Since the first of January, winter has been kind to our gardens when it comes to fair weather. Many are the dry days for getting out to do chores. Enough chilly weather to set fruit for berries and fruit trees. Compared to the rest of the country, we coastal gardeners have it made. Here are a few fun garden projects to carry you through winter:
USE CONTAINERS: Bare-root fruit tree and berry season is just beginning, but you may find digging a hole will make a muddy mess during the winter. One thing you can do is get some cheap potting soil, mix it with wood compost and pot everything up. This is called heeling in. The trees and berries will be kept happy until it is easier to plant in the spring.
EAT FRESH: Here on the coast, we can grow fresh vegetables all winter long. It is always possible to find a nice selection of locally grown vegetable starts. Lettuce, spinach, chives, chard, kale and carrots are among the many cool-season vegetables that will grow well in large containers, raised beds or in the ground.
COLOR UP THE WINTER: Take a trip to the nursery and discover the plethora of primulas blooming cheerfully as if winter never existed. They are gorgeous and will certainly chase away winter blues. How about a cobalt blue ceramic pot filled with yellow primroses?
BEWARE: Slugs and snails love the cold, wet weather winter has to offer. Continue applying organic slug bait all month long. Then when you do get out in the garden to dig later this spring, the hungry critters will be gone.
WEED: No matter how cold or flooded it can get here on the coast, the weeds seem to thrive. A little hoeing goes a long way to keeping things under control. If you planted garlic last fall, now is a great time to make sure small weeds are removed. Once the soil warms in the next four to six weeks, today’s little weeds will be tomorrow’s monsters if steps are not taken now.
Terry Kramer is a trained horticulturist and journalist. She has been writing a garden column for the Times-Standard since 1982. She currently runs a gardening consulting business. Contact her at 707-834-2661 or terrykramer90@gmail.com.
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