Winter Gardening Projects

Keep tabs on your "inside garden" while thinking of your outdoor one

The recent warm weather has made us all a little anxious for spring gardening. If you have the itch, there are plenty of tasks that can be accomplished even when there's still snow on the ground.

The Inside Garden

• Check houseplants for signs of cold damage from drafty windows. Redistribute plants or think about using a small heating mat if the situation warrants it.
• With daylight lengthening, some houseplants can be flushed with new growth right now. Check for insects everywhere, but especially on new, tender growth, and avoid fertilizing until mid March.
• Water houseplants carefully so as not to splash too much water on leaves and crowns of plants - this can cause fungus and disease problems in colder living areas.
• For most plants in clay pots, a good method of determining if they need water is to touch the pot with the palm of your hand. If the pot is cooler to the touch than room temperature, then no water needed. If it's room temperature, a drink may be required.

The Outside Garden

• If you didn't get to covering last season's newly planted plants, consider doing so now. A thick blanket of straw or a shrub guard for a free-standing shrub may be what's in order.
• Take this opportunity to view your garden and envision what you want to change this coming season.
• Make a garden record either by drawing a simple map, organizing receipts and plant tags, or both. This information is very helpful to our employees for diagnosing plant problems and specific plant location concerns.