Spring has Sprung in Guthrie

Oklahoma is known for its unpredictable, sometimes chaotic, weather patterns, especially when it comes to the spring and tornado seasons.

For gardeners eager to plant seedlings, bulbs and plants, predicting when the final freeze will take place can be a challenge. But, spring can create beautiful blossoms.

Jennifer Husmann, owner of Ladybug Lane Flower Farm in Guthrie, said her farm gets an early start by seeding plants indoors, starting anytime from mid-January to April.

Indoor seeding helps plants survive any late freezes and will keep them from getting eaten by robins, blue jays and crows. Husmann said having a cat around also would deter the birds.

Another problem gardeners face are bugs. However, be aware of the pesticide you use, as some will do more harm than good, Husmann said. Make sure to use an all-natural insect repellent to keep the bugs away while still encouraging pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, to do their vital job.

Oklahoma is part of a stretch known as the “Monarch Highway,” the route in which monarch butterflies travel from the northern states and Canada down south to California and Mexico for the winter. The best way to encourage their long-distance winter migration is by feeding them with wildflowers and milkweed growing in your garden. Spring is a great time to begin getting those flowers planted.

Bees are another great pollinator in your spring garden. The intense freezes over the past couple of years and the use of beekilling pesticides have significantly dropped bee populations in Oklahoma. However, locals gardeners can help restore bee populations by using beefriendly pesticides, such as diatomaceous earth, and planting bee balm and sweet Thai basil, a couple of favorite herbs for bees.

A garden is truly thriving when the soil is well mulched and full of nutrients. Making your own organic compost will help bring some of those needed nutrients in.

While Lowe’s, Tractor Supply and other garden stores sell easy-to-use compost kits, starting your own compost pile is not a huge challenge. Ladybug Lane Flower Farm uses all organic materials that are not food based, specifically to keep rodents away. From straw and coffee grounds to the stalks of previous plants, composting is easy to do and will help your plants flourish to their potential.

Husmann said her flower farm will have up to 14,000 square feet of flowers, over a quartermillion blooms, during June and July, when harvesting is at its peak.

In addition to having a pop-up flower trailer traveling throughout Guthrie and Edmond, the farm also offers a subscription package for fresh bouquets, which can be picked up or delivered every two weeks, with each bouquet lasting about 10-12 days. Husmann has had to create a wait list, saying she’s been “overwhelmed with the support of the community.”

There are many ways to get involved in local gardening, and with Red Dirt Plants being farmed locally and the Jonquil Garden Club maintaining the city’s gardens, “Guthrie is truly a destination for all things flowers, all things gardening, all things good” Husmann said.

So, get your gloves on and start gardening with the rest of the community this spring.