Frustrated trying to garden on the Oregon coastal? Master Gardener program Saturday may help

Oregon Coast TODAY

Gardening on the Oregon Coast can be quite challenging. Living in the fog zone and having so many overcast days impacts what Lincoln County residents are able to grow, particularly heat-loving vegetables like the much-loved tomatoes.

But you can learn how to overcome these obstacles with the expertise of the Lincoln County Master Gardener Association at Newport Public Library at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8.

The new quarterly program, “Garden Literacy with LCMGA,” kicks off with “What’s a Cloche and Why Do I Need One?” with Master Gardener Cathi Block.

One of the best and most affordable options to overcome coastal gardening limitations is to install a cloche. A cloche can be as simple as a dome over a plant or as complex as adding a greenhouse.

The temperature inside a cloche is often 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the outside temperature. The program will cover the history of cloches, materials and designs, accessibility and usage, location preferences and will show samples of various cloches.

Block was born and raised in Portland, where the weather and soil made it easy to grow most anything. After moving to the coast, she discovered that the soil at her new house was packed sand, among the other obstacles with coastal gardening. Some 25 years later, she is able to grow the vegetables she wants thanks to the Master Gardener program and the many gardening friends she has learned from over the years.

Saturday’s program begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Newport Public Library, 35 N.W. Nye St. Registration is recommended. For more information, go to www.newportlibrary.org or call 541-265-2153.