250 day season; warm days, cool nights; length of season may very considerably from year to year

Lime and Fertilizer Effects on Overwintered Onions (1984)

Overwintered onions in the Willamette Valley are seeded in early September and harvested in the following spring or summer. Obtaining strong and early growth in the spring is essential to achieve large bulb size and profitable yields. However, soil and air temperatures are usually less than optimal during the spring growth period, possibly limiting response to fertilizers.

In-Field Forcing of Rhubarb with Gibberellic Acid (1984)

Prices paid for rhubarb are usually highest at the beginning of the production season. Growers would benefit from an inexpensive and reliable method for forcing crowns into early production. Hot house forcing has been used but this practice is expensive and the field must be replanted. Clear plastic mulch has been used to force rhubarb in the field but mulch costs may exceed $200/acre and plastic removal and disposal are an additional expense.

Size Grading of Transplants on Lettuce Head Size Variability (1984)

Transplanting lettuce seedlings can insure a nearly perfect stand. In addition, transplanting offers the possibility of bringing the crop to market earlier than a direct-seeded crop, taking advantage of higher early season market prices and allowing marketing over a longer time period. Perhaps more importantly, transplanting may allow for multiple cropping. In the Willamette Valley, for example, transplanting would allow three rather than two crops of lettuce. Transplanting may also take place when soil conditions would not allow direct seeding.

Weed Control in Overwintered Shallots (1984)

Research report from OSU's North Willamette Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Delbert Hemphill
OSU Dept of Horticulture, NWREC

Shallots can be planted in October for harvest the following summer. A major problem in overwinter shallot culture is weed control. Winter rains make tractor cultivation or hand-hoeing nearly impossible and effective herbicides have not been available. These trials were designed to test the weed control effectiveness of four herbicides applied immediately after planting and their effect on crop fields.

Methods

Early Cabbage Variety Trial (1984)

Research report from OSU's North Willamette Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Delbert Hemphill and N. Mansour
OSU Dept of Horticulture, NWREC

The purpose of this trial was to evaluate several lines of cabbage for late spring or early summer harvest. This requires planting out in early spring and many varieties will bolt under these conditions. Since direct-seeding is often impractical in early spring and emergence would be slow and erratic, the lines were seeded in an unheated screenhouse and transplanted about six weeks later.

Methods