US (OR): Pendleton master gardener embraces hydroponics
Yet despite this year’s long and especially harsh winter, Pendleton master gardener Richard Bertram is already set to begin harvesting fresh, homegrown veggies.
Bertram heads to the back of his basement and pulls back a silver space blanket to reveal Portuguese kale, collard greens and Swiss chard illuminated by a low-hanging grow light. Not only are the plants thriving indoors, but without a speck of soil in Bertram’s hydroponic setup.
“You can get your crop all year round,” he said. “And the flavor is just awesome.”
Bertram, 72, serves as vice president of the Umatilla County Master Gardeners, a program through Oregon State University Extension Service. He began experimenting with hydroponic gardening about four years ago, and has successfully grown everything from leafy greens and basil to tomatoes and cantaloupe.
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