Bend, Oregon?

Anyone here at Dave's from Bend, Oregon? I am sending a bare root rose and dahlia bulbs and other stuff w/ my son who is a new home owner in Bend and am clueless to that climate. thanks. Mary

I'm not from Bend but have been there many times. It's dry there in the Summertime and get's pretty hot. They get snow in the winter, but normally not tons. Here is a link to the zone map for that area. I'm not sure what zone he's in but if he's in 5 or 6 he may want to dig the dahlias up in the late fall and store them in a cool dry place during the winter time. Bend is just under Mt. Bachelor - where when you travel up that direction you get much more snow. I think Bend is in zone 6 but not positive.

http://davesgarden.com/zone/show/rainyworld

This message was edited Apr 17, 2005 3:09 PM

Thanks Kerrie. Sunset's zone makes Bend a 1. they are still getting 20 ish degrees at night. similar to Spokane? do you do all your planting etc in May?

I don't go by Sunset's zones. However, if 20ish degrees is at night there, that must mean in the dead of winter, Farhenheit. I believe where I live, way north, is similar to Bend's, but think that Bend might be a little a slight warmer, as it is quite south of me. However, it is at the base of the Cascades.

Where is your son's property? If it is going UP towards the Cascades, it will change for the colder. Where there is snow there, there will not be any in Bend. Russ and I had this conversation with someone who worked there, at Inn of the 7th Mountain (our favorite place, on the Cascade Hwy, I think) who said it changes radically, based on latitude (if I am using the right word - going "upwards".

It would be wise of him to find out for sure what his climatic zone is, and ask nurseries, etc.. what is the norm, and what he can grow.

I love Bend and would move there in a heartbeat if I could - or Walla Walla, WA - my base - I like that wonderful "sheltered" valley and miss it very much - grew up there.

I lived near Bend for about 7 1/2 years. It is a HARD place to garden. 20 degree nights could surely be happening now and regularly for about the next 4 weeks. In the winter it can get to -20. Between the proximity to the mountains and the altitude (3600 ft) the climate is pretty severe. Bend is a place with an official 89 day "growing season" with an average of 4 or 5 frosts within that period. Consulting with a local nursery would be a great idea. I gave up on growing a lot of things there. The dahlias would definitely need to be dug and stored for the winter, and may need protection on those frosty summer nights with a blanket. Roses are tougher but it probably depends on the variety. The humidity is very low in that area and there is lots of wind to just suck the moisture out of plants. Also, the soil is sandy/volcanic and does not hold much moisture. Mulching is very important. Also tell him the stores there will sell anything to anybody and that does not mean it will grow there, so consulting knowledgable nursery people will be very important.

Erg ARG! I'd thought of Bend as a nice place to live, but not anymore! Thanks for the input Mary!

MaryE, what you wrote is what I expected. I am hoping he finds a Master Gardener there to consult. I gave him a big pot and sprayed it w/ sealant for his front porch.

My sister lives there and yesterday it was snowing! It IS a miserable place to garden...and if it grows in your garden, the deer eat it!!! The growing season is SHORT, hot, dry...

No Thank You...

I was trying to think of the name of the nursery just outside of Bend going east on Highway 20, it is Landsystems Nursery and they have been there for at least 20 years. The county extension agent in Redmond will also be able to answer a lot of gardening questions concerning that challenging climate. I do recall that we were told we might get apples on our trees one year out of 5. The USDA gardening zones just tell you how cold it might get in the winter, but nothing about humidity (or lack of it), wind, snowcover for plant protection, how hot the summer might be, first and last frost dates (not really applicable in central Oregon) and other factors that determine whether your plants will survive, bloom, produce fruit, etc. Local people can provide a lot of missing information. I hope your son likes a challenge!

MaryE, my son loves Bend! ski's and golfs. The place is growing so fast. I'd like to take a tour there of home gardens. so he will have to amend his soil alot, uh?

I used lots of manure, straw, etc from our sheep, goats, chickens and horses. Whatever didn't get frozen grew very well, maybe in self defense?

Well, if he likes to ski and golf he is in paradise!

MaryE, where is Baker City? is it diff then just plain Baker?

Hi there,
I lived in Bend for about four years and had a wonderful garden. Of coarse it was a raised bed garden but I also had a great lilac tree and my bogonias and Sweet peas that grew like crazy. I planted corn and vegies in one of the rasied beds and lots of different flowers but can't remember for the life of me what all I planted. The neighbors had a great vegie garden in the ground. They had rhurbarb to die for and had a great snowball tree. Lots and lots of squash and strawberries. So I hope that helps a little.
Jan

I'm thinking Amaranth and Daturas might like it there. If you want some Amaranth, let me know and I will send you seeds. It is dark dark red/black and grows up to 8 feet tall. It was a real conversation piece last year (my first year growing it). People walk by and eww and awe and ask what it is.

Because of his short growing season, however, he'd want to start the seed early in the Spring (like maybe late March) and then transplant it outdoors in late May (or whatever his no frost danger is).

I had no idea it was cold for so long down there. Makes me feel like I'm living in the tropics (but I"m not).

Anastatia, Baker City is on I-84 about half way between Pendleton, OR and Boise, ID. Originally it was called Baker City, then shortened to Baker, then about 15 years ago they changed it back again to identify more closely with the early history of the town. Baker City (pop about 9,000) is the county seat of Baker County (pop about 18,000).

Tombstonejan, you must have been living in one of the warmer spots around town, protected by some trees, buildings or something. Our place was 6 miles east of town. I didn't try raised beds because my garden was flood irrigated using water from the ditch that ran just above the house and garden. Maybe Anastatia's son is lucky enough to be in one of those warm spots. I never could grow corn, beans, tomatoes or squash, they always froze. When did you live there?

MaryE,
We lived there between 1989 and 1995. I lived right by Drake Park one mile from the college. It was a short growing season but when things took off they grew great guns. I used starts for my vegie garden as, like you said it was a short growing season.
I used to teach art at COCC.
Jan

Jan, we moved away in April 93. I wonder if our paths ever crossed. I used to sell eggs to a health food store near the college and also to the Riverside Grocery store. Drake park would have been a warmer spot with all the trees and the river. Often it frosted at our place but not in town.