Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Gardening In Colder Seasons

By Derick Hauser


Fall and winter can be the bane of any gardener. When the freezing temperatures and gloomy weather come sweeping through, most gardeners take that as a sign that it's time to hang up the hand shovels and knee pads for the season. But actually, horticulture enthusiasts don't need to give up their hobby completely during the colder seasons. Sure, it's a good time to do read about new gardening trends and techniques, but there's also some physical gardening activities that are doable in winter.

The fall and winter seasons are ideal to start your garden in spring with a clean slate. Any dead plant material should be removed in fall, and any cuttings that aren't diseased can be composted. Healthy seeds can be stored for planting next year. If stored in proper conditions, some seeds can stay viable for years. There are preparations you can make to the beds and, such as laying mulch. With the flowerbeds and grass not crowding as much in the cold winter, you'll find it easier to work with less clutter. The more preparations you make before spring, the less there is to do by the time growing season comes.

During winter, you can take note of your collection of gardening tools. Anything that's missing that you think you'll need would be much cheaper to buy in the off-season. The big advantage of planting in winter is that your plants can get a head start on growing before spring comes around. There are many types of plants that can be planted in pots and grown inside your home. You can place them on a sunny window sill, and then when the thaw begins, they can be planted outside to continue growing.

One more job that's more straightforward in the colder seasons is tree pruning. Without the leaves in the trees, getting to all of the branches is much easier.

Gardening can be a year-round activity, if you know how to take advantage of the colder fall and winter seasons.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment