While some folks can look out their window right now and see their garden, others won’t see theirs for months, as it is currently buried under about 3 feet of snow. Regardless of your situation, there are still a few things you can do in and around your garden in the winter – besides building an awesome snowman, of course.
Prune
From Roses to Hydrangeas to deciduous trees, now is a great time to prune. The amount of snow you have on the ground might mean that the roses and hydrangeas aren’t accessible (should have got to them sooner!), but don’t forget about the deciduous trees. Now that the leaves have all fallen off, the bare tree is easy to see, and so are any issues that need to be snipped off: crossing wood, double leaders, etc.
Kill the Weeds
Those of us whose gardens are currently better suited for making snow angels than snow peas can’t do much about weeds now. But we can remember this little tip for next year before the snow hits: cover your garden beds with black plastic or newspaper for the winter. This process will kill the weeds, and your beds will be good and ready for planting come the spring.
Start Indoor Seeds
While the ground outside might not be ready for planting right now, that doesn’t mean you can’t start growing indoors. Eggplants, peppers, and geraniums are all good options to start indoors (grow lights are required). To know when to get started, make sure to check the seed pack and see how many weeks they take to reach garden-planting size, taking your area’s last frost date into account.
Prepare
Scar from The Lion King told us to be prepared. And while I don’t like what he tried to do to Simba, it’s still good advice. Once spring comes around, you are going to want to get right to the fun gardening stuff. Therefore, why not use the winter to take care of all the little things you need to get done but don’t make time for during the growing seasons? Sharpen your tools, organize your shed, and clean and store your pots and planters, so they don’t crack in the cold weather.