Janet Berrian

My favorite vegetable to grow (and why):

My favorite vegetable to grow is my favorite to eat…cucumbers! I’d say they come in a close second to SunGold tomatoes, which I think everyone loves.

My favorite fruit to grow (and why): 

I have a very well-established cherry tree and when it produces, it is over the top. I love cherries and treat myself to a chocolate graham cracker crusted cherry pie after harvest. This year I also dried them and have enjoyed them in my almost daily salad.

Favorite decorative plant (shrub, tree, vine, etc.). 

I have three black and blue salvias which actually came up very late this year. But they showed up! Not only beautiful to my eyes, but bees and wasps and hummingbirds are all over them.

Something gardening has taught me: 

That I have an addictive personality and that has manifested in my acquiring too many plants. I have so little room for plants in my small yard…but little means I can find more room somewhere, right?

My best gardening tip for beginners:

Spend time in your garden just sitting. Enjoy successes and learn from failures, and know you will have both of those from time to time, and that’s okay. My garden has always been and will continue to always be a work in progress. I’m with that too!

The success I’m most proud of: 

I designed a California native plant garden at our local hospital in Lakeport, California. I got help from a friend I had met during Master Gardening training. Somehow it turned out to be jut beautiful…a local artist donated a work of art in copper, and the plants thrived. Its demise is a long, sad story, but nothing is permanent, so that’s okay too.

My funniest (or not) failure:

So many to choose from…but I learn from each and every failure. This year my beloved cucumbers are just not producing. Not funny particularly, but I’m okay with learning another lesson, this time about feeding them properly.

A despised garden pest:

Neighbor’s cats, who like to dig up my new plant starts and then seem to enjoy defecating in my soil. Also not crazy about slugs. Snails are destructive, but at least they’re sort of cute in their own way. Slugs: just slimy and gross. I’m sure they serve a purpose, but I just don’t know what it is.

My favorite gardening tool:

My little foam pad that keeps my backside happy, and my weed puller-outer. I don’t think puller-outer is the technical name, but it sure works great! I just make sure I spray paint the handle bright red, because I’ve lost dozens of them over the years.

How long have you been gardening in Oregon?

My husband and I moved to Cottage Grove approximately six years ago, and I began my gardening days after moving and settling in. Moving to Cottage Grove was the best decision we ever made because we love the people here. I especially love the Gathering of Gardeners! I was going to try to keep everything simple in my garden, but so much for that idea. Little by little, it just keeps on growing into an eclectic jungle. That’s okay too!