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WEAVER LEATHER 
We are proud
to offer you the finest tack from Weaver Leather. We floor stock the
Miracle Collar, Smart Cinch, leather goods and riding gear from Weaver
Leather. We can help you with any specialty items and can special order
items for you if you are in a hurry. You can shop online at
www.weaverleather.com and call us with your order or stop in.
TROXEL HELMETS
ARRIVING JAN. '08!
FENCING, FEED BUNKS,
DOG KENNELS
We
are now stocking products from
Powder River,
Powder
Mountain and Behlen for your fencing needs. Be sure to ask for a quote
from Brim's before you buy elsewhere! Special orders welcomed.

Asparagus: Arriving Feb. 15
Spring planting is recommended for asparagus roots. In clay soils
that have been properly prepared last fall, plant the crowns at soil
level or just 1 to 2 inches below and cover with 2 inches of soil. In
the fall, cover with 2 more inches of soil. Asparagus crowns migrate to
the surface of the soil over time because the new crown grows on top of
last years crown, every year. Asparagus beds should be maintained so 3
to 5 inches of soil covers the crowns. Crowns that are cultured too
shallow yield spindly spears. Crowns that are cultured too deep tend to
grow to the surface more rapidly, and yield of the early crops are
adversely affected. For maximum yield it is important to properly orient
the crowns when planting, with the crown on top and the roots or "legs"
spread in a downward direction. This is most easily achieved by forming
a ridge of soil placed in the center of the trench, or individual
pyramids of soil placed in the center of the trench so the crowns can be
properly "perched" on the ridge of pyramids prior to covering with soil.
Never allow two plants to touch in the planting trench. A spacing of 15
to 18 inches is about right.
The above planting instructions are especially recommended for
growers in western Oregon and Washington, where clay, acidic soils are
quite common. If one is blessed with a sandy-loam, well drained soil,
then only lime, phosphorous, and bone meal amendments are crucial to
success. The addition of organic matter is always helpful. It is best to
use fully composted manure.
On well drained sandy-loam soils far less preparation is mandatory.
Trenches 12 inches wide, 8 inches deep and 4 to 6 feet apart work
nicely. We recommend planting and maintaining the same depth as
previously mentioned.
Once established, asparagus is easy to care for. Asparagus is
extremely deep rooted and therefore water and nutrients are not as
critical as is the case with lots of crops. At our nursery we have grown
test plots of asparagus with no irrigation or fertilizing several years
in a row. Our theory has been the asparagus roots lay deep enough to
pick up moisture and nutrients on their own. We do water and fertilize
nearby crops and in the home garden this is normally the case as well.
Oregon State University Extension Service wrote a flier base on
information gleaned from "Growing Asparagus in the Garden" by Harwood
Hall, Susan Wadea, Ronald Voss, a University of Cal. Publication,
leaflet 2754 and "Commercial Growing for Asparagus" U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture Farmer’s Bulletin No. 2232. The OSU Ext. flier writes
"fertilize annually when harvest has been completed and the plants begin
to fern out. Apply manure and 8 to 10 pounds of a complete fertilizer
(5-10-10 or 1-10-5) per 100 feet of row. Most irrigation should be done
during the "fern season", (late summer) not the harvest season.
Jersey Knight: male
variety which is more productive
Sweet Purple Asparagus:
Same vigor and culture—just with great purple color.
STRAWBERRIES
101
Plant
strawberries in the sunniest area of your garden. They require full sun
for most of the day, although some late afternoon shade is tolerable in
midsummer. Good water drainage through the soil is essential. Soils with
high clay content are typically poorly drained, while sandy soils drain
very well. If the soil is heavy and tends to stay wet, it is best to
plant on raised beds to improve drainage. An annual 1” layer of compost
will help with drainage and soil fertility in both clay and sandy soils.
Planting
Instructions: Plant your
strawberries early in the spring. Frost will not hurt the plants.
Position the roots so that they are straight down into the ground. Do
not allow them to curl up. Pack the soil around each plant taking care
not to disturb the proper depth. Bone meal (phosphorus) at
planting time is essential for good root growth and flower formation.
About one tablespoon per plant is recommended. Water in well and
continue to irrigate, as needed. Plant spacing should be 18" to 24"
apart with the rows being 42" to 48" apart. (6@-12@
apart with rows 18@-24@)
A patch system can also be used which allows the patch to be intensively
planted and picked from each side. Do not make the patch wider than your
arms reach! (Runners will fill in the patch quickly and will need to be
thinned out annually.)
Fertilizing:
Ideally, a mulch of organic rich compost should be applied to the site
in the fall prior to planting. Wait for growth to start to avoid burning
the roots. Without a soil test we recommend a good balanced blend of
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Sulfur. The same fertilizer that
works in your vegetable garden will give excellent results on
strawberries. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per 100
square feet. This should be applied in early August when the plants are
developing fruit buds. Weed control is essential for strawberries.
Cultivate your crop on a regular basis to eliminate weed pressure.
Pests:
Be sure to bait for slugs in the fall with iron phosphate, known as
ASluggo@.
It can also be used during the growing season since it is not harmful to
edible crops, pets, or birds. Watch for other pest damage such as
earwigs, strawberry root weevil and birds. Always use products
compatible with your edible crop for insect control. For birds and deer,
you may need to cover the rows with a bird netting, or just plant extra!
They will exploit your generosity if you let them.
Everbearing Varieties:
After planting keep all flowers picked off until June 1 - 15. This
establishes a strong plant. Plants will flower and fruit the rest of the
Summer and Fall until a frost occurs. The original mother plants should
be rouged out after the 1st or 2nd year. Treat them like an annual. Keep
rejuvenating the bed with runner plants.
Spring Crop Varieties:
Fertilize and water well the first year to promote good flower bud
formation that fall. The first crop is picked the following spring.
After harvest the plants go dormant prior to summer and fall growth and
fruit set. After the last berry is picked mow the plants off with a lawn
mower set just above the crowns at the soil surface. The old leaves left
after harvest are going to die anyway and mowing is good sanitation and
helps keep fruit rot at a minimum as the planting ages. In the fall thin
runners so they are 3" - 5" apart. If possible mow tops off in January
or February prior to the spring flush of growth. This helps prevent
fruit rot. In our area winter rains often make mowing difficult. We do
it when the ground is frozen.
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