Extending Your Gardening Season

There’s a chill is in the air and most of our garden plans have come to an end. Fear not all you intrepid gardeners, there are plenty of projects to be had! Here are a few fall and winter ventures to consider:

Maintenance of equipment and beds will save you a lot of work next season and you’ll be all the better for it. Clean off any remaining dirt and residue and sanitize your tools with isopropyl alcohol or a 10% bleach solution, but beware that bleach can corrode tools over time. Be sure to mulch that bed! Compost, leaf litter and wood chips can all be layered over your beds to add organic material and help protect your soil micro biome from winter weather. 

Plan your bed layout. If you want to summon your artistic side, grab a tape measure, some graph paper, ask your kiddos for a few of their colored pencils and draw up your garden space. Label where crops had been planted this year and where they are to be rotated. These ‘maps’ are not only enjoyable; they help you understand your gardening system more deeply. A thorough understanding of your perennial and annual crop placement is a critical component in reducing pests and disease in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems. 

Seed orders are a favorite! Winter is a great time to cozy up on the couch and flip through seed catalogs. You’ve always wanted to try that weird looking tomato, go for it! Doing a group order with friends and family is a great way to share the experience and cut down on costs. Also, seed viability diminishes each year, and many people don’t need or use all the seeds that come in a packet. 

Plant a bulb memorial garden. My family plants bulbs in memory of my sister and it’s a very therapeutic way of honoring her memory. This has been a tough year for everyone, and bulbs naturally have a way of giving us hope for the future. 

Plants with winter interest can still be added to your property this season. Whether its perennials, shrubs or trees, there are many plants that can provide winter interest through structure, color, or flowers. 

Here are just a few recommendations to add excitement: Hellebore, Holly, Red Twig Dogwood, Witch Hazel, Korean Fir, Stewartia, and Sycamores. Visit local garden centers for inspiration, this time of year lets you easily see the winter form of many trees and shrubs. 

If you need more to keep you occupied: pick one plant and research the heck out of it! Walk Hickories Park and enjoy how many old and enormous trees there are! Can you find the largest one? Enter the indoor world of houseplants! We are living in unique times, so host that zoom meeting, pour that wine, and chat about how much you all love Monstera and Colocasia!