Tom Ingram Ask a master gardener
Well, it’s the first week of the new year and that means it’s time to start working on our garden resolutions. You know we all have or should have them because none of us are perfect gardeners. And even if we were, there’s always the weather and the heat to keep us humbled. So it’s time to write down some of the things we want to either start, stop or get better at in the garden this year.
For me, one of them will be downsizing my vegetable garden and increasing my herb garden. It’s time for me to accept the fact that our garden just doesn’t get enough sun to properly grow most vegetables. That fact became evident this year when Tulsa’s master gardeners established our Seed to Supper Farm. We have nearly two acres of land at the OSU Mingo Valley Research Station where we grow food to distribute to local food supplies. Our best estimate is that we have grown and donated between £4,000 and £5,000 of produce over the past growing season.
People also read…
Scene writers Jimmie Tramel, James Watts and Grace Wood share some of their most memorable stories from the past year.
While my tomato plants at home struggled and withered, our tomato plants at the farm were resilient. This just helped make it clear that I’m a literal Sisyphus when it comes to growing veggies where we live. Also, it’s always great to go to the garden and collect fresh herbs for cooking. I also make a mean strawberry lavender ice cream, and fresh lavender always makes it better. All that being said, the new year is a good time to make some decisions. So, here are some ideas that might resonate with you about what you could do differently in the coming year.
Get a soil test
On the one hand, it’s easy to say, “I don’t need to have my floor tested. I only use a balanced fertilizer when I think I need it.” On the surface this sounds like a sensible strategy, but the problem is that without a soil test you can’t know what your soil needs. In most cases, the area’s soils have sufficient phosphorus and potassium. So if that’s your situation, adding the extra phosphorus and potassium found in a balanced fertilizer could affect the quality of your soil.
Ground testing is easy. You simply collect a sample from the area you want to test, take it to the Tulsa County OSU Extension office, pay the mandatory $10, and in a few weeks you’ll know exactly where you stand with nutrients in your soil . You will also receive a recommendation on what you need to do to improve your soil. Visit tulsamastergardeners.org for more information.
Start composting
Composting is a great way to not only reuse your food waste and other compostable materials, but compost helps put nutrients, micronutrients, and organic matter back into your soil. I finally started composting this year and it’s not that difficult. You can buy a small, rotating, outdoor compost bin or just make something out of concrete blocks or used pallets in the backyard. Composting takes a little effort and a slight learning curve, but once you’ve done it, you’re not only reducing the amount of waste you’re going to land, you’re also helping your soil. Again, we have information on composting on our website.
Plant something just for the pollinators
We love our flowers and it is great fun to watch a variety of pollinators moving from flower to flower in the garden. But do you know the best way to attract pollinators to your garden? Plant something they will seek as a home for their babies. Dill and spurge, for example, are ideal for this.
Well, the dill and spurge aren’t as showy as some flowers, but remember you’re planting these to serve as food for pollinator larvae, not for their abundance of flowers. Swallowtail butterflies like to lay their eggs on dill. Last year we planted some dill on our Seed to Supper farm and there was hardly a day when there weren’t pollinators. And when the timing was right, it was hard to miss the swallowtail caterpillars devouring the dill plants.
Spurge is the plant that monarch butterflies seek to serve as a host for their eggs. There are a few varieties depending on what type of flowers you like in your garden. So if you not only want to help the monarchs with their annual migrations through our area, but also want to see more monarch butterflies in your landscape, plant milkweed. We always have dill and milkweed in our spring plant sale so be sure to check them out.
Put a puddle in your garden
A puddle is a small, shallow bowl of water, similar to a bird bath but specifically for pollinators. Puddles don’t have to be fancy, and they don’t have to be as big or deep as a bird bath. Also, you should put some small rocks in the puddle to give the insects a place to stand while they get something to drink. Be creative. It’s another way to make your landscape pollinator-friendly.
Well, there are a few ideas to get you started. Thank you for reading our articles and we look forward to our time together in 2023. See you in the garden!
You can get answers to all of your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, stopping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th St., or emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org .
Make your house a home
For the Holidays: Get inspirational home and gift ideas – sign up now!
