Winter is on its way and gardens need the proper care in order to thrive throughout these colder months. The temperature of the soil and frost are only two factors to consider when planning your winter garden. On the flip side, an indoor winter garden has the possibility to beautify the home if cared for the right way. Don’t look any further for fun and interesting gardening tips than this article. It’s sure to keep you busy until spring comes around again!
1. Plant an indoor herb garden
Nothing makes food taste better than homemade herbs in your garden. When the weather threatens colder temperatures and harsh, frosty wind chills, consider moving your herb garden indoors. The main item you’re going to need is a large, sunny window where the herbs will get up to 6 hours of sunlight per day. Plant the seeds in containers that are least 6 inches in depth and try not to overwater. During the spring, these plants can be replanted in your outdoor garden where they should do much better in the direct sunlight.
2. Clean out bird feeders and bird houses
Winter is a great time to clean out the nests of any bird houses you may have hanging in your yard. Many of the birdhouses will unscrew on the top or the bottom. It’s possible you’ll find nests left behind with egg shells from their young hatching. Try to handle the bird’s nest with latex gloves because they can carry diseases and germs. Likewise, clean out the birdhouses with one part bleach and nine parts water. Then, allow the birdhouse to sit overnight while it dries.
Similarly, wash the bird feeders with warm water and dry well. Similar to birdhouses, these can also be cleaned with one part bleach and nine parts water. If you’re doing this after the birdhouses, change to a new pair of latex gloves. This will prevent the spread of bacteria and disease from the birdhouses. Bird feeders should be washed out routinely throughout the year. The amount of cleaning that will be required really depends on how many birds use the bird feeder. For instance, consider how much bird seed is consumed and you might want to clean the feeder around once a month.
3. Get kids excited about planting in Spring
The children of the family will be excited to be in the garden if they are taught early by their parents. For instance, each winter, create a gardening project. This could be allowing your child to decorate a flower pot and then teaching them to plant the seed, water and care for the plant. Parents could also take time to build a birdhouse with their child, or many craft stores have stones children can decorate for the garden. If they feel as if they are contributing to the project, then they are more likely to help in the future. Theoretically, take the time to plant the seed in your child so they will plant vegetables in the garden.
4. Label indoor plants and stockpile soil for indoor garden
All the plants that have moved indoors for the winter are going to have to be labeled. Create labels out of card stock, or another firm writing material, and attach them to the plant’s soil. This is easily done when you glue the label to a craft popsicle stick and put into the flower pot. Likewise, stockpile on your soil for your indoor garden. Naturally you won’t be moving your entire garden inside, but the plants that do come inside will need plenty of soil, depending on the size of the flowerpot. This is often sold at a decent price such as your local nursery or Rural King.
5. Winterize the plants staying outdoors
Don’t jump on this one too early because you don’t want to invite mice to eat your plants. Around the time of the first frost, winterize your plants with around six inches of compost and mulch. This will keep these plants warm during the winter. Likewise, put covers over the plants to avoid having animals feast on them during the night. Animals, such as deer, enjoy eating roses and other plants. Protect your garden by taking the proper precautions. For instance, put a sensor in your garden. If a deer approaches, they will see flashing lights, hear a radio come on or another loud noise. Be creative.
6. Plant flower bulbs for spring
Similar to mulch, don’t do this step too early. Wait until the ground is cool and around the time of the first frost. Likewise, the bulbs need to be in the soil before it freezes or it could affect its growth in spring. The label on the bulbs should tell you exactly when to plant the flower. It should also tell you how much sunlight it needs and where it needs to be planted. The best idea for planting bulbs is to wait until the evening temperature is around 40 to 50 degrees. Furthermore, there are areas these bulbs should not be planted — such as at the bottom of hills, where water and animals can easily get to them.
7. Research your garden’s plants
As a gardener, this is the best way to educate yourself of your garden. For instance, if you’re planting strawberries for the first time in spring, get to know as much on this berry as possible. You’re going to have to know how much distance it needs from other plants, how much sunlight and how much water for it to do well in your garden. You may also be interested in what kind of pesticide or fencing you may need to product your plant. Do your homework and you’re going to be prepared. I suggest starting a notebook and putting all this information inside it. It will benefit you as a reference when you have to look back at it later in the planting season.
8. Clean the garden beds
This is an easy task as the snow and ice are soon on their way. Rake and cut away any plants that have dried out or have been eating by animals, such as deer. These can be used as mulch in the garden to help keep the other plants warm. You may also find it useful to spray for pests that may home in your garden during the winter. These are animals such as mice, mites and lacebugs. They often feed on roses and fruit trees, so you’ll want to make sure to spray these plants.
9. Water your plants before the first frost
The first frost is always on a gardener’s planner, but you want to be prepared before it arrives. Water your plants before putting the mulch down. Don’t be afraid to give them a good watering because this will be their water in the winter months. Likewise, this initial water will keep them drying out until spring. If there is a warm day throughout the winter, and the ground is not frozen, go ahead and give them another water. If the ground is frozen, however, it will have the opposite effect and harm your plants.
10. Plan your spring garden
Finally, winter is a great time to plan your spring garden. Visit a local nursery and decide which plants you would like to include in next year’s garden. Then, pull out graph paper and try to visualize your ideas. Make sure you list details on your graph of how much space each plant is going to need. For instance, pumpkins grow outward but grapes grow on a vine. Highlight, or color code, your plants and where they will be going. For instance, cucumbers may go in the back garden, where as your prize-winning roses may be planted in the front yard. This detailed outline will give you a good plan to start with the next planting season comes around.
References:
http://www.birdhouses101.com/Care-Maintenance-Birdhouses.asp
http://www.homeownernet.com/lawn-care-how-to/winter_gardening_tips.html