Gardening in WA, choosing a new hometown

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by 509

If you want to garden in western Washington.....buy a greenhouse.

Especial if you want to grow tomatoes or peppers.

[Dreams2Plans]

Originally Posted by 509

Gardening is growing food.
How much food does western Washington grow???

Well, here in Alaska we get a LOT of fruits and veggies grown in WA!
So, it has to be better than at least here??

Originally Posted by 509

If you want to garden in western Washington.....buy a greenhouse. That works

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Especial if you want to grow tomatoes or peppers.

So tomatoes need 75-degrees temps in order to ripen properly... for instance, Port Orchard seems to get about two months worth with average high of 75 or slightly under, how is that not enough?

[Dreams2Plans]

Originally Posted by jjinak

Agree with Diana that Lewis County area can be great and affordable. Avoid the flood plains. Doesn't fit the criteria for night life though lol Excellent gardening though.

Oh, but I don't need any night life!
Also don't care for good schools - just a safe area with relatively good weather for gardening and (hopefully) within commute distance to large/r cities.

[Angry-Koala]

Originally Posted by HappyNewMe

Well, here in Alaska we get a LOT of fruits and veggies grown in WA!
So, it has to be better than at least here??

Probably came from east of the Cascades. The hot weather starts earlier there so it's a good fruit growing/farming area.

Originally Posted by HappyNewMe

So tomatoes need 75-degrees temps in order to ripen properly... for instance, Port Orchard seems to get about two months worth with average high of 75 or slightly under, how is that not enough?

Tomatoes usually just sit and sulk here until the warm weather starts in July, which means you'll get your first ripe tomato somewhere in late July or early August if you started with plants from the garden center. If you plant seeds in the ground you may not get ripe tomatoes until late August or early September. This all depends somewhat on your microclimate too, of course.

You can garden year round here without a greenhouse if you live at a lower elevation and choose varieties suited to the area and season and if you use some of the season-extending techniques like cold frames and cool greenhouses you'll do even better. Just don't expect the heat lovers to do their best here.

[Dreams2Plans]

Originally Posted by Angry-Koala

Tomatoes usually just sit and sulk here until the warm weather starts in July, which means you'll get your first ripe tomato somewhere in late July or early August if you started with plants from the garden center.

Late July or even August sounds fine to me! So long as they actually ripen at some point!

[Angry-Koala]

Originally Posted by HappyNewMe

Late July or even August sounds fine to me! So long as they actually ripen at some point!

Well then you'll be happy here. If you ask me, western Washington is one of the best gardening areas in the entire US, with its mild winters that allow winter gardening. The Willamette Valley is even better, but then they have more insect pests there.

[StealthRabbit]

Excellent gardening options in WA. (the Palouse is known for YIELDS!!!)

Consider your climate desires (and other stuff... like access to medical / airports / colleges / mtns / beach)

THEN get climate data
THEN get soils data (County extension has a soils map for each county in WA)

Find some good silty Loam on a south facing CLEAR 20 - 30 acres, off the valley floor (fog / cold), at just the right elevation (For sun / wind / precip / good drainage). and PLENTY of water!

Be picky... there are 7 distinct climate zones between my house and town (6 miles).

Our previous U-pick fruit farm was adjacent to a WA State extension test farm, wow... it was AMAZING growing area. Search all the WSU extension sites and look nearby (there are some SWEET (and affordable) spots!)

Our Blueberries (edible landscape) are very pretty today (Fall colors). We got 300# off a few 100 yr old plants we found for free, 28 yrs ago.