STILLWATER – Green-fingered Oklahomans don’t have to wait for good weather to kick off a new season of Oklahoma Gardening that kicked off February 13th.
“Oklahoma Gardening” airs every Saturday morning at 11 am and Sunday afternoons at 3 pm on local OETA-TV (PBS) channels across the state. Viewers who cannot watch TV can subscribe to the Oklahoma Gardening YouTube channel and watch shows or search for specific segments.
Casey Hentges, host of the longest-running garden show on television, said season 47 will introduce new topics to viewers and revisit some old favorites.
“Like any gardener, we’re expecting longer days and warmer temperatures soon, and we get excited when we see the spring onions pop out of the ground,” said Hentges. “While some of our programs had to change over the past season due to pandemic and travel restrictions, everyone’s interest in gardening hasn’t changed. We will continue to be the go-to place for timely gardening information for gardeners of all skill levels.”
Last season’s lineup had plans for a Southwest Oklahoma Garden tour, but pandemic leadership slowed them down. Regardless of whether hentges and producers are able to take care of the state, they will continue to have home and public gardens.
“While we may not be able to travel the way we hoped, we have many new developments in the Oklahoma State University Botanical Garden that we look forward to showing,” she said. “Part of this new development includes a backyard demonstration garden, thanks to a generous donation from the Noble Research Institute.”
The demonstration garden will consist of two 40 by 40 foot courtyards that will be filled with various types of raised beds. One yard will have a hobby greenhouse; the other will have a hobby tire store.
Hentges said she looks forward to producing many educational segments for the show to provide new ideas to homeowners who grow vegetables and ornamental plants in their backyards.
Gardening can offer so much to the gardener: food, comfort, therapy, fitness, and a community of fellow gardeners. Hentges said there are as many reasons to garden as there are options, and a person’s gardening style can change as life changes.
“I used to have a lot of house plants, but now with two toddlers running around I have an easy-care garden outside and the house plants have found a new home. Maybe you’ve bought a new house and are looking forward to the landscaping. Maybe you live in one.” Apartment with limited outdoor space. If parents are staying home to help kids with online schooling during the pandemic, they might be looking for educational projects related to a backyard garden, ”she said. “With the 2021 season we look forward to showing how gardening can be a lifesaver in uncertain times and we’ll look at all of the different gardening methods that can suit different lifestyles.”
The Oklahoma Gardening Web site at www.oklahomagardening.okstate.edu provides clips, links to resources, a link to recipes featured on the show, and more.
Home to the Oklahoma Gardening studio garden, the OSU Botanical Garden is located west of Stillwater on the north side of Highway 51. The show is produced by OSU Extension, OSU’s horticultural, landscaping and agricultural communications services division.
