Gardening/growing season in Ashland (Eugene, Medford: university, organic, living in)

[Skyblues]

I'm thinking about moving to Ashland from Salt Lake City, UT area and was wondering how the climate compared, especially growing season--how long is it, etc. Also, how do the winters compare? Anyone know?

[Larry Caldwell]

I don't know anything about SLC, but Ashland is not high enough to have noticeably shorter summers. If you have water, you won't have any trouble getting a tomato crop.

[bluebird39]

I lived in Medford for many years, and was an avid gardener. Ashland is a bit higher elevation, but otherwise, the same. It's zone 7, and we typically planted peas in February, and were getting first frost in late October. It's been 4-5 years since we've lived there, but I don't remember it ever getting into negative temps, but do remember a 10 or 11 once or twice. It snows occasionally, but only an inch or 2, and is usually gone in a few days.

Medford is famous for its pears, and those, and many other fruit and nut trees do well. Figs even grow there. Berries do well, as do just about any vegetable, but they won't over winter.

Winters aren't as dry, in fact they can be very foggy, but they won't be nearly as cold. It's dry in Ashland, but not as dry as SLC. It's lower elevation too. Probably less sun in the winter than SLC. HTH

[Fiddlehead]

You can start things in a frame pretty early, but the last/first frosts are typically early to mid May and early October. Springs can be cold and disagreeable until June 1, but I would suspect they are milder than SLC.

[Skyblues]

Thank you for the posts. As a follow up question--I am also an avid plant person in general. Are there any good resources about native plants in the Rogue Valley region/Siskiyou mnts. region? Much appreciated!

[bluebird39]

You'll be in the right place for that! There are a lot of native plant enthusiasts in the area. I had a co-worker who used to go out on botany hikes every week-end, though i don't recall the name of the organization. Here's a nursery we used to shop at: Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery

Our favorite gardening book (which is extremely popular) is Sunset's "Western Garden Book". It's a wonderful resource for many different things.

You might also inquire at the BLM or Forest Service, and ask to speak to a botanist. There also used to be a neat store in Ashland that had lots of good books about nature. There was a good independent bookstore there a while back too, but I moved away 5 years ago, so i don't know if they're still there...
Looks like they still are:
Northwest Nature Shop
Bloomsbury Books |

HTH

[B97701]

Check out the WRCC in Reno, from the weather service, for the Official first and last frost dates (and probabilities) for all Western US cities - along with temp and rainfall data, then compare to your area in Utah -

Ashland - Talent - Medford has about 20" of rain a year and is in the same Westen Garden Book climate zone as the Sierra Foothills near Auburn-Grass Valley, California with oak savannah / grassland vegetation. Both areas VERY Scenic with wineries and small farms and sheep, horses, etc. I have been to both areas several times and they look identical. Except I don't think Digger Pine is present in Ashland. Most people hate that "weed," but I think it ads a unique off-green color to the Auburn area.

Areas in all directions from Ashland receive up to 40" to 60" to maybe even 80" of rain per year since they are not in a rain shadow.

The Siskiyous have about 3200 species of plants, second in diversity in North America to the Great Smoky Mountains !

INDEX PAGE - WRCC -

Western U.S. Climate Historical Summaries

SECOND INDEX PAGE -

Oregon

ASHLAND CLIMATE -

ASHLAND, OREGON - Climate Summary

ASHLAND GROWING SEASON -

CLICK SIDEBAR FOR SPRING, FALL, AND FREEZE FREE PROBABILITIES - AND OTHER USEFUL INFO -

THIS is the really important stuff for frost info -

the winter of 2011-2012 will be a La Nina year so prepare for an earlier first frost, and later last frost (i.e. a lower percentage number in the probabilities) To my understanding, the Seattle area, had its earliest snow and deep arctic blast in about 80 years last Nov, 2010, another La Nina winter.

ASHLAND, OREGON - Climate Summary

[hamellr]

You do realize that from a culture stand point, SLC and Ashland are pretty much polar opposites? That may be what you're looking for, but you may be in for a bit of a shock if you're not.

[B97701]

Originally Posted by hamellr

You do realize that from a culture stand point, SLC and Ashland are pretty much polar opposites? That may be what you're looking for, but you may be in for a bit of a shock if you're not.

Yes this is true. However, Souithern Oregon also has a large LDS presence; there is a temple in Medford and the dominant religion in Curry County (Brookings) is LDS. Many SOU students are LDS, and the University students are not as Liberal as the UO in Eugene. There is an LDS Institute on campus.

I think that Pentecosts and Mormons are the #1 and #2 religions in Jackson County, or, perhaps Catholics are #2 and Mormons are #3 (I'd have to check); I did read that Pentecosts (Assemblies of God) are #1 in Jackson County.

Ashland is a far left island among a very, very, VERY conservative group of counties.

It is unfortunate that the Liberal presence in Ashland has blocked natural resources from the Conservatives who dominate the counties in Southern Oregon. Very, very unfortunate for the working people including agriculture, mining, and timber. I support a botanical reserve in the Siskiyous, but such a reserve will burn up unless it is properly logged - including SOME clearcutting - and SOME sheep grazing - to prevent Catastrophic wildfires!

Think about who got to Southern Oregon first - NOT the environmentalists. The Mormons and the Methodists and others were first with timber, agriculture, and sheep. Unfortunately, their families are starving because of the Environmentalists who came down from Eugene and up from Berkeley.

That said, the solar panel ideas in Ashland, and vitamins / organic foods, are concepts that the LDS and many Fundamentalists have even pioneered - in many areas of the US.

That leaves us Conservative Environmentalists with a lot of work to do, wherever we happen to be in the USA. I respect those who discovered beautiful Southern Oregon, and their State of Jefferson movement is a tremendous project. I hope they succeed someday.

[oregongretchen]

I am an avid gardener living in southern Oregon, and I just wanted to offer a possible correction to that last post about who "got to southern Oregon first," I think that the Native Americans found this lovely valley first didn't they? And it was all the different versions of white Christians that followed. Not wanting to start a new string (this IS about gardening!).

That said, I do have a gardening Q: I'd like to plant peas in my garden in Ashland, and remember two years ago that I planted at the beginning of February and was harvesting great sugar snaps by May, but last year planted much later and the heat got them in June/July.

When do you plant your peas in the Rogue Valley?
thanks,
gretchen