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Tulsa Master Gardener shares tips for success TOM INGRAM Dr. Tom Ingram has been a Tulsa County Master Gardener for five years and currently serves as the horticulture program assistant for the OSU Tulsa County Extension. He strives to provide Tulsa-area gardeners with the best horticultural information available.
TULSA MASTER GARDENERS You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by the Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th St., or by emailing mg@tulsamaster gardeners.org.
TULSAWORLDMAGAZINE.COM
W
e are only a few weeks away from the official beginning of vegetable gardening season. If you haven’t already, it’s time to make a plan. The first thing you need to remember is that April 15 is more than just Tax Day. It is also the average last day for freezes in our neck of the woods. This means, on or about April 15, there will be a lot of vegetable plants going in the ground in Tulsa. To that end, you can purchase plants or start your plants from seed. If you are going to start them from seed, you will need to get started pretty quickly because most seedlings need several weeks of growth before they are ready to go in the ground. Here are some general tips for greater success in the garden:
GET A SOIL SAMPLE
It’s a good idea to get your soil sampled every three or four years. A soil sample will tell you the nutrient levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as your soil pH. In addition, the soil sample results will tell you how much of each nutrient you need to add and how to adjust your soil pH, if necessary. Without good information like this, it is impossible to know how much and what
kind of fertilizer to add to your soil during the growing season. There are instructions for getting a soil test on the Tulsa Master Gardener website, tulsamastergardeners.org. The test is only $10, which is considerably less than most fertilizers.
MANAGE NUTRITION
Once you get your soil sample, add nutrients at the recommended rate. When adding supplements to your soil, it is best to avoid a “more is better” strategy because too much can be just as detrimental as too little.
MULCH
Mulch is a relatively inexpensive way to help you improve your garden conditions. Mulch helps retain moisture, minimizes the need for weeding, helps maintain a more constant soil temperature and helps minimize a variety of plant diseases. Many people use mulched leaves from their yard as garden mulch. But if you don’t have access to that, residents of the city of Tulsa can pick up unlimited free wood chips at the city’s mulch site, 2100 N. 145th East Ave. The site is open seven days a week, excluding city holidays. Be sure to bring a driver’s license or utility bill to verify you are a Tulsa resident. More info can be found at the cityoftulsa.org.
WATER
Make it your habit to water your vegetable garden in the morning if at all possible. When you water in the morning, the moisture on the leaves and plants has a chance to evaporate. When you water in the evening, your plants tend to stay wet all night, which makes them more vulnerable to fungal diseases. So just by watering in the morning, you are reducing your risk of plant disease. Also, try to only water the roots. The leaves do not need to be watered. There are a variety of drip irrigation systems you can get, but personally, I like to hand water. I always find it kind of therapeutic standing out there in the garden, watching the pollinators and keeping an eye out for insects and disease on my plants.
PLANTING TIMES
Some plants do better at certain times of the year, while others do not. Many gardeners began their garden adventures by planting what they wanted, when they wanted. However, there are cool-season crops, warm summer-season crops and fall crops. There are even winter crops. To find out more on when to plant, go to tulsamastergardeners.org and visit the “Lawn and Garden Help” section. Tulsa World Magazine 9
