Written by JOHN KATTERJOHN
It’s the dead of winter, and you are longing for those warm, sunny summer days in your garden. Gardening may not be possible. Regrettably, those days are still months away, but there’s still plenty that you can do to get your gardening fix, and be ready to hit the ground running this spring. Take a look at this winter gardening planner for just a few ideas of things you can be doing now.
January
Peruse horticulture and gardening magazines and catalogues
Review your garden and see how you might rearrange things
Hire a designer to create your new outdoor room and planting
Clean and sharpen gardening tools
Clean and repair birdhouses and birdbaths
Clean leaves out of fish ponds (if it’s not frozen, don’t disturb the fish)
February
Prune plants that have grown out of bounds, rejuvenate shrubs
Prune suckers and deadwood out of deciduous shrubs and trees
Clean pots and get them ready for spring and summer annuals
Note where your spring bulbs are coming up so you can plan for next fall’s planting
Repair dry-stacked stone walls and level stepping stones
Build something for the garden (arbor, fencing, screening, coldframe,etc)
March
Cut down ornamental grasses and other perennials
Divide and transplant perennials that are showing new growth from the base
Transplant trees and shrubs to new locations
Fluff up mulched beds and add new mulch if necessary (no more than 2” depth)
Apply fertilizer and work into mulch and/or soil
Sit back and enjoy the life that is coming with the new season
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