[FLASH74]

Good morning, it 10am here in Stockton, .ca. Wife and I thinking of moving to either Noble or Norman Oklahoma. Her company ask her if she would take a transfer to one of the stores they have out there. Guess there firing A General Manager there. We really don't know anything bout Oklahoma except that they have tornadoes that are bad. We do want to move out there. We tired of California. To expensive gas prices and especially the houses to buy. We been looking at homes out there to buy compared to here. We found homes for 150,000 for 5 bedrooms 3 baths with some acres on it. Here it would cost you well over 300,000. We would live comfortably there. Plus we just want to start over. Don't get me wrong I'll always love California I was born and raised here. But it just to damn expensive here. Also job wise how is it there. People I've talked to have said there hardly any jobs out there that why they moved to California. Well at least my wife job is secured for her if we decide to move with her salary we'll make it until I find a job there. But over all how the living the schools the neighbor hoods. Is there good fishing places out there. Weather good to plant. I grow allot of veggies taste better then going to the store. Gotta have a garden with veggies and fruit growing.

[teakboat]

There are tornadoes in the spring some years, not sure what to advise there. The soil is pretty good. There are jobs. The fishing tends to be best in the eastern part of the state where there are lots of lakes and rivers.

[swake]

We have winters, so no citrus fruit. Apples and Pears and most berries grow here. Lots of vegetables are grown here.

[saibot]

I don't live in OK, but my sister is in Edmond. She always had a big vegetable garden out here in CA and, without a doubt, gardening is much more of a struggle for her now than it was in Long Beach. In California, we put plants or seeds in the ground almost any old time, water them, and they grow!

But in Oklahoma, because my sister doesn't have a greenhouse, she can't plant until after the last frost date, which is some time in April. This is just before the storm season, so several times, right after she planted her garden, a big storm washed everything away.

Other times an unexpected late frost killed her plants. (This happened this year--she won't have peaches or nectarines, as a late frost destroyed the buds).

The heat is fierce in the summer. Weeds are rampant and they grow fast. (A neighbor told her early on that without using an herbicide like Round-Up, it's impossible to have a garden). Squirrels and other critters eat whatever they can get into.

She has had the most success growing vegetables and herbs in pots that can be brought under cover on the porch during storms, or covered during frosts.

She was also surprised to visit the local farmer's market and find that the big seller was beef! Oklahoma, at least her part of it, is mostly ranching country.

All this to say that you CAN garden in Oklahoma, but it's going to be more difficult than in California. And a lot probably depends on the area, so I hope other people who live there chime in to let you know what a more clement location might be.

[teakboat]

Lots of people grow nice productive gardens every year in Oklahoma. And you don't have to use Roundup, I have never done that and I don't think I know anyone who has in a vegetable garden.

It's true that the weather can be challenging though.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by teakboat

Lots of people grow nice productive gardens every year in Oklahoma. And you don't have to use Roundup, I have never done that and I don't think I know anyone who has in a vegetable garden.

My sister refuses to use it. But she did add that the weed problem was much, much worse than she was used to.

[teakboat]

Originally Posted by saibot

My sister refuses to use it. But she did add that the weed problem was much, much worse than she was used to.

Yeah I can imagine, this is just prairie land and during wet years the weeds can be thick. If you don't stay on top of the weeding, you will lose your garden to the weeds.

[StillwaterTownie]

To have piece of mind during a tornado warning, it's best to live in a house that has a reinforced room or a storm cellar in the backyard. Oklahomans didn't start taking tornadoes as a major worry until 1999 when a tornado with record breaking high wind speeds struck the Moore area and killed 36 people. Few people could remember when a tornado had killed anywhere near that many in Oklahoma.

I would imagine the main point for living in Noble is because houses there are not as costly as in Norman. Since Norman is a college town, schools should be better than average there.

Unlike in California, a big hail storm can wipe out your garden.

[Threestep2]

This is our third year in OK.
I am still looking for the "inexpensive" side of OK. House - you get what you pay, food - vegetables/fruit/dairy is pricey, alcohol - do your own research, utilities - fairly low, property taxes - unless you have reached age/disability discounts they seem to be rather uncontrolled (went up every year, the ultimate was an increase because of a pergola - go figure), vehicle insurance - I did not see much difference OK/TX/AL, weather - you cannot change it but OK has a variety from tornadoes, earthquakes, ice storms, wild fires, toad stranglers to in my area rather mild summers (at least so far no long stretches over 100) und the everlasting wind and baby powder fine red clay dust. Be prepared to drive distances.

Stillwater - tornado shelter in the yard? Almost every newer house has them inside. Try dashing across the yard in a storm with three cat carriers

Saibot - I am sorry to hear about your sister's garden. It is hard to wait for the very last frost. Been there, replanted and swore never to do it again - until the next Spring. Massive mulching will get the weed problem (as in unwanted plant material) under some control. County Extension Office can be very useful for home gardeners.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by Threestep

This is our third year in OK.

Stillwater - tornado shelter in the yard? Almost every newer house has them inside. Try dashing across the yard in a storm with three cat carriers

I don't understand the appeal of having tornado shelters in the back yard. Three out of four of my neighbors has one. Besides the disadvantage you mentioned, I think they are an eyesore and may get in the way of something, like if you later want to build a pool. A better place for one, in my opinion is in the garage with entry between the cars, or a safe room, like what I have.