News for the Horticulture Department
In the News
I started thinking of purple vegetables as I was transplanting the purple colored seedlings of Midnight Roma, the new purple roma tomato from Oregon State University tomato breeder, Dr. J Meyers. Midnight Roma was released in 2021.
OSU Extension Viticulture Assistant Professor, Dr. Alec Levin found the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Agrimet, where many growers get their water recommendations, suggested irrigation 44% higher than necessary.
The new Oregon State University-developed tomato Midnight Roma follows in the steps of 10-year-old Indigo Rose, the first antioxidant-rich purple tomato available on the market.
The new Oregon State University-developed tomato Midnight Roma follows in the steps of 10-year-old Indigo Rose, the first antioxidant-rich purple tomato available on the market.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded study is published in the journal Scientific Reports and is the result of a research collaboration between entomologists at Oregon State University and North Carolina State University.
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An Oregon State University researcher, in partnership with area hazelnut and blueberry growers, is testing a novel means of killing weeds — he’s zapping them with high-voltage electricity.
Nichole Sanchez, Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturist, tells gardeners to plan before choosing seed. It’s so easy to go overboard. Of course, if you do there’s always someone happy to take them off your hands.
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An experimental cider orchard planted in the rich farmland of the Willamette Valley could help lead Oregon’s fledgling hard cider industry into a profitable future.
Melathopoulos leads Oregon State University Extension's statewide pollinator health program and is an assistant professor. Agricultural experts say he's one of the nation's most remarkable innovators in the world of bees.
Silvia Rondon, Oregon State University Extension entomology specialist, recently received a $162,794 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant to explore chlorpyrifos alternatives.
Nine experts from Oregon State University Extension Service stepped up to bust some common gardening myths. Read on to get some research-based answers to 10 common misconceptions.
With a sad and heavy heart, we announce the passing of Dr. Melvin (Mel) N. Westwood on 31 October 2020.
“If you’re specifically interested in fall color, it will soon be the time to start looking,” said Neil Bell, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “There are already some trees starting to display color.”
Garlic roots develop in the fall and winter, and by early spring they can support the rapid leaf growth that is necessary to form large bulbs, said Chip Bubl, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service.
“With some of these weeds, you have to fight them forever,” said Ed Peachey, a weed specialist for Oregon State University Extension Service. “Many times, it’s more a process of controlling them rather than eradicating them."
Recent additions to the OSU Extension Catalog
Plants take up nutrients from the soil but when those nutrients are missing, it's time for fertilizer. "Plants pull out nutrients as they grow," said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with Oregon St...
“The Pacific Northwest has more species of wild bees than all the combined states east of the Mississippi, at least 500 and we expect there are many more,” said Melathopoulos, bee specialist for ...
A new tree fruit specialist has arrived at Oregon State University Extension just in time for the cherry and pear growing seasons. Mateus Pasa was hired in April at the OSU Mid-Columbia Agricultural
Dr. Ryan Contreras awarded the 2018 Western Region Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences
Revision. This is a quick reference for those interested in establishing a vineyard in Oregon. A step-by-step format guides readers to the basic information they would need to consider before ...
Even most cat lovers agree that discouraging them is preferable to giving them free rein. But deterring them is easier said than done. It takes persistence and patience, said Brooke Edmunds, ...
“With a thermometer, no guess work is needed. Soil temperature is the best indicator of when to plant each type of vegetable, no matter what climate zone you live in,” said Jim Myers, Oregon State...
Two products under development by Oregon State University could give Northwest berry growers new options for controlling the spotted wing drosophila, a particularly harmful type of fruit fly.
New research shows that honeybees prioritize the nutritional status of larvae when selecting for a new emergency queen. The U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded study is published in the journal ...
Join us in celebrating the achievements of the recipients of the University Awards.
Wondering which plants will attract bees to your garden? We asked The Oregon Bee Project to put together a list of plants that our local pollinators love. The science-based list they came up ...
While much of Oregon agriculture is “helping to grow bees” in that many of its crops attract pollinators, innovations with habitat continue, said Andony Melathopoulos, Oregon State University...
Revision. This is a quick reference for those interested in establishing a vineyard in Oregon. A step-by-step format guides readers to the basic information they would need to consider before ...
In a report published this month in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Lowenstein, a postdoctoral research associate at Oregon State University, and colleagues detail their...
Benton County Master Gardener Plant Sale, Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Join us for the BCMGA annual plant sale. Perennials, natives, veggies, trees, shrubs...
Honeybees are among the first of the bee species to become active each year, said Andony Melathopoulos, a bee specialist with Oregon State University Extension.
Revised Pest/Insect/Weed Management Handbooks
Hazelnuts are the most important orchard crop in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where nearly the entire U.S. crop is produced. It is also known for the innovative cultivars developed at Oregon State ...
Most growers by now have converted from impact sprinklers that ran every week or 10 days to microsprinklers or drip irrigation, said Lynn Long, part-time research extension horticulture specialist for Oregon State University in The Dalles....
Revised. Recommends pest management practices.
Experts with the Oregon State University Extension Service suggest looking for shrubs with a range of shapes and sizes of foliage to contrast with the plants around them. Also, look at the color...
Learn how to develop a sustainable landscape for your farm, garden or land in this 10-week online certificate program. Limited space available in this popular Oregon State program...
Congratulations Andony Melathopoulos! You won the Outreach and Engagement Award for Excellence for the Oregon Bee Project.
At its annual meeting on February 23, NARBA presented its annual Distinguished Service award to Bernadine Strik of Oregon State University and Fred Finney, retiring President of NARBA...
Other collaborators include Beers; Dalila Rendon, an Oregon State University postdoctoral associate; and Richard Hilton, an OSU entomologist. They have been sending Cooper samples of psylla from...
“There was massive feeding to newly harvested fields; it was really an all-hands-on-deck type of situation,” said Nicole Anderson, Oregon State University Extension Field Crops Agronomist in...
Limited garden space precludes being able to grow some of the larger vegetables, according to Brooke Edmunds, Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturist. For instance, growing corn on...
However, many varieties exist, some of which have even sought protected geographical status. Lane Selman, an agricultural researcher at Oregon State University and the founder of the Culinary...
When Frank and Ann Wisnovsky called on Porter Lombard at the Southern Oregon Experiment Station almost a half century ago, he wasn’t surprised...
Describes the life stages of the bronze birch borer and the damage it causes. Provides information for homeowners on assessing the level of damage to their trees and the steps they can take to...
This publication outlines guidelines for best practices for beekeeping in residential areas. It outlines the steps residential beekeepers can take to operate their bees in nuisance-free manner.
Now Enrolling Oregon State’s Exclusive Advanced Permaculture Design. Led by Andrew Millison and his team, you will finish this course with a refined landscape design concept for the site of your ...
“With some of these weeds, you have to fight them forever,” said Ed Peachey, a weed specialist for Oregon State University Extension Service. “Many times, it’s more a process of controlling them ...
You’ve got clippers in hand, a shrub in mind and a gleam in your eye. It’s pruning time. But do you have a plan? Before you clip a stem, know your shrub, said Neil Bell, horticulturist for ...
Revised. This publication reviews the growth stages of grapes. For each growth stage (or group of growth stages), the document lists the more effective pesticides used to control insects, weeds, ...
For the last decade Oregon’s bees – both native bees and the introduced European honeybee used in agriculture – have been in decline. But researchers like Andony Melathopoulos of the ...
Paltry snowpack on Mount Hood spells some unknowns for valley irrigation this year. Steve Castagnoli, director at the local Oregon State University experiment station, said rain levels have been...
Revised. Recommends pest Management practices for blueberry.
Just when you’re ready for a long winter’s nap, it’s time to tend your fruit trees. If you don’t, chances are they’ll struggle in the coming season. Giving them attention now helps ward off insects...
Ashley Thompson will be officially starting as Oregon State University Mid-Columbia Horticultural Extension Faculty on April 27, the university announced.
“Mason bees fill a spot in the season when other pollinators like honeybees are not out,” said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “They’re really ...