Oklahoma Farm Report masthead graphic with wheat on the left and cattle on the right.
Howdy Neighbors!
Ron Hays, Director of Farm and Ranch Programming, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network  |  2401 Exchange Ave, Suite F, Oklahoma City, Ok 73108  |  (405) 601-9211

advertisements
   
   
   
   
   

Agricultural News


Gardeners Encouraged to Winterize Their Small Fruits Gardens in Preparation for Cold Weather

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 10:53:50 CST

Gardeners Encouraged to Winterize Their Small Fruits Gardens in Preparation for Cold Weather Although Oklahoma just experienced one of the warmest Octobers in state history, gardeners still need to be thinking about and preparing to winterize their small fruits gardens.



Small fruits gardens, including blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and blackberry plants, will benefit from a fresh layer of mulch to conserve soil moisture and regulate temperatures over the winter, said David Hillock, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension consumer horticulturist.



"When winterizing your garden, apply a 4-inch-deep layer of organic mulch around the base of the plants," Hillock said. "Organic mulches such as leaf compost, pine bark or straw will provide your plants the insulation needed to prevent cold damage and excessive drying of the soil."



Adding extra mulch also is beneficial for fruits such as kiwi and grape vines. Be sure to inspect your gardens after the first killing frost and replenish mulch as needed.



Strawberry plants should be mulched in early to mid-December to protect the crowns from winter's freeze and thaw cycles. Freezing and thawing of the soil damages the growing point of the plant.



"This cycle also can cause soil heaving, which can push the plants out of the ground. This is especially a problem for shallow-rooted plants such as strawberries," he said. "However, if the warmer weather continues, hold off on mulching the plants until there has been several hard frosts. By this time the plants have developed cold hardiness. If you cover them too early, they may not become hardy enough to withstand winter temperatures."



Another small fruit gardeners may grow is passion fruit. These plants typically die back to the ground in winter, but will continue to ripen fruits until the tops are killed out. Following a hard frost, cut the stems back to the ground and cover the plants with a thick layer of mulch to provide winter insulation.



If gardeners notice a mole or rodent problem, pull the mulch back a bit from the trunk in an effort to avoid creating a favorable feeding spot for these pests.




"Taking the time to winterize your small fruits gardens will help ensure your spring gardening gets off to a great start," Hillock said.



Source - Oklahoma State University




   

 

WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI

 


Top Agricultural News

  • Oklahoma Youth Expo Sale of Champions Sale Order Available Here- Sale Set for 4 PM Friday  Fri, 17 Mar 2023 04:50:54 CDT
  • Rural Voters Dominated Vote to Defeat Recreational Marijuana March 7th  Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:13:05 CST
  • Ron Hays Talks to Israeli Ag Tour Guide Colin Lotzof About the Miraclel of Ag in Israel  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 22:11:04 CST
  • OALP Members Experience First Hand View of Cutting Edge Drip Irrigation Technology as Israel Travel Ends  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:51:49 CST
  • OALP Members Get First Hand View of Cutting Edge Drip Irrigation Technology as Israel Travel Ends  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:50:10 CST
  • Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Sees Fruit, Beef and Dairy Production North of the Sea of Galilee in Israel  Mon, 20 Feb 2023 21:56:02 CST
  • Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Sees Diverse Farm Operations in Jordan River Valley of Israel  Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:17:30 CST
  • Israeli Tour Guide Mark Kedem Talks About The Cultural Aspects of What Class XX of OALP is Experiencing   Sat, 18 Feb 2023 22:17:23 CST

  • More Headlines...

       

    Ron salutes our daily email sponsors!

    Oklahoma Beef council Oklahoma Ag Credit Oklahoma Farm Bureau National Livestock Credit Ag Mediation Program P&K Equipment Oklahoma City Farm Show Union Mutual Stillwater Milling Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association KIS FUTURES, INC.
       
       
       
       
       

    Search OklahomaFarmReport.com

    © 2008-2024 Oklahoma Farm Report
    Email Ron   |   Newsletter Signup   |    Current Spots   |    Program Links

    WebReady powered by WireReady® Inc.