Every day when I open the mail box, it has one or more seed and plant catalogues. Researching these plants before purchasing is a great idea. Oklahoma has one of the most diverse environments for plants in the nation. Extreme is the key word, whether it’s heat, cold, drought, too much moisture or just one of these at the wrong time makes purchasing plants suitable for our growing conditions a decision that should be made with appropriate considerations.
Winter is a great time to design new garden plantings. As we look for plants to use in our landscape, the most important consideration in plant selection is to match the plant to the planting site. This begins with conducting a site survey of a landscape to collect information on sun and wind exposure, soil type and nutrition, and soil moisture. All of these factors will influence the types of plants that will perform best on a site.
Choosing plants that are adapted to the existing conditions will save time and money. Plants placed in a location that meets their needs usually thrive without a great deal of extra attention, while a poorly placed plant is more likely to be stressed and more vulnerable to pest problems. Poorly sited plants are also more likely to require replacement.
All plants have specific cultural needs, including the amount of sunlight required, moisture needs, drainage requirements, and optimal soil pH. While some of these site characteristics can be altered, it is best, and certainly easiest to work with the existing conditions, as they are likely to recur over time. For example, a tree canopy can be thinned to allow greater light penetration, however, the trees will re-grow and thinning will be required periodically over time. Another condition that is best worked with rather than altered whenever possible is soil pH. If you choose to alter soil pH it is best done during bed preparation, but will likely require follow-up treatments. On the other hand, variation in pH can provide opportunity to plant a larger assemblage of plant types.
Two additional important characteristic to consider are the USDA Hardiness Zone and AHS Plant Heat Zone in which you live. The USDA Hardiness zone map is used to identify the average annual minimum temperature for your area. Plants are rated based on the lowest temperatures in which they can survive the winter. Oklahoma falls within Hardiness zones 6 and 7. Be sure to check a map on-line to more accurately identify your hardiness zone (http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html).
Many plants have also been coded for their heat tolerance, which can be very important here in Oklahoma. The American Horticulture Society Heat Zone map can be used to identify the heat zone in which you live. Most of Oklahoma falls in zone 8, with an average of 90 to 120 days above 85°F each summer (http://www.ahs.org/pdfs/05_heat_map.pdf).
Information regarding a plant’s cultural requirements, including hardiness and heat tolerance can be found in a number of sources including plant labels, catalogues and resource books. Refer to these resources when selecting plants for the landscape. Other considerations when selecting plants include: pest resistance, drought tolerance, maintenance requirements, and invasiveness.
If you have questions concerning this topic or related topics, please contact the OSU Extension Center at 273-7683, stop by the office, or visit our website: http://countyext.okstate.edu/pottawatomie/
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Every day when I open the mail box, it has one or more seed and plant catalogues. Researching these plants before purchasing is a great idea. Oklahoma has one of the most diverse environments for plants in the nation. Extreme is the key word, whether it’s heat, cold, drought, too much moisture or just one of these at the wrong time makes purchasing plants suitable for our growing conditions a decision that should be made with appropriate considerations.
Winter is a great time to design new garden plantings. As we look for plants to use in our landscape, the most important consideration in plant selection is to match the plant to the planting site. This begins with conducting a site survey of a landscape to collect information on sun and wind exposure, soil type and nutrition, and soil moisture. All of these factors will influence the types of plants that will perform best on a site.
Choosing plants that are adapted to the existing conditions will save time and money. Plants placed in a location that meets their needs usually thrive without a great deal of extra attention, while a poorly placed plant is more likely to be stressed and more vulnerable to pest problems. Poorly sited plants are also more likely to require replacement.
All plants have specific cultural needs, including the amount of sunlight required, moisture needs, drainage requirements, and optimal soil pH. While some of these site characteristics can be altered, it is best, and certainly easiest to work with the existing conditions, as they are likely to recur over time. For example, a tree canopy can be thinned to allow greater light penetration, however, the trees will re-grow and thinning will be required periodically over time. Another condition that is best worked with rather than altered whenever possible is soil pH. If you choose to alter soil pH it is best done during bed preparation, but will likely require follow-up treatments. On the other hand, variation in pH can provide opportunity to plant a larger assemblage of plant types.
Two additional important characteristic to consider are the USDA Hardiness Zone and AHS Plant Heat Zone in which you live. The USDA Hardiness zone map is used to identify the average annual minimum temperature for your area. Plants are rated based on the lowest temperatures in which they can survive the winter. Oklahoma falls within Hardiness zones 6 and 7. Be sure to check a map on-line to more accurately identify your hardiness zone (http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html).
Many plants have also been coded for their heat tolerance, which can be very important here in Oklahoma. The American Horticulture Society Heat Zone map can be used to identify the heat zone in which you live. Most of Oklahoma falls in zone 8, with an average of 90 to 120 days above 85°F each summer (http://www.ahs.org/pdfs/05_heat_map.pdf).
Information regarding a plant’s cultural requirements, including hardiness and heat tolerance can be found in a number of sources including plant labels, catalogues and resource books. Refer to these resources when selecting plants for the landscape. Other considerations when selecting plants include: pest resistance, drought tolerance, maintenance requirements, and invasiveness.
If you have questions concerning this topic or related topics, please contact the OSU Extension Center at 273-7683, stop by the office, or visit our website: http://countyext.okstate.edu/pottawatomie/
