Local gardeners are encouraged to sign up to attend a free class about seed propagation on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m., in the Horticulture Education building located at 3300 W. Sixth Ave. at the Botanic Garden at OSU. The OSU Extension Office and the Payne County Master Gardeners will teach the class. Registration is required as there is limited space.
The OSU Extension’s Factsheet “Oklahoma Garden Planning Guide,” advises Payne County residents to start seeds indoors during February and March. It also notes that in Payne County, April 15 is the average last freeze date, so it is usually safe to plant outdoors at that time without losing plants to freezing temperatures. However, they still recommend watching the weather forecast and not assuming there will not be a late freeze.
Laura Payne, horticulture educator with the Payne County Extension Office, is eager to help people start their gardens this year.
“Starting plants indoors is such a great way to hold back the winter gloom,” Payne said. “It gives you something to look forward to as well as a head start on getting vegetables and flowers in the garden.”
At the program, attendees will learn about processes like scarification and stratification. There will also be information about making pots that can be put directly into the ground and how to harden seedlings for the outdoors.
Brenna Gilchrist, an adult reference librarian and avid gardener, is eager to attend the program.
“I love to garden, and I get vegetable seeds started on the kitchen table every year,” Gilchrist said. “My difficulty is in getting them to transition outside and I hope to learn some new tips.”
At the library, patrons can find several books about seed propagation along with other horticultural information such as composting, nature gardens and container gardening. Some of the books on seeds are:
- “Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners” by Suzanne Ashworth (635.00421 ASH)
- “The New Seed-starters Handbook” by Nancy Bubel (635.0421 BUB)
- “Starting Seeds: How to Grow Healthy, Productive Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers from Seed” by Barbara W. Ellis (631.5 ELL)
- “The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Flowers from Seed to Bloom” by Eileen Powell (635.9 POW)
- “Starting from Seed: The Natural Gardener's Guide to Propagating Plants” (635.9 STA)
Along with books on seeds, SPL also houses one of the seed libraries stocked by the Payne County Master Gardeners. The seed library is currently empty, but residents who have extra seeds are welcome to donate to the seed library. Donated seeds can be sent to Laura Payne at 315 W. Sixth St., Suite 103, Stillwater, OK 74074.
Participants can register for this program and learn about other library events at stillwaterok.gov/LibraryRegister.