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8 Cold-Weather Garden Chores

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8 Cold-Weather Garden Chores

Now, you might think that because snow is falling and the temps have dropped, there’s nothing to be done in the garden right now. Wrong! While you might not be actively gardening, there is always something you can be doing that is garden-related—and much of it is prep for when the spring garden season kicks in. So let’s roll up our sleeves and dig in, so to speak.

8 Cold-Weather Garden Chores to Do Right Now

  1. Take a tool inventory. April is not the time to realize that your shovel is broken and your hand trowel is rusted. So, do yourself—and your garden—a favor by taking a tool inventory when you don’t really need to be using your tools. Make a list of the tools you have and take notes on tools you would like to obtain, then give everything a good cleaning. Repair any broken parts that can be repaired, sharpen dull blades, and be prepared to toss anything that is beyond repair. Now organize and store these shiny, cleaned up tools for the spring, and pat yourself on your back for a job well done.

  2. Tend to your compost pile. Winter winds and low humidity can dry that pile out quickly, so water it sparingly on a day when it won’t immediately freeze. If your compost pile is indeed frozen, don’t attempt to turn or work it—just wait until it thaws. If your pile is not frozen, continue adding plenty of green material like kitchen scraps, adding in brown material like leaves as the weather warms up. And remember, you can cover your compost pile with a tarp to insulate it and serve as a windbreak, anchoring it down so winter winds don’t carry it away.

  3. Check your automatic irrigation system. Just like with your tools, you rely on your irrigation system too much to leave it to chance. Weather permitting, run each zone in your automatic irrigation system and look for signs of leaking, pipe breaks, and damaged irrigation heads. Make sure you have notes telling you what zone services which part of your garden—it’ll make future maintenance much easier if there’s ever any problem. If you live in an area with snow, this task may be put off until early spring or even a bit later, but mild climate gardeners can check this one off their list now.

  4. Check drip irrigation. You may have drip irrigation hooked up to your spigot and set on a timer. Check that tubing now to make sure nothing is clogged or malfunctioning, then make any necessary repairs.

  5. Tidy up your garden. Any fallen leaves? Mow and leave them to mulch your garden or lawn naturally or add them to the compost pile. Cut back any plant that is frost damaged, and entirely remove and dispose of any dead or diseased plant. (No diseased plant parts in the compost pile, though!) Pick up any trash, store your tools, and tidy up your empty potting containers. Got a greenhouse? Clean it up and organize everything inside. Come spring, you’ll be greeted with a nice, clean slate to work with rather than mess and chaos.

  6. Prune with caution. The winter is a great time to prune some plants, but you need to know which ones and at which time, so please be aware of what your particular plants need. Bare tree limbs allow you to see branch structure and plan out what to prune off when the time comes, but remember to avoid pruning spring-blooming trees and shrubs before they bloom or you’ll be cutting off all future flowers. Many roses can be pruned through February, as well as most flowering perennials.

  7. Armchair garden. This is less work and more fun—something we all can get behind. Plan out next season’s bulb garden with Easy to Grow Bulbs, read an inspiring garden book, or learn about some new-to-you plants (tillandsias or air plants are a good place to start!)

  8. Garden with houseplants. Can’t garden outside? Garden inside instead! Start or expand your houseplant collection, create a succulent or air plant terrarium, or decide which houseplants are perfect for your office or home.

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  • Katie Elzer-Peters