MARCH HORTICULTURAL

AND GARDEN TIPS

Because spring will be kicking into high gear soon, we're offering a few tips for: Lawn & Turf, Trees & Shrubs, Flowers & Vegetables, and Fruits. So, to learn about what can be done in the month of MARCH, click on GARDEN TIPS.

HURRY WHILE THEY LAST!

THE ONLINE SHOPPING CART CLOSES AT

MIDNIGHT, MARCH 17th

Yep, the MG Spring Plant Sale online shopping cart (the only way you can buy plants) is still open but will close at midnight on Sunday, March 17th. For years, Milkweeds have been quite the popular item, so we ordered extra this year. As of today we still have a selection of:

Asclepias incarnata:  Swamp Milkweed  

 Asclepias tuberosa: Butterfly Milkweed  

 Asclepias curassavica: Apollo Orange Milkweed  

  Asclepias curassavica:  Silky Gold Milkweed  

 Asclepias curassavica: Silky Red Milkweed

But, don't wait as we expect many varieties (Milkweeds and others) to sell out over the next week.  

Click on PLANT SALE INFO for some general information about this wonderful event.

Or, click on SHOPPING CART WORKSHEET if you wish to look at and print this year's 250-count plant list in order to make some notes before you decide what to buy.

Or, click on SHOPPING CART if you wish to go straight to a terrific shopping experience.

Plant pick-up is on Thursday,

April 18th, 7am - 7pm at the Exchange

Center on the fairgrounds

We feel so fortunate about the public's participation in our annual event. Thank you in advance for continuing to support us so we can support our community in return!

The Compost Connection

From Green Country Master Gardeners

Our Compost Connection’s main message to beginning composters is not only "How" and "Why" to produce backyard home composting, but "When" to recognize that your compost is ready for use. When has your compost reached your goal? An experienced composter can tell by the look, feel, and aroma of the product; a beginning or novice composter needs a few guides.

The internet has more and more information about startups, maintenance, and ingredients for compost piles but Oklahoma State University and your Tulsa Master Gardeners recommend fact-based information backed by research and written for Oklahoma gardeners in the form of OSU fact sheets that can be found online at extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/. Several fact sheets will give extensive information such as those shown below:

Compost Turning: The Key to Quick Composting PSS-2911

Healthy Garden Soils HLA-6436

Backyard Composting in Oklahoma HLA-6448

Seasonal Landscape Maintenance L-432

Please be sure to locate the section and short videos referencing Composting at tulsamastergardeners.org, click on the Lawn & Garden Help section on the main page, scroll down to the Composting section under Lawn & Garden. You will find videos included with this section. 

Finished compost should smell like the earth with no foul odors. When you pick up a handful, squeeze it. It should crumble like soil - not be wet or dry like dust. When you look at the pile, you should not see any original ingredients. It should all be broken down and composted. Do not hesitate to look on the internet for additional knowledge but stick to research-based information from an agricultural source which should have an ".edu" in the research address indicating it is from a university. If you watch videos on composting, be sure to check their sources.

Good luck, Composters! 

WEATHERING YOUR GARDEN:

SHAMROCK VS 4-LEAF CLOVER

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

SHAMROCKS AND FOUR-LEAF CLOVERS?

Shamrocks and four-leaf clovers have always reminded us of St. Patrick’s Day, but have you ever wondered how they differ?

Let’s start with the shamrock. The herbaceous plant has been a symbol of Ireland for centuries. Legend has it that Saint Patrick used the 3 clovers of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to pagan Irish people. Since then, the plant’s green hue has been the official color of St. Patrick’s Day.

Shamrocks are clovers with 3 leaves, usually green, that grow in clumps all over the world. Gardeners grow them as ground cover. There are 300 species of clovers in a variety of colors.

Four-leaf clovers, officially known as Oxalis Deppei, also have a long history in Ireland. They are believed to have magical powers, seen as lucky charms, and carried for protection from evil spirits. They are associated with another Irish symbol: the leprechaun.

Unlike shamrocks (which means “little clover”), four-leaf clovers are rare and grow one at a time. It's an unusual variation of the common three-leaf clover, and because your chances of finding one with four leaves is about 1 in 10,000, they are considered lucky.

Shamrocks grow from modified stems or tubers with shallow root systems.  They prefer slightly moist, well-drained soils and often perform best when kept “pot bound”. They prefer bright, indirect light in locations with cool night temperatures (around 60°F) and warm days (around 70°F). And you never know, if you try growing shamrocks, you just might get the luck of the Irish by finding a four-leaf clover!

SPRING FRUIT TREE CARE

As the days grow longer and the temperatures begin to rise, it's time for fruit tree enthusiasts to turn their attention to spring care. Proper care during this crucial season sets the stage for a bountiful harvest later in the year. Whether you're tending to apple, peach, plum, or cherry trees, the principles of spring fruit tree care remain largely the same.

So, click on FRUIT TREE CARE to learn about fertilization, pruning, pest and disease management, mulching, watering, and more.

2024 OKLAHOMA PROVEN SELECTIONS ARE OUT

ANNUAL: Profusion Red-Yellow Bicolor Zinnia

PERENNIAL: Narrow-Leaf Ironweed

SHRUB: Harry Lauder's Walkingstick

TREE: Redbud, Cercis Species

COLLECTOR'S CHOICE: Pawpaw

Oklahoma Proven is a plant evaluation and marketing program designed to help consumers select the best plants for their Oklahoma gardens. The goal has been to select plants that are tolerant of the conditions found throughout Oklahoma. Using well-adapted plants should lead to greater gardening success and more environmentally-friendly gardens.

Since 1999, Oklahoma State University has lauded themselves on making a selection of the trees, shrubs and plants that flourish throughout the state. Each year, their professionals select varieties that assist consumers with making the best choices for trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals for their gardens.

Click 2024 OK PROVEN to learn more about each selection.

HYPOXYLON CANKER

(SUDDEN OAK DEATH)

Northeastern Oklahoma is home to sixteen native varieties of oak trees These beautiful trees are an important part of our landscape, our ecology and our history. As mighty as the oak may be, it is susceptible to a mighty foe, Hypoxylon Canker or Sudden Oak Death. 

Click on HYPOXYLON CANKER to learn more about what causes it, how to try to avoid it, how to spot the issue in its early growth stages, and the (few) options there are to deal with it.

WHO'S THAT LADY

IN MY GARDEN?

While nearly everyone recognizes the Native Ladybug, the Asian Lady Beetle is not always recognizable as distinct from the more familiar insect. Asian Lady Beetles seem desirable because they eat soft-bodied insects such as Aphids, Spider Mites, and Scale. However, they are voracious hunters and will travel from tops of trees and ornamental shrubs and can invade homes.

Click on ASIAN LADY BEETLE to learn more about their lifecycle, attributes, the problems they can cause, and mitigation measures that can be taken.

CREATING A VIBRANT

POLLINATOR GARDEN

Pollinators play a crucial role in the ecosystem by facilitating the reproduction of flowering plants, including many of the fruits and vegetables we rely on for sustenance.

Click on POLLINATORS to explore the importance of pollinators, essential elements of a pollinator-friendly garden, and highlight some native plants that attract these vital insects.

FOR EVERY GRASS

THERE IS A SEASON

BERMUDAGRASS

FESCUE

Warm season grass . . . . cool season grass . . . . isn’t it all just grass? Which type is best for my lawn?

Here in northeastern Oklahoma the answer is both. Warm season grasses can take our high summer temperatures and often-limited rainfall better than cool season grasses. Cool season grasses are more shade tolerant and will stay green from October through April when warm season grasses are dormant.

Click on GRASSES for more information about four types of warm-season grasses and four types of cool-season grasses.

GETTING A HEADSTART ON SPRING VEGGIE GARDENING:



PART 2 - THE BUILDING STAGE

PART 1: PLANNING STAGE - FEBRUARY

PART 2: BUILDING STAGE - MARCH

PART 3: PLANTING STAGE - APRIL

PART 4: MAINTAINING STAGE - MAY

Welcome to the second installment of our four-part vegetable gardening series. Last month we covered the planning phase of a new vegetable garden, including site selection, garden sizing, sketching a garden plan, and learning about plant dates based on maturity and frost classification. So, if you're just now joining us, click on PLANNING A GARDEN to read about the first article in the series.

Once you've got a plan in place, click on BUILDING A GARDEN to learn how to build one.

DID YOU KNOW?

Since 1983, the Tulsa Master Gardeners have been serving the public by offering research-based horticultural information to residents of Tulsa and the surrounding area. The Tulsa Master Gardener Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization. As such, it receives no city, state or federal funding for its Tulsa community outreach programs. In fact, the Tulsa's Master Gardener programs are self-funded by its own fundraisers, from member donations, and from public donations.

The main Tulsa Master Gardener fundraiser is its Annual Spring Plant Sale that is held each April. Other fundraisers include the Garden Tour and Garage Sale in June. And, one of the most important income sources that sometimes gets overlooked are the personal and corporate donations. These are so important in helping us to meet our financial obligations and we want you to know they are very much appreciated. 

MG Endowment Fund

The Tulsa Master Gardeners have been around for over three decades and we plan to be around for many more decades. Furthermore, we are considered one of the top five Master Gardener County programs in the entire nation. We are because of the size of our Foundation membership, the number, diversity and activity level of our various community outreach programs, and our overall financial strength! 

So, we are pleased to announce, in partnership with the Tulsa Community Foundation, the Master Gardener Foundation has established an Endowment Fund to ensure our long-term financial strength. Our plans are to build this fund for many years before making any withdrawals from it. Please consider us as you make your annual gift giving as well as longer-term estate planning decisions. Remember, all donations are fully tax deductible! 

If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to help fund the long-term success of the Tulsa Master Gardener program, click on  

TULSA MASTER GARDENER ENDOWMENT FUND.

If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to help fund the Tulsa Master Gardener program's annual expenses, click on

TULSA MASTER GARDENER FUND.

We thank ALL of you for having been such faithful contributors both in the past and in advance for your future consideration and participation! So proud to be a part of the Tulsa area - such a giving community!

=====================================================Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.

=====================================================

You can get answers to all of your gardening questions at:

TULSA MASTER GARDENERS

4116 East 15th Street Tulsa, OK 74112

918-746-3701

mg@tulsamastergardeners.org