TULSA, Okla — It's Spring gardening time but before you rush to the store to buy new plants and soil, we spoke to a local soil company owner to provide you with what you need to know about gardening in Oklahoma.
Whether you're doing perennial gardening, landscaping, or planting an edible garden; now is the time to get your hands dirty and start planting.
Carla Grogg owns GP Soils, a local organic soil company.
She said to start gardening it's important to choose the right soil.
“So plants are just like humans that’s the analogy I like to use. We need our vitamins and our minerals to keep our strong body and strong mind and so plants are the same way", Grogg said.
So finding nutrient-rich soil is where a person should start their gardening journey.
With the fluctuating Oklahoma weather, some people may feel this isn't the right time to start your plants.
Grogg said you shouldn't let that discourage you.
“I would encourage everyone to just go ahead and plant. The main point is to get your soil correct and add some nutrition in with your plants so they can get an established root system but don’t be afraid to plant at this point", Grogg said.
With any plant you purchase, she urges people to check the roots and make sure your getting one with strong roots.
If you aren't sure which types of plants are right for Oklahoma, Grogg has a few recommendations.
“The different varieties Arkansas traveler, Cherokee purple, some of those great heirlooms are going to really thrive. I love cherry tomatoes and those keep going even throughout the heat so I would definitely choose cherry tomatoes as well", Grogg said.
Plus, she said flowers with a big open bloom are good and will allow bees and butterflies to land on them.
Now, that you have your soil and plants, it's important to protect them.
You can do that with natural defense insects that eat other bugs that can harm your plants.
“Ladybugs will take care of aphids, spider mites, and things like that. That way you're not having to spray harmful insecticides on your plants, especially for edibles and herbs you don’t want to spray chemicals all over it", Grogg said.
Once you have all your items, it's time to start planting. Grogg said people often water after they plant, but she would encourage people to water before you plant getting the soil muddy.
She suggests you plant the roots deep in the soil and stack the soil around it but don't pack it down too much. Then for plants like tomatoes she recommends putting a support stick in and tying the plant to it. Grogg said this will support it through wind and rain so it won't flop over.
Now if you live in an apartment and are wondering "how can I garden?".
She said if you have a patio available, you can get a fifteen-gallon pot that could fit three to four plants.
“You don’t have to have a lot of space to garden. Oregano, sage, thyme, basil, or mint all those fun fresh things. So then you kind of have a kitchen garden going and you can start harvesting your own stuff to bring inside", Grogg said.
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