EASTERN WASHINGTON?

Hi,

I am moving to eastern Washington. I am undecided on the particular area, but around Rice or Kettle Falls.

Does anyone have any experiences with gardening in these areas? I would like to know the best particular areas for growing vegetables.

Tigpie, I just googled Kettle Falls and what a delightful place it appears to be. I have to admit, though, I know nothing about gardening in Eastern WA.

Wish I could help - good luck and keep us posted on your move.

Thank you Murmur. I'll probably just keep posting the question, until I find people who live in the area.

I live in Spokane, and I love to garden. The biggest issue here with veggies and flowers is our shorter growing season, mid May thru Sept. We don't plant annuals or veggies until Mother's Day and so it is wise to get larger plants from a nursery or start your own little green house if you really want to produce. We live in a deer infested area and they pretty much determine what we plant in our yard. We stick to tomatoes in cages and lots of herbs. I also have a lot of perennials that I guard with Deer Scram. I was from So. Calif and didn't begin to show an interest in gardening until I moved here. I think the dormant winter months made me long for the lushness of spring. Tell me what you're interested in planting and maybe I can help you. I do have some pics of my backyard online.

Gardening here is so much fun as we have these gorgeous firs trees for a backdrop. I plant mostly yellow, red and blue to contrast and there is plenty out there to choose from. It gets more difficult to find things the deer, elk or moose will avoid and that has been my biggest battle.

Crazy4plants

Hi Crazy for plants,

I am excited to talk with you. I am in southern California now. I am 100 miles north of L.A.

Well it sounds like I can adapt to your climate and conditions easily. Right now I have a garden that is caged in hardware cloth on the bottom and sides. There are gophers coming up from the bottom, and rodents of all kinds that come from the sides. Deer have been around the garden, but have not jumped the 4' fence. The birds eat the fruit from the trees. It sounds like I'll have to completely cage in my crops up there. I'll have to cage the top for my fruit here. There is a gardener around here that caged every angle, because its the only thing that works.
The last day of frost here is May 15. I am in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains at 2600' elevation. We have had snow May 13 or it could be 90 degrees. This is not an easy growing area. I am enthusiastic about extending seasons, so I can get a longer growing season. Do you find it humid there in the summer or other seasons? Do you find the cold temperatures a moist bone-cold or dryer cold? I like to grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit. What elevation are you? Thanks, Ann

You should adapt just fine given your current conditions. Eastern Washington is quite dry but very green once you get east to Spokane. Plants need water in summer months but winter is pretty much watered with snow and rain. We have four definite seasons here and winters seems long and gray to me. I 'm from So. Cal and need to get away for a winter break somewhere warm.

I'll post a link to some pics I took of our yard last year. I will admit that I am an extreme landscaper/gardner when it comes to my backyard. It is my hobby and I spend many hours tweaking it. This is the second yard I have done from scratch. The lot was marginal and we saw some hope in the slope and northern exposure for shady plants. It is not realistic due to covenants in our neighborhood for us to fence our lot so I have tried to plant it deer resistant, use deterrents and still fight the deer. Birds are not an issue for us since we don't have any fruit trees but there are plenty of successful orchards in the area. I think Spokane is about 2500 ft. but not sure. I see lots of peaches, nectarines, apples, cherries. Forget about avocados, citrus or banana. We do enjoy our tomatoes and your basic herb/veggie garden does well. We amended the soil with compost and sandy loam as we had pretty much solid clay and rock. Ick. These pics were before, during and one year after construction of the backyard. I am getting ready to take some updated pics but want to wait until June when things have filled in a bit more. My hostas are just beginning to leaf out. Personally if it were me, I'd fence in a garden area for fruits and veggies and forget all the caging. I use Deer Scram around my yard and it works great. It is a powder that i sprinkle on the ground once a month. Pricey, but cheaper than replacing all my beloved plants
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/550861201NITdCk?start=0

Plantcrazy

Plantcrazy, I don't have time to look at all the photos at this moment, but wanted you to know that I am just blown away by what you have done! It's glorious - I can't wait to look at the rest!!!!

Another darn old ex californian hahhahaha I came from La Mirada CA to Lebanon in '91 and still love it. Image going places and not dealing with the crowds, the traffic and being able to drive on a road and having to sit in the car and get angry...

The hardest thing for me to adjust to moving was I left my kids there, well one ended up moving here the same year and the other finally moved in '05. Now all I miss are the friends and in winter the sun.

But with what I have here in peace, fresh NOT SMOGGY air, LAND as we have 10 acres here and 3 are the iris business.

Would I move back if I won the lottery NO...I am in heaven on earth here.

Welcome to the wonderful world of gardening in OR you will love it.

D