By Ann Asher

The first time I saved seeds, it felt a little like cheating.

After spending all spring and summer buying plants, watering them, pulling weeds and hoping they survived Oklahoma’s heat, it occurred to me that nature had figured this out long before seed catalogs showed up in my mailbox.

Every tomato, pepper, bean and flower in my garden was trying to make next year’s garden on its own.

Somewhere along the way, I had forgotten that.

Like many gardeners, I had always bought fresh seed packets every spring. Nothing is wrong with that. Seed companies offer incredible varieties bred for everything from disease resistance to better production. But once I began learning about saving seeds, I found something satisfying about planting seeds from vegetables I grew myself.

I also learned that not every seed is created equal.

One of the first lessons was the difference between heirloom and hybrid varieties. People often use the terms interchangeably, but they mean different things.

Heirloom plants are open-pollinated varieties passed from generation to generation, often for 50 years or more. Because they reproduce “true to type,” the seeds you save from a healthy heirloom tomato should produce plants very similar to the parent the following year, as long as they haven’t cross-pollinated with another variety.

Plant breeders create hybrid plants by crossing two carefully selected parent plants to combine desirable traits, such as better disease resistance, higher yields or improved vigor. Those qualities make hybrids wonderful garden plants, but their seeds don’t reliably grow into the same plant the following season. You might get something similar, or you might get a surprise.

Neither type is better than the other. Each serves a different purpose.

As a beginner, I found seed saving much easier than I expected.

Beans do most of the work for you. Leave a few pods on the vine until they dry completely, shell them, and the seeds are ready to store. Peppers are almost as simple. Once the fruit is fully ripe, remove the seeds, spread them out to dry for several days and store them in a cool, dry place.

Tomatoes sounded intimidating until I tried them. A gelatinous coating surrounds the seeds and keeps them from sprouting inside the fruit. To remove that coating, you usually let the seeds ferment in a little water for a couple of days, then rinse and dry them. It sounds more complicated than it is, and once you’ve done it, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.

Flowers have become one of my favorite places to experiment. Watching seed heads dry on coneflowers, zinnias, marigolds and sunflowers reminds me that every bloom is already preparing for another season. Instead of cutting everything down the moment it finishes flowering, I’ve started paying attention to what comes afterward.

I’ve also learned that patience matters.

Seeds need to be fully mature before you collect them and completely dry before you store them. Otherwise, moisture invites mold and can ruin months of work. A paper envelope labeled with the variety and the year often works better than an airtight plastic bag, especially until the seeds have finished drying.

The biggest surprise has been how seed saving changed the way I look at gardening.

I used to see the end of the growing season as the finish line. Now I see it as the start of the next one. Every healthy plant is a potential source for next year’s garden, and even the vegetables I once hurried to pull out have one last job to do.

Will I still order seeds every winter? Absolutely.

There are too many interesting varieties to stop exploring, and I’ll probably always have room in the garden for something new. But I’ll also be opening a small box of envelopes from this year’s harvest, each one a reminder that a garden can last longer than a single season.

Sometimes, if we let it, the garden grows itself right into the next year. I have to admit, that’s pretty rewarding.

By Savannah Magoteaux

They scatter ahead of the mower, jump from garden rows, cling to fence posts and seem to rise out of the pasture with every step. One or two grasshoppers might still feel like part of summer, and a few more may not seem like much of a problem. But when the ground looks like it is moving, and every tomato plant, flower bed or patch of green grass has bite marks, grasshoppers go from background noise to real irritation.

In Oklahoma, grasshoppers are nothing new. They are part of the late-summer landscape, especially in hot, dry years. They may seem to appear all at once, but their numbers usually build over time.

Grasshoppers lay eggs in the soil, often in undisturbed grassy or weedy areas, and the young begin hatching in spring. As the season goes on, they grow larger, move more and become much easier to notice.

By late summer, many grasshoppers have outgrown the tiny insects tucked away in roadside grass. They are bigger, stronger and able to travel longer distances. That is when homeowners, gardeners and producers often start seeing real damage.

Grasshoppers chew, so their damage is easy to recognize. Leaves may look ragged, stripped or full of holes. In gardens, they may chew on vegetables, flowers and young plants. In pastures and hay fields, heavy numbers add pressure to forage already stressed by heat, drought or grazing. Around barns, yards and field edges, they may seem to be everywhere at once.

Weather plays a major role in how bad grasshoppers get. Warm, dry conditions favor them. Drought can reduce some of the natural diseases that help keep grasshopper numbers in check, and when native grasses and weeds dry down, grasshoppers move toward any green growth they can find. That may be a vegetable garden, irrigated lawn, flower bed, crop edge or low spot in a pasture that still has something tender left to eat.

By the time most people are tired of grasshoppers, the insects are also harder to control. Grasshoppers are much easier to manage while they are small and concentrated in hatching areas. Once they are large enough to fly or move freely across a property, control gets harder and often works less well.

You still have options, but timing matters.

For gardeners, barriers can help protect valuable plants, especially young ones. Row covers or other lightweight covers may reduce feeding damage if you put them in place before grasshoppers move into the plants. Some gardeners also use protective cages or netting around individual plants. These methods are not always pretty, but they can make a difference in a home garden where the goal is to protect a few important rows or plants.

Managing weedy areas may also help, especially earlier in the season. Roadsides, ditch banks, fence rows and unmowed grassy spots can serve as nurseries for young grasshoppers. Keeping those areas under control may relieve some pressure, though it will not stop grasshoppers from moving in from neighboring properties. That is one of the challenges of an insect that can travel.

Insecticides and baits are labeled for grasshopper control, but use them carefully and follow the label. The right product depends on the setting, whether it is a garden, landscape, pasture or crop, and on what else is in the area. Consider pollinators, livestock, pets, water sources and harvest restrictions. When in doubt, start with Extension guidance.

Not every grasshopper problem needs the same response. A few grasshoppers in the yard are annoying. Heavy feeding in a garden may be worth addressing. Large numbers in a pasture or crop may call for a more serious look, especially if forage is already limited.

Birds and some insects feed on grasshoppers, but they rarely wipe out a large outbreak on their own. Chickens may help around a yard or garden, but they can cause their own kind of damage if turned loose in the wrong place. Like most things on the farm or around the house, there is usually a trade-off.

By late summer, grasshoppers may feel like one more thing to deal with. The grass is tired, the garden is tired, the livestock are tired and most people are tired, too. Still, understanding why grasshoppers build up, where they come from and when control works best can make them a little less mysterious.

They may always be part of an Oklahoma August, but they do not have to catch you off guard. Watch the field edges, keep an eye on young plants and take note when small grasshoppers first start to show up.

By OKFR Staff

Right now, fishing in Oklahoma can feel a little like everything else this time of year.

It is hot, and the water is warm. The easy part of summer has worn off, and if you stand on the bank in the middle of the afternoon expecting fish to jump on the hook because you showed up, you may be disappointed.

The fish are doing what most of us do by late summer: looking for cooler places, easier meals and the most comfortable part of the day.

Across Oklahoma, late-summer fishing often comes down to timing. Early mornings, evenings, overnight hours and cloudy days can make a big difference. Fish may still feed during the heat of the day, but many species are more active when light is lower and water temperatures are less punishing.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) notes that summer fishing often improves during low-light periods, especially for species like catfish, which are active at night and bite on punch bait, stink bait, cut bait and other scented baits.

Catfish are one of the best late-summer targets for Oklahoma anglers. Channel catfish and blue catfish both bite this time of year, and they are a good choice for families, bank anglers and anyone who wants to keep the setup simple.

Look around creek channels, points, riprap, deeper holes and areas where wind or current may be moving food. Cut shad, worms, prepared stink bait, punch bait and other strong-smelling baits can all work. If you are fishing a pond, try near the dam, in deeper water or around structure, especially later in the evening.

For largemouth bass, August can be tough but still productive. The biggest adjustment is realizing that bass may not be where they were in spring. In hot weather, they often hold near shade, deeper water, vegetation, docks, brush, creek channels and other spots that offer cover or access to cooler water. Early in the morning, topwater baits are worth trying along the bank, around grass or near shallow cover. As the sun climbs, it often pays to slow down or go deeper with soft plastics, jigs, crankbaits or other baits that can reach fish holding off the bank.

White bass can also provide good late-summer action, especially when they are chasing schools of shad. This kind of fishing can go from quiet to exciting in a hurry.

Watch for baitfish breaking the surface, birds working over the water or sudden splashes that make the lake look like it is boiling. Spoons, slabs, small swimbaits, inline spinners and shad-colored lures are all good choices.

ODWC’s white bass guidance notes that anglers can succeed in summer by vertically jigging spoons and slabs off the bottom over ledges, a technique that works well when the fish are not visibly schooling on top.

Crappie can be more challenging in late summer, but they do not disappear. They may move deeper or hold tighter to brush, standing timber, docks, bridge pilings or other structure. Instead of beating the bank like you might in spring, look for shaded or deeper cover. Minnows and small jigs are still reliable choices, but presentation matters. Often the key is getting the bait down to the right depth and keeping it there long enough for a fish to decide it is worth the effort.

Don’t overlook bluegill and other sunfish, especially if you are taking kids fishing or want steady action. Look for them around docks, weeds, brush, rocks and shaded banks.

A small hook, light line, a bobber and a worm remain one of the most dependable combinations in the tackle box. In ponds, bluegill fishing can keep everyone interested while you wait for catfish or bass to cooperate.

No matter what you are fishing for, late summer rewards anglers who pay attention. Look for shade, baitfish, moving water, wind-blown banks, deeper edges, brush piles and places where fish do not have to work hard for a meal. In clear water, natural colors may work better. In stained water or low light, a little more scent, vibration or contrast can help fish find the bait.

August rewards smarter fishing more than harder fishing. Go earlier, stay later, and try after dark where it is safe and legal.

Bring plenty of drinking water, watch the weather and remember that heat is hard on both anglers and fish. If you are catching and releasing, handle fish quickly and get them back in the water as soon as possible.

Before heading out, check the current Oklahoma fishing regulations, including license requirements, daily limits and any lake-specific rules. The 2025-26 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting regulations are available through ODWC, and rules can vary by species and location.

Late-summer fishing may take more patience, but plenty is still biting for anglers willing to adjust. The fish are still out there. Like the rest of us, they are trying to beat the heat.