[bjb123]

I'm wondering if there are any gardeners from eastern OK in this forum?
I would love to know what plants/vegetables you grow, what your growing season is like, type of soil, etc. I haven't stumbled on any discussion of this type yet so it would be great to hear from a backyard gardener. We're considering eastern OK for relocation & sure want to visit this fall. My husband & I live south of Cleveland, OH. Our growing seasons are quite different
Thank you in advance for your time.

[gonefishing]

I'll start and others can fill in what I don't answer-

The growing season in Oklahoma ranges from 168 days in the Panhandle to 238 days in the southeast part of the state.

Oklahoma has 2,500 different types of soil. Oklahoma is known for its red soil, which is red because of the iron content.

We are starting to see lots of wineries and we have 3 lavender farms, that I am aware of.

Since I don't have a garden someone else can help you with that. (We did have lots of canteloupes, watermelon, okra, squash, zucchini, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, potatoes when I was growing up.)


Here is a link to Oklahoma State University's Home Food Gardens and Small Fruit:
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docush.../F-6017web.pdf

[bjb123]

Over 200 days of growing season in southeastern Oklahoma? I would be in seventh heaven! It seems there must be enough rainfall there. Thanks for responding.
Are there any other gardeners out there? Would love to hear what you're doing...........bjb123

[_redbird_]

We garden. We keep it simple with tomatoes, squash, bell peppers and a few odds and ends depending on our whims at TLC. Some gardens are huge and we have had watermelons and potatoes in the past. I think some take advantage of the weather and have two growing seasons for the tomatoes. We can our tomatoes. And for the faint of heart, there are always roadside stands with fresh veggies, cantalopes and watermelons. Mmmmm. Love watermelon! You can come down and turn up the dirt for me if you like!

[bjb123]

Thanks redbird4848!
Looks like we shouldn't sell our versa-tiller before we make a move! Maybe I should hang on to canning supplies as well. Two seasons for tomatoes? Great! Makes me hungry for homegrown right now. The tomatoes shipped here to Northern Ohio look somewhat red but have the flavor of moist cardboard I don't need a huge garden either; simple is better. We (mostly me) tend to get overly enthused & overplant in the Spring then realize "hey! we've got to water, weed & harvest all of this!"

To anyone - I thought I read somewhere that pecan trees do well in Oklahoma which makes me wonder how well fruit trees do in you area? Do you have to amend your soil much when gardening? Thank you in advance for your response.

[Mattie Jo]

I thought I just posted, but I don't see the post.

Don't sell your versa-tiller nor your canning supplies. I still have to buy those things.

You can grow pecans here. You can grow any fruit except citris, and if you plant apricots you will only get them every 3 years.

I sent you a private message by the way.

I live in east Oklahoma. Just moved here last November. So if you want to see fall colors try to be here during the last week of Octobor or So and before November 7th. Just saying this because I came in Sept to buy a home and left Oct. 3rd, saw no fall colors then, and then by the time we got here Nov. 15th they were almost gone.

Also check out Tahlequah. It is a nice college town of 14,000. Not sure how big of a town you want though or where in east Ok. you will be looking.

The soil here seems very rich to me and can grow anything. That is only a guess since I have only been talking to those at nurseries and did not ask that question.

[bjb123]

Thanks Jessaka. Sorry to say but I can't seem to locate your private message.
We would love to come down for peak colors in the fall but I'll bet we'll have to come down later when my husband gets laid off in late fall. I sure don't want to wait that late - but, maybe things will change - you never know.
There isn't a specific destination in mind for us. It'll just be the 2 of us & we want to check out several areas. We have to keep jobs in mind for both of us too while we're looking around. Presently my husband drives a straight truck for a construction company here in Ohio that only does road construction (hence the seasonal lay-off). Myself, I manage our small business which is a storage facility. Most of my previous employment has been clerical/administrative for a sheet metal fabricator, electric cooperative, etc. How is employment in your area? We don't mind commuting if need be.
A town with a population of 14,000 is not too large for us. We want a simple lifestyle, small town setting. We do like grass, lots of trees, & being close to water. We wouldn't mind horseback riding either. Looking at the atlas of your area seems like there lakes all over.
One thing we'll want to keep in mind is that we should be within a reasonable driving distance to a V.A. clinic for occasional health care.

[Synopsis]

bjb123

I think you'd like the Southeastern, or Eastern part of the state. I grew up in Southeastern Oklahoma and my dad was a farmer and we had a place on about four acres. We grew everything from cantelope, to squash, watermelons, green beans, tomatoes, corn, you name it. We also had an apple orchard with some of the most delicious apples that I've ever had in my life. I know that's not just a childhood "subjective" or selective memory because I've gone back and had apples off those trees; they are delicious and the kind that don't turn fully red. The best way I can describe them is they taste mostly like fuji apples, which are some of the best apples I've ever tasted.

Oklahoma's soil is very rich, and the red soil that you hear people talk about is much more predominant in the central and western part of the state. In the Southeastern or actually, the East Central part of the state where I grew up I never saw any red soil, mostly loam and sandy in places. The sandy areas are very good for watermelons! It always amazes me to this day when I drive to Oklahoma City and see all of the red soil. It's pretty, but very weird looking. Almost as if you're on Mars.

For the record, I grew up in Gerty, Oklahoma. A very, very, tiny town (population 85) that is in southern Hughes County. You can grow just about anything in Hughes County; very good soil and weather. It's an agricultural county for sure. The largest city and county seat of Hughes County is Holdenville, pop. 4500 or so. You might check the area out. The cost of living is low for sure, because of a low population and probably relatively few jobs. But if you can make a living around there, living is cheap. I'd love to move back someday after I retire and have a small farm.

[Mattie Jo]

bjb,

I just now sent you a test message to see if you get it.

I don't think that the job market is good in this area. But we are 1 hour from either Tulsa, Fayetteville, or Ft. Smith. They are much larger and may provide more jobs. Muskogee would be another city to check out

I have not seen red soil in Eastern Okla, and for that I am glad. Just being used to darker soil the red looks too odd for me. Although when I was a kid coming through OK I thought it was great. I imagine it makes great pottery, but then I guess it would have to be clay.

Synopsis,

What towns do you mean when you talk about Southeastern OK? Does it go as high up as Muskogee?

I will have to one day take a trip below I-40 and check out that area and others.

I wish that our soil was loam. It is harder here. I remember living in Fresno, CA once and when I put my hand in the soil it felt like flour. It was wonderful and things grew so fast. Is that what you are talking about? Where would this be?

[Synopsis]

Jessaka,
I grew up in Gerty, which is in Hughes County. It's about 30 miles West of McAlester, which is pretty far South of Muskogee. And it's not technically in the Southeastern corner of the state, more like East Central.

I can't say the same for ALL the soil in that part of the state, but I do know that in Gerty and the surrounding areas, the soil is very rich and "loamy" for lack of a better word. We had a small farm and things grew there like you wouldn't believe.

I recall our relatives coming into town (if you could call Gerty a "town") from the Denver area back in the 60s and 70s when I was growing up remarking on just how great the food tasted, and it was all from our garden.

Below is a capture from Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) showing where Gerty is located. Just go to google maps, and type in "Gerty, Ok" and you'll get a better image and location, from which you can zoom in and zoom out. You can even look at a satellite photo of tiny Gerty. Actually, Gerty's making quite a little rebound these days. It has a park, and city water, and other amenities. There is also a winery and bed and breakfast (Wakefield Country Inn and Vineyards) located just East of town. There's also a camp called Camp W.O.W. (walk on water), which is church related. Hope this helps.