[carvers wife]

Now that the rain has stopped we got outside to do some outdoor work. Our place is nice, but the lady who moved out got older and couldn't keep up with the outside stuff. We have a nice round concrete flower bed, which was way overgrown. I'm wondering whether annuals do well here or if perrenials might? I want it to look nice, but I'd also like it to be kindof low-maintenance because after I find work I wont have as much time to keep it weeded and watered.
We pulled up a row of rose bushes that looked real scraggly in front of the house and I'm wondering what would be good to replace them? Anything know to be good growing for the area?
I like the looks of those hibiscus trees and am wondering if they'd be easy to keep alive.
In Ny the rule is only to plant in the spring and summer- do they say the same thing here?
I don't have a green thumb, but want to make the place look better out there and can use your advice on what to plant.
Thanks.
CW

[Synopsis]

Go to the USDA plant hardiness zone map website. That should help you figure out what and when to plant.

National Arboretum - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Good luck!

[LindaC in OK]

With the ground extra wet this year I think you could plant now. Results might not be the same this year but next year you might be surprised.

wish you had many of my iris bulbs for the center of your round planter. Many times I've offered them on freecycles and only 2 couples have been here to dig them up and take away.

[cindycat]

Originally Posted by carvers wife

We pulled up a row of rose bushes that looked real scraggly in front of the house and I'm wondering what would be good to replace them? Anything know to be good growing for the area?
I like the looks of those hibiscus trees and am wondering if they'd be easy to keep alive.
In Ny the rule is only to plant in the spring and summer- do they say the same thing here?
CW

My suggestion for knowing what to plant is to go to one of the local nurseries - not the big box stores, but the local places. O'Higgins on NE 23rd in Nicoma Park and TLC on S. Douglas in Midwest City are the two that come to mind right away. Also Green....something...about a mile east of O'Higgins. There may be more now. We moved away two years ago.

Don't know which hibiscus you mean. The tropical hibiscus has to be brought in during the winter. There's the Althea Rose of Sharon that is also called hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus is tall with huge flat blooms but it's not a tree. All do well in your area.

If you have a good sunny location, plant a crepe myrtle - Centennial Spirit is a good one but there are many colors and sizes. We had 25 or more on our five acres near I-40 and Anderson. They don't grow in western Washington and I miss them.

Fall is the best time for planting trees and shrubs. Summer is usually the worst because of the heat. You just wait. When the rain stops, it'll turn hot and won't rain again until September. Or maybe not. I lived in Oklahoma 60 years so I was never surprised by any turn of weather. Hmmmm. Last year there was drought. Right now I'm watching the Today Show and just saw the top of a street sign in my flooded hometown, Miami, OK.

Visit those local folks and let them help you. Good luck.

[carvers wife]

Thanks, you guys. That definitely gives me a place to get started. Here's a follow-up question:
My neighbor, and a lot of others I notice, have the pygmy goats? Are they pets or do they have more purposes? Good pets? Do they eat everything, like if I do spend the time planting?
I guess I'm just curious because I think they are very cute.

[LindaC in OK]

any goat is a walking eating machine. The only difference with pygmy's is they can escape more easily into your yard. Sure hope they are penned properly or you won't have a plant left ever.

good luck,

LindaC

[Cali BassMan]

I guess the goats make a good garbage disposal??

[Jammie]

Could someone in the family be ill and need goat's milk? It's awfully expensive if you have to buy it. Sometimes babies end up going on goat's milk if they're intolerant to formula or soy.

[Mattie Jo]

I wanted hydragea in front of my house but it gets the afternoon sun, so they are going in back of our house. On the side, the only one that can have plants, i put azaleas. if those ideas help. in front i will plant lilac and peonies. i don't like most bushes unless they have flowers, so that is why i am planting what i have planed.

Goats, well they eat poison ivy and other plants. i was told when i moved here that i should get one and it would eat everything. well, i didn't want a goat eating everything, so i removed vines by hand, and this took months to do a 50 x 50 foot area. it still needs work but the rototiller can provide that. the last 100 foot of back yard i sprayed because it was mostly poison ivy, and now it looks almost dead except for trees. then we have two large pens that i have yet to conquer. have no idea what to do with them but love them as they are, a jungle. still the fencing has to come down someday. but having goats do the job wasn't something i wanted because the roots have to come out.

Carver's Wife,

Here is a good website for you: Oklahoma Gardening - GardenWeb

They have some wonderful people on their forum that knows all about gardening in Oklahoma.

[carvers wife]

we have a lot of work ahead of us to get things into shape- time and money issues, a lot of work on outside structures, etc...but, speaking of poison ivy, my husband has a bad case right now from the work we did over the weekend. Any ideas for home remedies? Last time he did require a doctor's visit and prednisone to get it under control.