Backyard Gardener

Story & Photos by Kat Long/Contributing Writer

Welcome to June! – the very best month for lawn care, gardeners and outdoorsy-type people who live in Oklahoma, in my opinion. Yes, it is hot. No, rain is not guaranteed. But nights are gorgeous, it is easy to treat your dad on Father’s Day and your yard partner (whoever mows and edges and hoists and totes) isn’t too gripey about doing all the things. Herb Festivals are everywhere and probably as you are reading this, Ponca City is getting ready for our Herb Festival at LA Cann. So let’s start there.

If you want some hardworking plants that are pretty in your yard, here are some great additions to the yard, even in June. But don’t just take my word for it. Talk to the plant vendors at any herb festival or farmer’s market. They know stuff.

Lemongrass. If you can find lemongrass, buy two or three pots. They get huge, so give them some room to grow. My plants last year were four feet tall and almost that wide. Lemongrass is an annual here in Ponca City, unless you put it in pots and bring them inside over winter. Then you can just cut it down and it will regrow. It assists with keeping the mosquitoes away; you can cook with it; it is beautiful and smells wonderful.

Marigolds. These hard little workers are great in the garden or as a border flower when landscaping. They repel nematodes in the soil and help your peppers, tomatoes, beans and okra produce more throughout the growing season. Marigold flowers and leaves are edible and make a nice addition to salads, on top of pastas or as a pretty on the steak plate. Though marigolds are an annual, they reseed quite

Lemongrass is a tropical herb packed with strong citrus flavor. The lemon taste is prized in Asian cooking, as well as in teas, sauces, and soups. In the garden, lemongrass forms a tall, grassy clump 3 to 5 feet tall. Lemongrass essential oil is used in aromatherapy to freshen the air, reduce stress, and uplift the mood.

nicely, so invest in a few flats this year and leave a few dried seed heads at the end of the season or crush them into the soil when you do your fall clean-up. I do love a self-seeding flower.

Basil is the best companion plant for your tomatoes. It repels those pesky hornworms and helps keep moisture in the ground during our Oklahoma summers. Basil also keeps the Japanese beetles and cabbage worms at bay, when seeded or planted around fruit and leafy greens. And of course, there are the pizza and pasta reasons. Mmmmm, pasta. Are you noticing a theme? All three of these plants/flowers are fantastic in pasta. And who doesn’t love pasta in the summer?

Chives. Yes, I said chives. For all you rose people out there, chives are a great companion to prevent Japanese beetle infestations and will repel black spots. The white and purple flowers are a nice addition when landscaping and will draw in all kinds of pollinators. And then there is the culinary side of chives – tuna fish sandwiches, salads and, of course, pasta. Well, now I’m hungry.

Let’s chat about clover. I know all of you people with lawns like your grasses: fescue, zoysia, Kentucky and so on. But might I suggest clover as a grass alternative. Hear me out. Besides the fact that all parts of the clover are edible, it grows really well in our area. Heck, clover grows well in Oklahoma. Most common, of course, is the white clover which everyone has a patch of in their yard and most of us have made clover chains from the flowers. Less common is pink and red clovers. Last year I had some amazing red clover in my wildflower patch, but this year I went crazy with giant pink clover. I seeded the front yard before every rain and though there was some run off, there are currently some nice clumps of giant clover which started blooming last week (early May).

Yes, it is big and clumpy but the flowers are beautiful and the bees love a good clover patch. The great thing about clover is you don’t have to mow it every week, even if it rains a lot. The white clover is very short and a nice ground cover. Give it a try if you have a spot in your yard where grass just isn’t growing or where you would like to put in easy-care wildflowers to attract some pollinators. Clover is a great start to get it ready for a wildflower bed.

If your dad is a gardener, there are some great gifts out there for Father’s Day. But one of the best gifts, at least in my estimation, is hanging out with your parental unit for a few hours and doing the thing(s) they like to do. If that is gardening, great. If it is cleaning out the garage, you can do that for dad. Maybe it is cleaning up his tools or helping with a project he hasn’t been able to finish. Don’t ask, just pitch in. Dads are like that. And there is always Herb Festival Weekend June 3-5, with outdoor movies, Cruisin’ Grand, outdoor theatre, concerts and art. I’ll see you there. I’ll be the one with the cart, a list and lots of plants. Happy Gardening!

Tari Stanbrough Manager

Rod Wohl Owner

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