Friends Of Benton Gardeners

05/29/2026

Just 2 days away! We can't wait to see you!

05/04/2026

04/21/2026

Time to put our Spring Plant Sale on the Calendar!

03/03/2026

Our friends at Benton County Master Gardeners Association, a separate group, have some free shrubs and grasses to share with our community. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church has been kind enough to help us make them available to you. You can go to the right (north) side of their parking lot to find them. 2650 NW Highland Drive. For the next couple of days, please be sure to only take a few and share with others. Happy Gardening!

02/03/2026

We are partnering with our friends at the Evening Garden Club to offer grants! https://corvalliseveninggardenclub.org/grants/

11/05/2025

Hi all,
We'd like to share a few plants that need to get in the ground this fall. They are free for the taking at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church 2650 NW Highland Dr.
Here’s what’s available to begin with:
Catalpa trees - they'll be beautiful shade trees some day.
Sweetgum tree - good upright shade tree, but beware of the spiky seedpods - they are best planted some distance from paths and porches. Also roots can lift sidewalks and other concrete. Beautiful in the right spot.
Apple tree rootstock for anyone who wants to try grafting. One of the rootstocks we have is a dwarfing one. The other is Anatovka apple that can be used as a large standard sized rootstock or it can be grown without grafting and will produce tasty yellow apples also on a large tree.
Achilea ptarmica ’The Pearl’ Deer and drought tolerant. Is likely to spread some. Darling tiny white flowers dry nicely like baby’s breath.
The big square greenish pot has an Hibiscus syriacus in it. Should be gorgeous with white, pink, or lavender flowers. Hardy, but a bit tropical looking.
The big round orangish pot has an Hibiscus and a rose in it. 2 for 1!
Lots of empty pots - get them before the spring rush. You're welcome to the ones inside the fence too.
Plus a few other plants! (We have not been able to identify the small leafed shrubs to the right of the square greenish pot. If you have a guess, let me know. Thanks!)
Many thanks to everyone at Shepherd of the Valley for generously hosting this for us.

09/20/2025

We're so excited about our upcoming sale. We hope to see you there! 😁🌱

07/17/2025

We've set the dates for our next 2 sales. September 27th and May 30th. You're invited!

05/31/2025

Planting advice to encourage success

1. If you think the plant has dried out, give it a good soak in a bucket of water before planting.
2. Dig your planting hole the same depth as the pot and twice as wide. Score the sides of the hole so they are not smooth; this gives the roots a place to burrow in. Your goal is to encourage the plant to extend its roots into your native garden soil as soon as possible
3. Any loose potting mix should not go in the planting hole. Brush that off and save it for using as a mulch or in other potting projects.
4. Loosen roots so they get into native soil as soon as possible. If the plant is root bound and has circling roots, the kindest thing you can do is cut the roots. Never plant anything with circling or matted roots; always cut them. In mild cases, this can mean manually teasing and loosening them out of the pot shape. It’s ok if a few break. That stimulates branching and more growth. If it isn’t possible to loosen roots, you may need to use a hand cultivator, old saw, or pruners to cut through the root mass. In extreme cases, the bottom inch can be sawn off. Spread the roots out in the planting hole as much as possible. The larger the area they are spread over, the more water and nutrients they have access to. If kept moist, the roots will recover and grow more vigorously after being cut.
5. Fill in around the plant with only the soil from the hole. Make sure you don’t leave large air pockets and keep the top of the potting mix level with the garden soil. Never stomp on the soil to firm it. That causes compaction and root breakage. You can press firmly with your fingers to settle the soil around the root ball. Break up large clods with your hands or a shovel if necessary. If it is a larger plant, fill the hole halfway, water in the soil to help settle it, and then finish filling the hole. Sprinkle loosened garden soil over the potting mix and water in to improve the water holding capacity.
6. Water very thoroughly. If it pools, let it soak in and then water again. Check to see if the soil has settled and you need to add a bit more. Then you can add a mulch: compost, wood chips, bark, grass clippings, or leaves, keeping mulch a few inches away from the stems of the plant.
7. Check for moisture at least weekly through its first summer. The potting mix in the root ball dries out much quicker than the garden soil around it, so it’s a good idea to feel for moisture about an inch down in the potting mix, not the native soil nearby.
8. Enjoy your new plant!  It may appreciate a bit of shade from something like a lawn chair for its first few days in its happy new home, especially if the weather is very warm.

Send a message to learn more

05/25/2025