What Do Gardeners Do In The Winter?
I've lived in zone 8, where gardens just need to be trimmed up a little and maybe mulched for some protection.
Even in the warmer zones, most gardening activities take place in spring, summer and fall.
So what do gardeners do in the winter? There are the holidays to enjoy, and that will last till the first of the year.
Some gardeners enjoy traveling or visiting distant family.
It's hard for gardeners to get away during the growing season, because too many things need attention, but in the winter, there is a lot more free time.
If you live where there is a lot of snow, like we do, then it's fun to go to warmer parts of the world.
We like to go to Mexico, or to south Florida, where it's sunny and warm even in January and February.
Here in zone 6, the winter is long, but even with the holidays and traveling, there is still plenty of time before spring arrives.
This is the best time for gardeners to evaluate their garden, to think about expanding the planting areas, or building raised beds for vegetables, or even planning an herb garden.
As you think about problem areas, where plants might not have done so well, you might consider improving the soil.
It's also a perfect time to think about adding arbors, decks or fencing to your yard, to give it structure or vertical interest.
I kind of mentally walk around the yard and garden, trying to find places to plant another rose bush, or maybe another fruit tree.
It is very helpful to make a drawing of your yard, being sure to include the house and garage or any other buildings or structures, like patios or decks.
It makes it much easier to evaluate the growing space in your garden and see how everything relates to each other.
Winter is also a good time to learn more about soils, fertilizers, soil conditioners and mulches.
In the long winter evenings, you'll have more time to learn about plants you may have heard of and wanted to grow, like hardy kiwi or bamboo.
One of my favorite winter activities is watching the birds.
There are so many different kinds of birds at the feeders in the winter, and it's fun to watch them inter-act with each other.
They can get quite territorial at times, but usually they all feed in peace, taking turns at the feeders.
When food is so scarce, it's much easier for them to eat at our dining room, so we tend to have a lot more visitors in the winter months.
One of the bonuses of feeding the birds during the winter is that as the weather begins to get warmer, the migrating birds will begin to come through and then, for a short time, we get to see so many different species.
Winter is a great time to learn about the birds, how to recognize them, what they like to eat and how best to attract them to your yard.
As you can see, winter can be a very enjoyable, and productive time of year.
Even in the warmer zones, most gardening activities take place in spring, summer and fall.
So what do gardeners do in the winter? There are the holidays to enjoy, and that will last till the first of the year.
Some gardeners enjoy traveling or visiting distant family.
It's hard for gardeners to get away during the growing season, because too many things need attention, but in the winter, there is a lot more free time.
If you live where there is a lot of snow, like we do, then it's fun to go to warmer parts of the world.
We like to go to Mexico, or to south Florida, where it's sunny and warm even in January and February.
Here in zone 6, the winter is long, but even with the holidays and traveling, there is still plenty of time before spring arrives.
This is the best time for gardeners to evaluate their garden, to think about expanding the planting areas, or building raised beds for vegetables, or even planning an herb garden.
As you think about problem areas, where plants might not have done so well, you might consider improving the soil.
It's also a perfect time to think about adding arbors, decks or fencing to your yard, to give it structure or vertical interest.
I kind of mentally walk around the yard and garden, trying to find places to plant another rose bush, or maybe another fruit tree.
It is very helpful to make a drawing of your yard, being sure to include the house and garage or any other buildings or structures, like patios or decks.
It makes it much easier to evaluate the growing space in your garden and see how everything relates to each other.
Winter is also a good time to learn more about soils, fertilizers, soil conditioners and mulches.
In the long winter evenings, you'll have more time to learn about plants you may have heard of and wanted to grow, like hardy kiwi or bamboo.
One of my favorite winter activities is watching the birds.
There are so many different kinds of birds at the feeders in the winter, and it's fun to watch them inter-act with each other.
They can get quite territorial at times, but usually they all feed in peace, taking turns at the feeders.
When food is so scarce, it's much easier for them to eat at our dining room, so we tend to have a lot more visitors in the winter months.
One of the bonuses of feeding the birds during the winter is that as the weather begins to get warmer, the migrating birds will begin to come through and then, for a short time, we get to see so many different species.
Winter is a great time to learn about the birds, how to recognize them, what they like to eat and how best to attract them to your yard.
As you can see, winter can be a very enjoyable, and productive time of year.
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