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CORVALLIS - Oregon's homegrown gardening experts will share their best green-thumb secrets during the second installment of the locally produced series, "Northwest Gardening."

The program will air at 10:30 a.m. each Saturday in April on Oregon Pubic Broadcasting (OPB) beginning April 1. The show will repeat on each Friday from April 7 to May 5 at 6 p.m.

Seattle public television station KCTS will broadcast the program at 2:30 p.m. Saturdays in April. "Northwest Gardening" is a co-production of Oregon State University and Orchard Hill Productions of Corvallis, Ore. The show was developed with grants from the OSU Extension Service and the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and other support from OSU Information Services. Underwriters include Sun-Grow Horticulture, of Hubbard, Ore.

"Gardening conditions are unique in the Pacific Northwest," said Larry Pribyl, co-director of OSU Communications Media Center and executive producer of the show. "We saw a real need for a regional field-based 'how-to' garden show, especially one backed by university knowledge and expertise.

"Plus, the nursery business is the number one agricultural industry in the state," he added. "There's so much going on in our region for viewers to see."

Hosted by Portland horticulturist Mike Darcy, the five episodes of "Northwest Gardening" will feature:

• How to grow gorgeous flowers and healthy vegetables
• Specific instruction in making compost, creating raised garden beds, de-thatching your lawn,
• assembling hanging flower baskets, creating garden art, using cold-season growing techniques, starting your own plants from seed and dividing perennials.
• Gardening for wildlife, including feeding birds and how to discourage browsing deer.

A regular feature will be "Fresh from the Garden," with Oregon cookbook author and food columnist Jan Roberts-Dominguez. She will offer demonstrations and instruction to viewers in how to transform fresh garden bounty into tempting table delicacies.

If "Northwest Gardening" is successful and generates sponsorship, future shows will feature other Oregon and Northwest gardening experts.

For more information, contact: Larry Pribyl, the co-director of the OSU Communication Media Center at 541-737-3817, e-mail: [email protected] or Carol Savonen, science communication specialist, OSU Extension and Station Communications at 541-737-3380; e-mail: [email protected]