OKLA. CITY —
• Cultivate empty or make new beds. Turn the earth and leave it rough to let winter’s freezing and thawing improve the soil texture. Add compost and well-rotted manure. Hold off working beds if the ground is soggy; soil will be compacted, doing more harm than good.
• Start cool season vegetable transplants now to ensure adequate growth prior to February planting dates.
• Plan for your spring garden. Visit with local garden centers about what they will be carrying.
• Be kind to the environment — recycle your Christmas tree and use it for mulch.
• Take care not to plow or shovel snow containing de-icing chemicals onto lawn or shrubs.
• Clear your greenhouse of dead and diseased plants to make room for spring transplants.
• Review garden mail-order catalogues and be sure to read the fine print. Remember to order early for the best selection and choose hardy, disease-resistant, drought-tolerant varieties.
• Do not plant the same crop family in the same location year after year. Plan for crop rotation to avoid insect and disease buildup with vegetables and annual plants.
• Apply dormant spray when temperatures are above 40 degrees F. to deciduous trees and shrubs to control scale, aphid, spider mites, borers and other insects. Follow label directions.
• Inspect houseplants for insect problems. Spider mites could have come indoors on Christmas greenery; thrips may have come through screens last fall to keep warm.
• Keep a water pitcher filled specifically for houseplants so it’s always room temperature. Cold water can damage roots and foliage.
• Don’t forget the birds. To survive the worst that winter dishes out, they need more than food. Provide a source of unfrozen water.
• Soak all landscape plantings several hours before drastically hard freezing weather conditions. Water all plants during dry spells in winter months. One inch of snow equals about one-tenth inch of water.
• Double check moisture in protected or raised planters.
• Pruning of deciduous trees will be shifting into full swing. Protect the trunks of newly planted trees from direct sunlight and rodents with some type of tree wrap. Use wire mesh collars, polyurethane wrap or rodent repellant paint. Remember snow fall will change the height of protection needed.
• Wait to prune fruit trees until February or March.
• Repair, sharpen and lubricate gardening equipment.
• Cover strawberries with a 3-4” layer of organic debris. Straw, leaves, compost, and old hay are good mulch materials.
• Plan fruit tree planting. Determine the best varieties and locate sources that can supply the trees you need in February and March.
The following workshops will be held at the OSU Extension Center, 930 N. Portland, Oklahoma City unless otherwise specified. They are free and open to the public. For more information, call 713-1125.
Third Thursday Gardening
Compost, Soil Worms — Oh My!
Thursday, Jan. 16
6-7 p.m.
Garden Boot Camp — 3 Saturdays (Jan. 25, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8) presented by Oklahoma County Master Gardeners. Cost is $35.
RAY RIDLEN is a horticulture/agriculture educator for the Oklahoma County OSU Extension Service. He may be reached at 713-1125.
