All the Dirt on Gardening

Our Zone 7 is just about the southern limit for Ninebark since it doesn't like a lot of heat and humidity. Some need cool, wet feet. A few can take more heat and adapt. According to Missouri Botanical Garden (the common species is native to Missouri ) "Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best foliage color occurs in full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. Prune as needed immediately after bloom. Plants may be cut close to the ground in winter to rejuvenate." As a matter of fact Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim., orth. cons. or, common ninebark is native to more than half of the U.S. according to the USDA's site . The native will grow into a 5 foot tall, suckering, thicket that thrives along riverbanks. But it's the hybrids that most gardeners are looking for. They have the characteristic peeling bark but add dramatic leaf color and stop-the-clock flowers. Here are some of the special...

A great email newsletter just arrived from the University of Minnesota. Called Yard and Garden , the email has tips for each month for that area. Yard cleanup is one of the fall suggestions and I made some headway on that today. It is amazing how much dead and half dead material is on the beds at this time of year. But the weather is still good so it is pleasant to be out taking care of it. Fall is for planting - Mountain Valley Growers plants are on sale in groups of 6. I've had good luck with their sale plants though not 100%. Renee's Seeds is having a 30% off all seeds sale. Jungle Paradise is having a going out of business sale....retirement sale. Click on the link and then click on Plants for Sale. Owner Jan Jost said in an email that they also have Alocasias - macrorrhiza Borneo Giant Amorphophallus albus bulbifer (a few) dunnii (aka odoratus) Titanum Anthuriums guildingii hookeri clarinervium berriozabalense verrapazense vietchii Mon...

The Autumn Equinox began September 22, at 10:44 in the morning. In poetry, this time of year is called the crowning time for our gardens. Only the daffodil season is better according to the poets. Fall Equinox is noted for having exactly 12-hours of daylight and 12-of night at the equator. Therefore, in many myths, it is a time of balance. It is a time for rituals of protection and reflection. The Greek goddess Persephone even returned to live with her husband Hades. Everywhere you look in the fall flower garden, there are brightly colored blooms. Summer annuals are tall and crowned with flowers. Zinnias, castor beans, 4-O-Clocks, coleus, petunia, alyssum, cosmos and marigolds are at their peak bloom time. Perennials such as Canna lilies, phlox, and Sedum Autumn Joy are covered with butterfly nectar flowers. Dahlias have huge buds about to burst open, asters and salvias are sprinkling bright spots of lavender, pink, red and purple in all the flowerbeds. Goldenrod, Joe Pye Weed, Eupator...

TULSA MASTER GARDENERS The annual plant sale has lots of bargains and plenty of choices. The deadline for pre -ordering is March 28. Here is a link to the list of plants they are offering this year. Pre -orders are prepaid and will be available for pickup April 17. Another choice you have is to just go to the sale on April 17 and buy what looks good to you. At their site, plants are listed and described. Flats of 36 plants are $14 and 4-inch pots are $2.50 - Such a bargain. And the proceeds go to a good cause. The order form is available where it says click here for order form. SOONER Saturday April 5 will be the first customer pick up day at Sooner Plant Farm just south of Tahlequah . It's the best way for locals to pick up their Internet orders without paying shipping PLUS we can wander through the plants. Sooner is open to the public only one day a month. Some of the Best Plants for Oklahoma according to Brian Chonacki , owner of Sooner Plant Farm are listed here, but go to t...

Photo: Brian Chojnacki, owner Sooner Plant Farm Photo: Sooner Plant Farm Sooner Plant farm does booming business online, over mail Brian Chojnacki started Sooner Plant Farm in Park Hill with his father-in-law, Ivan Fuson, in 1999. Although local gardeners may not know about it, Sooner Plant Farm is highly regarded across the country as a high-quality mail order plant supplier. "We shipped to 48 states last year," Chojnacki said. "Our Internet business has grown faster than our expectations and we are well known for the quality of our plants as well as our customer service." Unique to mail order companies, Sooner's Garden Clubs offer a variety of discounts. The basic, while not required for purchases, Sooner Gold members receive a 20 percent discount and basic membership provides an automatic 10 percent discount. Basic membership is $9.95 and gold is $29.95 per year.There also are discounts for early season purchases, and multi-plant discounts when more than ...

Themed gardens can vary from all blue flowers, all roses, all succulents, or all grasses. Flowers are wonderful for a few weeks. Developing a passion for a particular type or color flower is fine but can limit the number of weeks your garden looks its best. One of the challenges is to identify plants that are attractive spring, summer and fall. For this reason, experienced gardeners form a background of herbaceous perennials. These plants create a reliable background and live for years. Oklahoma State University Horticulture and Landscape Extension Fact Sheet HLA -6410 has everything you need to know to select suitable ones for your yard. Categories include: Cut Flowers, Large Background plants, plants that Prefer Shade, Vines, Showy Foliage, Edging, Borders and Ground covers, Dried Flowers or Showy Fruit. Large plants provide the backbones of a landscape. Sit in your favorite chair and notice what you see out the window. Consider putting a large shrub with winter interest or a speci...