All the Dirt on Gardening

Marginally cold-hardy plants can be completely covered with loose mulch materials. There are a few factors to consider when setting up your favorite plants to survive the coming winter weather.  One important factor is whether the plants can handle the winter weather in your area’s USDA cold hardiness zone. In Oklahoma, for example, there are three cold hardiness zones. The southeast part of the state is zone 7b, the panhandle and Miami are zone 6a, but, Tulsa is 7a and Bartlesville is 6b. There are also microclimates on your property. For example, the south side of the house is warm enough to protect a wider range of perennials than the north side. Containers on a west-facing porch are more sheltered than containers out in the middle of a bed. For the most part, plants that are native to your USDA growing zone (www.plants.usda.gov/) will do better no matter how harsh the winter is. But, as we have seen, drought with record cold temperatures can change everything. ...