How Oklahoma Gardeners Can Prepare Plants After the First Frost

How Oklahoma Gardeners Can Prepare Plants After the First Frost

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Oklahoma gardeners are rushing to bring tropical plants indoors, protect thriving cool-season beds, and adjust their winter watering habits after the state’s first weekend frost and freeze caught parts of the region unprepared.

Preparing Oklahoma Gardens After the First Freeze

Following the first frost and freeze that hit parts of Oklahoma last weekend, gardeners across the state are shifting their attention to winter plant protection, KOCO reported. Parts of northern Oklahoma dropped to freezing temperatures last Saturday and Sunday, while frost swept across the entire Oklahoma City metro area.

Darrell Pothorst, the nursery manager with TLC Garden Center, said now is the time to act on sensitive species. “Now is the time to bring tropical plants indoors,” Pothorst told KOCO.

What Oklahoma gardeners should do now to protect plants from the cold — KOCO 5 News

While tender vegetation requires shelter, certain cool-season plants continue to thrive despite the dipping temperatures. Pansies, violas, and panolas remain resilient, while established varieties of cabbage and kale add vibrant color and foliage to outdoor flower beds.

Winter Maintenance for Permanent Plant Material

For gardens that are winding down for the season, attention turns to long-term soil health and root protection. Pothorst recommended focusing on permanent fixtures in the landscape.

“Fall is a great time to fertilize. So, on your permanent plant material outside, fertilizing is very important, especially in the fall and again in the spring,” Pothorst told KOCO.

Gardeners often overlook basic hydration and insulation once freezing weather settles in. Pothorst emphasized that continued watering throughout the winter months helps plants grow vigorously in spring.

Applying a thick layer of mulch serves a dual purpose during freezing conditions. “It really does do a great job of insulating the roots, insulating the soil a little bit, and also retaining moisture through the winter season. Mulch and watering are two things people forget about,” Pothorst told KOCO.

When it comes to pruning, gardeners can hold off until later in the winter when plants enter full dormancy. Leaving dead leaves around plants provides an extra layer of natural insulation against harsh winds and low temperatures.

Pothorst also said that the cooler months offer an ideal window for expanding the garden. “Fall is a great time to plant your perennials, trees and shrubs because they will root in all winter long,” he told KOCO.

More on this story: Late Fall and Winter Gardening Tips: Protecting Trees, Perennials, and Using Leaves

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