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Gardening Checklist - Winter

"All through the long winter I dream of my garden. On the first warm day of spring I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy and my spirits soar."

-Helen Hayes

Winter is an ideal time to take note of plant shapes, contrasts and textures. Plan now for a winter garden next year. Look for areas in the garden where color and texture are lacking. There are many plants that can be added to the landscape for winter interest. Please see our Garden Journal article for more information about gardens with winter interest.

If you are planning to have landscaping done this spring, call the Nursery in January or February to make an appointment with a Stadler Nursery designer. Designers tend to be less busy during these months and can often devote more time to your project. Another important benefit from meeting during the winter is that your landscaping will be scheduled to be installed in the early spring, before the rush of the season.

Clean the garden shed.

Make sure pesticides and fertilizers are in a protected area so they will not freeze.

Clean, sharpen and repair garden tools.

Drain gasoline and oil from lawn mowers and power tools. Be sure to dispose of the gasoline properly. Have your mower serviced, if necessary, before the spring rush.

Bring terra cotta pots and statuary inside for the winter. The constant freezing and thawing temperatures common to our area may crack and destroy your containers. It is also a great time to clean and sterilize your pots. Soak pots in hot water and bleach at a ratio of 1 cup of bleach to 10 cups of water. Soak the pots until the water cools. Scrub pots thoroughly. Rinse well with clean water and allow pots to dry.

Make repairs to arbors and trellises.

Prepare tomato stakes, peony cages and other plant supports and store them until needed in the spring.

Watch for live and over-wintering insects. Winter does not mean that all bugs die. For example, last winter due to mild temperatures, we had an explosion in the population of spider mites. Identify the insects you see and if they are causing a problem treat accordingly. Remember, not all bugs are bad.

Add fireplace ashes to your compost pile.

Give your pansies a treat on warm days. A mild solution of fertilizer and tepid water will promote healthy root development. While you’re out with your pansies pinch off any spent blooms and seeds pods. This "dead-heading" will have your pansies blooming stronger this spring.

It’s not too early to amend the soil in your vegetable garden with compost, lime, and leaves. Do not till this in unless your soil is friable. This means that a fist full of soil, when squeezed in your hand, should fall apart when you open your hand. Working your soil when it is too wet will ruin its structure.

Seeds arrive in early February. While it’s too early then to begin planting them, shop early for the best selection.

Winter is a great time to prune. Without the distraction of leaves and flowers the true shape of your shrubs and trees can be appreciated. Do not prune outside herbs until spring. If you prune spring flowering plants now, they will not bloom.

Be sure to brush accumulated snow from arborvitae, boxwoods, Japanese maples, and other evergreen shrubs. Use a broom and gently brush the snow up and away from the center of the plants.

After heavy snows and ice storms examine branches closely for cracks and breaks. Prune damaged limbs immediately. If damaged branches are left to hang, they can tear and further damage or kill the plant.

Shoveling snow can be hazardous to your plants. When shoveling snow do not pile it on top of perennials. This extra snow will keep roots too wet and prone to root rot.

While warming up your car take note of the exhaust. Is it blowing directly on your plants? Warm exhaust on cold plants is a deadly combination.

Indoor plants:

Add color to your home with a blooming cyclamen plant.

Start a windowsill garden of kitchen herbs. The fragrance of a pot of basil or rosemary is just the ticket to relieving the winter no-gardening blahs.

Give house plants a humidity boost. While our warm houses feel nice to us on a cold day, that same dry heat can wreak havoc on your houseplants. To increase humidity around your plants, place pots on a tray with lined with pebbles. Pour water over the pebbles. As the water evaporates into the air, the humidity will rise giving your plants the humidity they love.

Winter days are not as bright as the days during the rest of the year. To keep your plants from stretching to one side for more light, rotate the pot a quarter turn with each watering.

Unless your houseplant is a flowering variety, do not fertilize your houseplants during the winter.

Continue to monitor plants for insects. Bugs can thrive in warm house temperatures.