Winter is a time of rest for the gardener and a time to dream and imagine the spring landscape. Besides sitting next to the fire and thumbing through seed and plant catalogues and gardening books, there are a few winter chores that can be accomplished during the dormant season.
Compost. Toss leaves and branches that litter the landscape onto the compost heap. If possible, chip the limbs into smaller pieces to reduce their size. Turn the pile with a pitch fork to enhance decomposition.
Prune trees and shrubs. Time to call in the tree service to cut down dead trees and limbs and trim the canopy away from the house. Squirrels have a knack for jumping from the canopy onto the house then into the attic to wreak havoc. For some pruning tips, attend the Gwinnett Master Gardener workshop January 21 to learn from “The Pruning Guru” Rick Smith about trimming your shrubs.
Plant trees. Now is the best time to plant trees when the earth is dormant. Planting trees in winter allows the roots to become established before the onset of spring and rapid growth. Plant native trees that are adapted to the region. For a good list of Georgia Native Trees, visit UGA Extension publications and search Georgia Native Trees. As the “lungs of the earth” trees absorb CO2 and mitigate climate change. Trees also secure the soil and prevent erosion, filter stormwater, cool the air, improve air quality and bring wildlife to your doorstep.
Grow seeds indoors. Get a start on spring by planting seeds indoors. Avoid using outdoor garden soil which has fungus and bacteria. You can make your own sterile potting medium by mixing one part peat moss, one part vermiculite and some water to moisten it (Penn State Extension). Sow seeds in a shallow tray of this potting mixture and put them in a sunny window to germinate.
Improve the landscape. Winter is a great time to scout out the landscape to see where improvement is needed for your eco-friendly landscape. Is the lawn marginal under the trees canopy? If so, reduce its size. Are there bare areas that need to be planted? Put in plants to prevent soil erosion. Are there shrubs and perennials in areas where they are not thriving. This is a good time to transplant them. Are some plants overgrown and need to be separated? Go to it.
Scout out plants for the plant sale. In a thriving garden, plants are reproducing happily. These babies can be transplanted into pots for the Gwinnett County Master Gardeners spring plant sale April 27 at the Gwinnett County Library. Be on the lookout for possibilities and stake them out so on a warm day you can pot them.
Adapted from Sustainable Gardening for the Southeast by Susan Varlamoff