Inyhome Welcome!
You have just moved to what I think is the best climate in the entire country! I actually like Portland better than Seattle- a bit hotter in summer, a bit colder in winter, and a bit less dark in winter. I am also from the midwest so I like seasons with actual winter (if short).
I agree about the size of plants, and this applies to most perennials and shrubs too, so don't plant new ornamental gardens based on the listed sizes. Some are actually twice the listed size. Where you live now, spring starts in January! Plus, in an hour you are at the ocean. Make sure you go to Haystack Rock and see the tide pools.
The greenhouse is great, I don't have one so I am a bit envious. Interestingly, I do some cuttings in fall most years, I keep them in a plastic cold frame in shade under a cedar tree, so it is cool and dim (and dry). I have better success with my woody cuttings than my sister did who took some last fall and put them in her new greenhouse. So I think a greenhouse is a learning process.
It sounds like you will do some vegetable gardening. As the heat is less in summer here, tomatoes and other tropicalish crops are challenging. Check out Territorial Seeds- they sell varieties for your climate. There was a professor at OSU who bred tomatoes for cool climates, Territorial sells them and you can find them in nurseries if you look.

Hello!

I'm new to the forum as well as to gardening as a whole. I'm a science student in my mid twenties and I aspire to work with plants long-term for both a career and for personal growth.

I live in Olympia, WA with its temperate climate and beautiful Pacific Northwest forests. I'm renting a lovely little historic house with my partner, my three cats, and an enthusiastic housemate who I met through school. We have a lot of grass, a couple of trees, and the house is constantly under threat of being taken over by morning glory look-alikes.

I've just finished an Associates of Science and am searching for a full time job to replenish the finances before continuing my education, and I want to spend all my spare time in the flower beds. I've just purchased some asters and lavender, as I understand that the local bees quite like them. How would you go about filling your garden space when on a very tight budget?

I look forward to getting to know you all!

Hello Spacefarmer and welcome! I love Olympia! I live in Seattle Don't know if you are from the PNW originally or new here but for me, coming from Mi originally, I was amazed that things grow year round here!
One thing to do when on a tight budget is figure out what plants can grow from cuttings...if you have the space for a bush or 2, hydrangeas tend to do really well just cut the branch a little below a knob (where there are new leaves growing) and place in a flower vase of water, even this time of year, they will root...Once rooted you can plant either in a pot or in the ground.
In this way I created 20 hydrangea bushes which now fill along my parking lot (I live in an apartment building) this space had been weeds, now it is lovely bushes. This process took several years.
Coleus and geranium are also plants that you can take cuttings and place inside in a vase, then plant outdoors in spring

Thank you, gg5!
I grew up around the Portland, OR area and haven't quite made my way to any other zones, yet.
Thank you for the tip on the hydrangeas! I have a couple of shrubs here (they're gorgeous) that I could definitely propagate.

Welcome!
I live just north of Seattle, have a quarter acre lot.
It's easy to spend too much money on the plants...
I agree with gg5, Autumn is good for cuttings, I have never done hydrangeas but have had success with other shrubs. I do the lazy easy way, in a used plastic pot with purchased easily draining material, and a plastic bag over the top. Then they go in deep shade under a cedar tree, under a plastic cover, for the winter.
I have also had some success with other things in the fall. For example, years ago in late Autumn, the afternoon before the predicted first freeze, I went out and picked a bouquet of flowers, put them in a glass of water on my south-facing kitchen window. Darned if the petunias didn't grow roots! They were Tidal Wave petunias, a great (and expensive) variety, and I planted them out the next spring.
I just pulled out my booklet from the Arboretum in Seattle, on how they propagate. They do many things in September, including Lavender, so maybe you could multiply your new plant.
All that said, I think a few packets of seeds in the spring might be the most inexpensive way. As you do not own the place, investing too much money would not be a great plan. But, since you want a career in plants, playing with the propagation can be considered "studying"!
This fall, check out the Seed Swaps on this website, another great way to learn, get seeds cheap, and have fun. They are listed under the "Tools & Apps tab at the top of the page.
Also, for the past several years, this group has had a plant swap in the spring. It is usually held north of Seattle, but varies by who offers to host. At this point it is mostly a bunch of enthusiasts who have full gardens, and we bring stuff to just give away! Can't top that, but it would cost you some gasoline.

Hi All,

I am a new member here. I live 20 miles north of Seattle. I love gardening and have been moderately successful at it so far. I have a new home garden (moved to this house 4 years back) with very poor soil full of rocks, stones and gravel. Thats my biggest challenge so far. I am slowly adding additives to the soil and have been growing some flowers. I want to learn more about growing vegetables and fruits.

Thanks!
Tina

Welcome Tina. I'm a bit further north than you. Curious about your zone being 7b - you must be in the foothills? I'm a solid 8 but am quite close to Puget Sound which can make a big difference. Keep your eye out for our annual plant swap in the early spring - good chance to put a face to a screen name.

Bonehead said:Welcome Tina. I'm a bit further north than you. Curious about your zone being 7b - you must be in the foothills? I'm a solid 8 but am quite close to Puget Sound which can make a big difference. Keep your eye out for our annual plant swap in the early spring - good chance to put a face to a screen name.

Thanks for the welcome!
Well, I just looked up and I see that I am in 8B. Not sure why I had always assumed I am in 7B. I live just north of Seattle - Kenmore/Bothell area to be precise.
I am looking forward to the annual plant swab.

Yes, that would put you in a zone 8 I would think. My sister used to live in Bothell and she was always a week ahead of me bloom-wise. I'm up between Arlington and Mt Vernon, east of Stanwood.

Happy you found your way here. I'm in Lake Stevens! The annual gather is so much fun, friends, food and plants!

Every zone 8 plant I have ever had croaked the first winter. I never buy plants that are rated zone 8 as the lowest number.

Hi Tina I'm right in Seattle near the Puget Sound so I am for sure a zone 8 I have kept some lovely geraniums alive (thanks Springcolor) through winter, by keeping them up against a south facing cement wall
I haven't been to a plant swap yet. but this year I may!

gg5 said:Hi Tina I'm right in Seattle near the Puget Sound so I am for sure a zone 8 I have kept some lovely geraniums alive (thanks Springcolor) through winter, by keeping them up against a south facing cement wall
I haven't been to a plant swap yet. but this year I may!

Wow really? I bring my geraniums in my over crowded garage and still get smaller blooms every season. I will try to bring them closer to a wall this year. Thanks!

springcolor said: Happy you found your way here. I'm in Lake Stevens! The annual gather is so much fun, friends, food and plants!

Every zone 8 plant I have ever had croaked the first winter. I never buy plants that are rated zone 8 as the lowest number.

Interesting! I have only looked for zone 7 so far. Paid a bunch for some hibicus(which I believe is hardy to zone 7) this year - now I am worried they won't survive the winter. I will for sure mulch! Thanks for the welcome and the tips!

Bonehead said:Yes, that would put you in a zone 8 I would think. My sister used to live in Bothell and she was always a week ahead of me bloom-wise. I'm up between Arlington and Mt Vernon, east of Stanwood.

Thanks You!

Hello!!! I am located in Rochester Washington, on 30 acres in the Independence Valley. Retired. Living the dream. Growing what we eat. Relatively new to the Pacific Northwest.

Welcome Annie! I had to do a search for Rochester, but have friends in the Chehalis area so now know where you're at (approximately). Lovely area. Where did you move from? I'm a native PNWer.

Hi Annie!
With 30 acres that does not really sound like retirement!
So glad you are here, I bet you will be a real valuable member.
Enjoy the website, you can spend the whole winter wandering around in it.
Also, if you save seeds, there is a swap coming up in about a week, if you have not found them yet, click on Tools&Apps at the top of the page. I am in DnD's All Seeds Swap. There are a lot of vegetables being offered, 50 people have signed up for this swap.

Morning,

After 2-3 years of browsing NGA finally decided to login. Now living in Port Orchard, WA. Started gardening in the 50s by propagating a privet hedge on Long Island--just playing with it (usda 7a); learning much more from an Uncle in high desert of CA (usda 8b); getting on my own in San Diego and learning to feed the soil (usda 10a); living on the high planes at 6440 feet SE of Denver with 2 nights a year of -18 degrees F (usda 2b); and now POrchard (usda 8b). Still learning how to garden with deer; here just have a few munchers, one November counted 39 does and 1 buck on my 40'x40' lawn in Colorado.

Still propagating ( soft wood Mexican Orange, Monard--root cuttings Korean Spice Viburnum, Purple Smoke Bush--seeding Gazinia, African Daisey); trying new plants (Rhododendrons, Japanese Maples); and composting by burying and having the worms work.

Welcome to the site Brooklyn, and to Washington. Sounds like you've been all over the place. I think you'll find the PNW easier to garden in than up in the Rockies! I don't know how much of a deer problem you have out there on the peninsula though - I'm on the east side of the Cascades, and they can be a bit of a problem over here. I'm so jealous of the rich, black soil that is common on your side of the hill, as I have dry, alkaline soil. My sister brought me a pickup load of black dirt one year for my birthday. I was so tickled!