Who could possibly be thinking of gardening right now? As I look out the window with “wall-to-wall” snow and temperatures in the single digits, I can honestly say that growing something is the farthest from my mind.
You could plan on your future needs by creating a list of everything you want in your garden this spring, be it vegetables or flowers. What didn’t you plant last year that you should have or at least wished you would have? If you jot it down now there will be less chance you’ll forget it by spring. Maybe you’ve noticed something new that you want to try or something you saw on a garden walk that you fell in love with and knew it had to be in your garden this year. I saw numerous things on a garden walk last year that caught my eye. Even though I live in a condominium and can’t freely plant like I used to, I at least followed up by writing about them in a later column.
A good way to get enthusiastic is to look through gardening publications that have all kinds of ideas. If I see a potted urn that I like in one of these publications, I make a mental note of it or scratch down the names of the plants, their colors and their light preferences pertaining to sun or shade. It is relatively easy to replicate these beautiful compilations of plants if one gets started early enough with their planting. They don’t explode all of a sudden with mature beauty, they take time. If you wander through a greenhouse and see the many urns and baskets that are at their peak, you have to realize (and be amazed) at the timing to have them reach this peak at just the right time to make them irresistible — it is the nature of the business. You can do this as well if you start early enough in the season.
Even though it is January, not exactly prime planting time, you still may have an urge to plant something, anything and you can. It doesn’t have to be something large, just something that grows, is green and will produce something of value to you. This may be something as simple as a few herbs that can flavor soups or meats. Yes, the seeds may be found this early at some of the big box stores or possibly at your favorite retailer that you frequent. Garden supplies seem to appear earlier and earlier each year so it is not that difficult to pick up a bag of potting soil, a few seeds and a planting tray to initiate the process. Once sprouting occurs, I would recommend the “rigging” of a tent made of plastic to create a miniature greenhouse. This can be accomplished by stapling plastic garden tags to the tray to serve as the uprights. Or you can use any device that keeps the plastic off the soon-to-be maturing seedlings. This miniature greenhouse will confine the moisture to keep plants hydrated. Keep a watchful eye on the seedlings and remove the plastic periodically to keep them from damping off, the term used when plants are too wet and rot at the base. Soon they will be of size to replant in a larger container to continue their growth. It’s as simple as that — a garden in the middle of winter. Good luck!
Tom Yoder is a Master Gardener who resides in Goshen. He can be reached by phone at 533-0172 or by email at yoder.tom@gmail.com.
