Summer Garden Ideas For Oklahoma Gardeners

By Rick Wells, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Duck Creek Farms is loading up dozens of varieties of plants, mostly tomatoes, for a big plant sale this weekend at the Tulsa Garden Center. 

"Gardening right now is going bonkers," Gary Schaum, Duck Creek Farms, said. "I think people are interested in where their food is coming from."

Many people feel better when it comes from the backyard, and nothing's more backyard friendly than tomatoes.

"You can lay it down with its head standing up, or you can do like I did last year with post hole diggers, and plant it down about that far," Schaum said.

Either way, it establishes an extensive root system. It's not all tomatoes; there are peppers, eggplant, and a huge variety of herbs, flowers and bedding plants too. But the surprise for News On 6 Reporter Rick Wells was his sweet potatoes.

"I've collected over 125 varieties of sweet potatoes," he said.

He's going to participate in a study over the next year or two trying to determine the best varieties for Oklahoma.

"I've got the 3rd biggest collection of sweet potatoes in the United States," Schaum said.

But what's so very special about sweet potatoes?

"Sweet potatoes are a super food," he said. "They are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat."

Schaum said whole civilizations have existed on sweet potatoes alone. So next time you see him forget tomatoes ask him about sweet potatoes.

"Sweet potatoes are making a comeback," he said.

The big plant sale is at the Tulsa Garden Center on Saturday, May 1st, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.