Spring is here and your local garden center has new perennial plants for you!  Choosing plants from rows and rows of the same type of perennial can be daunting, especially when you want to pick the very best one to take home.  Which plant do you pick when some have buds, some are blooming, and others only have foliage?  Here are some selection tips to make your shopping trip easier.

First, do you choose plants in full bloom?  Not really, since they have already bloomed and the blooms may not last much longer.  Pick instead the plant that has buds or the beginnings of flower spikes as your best option.  A plant like this is best, because you can see just enough of the flower to be sure you are getting the cultivar and the bloom color you want.  Remember that plants do get rearranged by customers, so the sign in front of plants may not necessarily reflect what is there!  Tags in pots also get moved around, so seeing the beginnings of the bloom will tell you what you are buying.
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Next, size definitely does matter.  Most often, the largest plant is your best option unless it is leggy.  Also, look at the root system to ensure the plant isn’t root bound; a root bound plant (one with a dense mass of roots) can recover, but it will take time.  A medium sized plant could root faster with healthier looking foliage after being transplanted, but it might not grow much more this year.  Never buy the smallest one if it is the same price as the others, as you will overpay.

If you see plants that are deeply discounted because of damage, or you see a plant you think you might be able to revive, those can be difficult to pass up.  However, carefully examine the plant first before you decide to spend your money.  It will not hurt a plant to look at its roots; simply straddle stems with your fingers and gently tip the top. 
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Here are some things to look for if you are considering buying a damaged or deeply discounted plant.  Avoid a plant that has been newly transplanted, with roots that don’t fill the pot.  Although it is okay to buy if you get a really good discount, remember that it will be a long time before it takes off in your garden.  Second, look for pest damage – lacelike holes in discolored foliage – most likely caused by Japanese beetles.  These insects can mark plants for others to find later, so skip insect-damaged plants.  If you see shriveled brown or pale leaves, the plant has not gotten enough water or protection from strong sun.  If foliage looks really stressed, this plant will rarely bounce back, so leave this one on the shelf.  Finally, avoid plants with dead crowns or roots that are easy to pick off; these are signs of overwatering.  Since rotted roots never recover, do not buy overwatered plants.

​If you follow the tips when you choose your perennials, you should bring home plants that will flourish in your garden.  And to see many examples of all kinds of plants, visit the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds, southwest corner adjacent to the gravel parking lot. 

Did you know that one half of households in the United States now grow vegetables?  Oklahomans are no exception, and each spring we look with anticipation at all the plants and seeds that are available in our local garden centers.  There is nothing that tastes better than a fresh vegetable picked from your own garden and eaten on the spot!

​Successful gardening, whether flowers, vegetables or trees, depends on good preparation, and the first step to growing delicious veggies is to test your soil.  A healthy vegetable garden requires well-drained, loamy soil that contains plenty of nutrients.  Testing your soil will tell you what nutrients it has. Soil tests can be obtained from your local Cooperative Extension Office, and cost only $10.  They will provide you with an analysis of how much nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium your soil contains and whether it is acidic or alkaline, its pH.  This is important information to have as you prepare your garden beds.

To prepare a soil sample to take to the Cooperative Extension Center, get a clean bucket or pail.  Using a spade or shovel, dig from the surface to about six inches and take several samples, about  12 – 16, around the area you want to test.  Mix these samples together in your bucket and then put about 3 cups of this soil in a clean container.  A clean plastic bag works great.  Take your bag of soil to the extension center with your $10.  They will send your sample to the Soil Testing Laboratory at OSU, and the results will be mailed to you in approximately two weeks.  In those results, they will make recommendations on the amounts of fertilizer to use and any other soil amendments you need to add.

If you don’t want to test your soil or garden in a bed in your yard, raised beds are a great alternative.  In a raised bed, you can control the soil structure, pH and fertilizer nutrient levels.  They are great for areas with poorly drained or tight clay soil, because you can add soil purchased or composted and create a great environment in which to grow your veggies.  Other benefits are that you can grow vegetables in a smaller space, and it is easier to water and harvest raised beds.

There are many materials that can be used for a raised bed; redwood, cedar, vinyl, and composites are all good options.  Stone, concrete or landscape blocks also make great borders for raised beds, as do bricks.  Landscape timbers and old railroad ties will work; if you use railroad ties, make sure they are not oozing black creosote or smell intensely.  A group of half barrels is also great, especially for a patio!  You could even use a child’s swimming pool, provided you poke holes in it to allow for drainage.  Make sure you have a minimum depth of 8 inches of soil, but 10-12 inches is better.  You can fill your bed with packaged garden soil or buy garden-ready soil in bulk from one of your local merchants.
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Take care when choosing a location for your raised bed; make sure your bed gets at least 6-8 hours of sunshine a day.  Locating the bed close to a water source is a must, especially for our hot summers here in Oklahoma.  Do not place your bed underneath a tree within its root zone, the spread of the branches.  Tree roots will compete with your vegetables or plants for nutrients and moisture.

Preparation of your beds before the growing season is full upon us will ensure you have the best environment to produce the kinds of crops you want.  What varieties you choose make a big difference, since you want to grow plants that are best suited to Oklahoma.  In upcoming weeks we’ll discuss varieties of vegetables you can grow in Oklahoma!
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To see many examples of raised beds for all kinds of plants, visit the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds, southwest corner adjacent to the gravel parking lot. And for more ideas about gardening and to obtain top quality plants, be sure to attend the Spring Garden Party on April 16 in the demonstration gardens.  We will offer how-to classes, activities for kids and the best plants to purchase for your gardens. Also, remember that you can call the County Extension office with questions or submit them online at the Cleveland County Master Gardener website at clevelandcountymastergardeners.org. 

Mother Nature is all over the map with our weather this year!  However, there is a solution for any type of weather we encounter – container gardening!  Containers are great for flowers or vegetables; they are versatile, colorful, and have great utility, and best of all, they can be moved inside or under cover if we expect bad weather.  In short, they are a perfect all-weather solution!

Containers are ideal for any environment; they can adorn patios, porches, sidewalks, decks, and balconies.  They are portable and can be moved to follow the sun or shade, depending on the plant requirements.  Containers can avoid soil, insect and fertilization problems, and they can add a spot of color to any area where you want a lift, or provide delicious herbs or vegetables for your recipes.  They are ideal if you love plants and gardening.
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There are many types of containers available – clay, plastic, metal, ceramic, wood, fiberglass – all are good choices; just adjust watering and fertilizer to suit what type you use.  You can use anything you have available…an old wheelbarrow, or even a pair of cowboy boots!  Make sure there are drain holes in the bottom, because good drainage is essential.  You can put a coffee filter over the drain holes to prevent the soil from spilling.  Size is important because you need to make sure there is enough room for the types of plants you use – at least 16 inches in diameter is ideal.  Additionally, you should allow at least 6 – 8 inches of depth, again depending on the plant size.  

Soil is important, and any good lightweight soil mix designed for potting is preferable – just look for the words “potting soil” on the label.  Do not use soil from the garden or yard, as it is too heavy to work in containers.  Fill your container with damp soil mix to within 1 to 2 inches from the top; soil should be moist, but not dripping wet.  You can plant seeds or transplants from your local garden center, and most any plant, flower or vegetable, can grow in a container.  Be sure to loosen the roots a bit to stimulate them to grow into the soil.
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Arranging plants in your containers depends on whether you are creating a flower arrangement or growing vegetables.  A general rule of thumb for flowers is to use “thrillers, fillers and spillers”.  Start with something tall or spiky, like grass or tall flower - this is your thriller - and place it in the center of the container, or towards the back.  Next, add mass with a plant that has a round, full shape – this is your filler.  Finally, soften the edges with a trailing or cascading plant that will spill over the edge of your container – this is your spiller.  Choose a combination of complementing colors or textures, and choose plants that you like!  This combination will provide you with an attractive and interesting container.

It is perfectly acceptable to grow your vegetables in pots, too, and sometimes, this is a better solution, especially if you don’t have much room in your yard.  A container with vegetables like tomatoes, peppers or squash that is placed in a sunny spot on your patio or deck can produce a wonderful crop of tasty vegetables if you give them water and fertilizer.  Make sure you have enough depth and width in your container to handle your chosen vegetables, and be sure to feed often.

You will also need to water your containers more often than your garden beds, usually every two or three days, and more often when it is very hot.  Fertilize your containers frequently, usually every two or three weeks, as containers need more nutrients since there is limited soil and increased watering.  Use either water-soluble or slow release fertilizer – both are good – or combine the two types.

​Combine several pots in one area for a very attractive display, or group your plants by color or size.  If bad weather is expected, you can easily move your containers to a more sheltered area to protect them from the elements.  Containers are indeed the perfect all-weather solution!  

Lavender (Lavendula spp.) is a well-known and fragrant perennial plant with gray-green foliage, upright flower spikes, and a compact shrub form. It's native to Europe and can be planted in the spring after the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up. It will grow at a moderate pace, often adding a few inches to its size each year.

In the garden, lavender makes an excellent companion plant for almost anything from roses to cabbage. It is one of those aromatic, gray herbs that deer avoid, making it a great choice as a decoy in your beds. Lavender can be toxic to pets like dogs and cats.

Wouldn’t it be great to have earlier harvests for our favorite summer vegetables?  Recent research has proven that our winters may be getting warmer by a degree or two, but that isn’t going to help much with creating earlier harvests.  However, there are a number of techniques you can employ to enjoy home-grown vegetables earlier this summer.
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First, select early-maturing varieties for your vegetables; seed companies advertise many options for shorter maturity times for almost every type of vegetable.  Look for those that mature at least 10 days earlier than the normal varieties.  ‘Sweet Zuke’ or ‘Sure Thing’ are zucchini varieties that mature early, for example; earlier yellow squash varieties like ‘Early Summer Crookneck’ and ‘Early Prolific Straightneck’ not only produce harvests earlier, but also have many other good traits.  Most seed companies and nurseries offer similar choices for most vegetables.

Another technique to use for early harvest is to plant as early as possible; watch forecasts and check the Mesonet (www.mesonet.org) for soil temperatures in Oklahoma.  Watch the weekly forecast, and if you have already planted and cold temperatures are predicted, cover your tender seedlings with plastic or milk jugs, for example, to protect them.  You can also warm the soil in your beds using black plastic mulch; although this is not a preferred mulch variety because it is not natural, it is still very effective for warming the soil.  About two weeks before planting, spread the mulch over your bed, making sure the black surface is as exposed to the sun as much as possible.  When you are ready to plant, simply cut a circle in the plastic and insert your seedlings.

Another option for earlier harvests is to start your plants indoors.  Although some varieties are not recommended for transplanting, it is still possible for some varieties; for instance, using peat pots or pots of material that will be absorbed into the soil will offer little disturbance to them when you set them outside.  It also helps to give your seedlings as much sunlight as possible, or to use a shop light or florescent desk light over them to aid their growth.  Be sure to provide seedlings with a good plant food so they will keep growing until it is time to set them out in the garden.

Here’s a fun idea for starting seeds early, and it would be a fun project for your children or grandchildren, to get them involved in gardening.  Purchase some ice cream cones, the regular cup variety, and not sugar cones.  Place seed starting mix or potting soil in each cone and plant your seeds just as you would do in a peat pot.  Once your seedlings are ready to transplant, just put the entire cone in the ground.  It will disintegrate and you will be left with a healthy plant to nourish in your garden.  What fun!

​When you are ready to transplant your seedlings outdoors, it is important to allow them to become accustomed to the change in environment.  Gradually expose them to the outside over a period of three days or so, increasing their exposure each day.  Also, be careful not to damage the young, tender seedlings when you handle them.  Place them at the same level they were growing in your pots; water and feed them again as well.  Avoid planting your tender seedlings on windy days...late afternoon is a good time to plant.
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If you follow the steps listed above, you can have earlier harvests, and don’t we all look forward to those wonderful, tasty veggies right from the garden!

​Backyard fruit trees can enhance the landscape with spring blooms, provide high-quality fruits, and serve as a satisfying hobby. However, home fruit trees require considerable care. Those not able to devote time to the fruit trees may be disappointed with results. Consider some of these guidelines before planting fruit trees. Knowing what all is involved and being able to devote the time can result in a bountifully sweet harvest.

Spring brings warm weather, daffodils and the promise of tasty veggies and fruits from our gardens.  However, it also brings a collection of tasks we should complete as we prepare for summer’s bounty of flowers and food harvest.  Here are some items that should be completed as we anticipate the upcoming gardening season.

First, check your soil.  Before you start digging, take a handful of soil and squeeze it; if it forms a sticky ball, your soil is too wet to work.  If it crumbles, it is ready to till.  Working your soil too soon can create hard clods that may remain all season.  It is also a good idea to have your soil tested to see if it needs added nutrients.  Your local extension center will test your soil for $10 and you should have the results in about 2 weeks.  Simply gather soil randomly throughout your yard in a clean bucket; you will need about 2 cups.  Place it in a Ziploc baggie and take it to your extension center, fill out a short info sheet that marks the soil as yours, and send it off.  The results will tell you how much phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen you have and it will also tell you the pH, how acidic or alkaline it is.  Your extension agent will discuss those results with you and make recommendations on what you might need to add in order to obtain the best soil for your garden.