February is too early to start most seeds indoors but not too early to get organized and ready for planting in March-April. Our growing season is too short for many plants like tomatoes, peppers, and many flowers to sow their seeds outdoors in the spring so we can get a jump start by starting them indoors and effectively extend the season. If we provide the right conditions of soil, light, and temperature our favorite plants can be ready to transplant…
Despite the winter season there’s plenty to keep a gardener occupied. If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, start by listing seeds leftover from last year. Then look at the short list of local seed companies that I list below (or any others that you like). Browse online catalogs from the comfort of home. Don’t delay, the best varieties sell out early. In this article I suggest a few winter tips and easy-to-do ideas that will make the coming…
The 2024 gardening season has begun with the arrival of new seed catalogs! Mid-winter is the ideal time to take inventory of what happened in 2023, which seeds will be needed and begin preparations for the next gardening season. It’s also important to take care of indoor plants and get started with early pruning of woody plants when we have an occasional nice winter day. Here are some details… Got seeds? Before ordering new seeds, I like to check my…
Seed Saving. Gardeners and farmers have traditionally saved seeds from their favorite plants because we know that is the best way to have the best varieties and strains adapted to your local conditions. Seeds contain the genetics of the parent plants and if you have a favorite heirloom tomato, bean or lettuce that does well for you why not save some seeds for next year? Besides, they are free and abundant right now! Seed Savers Exchange has been promoting seed…
As March moves ahead, we can’t be sure if it’s going to snow or be mud season. Recent snows have buried any sprouts peeking up from bulbs such as irises, lilies, snow drops, and early crocuses. Good news is that the added snow means more water availability come spring. Nevertheless, there are some garden preparations we can be doing now, including planting onions and petunias! If you haven’t yet pruned your fruit trees (apples, pears, cherries, etc.) any mild days…
Once the Holidays have passed some thoughts turn to garden plans. There may be no better way to overcome the mid-winter doldrums than to imagine your next garden and decide what new things to grow this year. Despite the calendar, now is the time to get your plans and seeds organized so you’ll be ready when spring arrives. Seed catalogues have already been arriving and it’s not too early to make your selections before the best varieties sell out. …
Here we are… winter in Vermont with beautiful snow, cold nighttime temperatures, but there’s still plenty to keep a good gardener busy. If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, that is your #1 priority! Look at the short list of local seed companies that I list in the full article (or any others that you like) and you can browse their online catalogs from the comfort of home. Don’t delay, the best varieties sell out first. In this article…
Once the Holidays have passed thoughts turn to garden dreams. There may be no better way to overcome the mid-winter doldrums than to imagine your next garden and decide what new things to grow this year. Despite the calendar, now is the time to get your plans and seeds organized so you’ll be ready when spring arrives. Unlike “normal” times, this year may again be challenging to get what you really want to plant. Seed catalogues have already been arriving…
What could be more fun than picking out your veggies, flowers, and herbs for the new gardening year? There may be no better way to overcome the mid-winter doldrums than to imagine your next garden and decide what to grow this year! You probably already have some old reliables in mind but how about trying some different varieties and some completely new plants to add some adventure to the season. Despite the calendar, now is the time to get your…
The good news is that the days are getting longer! In mid-winter we gain just over 2 minutes of daylight every day. Slow but sure, spring in coming. The other sure sign that spring is coming is the arrival of new seed catalogs. This is a great time of year to begin planning for your new gardening season. In this last article for 2020 let’s begin thinking about preparations for 2021 with deciding what to plant and some tips about…