Growing in Oklahoma
The Grow section of Okie Almanac is your practical, Oklahoma-specific guide to raising food in real conditions. Not California. Not the Pacific Northwest. Not a YouTube greenhouse in perfect weather.
Right here.
Central Oklahoma soil. Zone 7. Wild temperature swings. Real backyard beds.
Whether you’re planting kale in February, saving Tabasco seeds from last summer, or trying to figure out if it’s finally safe to put tomatoes in the ground, this is where we work through it together.
Seasonal Planting in Oklahoma
Timing is everything here.
We deal with:
False spring
Late frosts
Sudden heat spikes
Long, dry stretches
Fall that disappears overnight
In this section, you’ll find seasonal guides that focus on what you can plant right now — not in theory, but based on Oklahoma conditions.
You’ll see:
Early spring cool crops
When to start seeds indoors
When to direct sow
What absolutely needs to wait
Fall planting strategies
Succession planting ideas
This is your Oklahoma planting rhythm.
Seasonal Planting Post
Saving Kale Seeds in February (And Planting Them Right Back in Oklahoma Soil)
In mid-February in Oklahoma City, I cracked open dried kale pods from last season and planted the seeds straight back into the same backyard soil. No seed packet. No store run. Just last year’s plant starting the cycle again.
Seed Starting & Seed Saving
One of the most satisfying parts of growing food is closing the loop.
Saving kale seeds from last year.
Cracking open dried peppers.
Letting one plant bolt just to see what happens.
In this section, we cover:
Starting seeds indoors the right way
Light, airflow, and avoiding leggy seedlings
When to transplant
How to harden off plants
Saving seeds from vegetables and herbs
Storing seeds for next season
You don’t need a greenhouse empire. You need knowledge and timing.
Latest Seed Post
I Saved 4,800 Tabasco Pepper Seeds. I Do Not Need 4,800 Pepper Plants
I pulled 160 dried Tabasco peppers from last summer and somehow ended up with nearly 4,800 seeds. I do not need 4,800 pepper plants.
Mid-February in Oklahoma City isn’t time to plant them outside yet, but it is the perfect time to start a few indoors. These seeds survived last summer’s heat, wind, and storms — and now they’re ready to do it all over again.
Latest GROW Post
Cutting Old Sage for New Growth
Learn the essential steps for cutting back sage to promote new growth in your Oklahoma garden this spring.
I Saved 4,800 Tabasco Pepper Seeds. I Do Not Need 4,800 Pepper Plants
I pulled 160 dried Tabasco peppers from last summer and somehow ended up with nearly 4,800 seeds. I do not need 4,800 pepper plants.
Mid-February in Oklahoma City isn’t time to plant them outside yet, but it is the perfect time to start a few indoors. These seeds survived last summer’s heat, wind, and storms — and now they’re ready to do it all over again.
Saving Kale Seeds in February (And Planting Them Right Back in Oklahoma Soil)
In mid-February in Oklahoma City, I cracked open dried kale pods from last season and planted the seeds straight back into the same backyard soil. No seed packet. No store run. Just last year’s plant starting the cycle again.