It's Alive 05-11-08

LeeAnn Barton
Special to the NewsPress

May 10, 2008 11:33 pm

— Each of us works hard for the income we earn. We are conscious of what we term “disposable income” and where we choose to spend it.
Beautifying the outside of our homes with flowers and plants falls into the non-necessity category for most of us. Plant shoppers are usually unwilling to lay down a large sum of money on a risky or untried plant, no matter how beautiful it may be. Many are making a switch to perennials to alleviate the yearly cash bash of annual plantings.
A plant being on a local store shelf is no guarantee of success in your landscape. Plants are often purchased according to what is available from the growers (many not from Oklahoma) and what is in color at the time the order is made.
Labels often reflect instructions that are directed to gardeners in other parts of the country. A “full sun” label for a plant grown in Oregon will most likely wither in the Oklahoma heat. Sun and heat is not the same thing.
These dilemmas leave inexperienced gardeners with two basic choices: plant the same flowers year after year or trust in others’ experience. Neither choice is better than the other; they are just choices.
Do you want to try something different? If you do, read on.
Relying on another’s experience is a relatively safe way to plant if you do your best to create the same environment that gave that gardener success. OSU horticulture, in conjunction with other professional evaluators, releases each year an annual, perennial, shrub and tree suggestion for tried and true plants that have performed well in gardens across the state.
These Oklahoma Proven plants can be viewed online through a search engine. They are plants you can trust.
Local nurseries often employ avid gardeners who test new introductions in their own yards. Garden clubs and ambassadors have hands on experience and are happy to share their successes and failures with other gardeners. You will have to decide if the information shared is valid.
Does your plant authority know anything about the natural habitat or growth patterns of the plant? Do they share the reasons for their failures? Do they give a plant a second try? Look beyond the surface for reliable advice.
Remember, change doesn’t have to happen all at once. Trying a few perennials in an established bed may extend your color season without eliminating the flash of an annual’s show.
LeeAnn Barton can be e-mailed at .