Upcoming Gardening Program at Newport Public Library: “What’s a Cloche and Why Do I Need One?”

Newport Public Library is pleased to begin a new program featuring the expertise of the Lincoln County Master Gardener TM Association (LCMGA). “Garden Literacy with LCMGA” will be a quarterly program at the Library with garden-related topics for attendees. LCMGA works in collaboration with and support of the OSU Extension Service Master Gardener™ Program. The first session is titled “What’s a Cloche and Why Do I Need One?” taking place on Saturday, November 8 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in the McEntee Meeting Room of Newport Public Library at 35 NW Nye Street in Newport. The public is invited to join the Lincoln County Master Gardener Association’s Cathi Block for an informative session on building and using a Cloche to improve coastal gardening.

Gardening on the Oregon coast can be quite challenging. Living in the fog zone and having so many overcast days impacts what we are able to grow, particularly the much-loved tomatoes and other heat-loving vegetables; such as cucumbers, peppers, basil, and eggplant. Are there things we can do to grow these here? Absolutely! One of the best and most affordable options is to install a cloche. A cloche can be as simple as a dome over a plant or as complex as adding a greenhouse. Being able to enclose a bed and cover it will enable you to protect your plants from the elements and will retain heat. The temperature inside a cloche is often 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the outside temperature. The program “What’s a Cloche and Why Do I Need One?” will cover the history of cloches, materials and designs, accessibility and usage, location preferences and will show samples of various cloches.

Presenter Cathi Block, a Certified OSU Extension Service Master Gardener, was born and raised in Portland, where the weather and soil were wonderful and it was easy to grow anything. After moving to the coast, she discovered that the soil at her new house was packed sand! Other obstacles for her coastal garden included overcast days, low temperatures, and wind. 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.

Registration for this program is recommended. For more information, please visit newportlibrary.org or contact Newport Public Library at 541-265-2153. This program is free and open to the public.