Ask a Master Gardener
MIgrating Moths
We have a ton of moths this year. I don’t remember a year like this. What’s going on? JD
We have been getting quite a few calls from not only homeowners but TV stations asking about these moths and it’s a pretty interesting story.
If you are seeing an abundance of moths around your landscape, they are likely one of these two; the Forage Looper Moth (Caenurgina erechtea) or the Miller Moth (Euxoa auxiliaris). Currently, these moths are migrating from East to West on their way toward the Rocky...
Garden Tour / Urban Gardener
While we don’t have a specific question this week, one thing that people oftentimes ask us is, “Do you have any classes coming up?” The answer depends on the time of year, but right now, yes, we do have some educational opportunities on the near horizon.
First up is our annual garden tour. This year our theme is Keep Calm and Garden On. Gardening can be (for the most part) a calming experience, and if we need anything in the world right now, that would be a little calm. So, here’s what you need...
Bagworms
I’ve seen some bagworms on one of my evergreens. How do I get rid of them? AP
Some years, it seems like bagworms are everywhere. This year so far doesn’t seem too bad, that is unless you have bagworms on your shrubs.
While bagworms prefer arborvitae, eastern red cedar, and other junipers, they will also attach themselves to true cedars, pine, spruce, bald cypress, maple, boxelder, sycamore, willow, black locust, and oak. Some years we have even seen bagworms on the side of residences. Hopefully...
Growing Beans
I was hoping to grow some beans this year, but have I waited too long to plant? BG
Beans are pretty easy to grow. At our Seed to Supper Farm where we teach Master Gardeners about growing vegetables and then donate to produce to area food banks, we have been planting beans for a while this spring.
We planted our first row of beans in early April. We followed up with another row a few weeks later and just last week planted a third row. This is called succession planting which will spread our...
Controlling Nutsedge
I have a weed in my yard that I am told is nutsedge. How can I tell what it is for sure and then how do I get rid of it? GF
Essentially, we have two different nutsedges that are a problem in our area: yellow and purple nutsedge. Yellow is out now and purple emerges later. The challenge with both of these plants is that they are very aggressive, persistent, and hard to get rid of. Right now, you are probably looking at yellow nutsedge.
Yellow nutsedge can be positively identified in a couple...
Growing Squash
Fresh squash is one of my summer favorites, but I hear growing squash successfully can be tricky. What do I need to know before planting some squash in my garden? DB
Squash can be a versatile vegetable for your menu and a robust producer; however a couple of vegetable gardener’s least favorite insects can ruin your day concerning squash pretty quickly. However, there are some strategies to help you be more successful in your efforts to grow squash.
When the Tulsa Master Gardeners started...
Mycorrhizae
I saw a post on social media about the importance of mycorrhizae in the soil. Why is it important? RG
As we learn more and more about soil, we become increasingly aware that soil is a living entity, not just dirt. Mycorrhizae is a fungus that exists in the soil that has an interesting relationship between itself and plant roots.
The word mycorrhiza means “fungal root” and this fungus exist in a mutually beneficial relationship on and in the roots of many plants. Due to their dependence on...
Growing Peonies
It seems like everyone’s peonies look so nice this year. I would like to get some for my garden, but I don’t know anything about them except they are beautiful. Can you help? SD
My first exposure to peonies was in my grandmother’s yard growing up. I don’t remember much about them except that she had probably a half dozen. They grew pretty big (at least they seemed big to me at the time) and that they had these huge flowers. Years later, when it came time for us to sell her home, I re-homed one...
Crapemyrtles
I love seeing the beautiful crapemyrtles around town. Are they hard to grow? PL
What’s not to love about crapemyrtles? Well, the freeze damage they had a couple of years ago is one thing, but other than that, crapemyrtles are a great choice if you would like a flowering shrub in your landscape.
Crapemyrtles are appropriate plants for growing zones 7 through 9. We are in growing zone 7 except for when a winter weather event gives us the colder days associated with zones 6 and 5 which is what...
Earthworms
I see a lot online about how important worms are for our gardens. Why is that? PM
I like how in 1881, Charles Darwin helped put the worms place in our world in pretty clear terms when he wrote “It may be doubted if there are any other animals which have played such an important part in the history of the world as these lowly organized creatures.” As is oftentimes in life, those who are most overlooked and ignored turn out to be essential to our survival, so let’s talk about worms and their importance...