Green Gardening: Donations will keep research garden alive

For many years, Puget Sound gardeners have had an excellent resource in the nonprofit Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation. Countless visitors have sampled the tasty fruit growing at the group's display garden in Mount Vernon, where heritage fruit mingles with new hybrids and experimental crosses.

This independent volunteer group supports tree fruit research and preserves old-fashioned fruit as well, from apples, peaches and pears to raspberries, marionberries and more. For many years, Washington State University has run the Northwest Research and Extension Center at Mount Vernon.

Each year, volunteer members help maintain the garden and offer tasting opportunities, where antique and modern fruits can be compared. Through field trials, classes, handouts and guided tours, the research group has made huge contributions to fruit growers in Western Washington, where heavy soils, cool nights, late springs and slow summers can make fruit crops challenging.

Sadly, the research garden soon may be lost unless the volunteers' fundraising efforts are successful. Recent changes to WSU's funding rules mean that instead of being able to rely on WSU specialists and helpers, extension agents may need to find funding to support their own programs.

The foundation's volunteers need to come up with $55,000 by March 30 to keep the community display garden program alive. According to Sam Benowitz, owner of Rain Tree Nursery and a foundation board member, the group now must pay to replace the help WSU staff used to provide.

"WSU Research Center still allows our use of the land, but all costs of coordinating volunteers and the operations of the garden now fall" to the foundation, he said, adding that the foundation's work over 16 years "made tremendous contributions to fruit research and helped thousands of backyard fruit growers. What we do would be hard to replace."

Fortunately, a generous fruit grower has pledged a matching grant for the project, so that public (and tax-deductible) contributions will be matched dollar for dollar up to $27,000. "We are hoping that people who have benefited from our help will come forward and help us in return," says Benowitz. Volunteers are welcome as well and will find their work richly rewarding (and delicious).

The Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation Community Display Garden is at the WSU Northwest Research & Extension Center, 16650 state Route 536, Mount Vernon. Contributions to save the garden can be sent to: Walter Kropp, WWFRF Treasurer, 29838 Marine View Drive S.W., Federal Way, WA 98023-3422. For more information on foundation, go to wwfrf.org.

Organic mulches

On the plus side, WSU is adding research for organic growers every year. Home gardeners also will benefit, since WSU researchers plan to investigate efficient, lower-cost fertilizers that are not petroleum-based.

WSU's three-acre organic farm serves students in the nation's first undergraduate degree program in organic agriculture.

For now, the most practical way to fertilize your organic beds and borders remains a combination of feeding mulches. For most ornamental plants, an annual mulch of compost and/or aged manure pretty much supplies all needs.

Exceptions are gross feeders like roses and clematis, which benefit from a moderate-number fertilizer like Whitney Farms' All Purpose 5-5-5. Recent research proves that established trees and shrubs should not be routinely fertilized, as the excess nutrients can cause disease problems.

Never begin fertilizing, even with low-number organics, until plants are wide awake. Until their root systems are geared up for spring, plants are unable to process fertilizers, which end up in Puget Sound.

Even time-release fertilizers should not be used until soil temperatures reach the 70s. Rather than wasting resources, why not use these chilly weeks to pull ivy, spread mulch and make compost. Your garden will look great come spring and your plants will be healthier!