Clackamas Flower Shops

Clackamas OR News

Apr 4, 2021

Ask an expert: Brown tips on this healthy cypress tree are male pollen-bearing flowers - OregonLive

Also, should I remove leaves in late summer and early autumn to encourage fruit maturing, fruit harvest and reduce waste? – Clackamas CountyA: Easy-to-grow, figs are among the oldest fruits known to humankind. Native to western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region, figs (Ficus carica) are members of the Moraceae family and are grown for their delicious edible fruit. The tree was brought to North America by Spanish missionaries in the early 16th century. Of the four main types of figs, three — Caprifigs, Smyrna, and San Pedro – are not usually grown by home gardeners, because they have complex pollination requirements.The fourth type, the common fig, is parthenocarpic, meaning the fruit forms without fertilization. Let’s look at a few varieties of this type. These three figs are recommended for our area: ‘White Kadota,’ ‘Desert King’ and ‘Lattarula’. All have yellowish-green skin and amber flesh. They are sufficiently cold hardy, ripen nicely and may produce two harvests.When it comes time to plant – fall is optimal – choose a south-facing site where the sun shines all or most of the day. Planting is no different than other trees. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth or no more than 2 inches deeper as it is in the pot. The soil should be loose enough to drain well. Adding organic material will help with that. Make sure the pH is neutral; shoot for 6.5 to 7. Adding lime to the soil will bring western Oregon’s typically acidic-leaning soil up to the correct level. Figs respond well to nitrogen fertilization. After the first season, apply fertilizer in the early spring so it can work its way down to the roots. Be careful not to encourage excessive vegetative growth by too much nitrogen (the N on the fertilizer package) because that delays ripening and reduces fruit quality. Rather than using commercial fertilizer, top dress the soil around the tree with compost once a year. Don’t expect fruit for the first few seasons.Since figs are subtropical in origin, they can tolerate drier soils. Newly planted trees need to be watered to establish the root systems. Irrigate figs occasionally during our dry periods to obtain good crops. Mulch your trees to retain moisture and control weeds.Though not as complicated to prune as other fruit trees, it takes some pract...

May 24, 2018

HG calendar May 5-13: celebrate mom with flowers

Sun, May 5-6. More than 100 vendors participating, including 10 Minute University, Free pH Soil Testing and Ask an OSU Master Gardener. Clackamas County Event Center, 694 N.E. 4th Ave, Canby; $5, under 16 free. www.springgardenfair.org Tomato Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Selection of hybrid and heirloom plants planted and nurtured by students. Mary Woodward Elementary School, 12325 S.W. Katherine St., Tigard. 503-431-4700 Container Gardening: 10-11 a.m. Learn how your small patio or porch can wow with blooming pots full of perennial and annual flowers, culinary herbs and vegetables. Jenkins Estate, 8005 SW Grabhorn Road, Aloha. 503-629-6355 Incredible Edibles Plant Sale: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Array of local, organically grown, vegetable starts. Heirlooms and hybrids among proven varieties of tomatoes, cukes, peppers, eggplants, squash, greens, lettuces, herbs and more. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1624 N.E. Hancock St. www.multnomahmastergardeners.org/edibles/ Lilac Days: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily through May 13. Tours of the Victorian farm house, gift shop and plant sales. Cut lilacs for sale on weekends. Quilts of yesterday and today will be on display in the farmhouse. Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, 115 S. Pekin Road, Woodland; $5, children under 12 free. 360-225-8986 or lilacgardens.com Brooks Gardens Peonies: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through June 15. Peony bloom season. Over 300 varieties of peonies and a historic iris collection of over 1000 varieties in the arboretum/garden. Peony and iris plants, fresh cut flowers and floral arrangements. 6219 Topaz St. N.E., Brooks. www.brooksgardens.com or 503-393-7999 SUNDAY, MAY 6 Beneficial Insects Workshop: 1-3:30 p.m. Meet the beetles, bugs, flies, lacewings and other invertebrates such as spiders and centipedes that work around the clock to provide free pest control. Discover plant types and management practices that provide habitat to attract and sustain beneficial insects that help your garden thrive. Learn how to keep an eye out for some of the invas...

Jul 27, 2017

Gardeners rejoice: Plant sales are popping up around Portland

Also features 10-minute classes throughout the day, soil pH testing, potting station and "Ask a Master Gardener" booth. Clackamas County Event Center, 694 N.E. Fourth Ave., Canby; $5 adm... (OregonLive.com)

Jul 5, 2016

Dying alone: A jail inmate's health spiraled for 7 days and no one stopped it

He didn't undergo an autopsy, according to the state medical examiner's office. Several other inmates died from health issues – one in the Clackamas County Jail of a cardiac arrhythmia and another in the Linn County Jail from bacterial pneumonia. One inmate died in the Deschutes County Jail of a methamphetamine overdose. His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county sheriff and staff claiming jail deputies allowed the man to die. One woman died in the Douglas County Jail from defects in her blood vessels associated with methamphetamine use. Her death was ruled accidental. Three of the inmates strangled themselves with bed sheets in the Multnomah, Clackamas and Marion county jails. At least 80 inmates died in 19 jails in Oregon from 2004 through 2015, the figures show. At least a quarter of them died at the Multnomah County Jail and the next largest total, 10, died at the Washington County Jail. Of the statewide total, 40 percent committed suicide in their cells, most by using a bed sheet to strangle themselves. The Oregonian/OregonLive surveyed jails throughout the state to get the numbers. The statistics include data from all but Klamath County, which requested more than $550 to search and provide the names, ages, date of death and cause of death for jail inmates from 2004 through 2014. No other county requested a fee more than $15. Most provided the information for free. The Multnomah County Department of Health declined to release the same information between 2004 and 2008, citing the federal heath records privacy law. -- Everton Bailey Jr. Before heroin, Madaline Pitkin had earned mostly A's and B's in school, first at Holy Redeemer in North Portland, then at St. Mary's Academy downtown. She was the younger of two children, five years behind her big brother. Growing up, she made close friends. After high school, she floundered. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do. She liked listening to Portland indie bands, hiking in the Columbia River Gorge and camping on the Oregon coast. For a term, she studied at the University of Oregon but returned to Portland because she didn't like it, her parents said. She held down part-time jobs while she took classes at Portland Community College and was interested in eventually finding work in a medical field. In the meantime, she was a barista, a waitress, an elf for Santa Claus at the downtown Macy's for a few holiday seasons in a row. She lived on her own. She made new friends. She met a guy. She was about 24 when she changed. She became unreliable. Evasive. Her parents caught her in lies. They confronted her. They wanted to help. She eventually admitted she was an addict. That she was using heroin. Pitkin didn't want to be an addict, her mother said, and she detoxed through a program in Portland that provides 24-hour medical care for people suffering from withdrawal. She told her parents she was going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings. She seemed clean for about a year. In 2014, her old behavior returned. She slept a lot. She lost weight. Her parents questioned her, but she didn't answer. That January she was charged with heroin and cocaine possession after an arrest in Portland. In February, she faced more possession allegations after a Lake Oswego arrest. Then in April, she was arrested for a final time. A police officer stopped her for improperly using her blinker as she turned onto Southwest Boones Ferry Road in Tualatin. The officer noticed small spots of smeared blood on her feet and a glob of heroin stuck on her driver's license. He learned she had a warrant from an earlier heroin arrest and asked her to step out of her van. On went the cuffs. *** Just before 4:15 a.m. on April 17, 2014, Pitkin went through booking at the jail, where she had her mug shot and fingerprints taken. She also got her first medical evaluation. She stood 5-foot-7 and... (OregonLive.com)

Jul 31, 2015

Portland area bakers, florists on front lines of 'religious freedom' and gay ...

From Portland to Beaverton to unincorporated Clackamas County, Robeson and other small business owners talked about their approach to customer service and when, if ever, it's appropriate to bring religion into a business transaction. The issue flared in Oregon two years ago, when the owners of a Gresham bakery cited their Christian beliefs against same-sex marriage in refusing to produce a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. State officials found the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa had discriminated against the women on account of their sexual orientation, and this month they are expected to announce recommended damages of $150,000 or more. "We had a lot of people test the waters" after the gay women filed a complaint against the bakery owners, Robeson said. "We had multiple phone calls from people wondering where we stood." There were no confrontations and the inquiries eventually died down. Still, "I am very torn in a lot of ways," Robeson said of the Sweet Cakes owners. "If they truly have strong (religious) convictions, I feel they ought to be able to operate their private business. "At the same time, for us, we don't deny service for anyone. Where would we draw the line?" *** At St. Johns Flower Shop in North Portland, Pat McDonald is the fourth owner of a shop that's been in business since 1942. He operates out a small storefront on North Lombard Avenue, a few blocks away from the shuttered bar whose owner got into legal trouble when he asked a group of transgender people to stay away, saying their presence was hurting his business. McDonald knows all about what happened next. The state awarded $400,000 in damages to the 11 customers, saying they had been discriminated against. Unable to pay, the owner closed the bar and laid off his employees. McDonald bought the floral shop in 1996 and says his business philosophy is simple: To provide a service for whoever walks in the door. "There's no reason for me to want to not serve anybody who walks in my door," he said. "To have somebody say we're not going to serve you, that's not right.' " McDonald said he advertised in the Gay Yellow Pages for several years as a sign that his business was open to all, but eventually stopped because of the cost. "It got just a little response," he said with a laugh. "Not enough to pay for the ad." He said he regularly provides flowers for gay or lesbian weddings and funerals, and counts three gay-owned businesses among his weekly customers. "They are the easiest people to work for and work with," McDonald said. When it comes down to it, "I guess you could say, 'These guys' money is as green as mine.' " *** Beaverton Florists is a family-owned business that's spanned three generations since its founding in 1943. The store is on Southwest Watson Avenue just south of busy Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. At 33, Sara Hill is the daughter-in-law of store owners Keith and Sheri Hill and, with her husband Andy, is poised to take over the company's management in the coming years. "I think it's ridiculous that any business would turn away a gay couple," she said. "As a business, you're shooting yourself in the foot to deny anybody." Hill said she doesn't have strong religious beliefs, characterizing herself as "either a humanist or an atheist," but noted that neither perspective is relevant when it comes to serving Beaverton's diverse communities. "On a daily basis, we are delivering to lots of clients and we have to know a little about their traditions in order to serve them," Hill said. Hill said she is in charge of the floral shop's greeting cards and has made it a point to expand the inventory beyond "Mr. and Mrs." to include "Mr. and Mr." and "Mrs. and Mrs." options. "I really don't get it," she said of the Gresham bakers' refusal to bake a wedding cake. "All you're doing is selling something to someone. You're not invited to the wedding. You're not involved once the transaction is done. " That anyone would refu... (OregonLive.com)