Nearly everything a person buys comes with an instruction manual. There are directions on how to put it together, how to operate it and maybe even some safety guidelines.
For Oklahomans who have been hesitant to try gardening because they don’t know how, think of Oklahoma State University Extension as a gardening instruction manual. There are literally hundreds of informational resources available to give novice gardeners step-by-step instructions to growing flowers, fruits and vegetables, trees, grass and more. Plus, the friendly folks at all 77 OSU Extension county offices are more than happy to answer questions and offer advice.
One of the newest gardening tools is a free app developed by OSU Extension called Plant-It-OK. Available for iOS and Android devices, the app can help novice gardeners make wise plant choices to increase the likelihood of success, said David Hillock, OSU Extension consumer horticulturist.
“The app currently focuses on landscape plants, with a robust list of about 275 plants, including native plants and others adapted to Oklahoma’s diverse climate,” he said. “Plant-It-OK is ideal for homeowners, gardeners and landscapers.”
Even the most seasoned poker player sometimes needs an ace in the hole, and the Plant-It-OK app helps gardeners get a winning hand. With recommendations for trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental and turf grasses, ground covers, vines and annuals, the app comes in clutch for making informed gardening decisions.
The app also includes links to hundreds of OSU Extension fact sheets offering research-based information on a wide range of gardening topics. One of the most popular fact sheets is the Oklahoma Garden Planning Guide. It’s chock-full of valuable information about site selection, planning and tips. Another popular fact sheet is the Landscape Maintenance Schedule.
For more than half a century, “Oklahoma Gardening” has aired on OETA, providing audiences with an intimate look at gardening – from how-to segments and landscape design, to pest control and growing and cooking homegrown vegetables.
Casey Hentges, host of “Oklahoma Gardening,” said people who want to learn about gardening can gain a lot of knowledge by watching the show.
“The show offers something for gardeners of all levels,” she said. “We have new shows that air every Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., plus we encourage gardeners to subscribe to the ‘Oklahoma Gardening’ and ‘Oklahoma Gardening’ Classics YouTube channels to find topics geared toward specific interests. We also offer great gardening information on Facebook and Instagram.”
Beginning gardeners may find this segment on five easy vegetables to grow full of useful information to help make gardening efforts successful.
“No matter what you want to grow, you’ll find information on it on our website, social media platforms and YouTube channels,” Hentges said. “Gardening is the top leisure activity, and OSU Extension offers various ways to help develop gardening skills.”
Anyone interested in growing vegetables can also check out OSU Extension’s first self-paced online Vegetable Gardeningcourse. The course consists of 12 30-minute modules designed to give gardeners a deeper understanding of vegetable gardening. Taught by Brenda Sanders, module topics include assessing the garden, choosing the garden site, soil basics, crops and garden planning, garden layout, soil preparation and equipment, planting the garden, tending the garden, fall gardening and season extension, pest management, production tips and harvest hints, and resources.
There is a $50 registration fee for the Vegetable Gardening online course. It’s easy to set up an account to register.
One more ace in the hole to help new gardeners is Oklahoma Proven, a plant evaluation program developed at OSU in 1999. Each year, researchers choose an annual, a perennial, a shrub and a tree that have proven to grow well in Oklahoma’s diverse climate. All of the plant profiles from each year are available on the Oklahoma Proven website.
This is a great tool for beginning gardeners who aren’t familiar with what plants grow well in Oklahoma. Growing plants that are well-adapted to this area can lead to greater gardening success.
“I encourage all gardeners, especially beginning gardeners, to use these various resources, and especially their OSU Extension county office,” Hillock said. “Check to see if there’s a local Master Gardeners program in the county. Our Master Gardeners are a wealth of information and are always eager to share their expertise.”
With the spring planting season right around the corner, count on OSU Extension for gardening expertise.
