Extension

While Mother Nature plays a significant role in the success of gardening, sometimes gardeners need an extra boost. A new app called Plant-It OK can help gardeners choose the correct plants for the environment to help ensure gardening success.

 

The app currently focuses on landscape plants, with a robust list of about 275 plants, including native plants and others adapted to Oklahoma’s diverse climate. Plant-It-OK is ideal for homeowners, gardeners and landscapers.

 

The app is easy to use and provides consumers with recommendations for trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental and turf grasses, ground covers, vines and annuals that can enhance any landscape. It provides key elements of plant care such as water, light and soil requirements, cold tolerance, plant size and color, season of interest and wildlife value.

 

In addition, the app can help gardening enthusiasts choose the right spots in their landscapes for specific plants.

 

Another great feature of the app is that it provides links to fact sheets from the Oklahoma State University Extension website for consumers looking for more detailed gardening information.

 

The app was designed by Justin Quetone Moss, head of OSU’s department of horticulture and landscape architecture, Brenda Sanders, OSU Extension assistant, Mike Schnelle, OSU Extension floriculture specialist and David Hillock, Extension consumer horticulturist.

 

There is a page on the app where consumers can provide feedback about the app, which will be beneficial when updating the app. Public feedback is important, so future updates will include information consumers want. One idea for a future update is to incorporate AI-powered plant identification, allowing users to identify plants from photos.

 

The app was developed with support from a U.S. Department of Agriculture specialty crop block grant administered by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. In collaboration with the OSU App Center, an on-campus resource for designing and developing web and mobile applications, the team worked closely with app designers and developers to ensure the app’s functionality and user-friendly interface.

 

Learn more about Plant-It OK App (Youtube) episode of “Oklahoma Gardening.” The app is available for iOS and Android devices through the app store. Consumers may also download it from the OSU Extension website.