9 Essential Mid-Winter Tasks Before Venturing into the Garden
Protect Cold-Sensitive Plants: Some plants, especially perennials, shrubs, and trees, can suffer from frost, wind, snow, or de-icing salt. Protect them with insulating materials such as mulch, cardboard, plastic, fabric, or fir branches. Ensure secure fastening and prevent moisture retention.
Clean Garden Tools: Regularly disinfect garden tools with soapy water, alcohol, or bleach. Dry and oil them to prevent rust. Sharpen the blades of pruners, shears, and knives, and repair any damage.
Evaluate the Past Season: Assess the successes and failures of the previous gardening season. Note what worked well, what posed problems, what was liked or disliked, and what improvements or changes are desired. Take inventory of seeds, bulbs, plants, and products, checking their expiration dates.
Plan for the Next Gardening Season: Utilize insights from the past season to set goals, choose plants, draw the garden plan, order seeds or plants, and establish a schedule of tasks. Research new trends, innovative techniques, or best practices for a more beautiful, productive, and ecological garden.
Start Indoor Seed Sowing: Sow seeds indoors for plants requiring a long growth period, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cabbages, or annual flowers. Use suitable containers, quality soil, and sufficient light. Water, ventilate, fertilize, and transplant if necessary.
Prune Plants as Needed: Conduct pruning in winter when plants are dormant to promote growth, flowering, fruiting, health, and aesthetics. Avoid pruning plants that bloom in spring, such as lilacs, forsythias, or magnolias, to prevent removal of flower buds.
Compost Organic Waste: Continue composting organic waste, such as dead leaves, grass clippings, fruit and vegetable peels, or food leftovers, in winter. Use a bin or pile, alternating green and brown materials, and mix regularly. Protect the compost from the cold with a layer of straw or cardboard.
Install Bird Feeders and Shelters: Support birds in winter by offering feeders with seeds, fruits, fat, or bread, and nesting boxes or hedges for shelter. Ensure cleanliness, protection from predators and weather, and regular refilling of feeders and shelters.
Enjoy the Garden in Winter: Appreciate the winter garden’s varied landscapes, subtle colors, astonishing shapes, delicate scents, and surprises. Create decorations with natural elements like pine cones, branches, berries, or snow, arranging them in the garden or on the balcony.
