Now That It's Winter, What Do You Do?

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

to keep yourself entertained since the garden has been put to bed.

I love receiving the garden catalogs in the mail-- two of my favorites are from Klehm Songsparrow Nursery and Bluestone Perennials.

I also like to look at the new introductions at various online websites.

This morning I ordered from Roses Unlimited a new hybrid tea rose from the Kordes hybridizer-- 'La Perla'

It will be a perfect border or at the front of a garden rose bush.

Its very disease resistant and I like that I won't be needing to apply fungicides on a routine basis.

La Perla

'La Perla ® (hybrid tea, Kordes, 2000/2008)' rose photo

I also start thinking about what worked in my garden from last year and what didn't. I took out some Columbines that were reseeding in one of my garden areas where I didn't want them to be. I removed the main plants and will remove any germinating seedlings as they emerge in the spring. In the interim, I am looking at some daylilies to put in their place. I am drawn to the tetraploid varieties which have double the amount of chromosomes that their diploid cousins have. These tetraploids have stronger and sharper colors on their petals and are usually more durable in the garden.

I am interested in 'Sabine Baur' and 'Troubled Sleep'.

Sabine Baur

Daylily Sabine Baur

Troubled Sleep

Daylily Troubled Sleep

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

Snicks1 · ‎07-28-2012

I do any "Spring" cleaning and sprucing up inside my house during these cold months, so that at first hint of Spring I can get outside. I also spend time looking at gardening books/catalogs/online sites to "daydream" of this years garden. Nice post, thanks.

"To each their own, in all things".

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

I do spring/fall cleaning ${#emotions_dlg.rolleyes}$ and cook more. My friend who plows for me told me he loves sugar cookies - also told me how to bake them ${#emotions_dlg.confused1}$ , so practice makes perfect and I'll be practicing, I'm sure, this winter ${#emotions_dlg.bored}$ . Oh, shoveling - another winter hobby of mine. And then when I'm in lazy mode, there's reading, playing Bookworm ${#emotions_dlg.tt1}$ and, of course, Facebook and the Q Community which I prefer ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$ . Guess Winter ain't so bad afterall ${#emotions_dlg.devil2}$ !

brewhaha · ‎07-25-2010

Our ""winter"" is in the 60's - 70's so that's when our plants grows well. We can't plant from June - Sept because it's too hot.

Sweetbay magnolia · ‎04-14-2013

Watching the birds and squirrels; awaiting the spring bulbs. I have tons of columbine, also, Justjazzmom, and I do enjoy it popping up wherever it wants to. It's one of my favorite plants. I can't wait until the muscari start to show in the lawn and the culvert and all around the property - it's magical, and has taken years to become what it is.

I don't know how much actual work I can do in the garden this coming year, as I am having hip replacement surgery next month. I am good at directing the DH, though. He's been working intensively on the compost heap (temporarily halted due to snow and extreme cold). I think my message that decomposition is good for the garden is finally getting through to him.

Cogito ergo sum

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Winter is my main sort and toss season, and when I do my heaviest cleaning.

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

Heavy cleaning and trying not to complain about the bitter cold we are experiencing right now.

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/8/2015 Sweetbay magnolia said:
Watching the birds and squirrels; awaiting the spring bulbs. I have tons of columbine, also, Justjazzmom, and I do enjoy it popping up wherever it wants to. It's one of my favorite plants. I can't wait until the muscari start to show in the lawn and the culvert and all around the property - it's magical, and has taken years to become what it is.

I don't know how much actual work I can do in the garden this coming year, as I am having hip replacement surgery next month. I am good at directing the DH, though. He's been working intensively on the compost heap (temporarily halted due to snow and extreme cold). I think my message that decomposition is good for the garden is finally getting through to him.

I wish you success in your rehab. I bet you will be 'back to normal' after the surgery and rehab are done. I have a few friends who had hip replacement surgery and they were back to normal day to day activities (in other words doing gardening and cleaning things) within 6 months. One fellow was in his early 80's.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

cerb · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/7/2015 brewhaha said:
Our "winter" is in the 60's - 70's so that's when our plants grows well. We can't plant from June - Sept because it's too hot.

I live in a similar climate zone to brewhaha. Bugs ate all my tiny veggie transplants this year so I don't have a winter garden. Bah Humbug. I am just starting to harvest oranges and lemons and they're wonderful. Grapefruit will take a little longer to ripen. I have 2 chores waiting for me: I need to clean up messy fallen pomegranates, and I need to prune my grape vines. Hopefully I get around to that soon. Oh, and did I mention the weeds popping up everywhere? Yikes!

GinaV24 · ‎07-23-2010

Right now it is really cold here in the Phila area, but I enjoy looking at catalogs and thinking about what I'd like to plant in the spring. I love the photos you added of what you are considering.

I've been looking at some pink lily of the valley plants and also plants that will support Monarch butterflies. Since I live in a rural area, I can do more of a meadow type planting and not get yelled at by any homeowner's association.

I'm mostly working indoors on clean up projects now that the holidays are over but if the weather moderates, there is always some trimming that I can do while the shrubs are dormant. My nandina shrubs have lots of beautiful red berries on them and looked very pretty in the snow. There was a cardinal in the bush the other day - he looked right at home alongside the red berries. Speaking of birds, I need to buy some birdseed for them, too, better add it to my list.