One of the best ways to get ready for next year’s garden season is with a few simple garden tasks right in the middle of winter. Not only will it have you prepared to hit the ground running next spring, it’s also a great way to shake off those dreary winter blues!
Although garden season may seem like a long way off, it will be here before you know it. In fact, depending on your location, you might be starting some of your vegetable and flower plants from seeds in just a few months!
Unfortunately, for many gardeners, the growing season arrives every spring far too quickly. One moment, snow blankets the ground and it feels like there’s plenty of time. Time to map out what you want to grow and where you want to grow it. And time to order all of the seeds and supplies you dream about growing. But all too often, that seemingly endless “time” vanishes quicker than you expect.
Winter melts quickly into early spring, and before you know it, the growing season is in full swing. Instead of bringing all of those incredible plans to life – you find yourself scrambling to track down seeds, plants and more. And unfortunately, everything once again, goes into the soil in a rush!
The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. Not in the least! In fact, by simply taking time to prepare a little this winter with 5 simple tasks, you can set the stage for your best garden season ever next year. All from the comfort of inside your warm home – while the snow flies outside!
5 Simple Garden Tasks To Do This Winter – For A Better Garden Next Year!
#1) Create Your Garden Plan
The biggest mistake a gardener can make is to head into their gardening season without a plan. Without a plan, it’s impossible to know what seeds to order, or which are needed early to start indoors. Whatever you do, it’s never a good idea to wait until spring to plan out your garden.
Winter really is the best time of all to take time to plan. Especially when trying to figure out everything you want to plant and where you want to plant it.
Planning now helps you find the time to implement good planting habits such as crop rotation and companion planting. It also gives you a heads up for knowing what seeds you will need to order for the coming season.
The best part of this process is that it doesn’t have to be time consuming or difficult. Simply create a list of what you want to grow and where you want to grow it. A basic sketch will put you on the road to success early – and let you know what you need to order to have on hand right when you need it.
#2) Create A Garden Timeline – 5 Simple Garden Tasks To Do This Winter
For us, our garden timeline is by far the most important thing we create and use for our garden. So what is a garden timeline? And how do you create one?
A garden timeline is simply a chronological listing of everything you want to grow – and when it needs to be either started from seed or planted in the ground. It doesn’t have to be complicated or lengthy – but is it ever helpful to keep your growing goals on track!
Using your garden plan as a guide, jot down what you will be growing and when it needs to go in the ground. When you are finished, list out each task in the order it will occur.
When doing this, be sure to make a note for any crops you might plant more than once. Beans, radishes, lettuce and many other greens can be succession planted throughout the year for a bigger harvest.
If you are growing your own tomato plants, list out when you want to start your seeds indoors. Likewise, include an approximate date when you will want to plant them outdoors as transplants. Do this simple task for each of the crops you plan to grow. Once complete – you have the perfect roadmap to keep you on time all season long!
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Why A Garden Timeline Works – 5 Simple Garden Tasks To Do This Winter
Trust me when I say this little task is incredibly helpful when it comes to keeping you on track for planting. No more forgetting to plant sugar snap peas early. Or trying to remember when you should start your tomato or pepper seeds inside.
One thing is for sure, when we first implemented our own growing timeline for each garden season years back, it made our garden season a breeze. It also makes the next winter task of ordering seeds and supplies a snap!
#3 Order Your Seeds & Supplies Early – 5 Simple Garden Tasks To Do This Winter
Another great way to help keep your gardening efforts on track is to order your seeds early. And that includes any soil and/or seed trays you will need as well.
We have all been there. Time simply goes by too fast. And before you know it, you are scrambling to find seeds. Unfortunately, all too often, it leads to settling for seeds and varieties you really didn’t want because you can’t find the ones you did!
Use your planning list and order seeds early. It will start your garden season off on time – and keep you on track – with the plants you want most. Affiliate Link: Survival Garden Seed Store
#4 Save Those Coffee Grounds! 5 Simple Garden Tasks To Do This Winter
If you are not already saving your coffee grounds for next year – start today! And if you don’t drink coffee, find someone who will save them for you.
This chore is one of the easiest winter tasks of all, but it pays off. Coffee grounds are incredible for helping to power young seedlings, potting soil, vegetable plants, flowers and more. Spent grounds are filled with nutrients, and help to add structure and organic matter to garden soil.
We use them in every single planting hole in our vegetable garden. In addition, we include them in our seed starting soil and potting soil too. And it seems like we can never have enough on hand. Which is exactly why we now save them all winter long!
#5 Save Those Egg Shells Too! 5 Simple Garden Tasks To Do This Winter
Just like coffee grounds, egg shells are a huge help to gardeners. Egg shells are an incredible source of calcium – which is critical for the growth of a long list of vegetable plants and flowers.
This is especially true when it comes to growing tomatoes and peppers. Both tomatoes and pepper plants can suffer from blossom end rot. This is a direct result of not having enough calcium in the soil to help produce viable fruit. And you guessed it – crushed egg shells can solve that lack of calcium.
But it doesn’t stop there. Egg shells can also help deter pests and add additional nutrients to the soil for a wide range of plants. Together with coffee grounds, a good supply of egg shell powder is the perfect way to get your plants off to a great start.
And if you are worried about how to save all of those coffee grounds and egg shells safely – it’s actually easy to do! For more on that, be sure to check out our article: How To Save Coffee Grounds & Egg Shells For Your Garden – And Store Them Too!
Here is to getting ready for your best garden ever next year with a few simple chores this winter! Happy Gardening – Jim & Mary
Old World Garden Farms
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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