A three- to four-inch layer of chipped or shredded bark mulch is ideal for suppressing weeds and maintaining both soil moisture and temperature. It’s best to apply mulch twice a year – once in the spring and again in late fall.

For practically every pest and disease, there’s an organic solution. The labels on organic products will typically say “Organic,” “USDA Organic,” or have the letters “OMRI” (Organic Materials Review Institute). They may also include the phrase, “derived from all natural products”.

Regardless of your soil type, the only way to improve it is to add organic matter – compost, grass clippings, shredded leaves, or any number of bagged products sold as compost or soil conditioners. Shop them by clicking here.

As a rule of thumb, all plants – including turf grasses – need approximately 1” of water per week. Newly planted trees and shrubs will need to be watered more often. Keep in mind that clay soils tend to hold water longer, while sandy soils drain much faster. For more specific recommendations, click here.

Tulsa and the surrounding areas are actually in Zone 7a, which means that the average annual minimum temperature is from 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Bartlesville, on the other hand, is in Zone 6b, whereas Zone 7b starts just south of Okmulgee. Other than annuals and tropicals, the plants we sell are hardy in all three Zones.

Absolutely! Failure to water in winter can be disastrous to plants, especially evergreens. Try to water every two or three weeks in December and January, unless rainfall is plentiful.

In the plant world, the # symbol is used as a number sign and not a pound sign or hashtag. The actual number refers to the approximate size of the container and how much soil it holds. For example, a number-one (#1) container holds approximately one gallon of soil.

Hardiness refers to a plant’s ability to withstand the average annual minimum temperature for a given USDA Zone. It is not the same thing as tough or rugged.

Soil type and sun exposure. Telling us which direction your house faces does not provide much enlightenment on the actual conditions of the bed.

Full sun generally means at least six hours of direct sun a day.

Deadheading is the process of removing faded flowers from a plant to encourage more blooms and more robust plants. It isn’t absolutely necessary, but if you allow plants to form seeds, their energy will focus primarily on that process. If the plant produces berries or fruit after flowering, you certainly would not want to deadhead it.  

A conifer is a plant that produces cones. The most familiar are pine, juniper, cypress, spruce, Cryptomeria, and Chamaecyparis, all of which are evergreen. Bald cypress, Gingko, and dawn redwood are deciduous conifers.

Deciduous trees and shrubs lose their leaves prior to going dormant in winter. Evergreen trees and shrubs retain their leaves (or needles, in many cases) year ‘round.

Some annuals are hardier than others.

• The least hardy are begonias, periwinkle, geraniums, and impatiens. Just to be safe, it’s best to hold off planting those until overnight temperatures are consistently above 45 degrees.
• Many other popular annuals can survive temperatures at or slightly below freezing.

It’s best to fertilize plants just as they begin their active growth phase, which is early spring for most landscape plants as well as houseplants. Plants may also need additional fertilization throughout the year. Azaleas, for example, should be fertilized after they bloom. Contact our Solution Center for specific plant needs.

• Prune deciduous trees and shrubs when they’re dormant — February is ideal —Unless it’s an early spring bloomer (for example azaleas, forsythias, quince, dogwood, and most hydrangeas). They should be pruned right after flowering.

• Prune conifers and evergreens in early spring.

Before they’ll produce beautiful flowers, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and all the other spring-flowering bulbs must go through a chilling period underground. That’s why you must plant them in October and November.

To some degree, pretty much everything that flowers will attract a pollinator, but among the best are (Shop them here): 

• The Chaste Tree (Vitex)
• Hyssop
• Coreopsis
• Asters
• Monarda
• Liatris
• Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
• Penstemon
• Salvia (Sage)
• Milkweed
• Spiderwort
• Gaillardia
• Coneflowers.

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