Gardening in and around the Olympia area? (Bellingham, Centralia: assessor, mobile home)

[Eric G.]

Hi all,

My wife and I currently live in NE Nevada, which is beautiful country, but a really crappy growing season. In the next 4 or 5 years, we want to move somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

I'm an avid gardener, so the growing season and what can and can't be grown is pretty important to me. I was leaning towards the Willamette Valley in Oregon, maybe around Salem, but my wife is pushing for Washington as she has family in Whidbey Island and Portland. I would be looking for land in the 5 acre to 10 acre size, and we want to be probably no more than 30 minutes away from a city like Olympia.

Any gardeners out there care to comment about growing conditions, minimum Winter temperatures, etc? I use the Sunset Western Garden Book for most of my info, but would like some thoughts from those that are growing things, especially if you have lived or are very familiar with, the Willamette Valley.

Thanks!

[stonecypher5413]

I've lived and gardened both in the Willamette Valley and northern Washington (Bellingham) and can report that our relatively mild maritime climate will give you many more opportunities to expand your gardening skills. Try raised-bed, "lasagna" or square-foot gardening for the best yields.

Rather than give you specifics, I encourage you to become a Master Gardener (as I did) through your County Extension Service, and the education you learn through this program will be transferable to wherever in the Pacific Northwest you decide to settle:

Master Gardeners

You are already right on track if you're following the Sunset Garden Book. Good luck!

[Eric G.]

Thanks stonecypher, once we move I probably will pursue Master gardening.

Since you've lived and gardened in both, did you find yourself more limited in Washington with the colder winters and cooler summers, or would you say they were fairly similar?

Thanks

[stonecypher5413]

"Colder" in the P.N.W. usually means wetter, not necessarily "frozen." So you can use season extenders like cold frames and black plastic to warm up the soil earlier, get the microbial activity going so the seedlings know it's okay to grown now.

That's why raised beds will help here, to keep the roots from staying soaked and encouraging damping off, rot, etc. I've successfully used stacks of old tires to grow potatoes, for instance (raised bed, black soaks up warmth).

The "Garden" section here on City Data is an excellent resource, and you'll find many gardeners from this area willing and eager to share their secrets.

[StealthRabbit]

Whidbey Island is one of the better Garden climes in PNW. You can also look to area around Mt Vernon and also Lynden (some of best ag on We_t Side). Do get in touch with county extension agent as well as master gardener. In ag intensive counties, there will be county wide soil and climate charts to help you find the right area (ex. my county varies 3+ zones and has between 28" and 120" of rain in various areas.)

Best soils are very helpful, and there are interesting geology features that help and hinder.
additional advice (coming from an ex- MG, and commercial producer / u-pick fruit farmer).

South facing, minimal trees, good drainage (more sand than clay), plenty of air movement (avoid valleys and draws). High is better UNLESS it is too windy and freezing rain in winter to kill plants.

Prune and place plants for optimal air and sun, avoid anything that is prone to 'mold / mildew'.
Use lots of lime and nitrogen fixing tilth (rain leaches nitr out). Blueberries and Rhodies LOVE the acidic soils, so don't lime them, in fact use sawdust and fir chips as mulch (it makes even more acidic soil). Fall fertilizers and root feeding are the most important application.(especially if organic / time delay)

Many parts of the Willamette Valley are burdensome with heavy winter fog and weather inversions. I have partnered with many growers in both states, the PNW is gardener's paradise if you don't mind working in the mud, AND you don't plant too early!!!! (mid-late May is fine for most things). You can enjoy yr round gardening in many areas of we_tside PNW. Some plants will just NOT grow well on the we_t Side. That is why you take 2-3 enjoyable trips to the east side to glean and bring home oodles of commercial goodies to share with your friends and neighbors. + to get a dose of heat to make you appreciate (tolerate) living on the we_tside.

[Eric G.]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Whidbey Island is one of the better Garden climes in PNW. You can also look to area around Mt Vernon and also Lynden (some of best ag on We_t Side). Do get in touch with county extension agent as well as master gardener. In ag intensive counties, there will be county wide soil and climate charts to help you find the right area (ex. my county varies 3+ zones and has between 28" and 120" of rain in various areas.)

Best soils are very helpful, and there are interesting geology features that help and hinder.
additional advice (coming from an ex- MG, and commercial producer / u-pick fruit farmer).

South facing, minimal trees, good drainage (more sand than clay), plenty of air movement (avoid valleys and draws). High is better UNLESS it is too windy and freezing rain in winter to kill plants.

Prune and place plants for optimal air and sun, avoid anything that is prone to 'mold / mildew'.
Use lots of lime and nitrogen fixing tilth (rain leaches nitr out). Blueberries and Rhodies LOVE the acidic soils, so don't lime them, in fact use sawdust and fir chips as mulch (it makes even more acidic soil). Fall fertilizers and root feeding are the most important application.(especially if organic / time delay)

Many parts of the Willamette Valley are burdensome with heavy winter fog and weather inversions. I have partnered with many growers in both states, the PNW is gardener's paradise if you don't mind working in the mud, AND you don't plant too early!!!! (mid-late May is fine for most things). You can enjoy yr round gardening in many areas of we_tside PNW. Some plants will just NOT grow well on the we_t Side. That is why you take 2-3 enjoyable trips to the east side to glean and bring home oodles of commercial goodies to share with your friends and neighbors. + to get a dose of heat to make you appreciate (tolerate) living on the we_tside.

Thanks StealthRabbit, oh, how I would love to find a South-facing slope! Especially one that is up out of the flood plain.

How unrealistic is it for me to find 5 acres for 100k or less? As I mentioned in another thread here, I think the best bet would be to find a property with a horrible, run down mobile home on it that needs to be demolished, as most people don't want to bother with that.

Mt. Vernon is too far North for us I think (we'd want to be somewhere between Portland and Whidbey Island I think) although we might go as far South as Salem. Wife doesn't want to be more than 30 minutes away from city with population of ~100k.

There's agriculture zoning in Oregon called EFU (exclusive farm use.) I don't know if that means you can still build a house on it, or if it's for ag only. Will have to research more.

Thanks for the other gardening advice as well.

[StealthRabbit]

Check out Kelso, Carrolls, Kalama, and Woodland. They will fit your criteria and be good growing climate and potentially a view.

Yes, 5 acres with trashed mobile can be had for close to 100k. As you get closer to Portland prices rise (As in Ridgefield). I would stay out of Clark county due to tax burden and future 'urban' growth needs and regs will req even more taxes. (I pay $33/day as it is...).

Centralia or Tenino would be another choice.

Living within 30 minutes of Portland or Olympia would have advantages. If an ez and cheap airport is important, then lean toward Portland. I prefer to be close to a college, but I really miss a good / cheap place to lap swim. SW WA is TERRIBLE for finding cheap public indoor pools. YMCA's are way too expensive)

I do enjoy my 12 acres of south face slope about 1000' above and overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, but my tax assessor likes it too, so I have to leave...(cuz assessor is not going to leave).

OR land use is a major headache. I wouldn't even consider OR as a place to live and work and vote. It is nice for me to look at, but they actually get a better view looking towards WA (in CGNSA), as they have greatly restricted our building and watch us like hawks so we don't build anything, paint or roof our houses, or cut down any trees to ruin their scenery.

[Eric G.]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Check out Kelso, Carrolls, Kalama, and Woodland. They will fit your criteria and be good growing climate and potentially a view.

Yes, 5 acres with trashed mobile can be had for close to 100k. As you get closer to Portland prices rise (As in Ridgefield). I would stay out of Clark county due to tax burden and future 'urban' growth needs and regs will req even more taxes. (I pay $33/day as it is...).

Umm, was that a typo? $33 a day is like $990.00 a month! So is that just property taxes coming in at almost 12k a year?

OR land use is a major headache. I wouldn't even consider OR as a place to live and work and vote. It is nice for me to look at, but they actually get a better view looking towards WA (in CGNSA), as they have greatly restricted our building and watch us like hawks so we don't build anything, paint or roof our houses, or cut down any trees to ruin their scenery.

Are there really regs for not being able to cut down any trees? If I bought heavily wooded acreage, I would want to clear out an area around the house and on the Southern exposure for reasons you've mentioned elsewhere.

[StealthRabbit]

yes, $12 k (don't choose Clark county). "most" counties will be about $12 per thousand of TRUE market value. If you pay a bargain price, they will PROVE you paid under market and your taxes will be based on what the assessor can PROVE. (and they will win, or get you next yr... I have fought my assessment for many yrs, as it is nearly 10x my cost basis, but they pull some crazy data from people who pay mega bucks to be in my area (these are often California investors doing 1031's and never live here)

Do go talk to the assessor BEFORE you buy, and even before you look. If I was 30 seconds up the road I would pay 1/4th to 1/5th my current rate. (adjacent county) Some counties vary from $8 to $16 per thousand depending on the region (library, fire, school, EMS levies... special assessments)

I'm in a federally protected scenic area (the only one). Regs on tree thinning / harvest vary, but generally ok. DNR issues permits.

[StealthRabbit]

whoops I forgot one of our most important tools here on C-D WA (especially for gardeners!!)
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications...nAnnPrecip.pdf
Precipitation Map for Washington