Think Spring! 5 Things To Do in Your Garden Now!

I know it's hard to even think about your spring garden when your yard probably looks similar to mine:

But this is a great time to start planning for Spring!  Here are 5 things you should do now to be ready for Spring!

1) Look at the "bones" of your garden and take pictures. Note what is working and what is not working.  Are you seeing your beautiful garden or your neighbor's compost pile or a neighboring cemetery?  Additionally, do you like what you see?  Or does your garden need more winter interest like bark, berries, grasses or interesting architectural elements like paths, walls, fences, arbors and trellis'?

2) If you have snow on the ground, look at the walking paths that people are creating.  Are they sticking to your walkways, or are they short-cutting or going around your walkways?  If so, mark the area with flags or stakes so that come spring you can adjust your walkways and paths that are most convenient to people.  Or plant to create a 'reason' to stay on the pathways.

3) Remove snow from branches. It might seem light and fluffy, but your post-shoveling, aching muscles will remind you that snow is heavy.  The weight of snow on tree and shrub limbs can easily snap or break them.   Two things to do: gently shake tree and shrub limbs to remove the snow and if you do have breakages, take a sharp pruner and trim off the broken limbs. (Breakages are an easy entry point for pests and diseases.)

This is what my Dogwood tree looked like during the storm, and below is the crack in the limb. (And no comments from the peanut gallery - yes we still have our Christmas lights up!!) 

 And here is my neighbor's tree with many broken branches from this last crazy snow storm!

*If you are continually shaking down certain smaller trees or shrubs, you can take preventative measures and tie the limbs up to support them or wrap the entire tree/shrub in burlap. 

4) Avoid using road salt and ice melt. This stuff is toxic to you and your plants.  When at all possible, use sand to prevent slipping on ice. The sand will not damage your garden or your kids (or pets) and will actually help loosen up compacted soil.  There are also other environmentally-friendly deicers.

5) Daydream...proactively!  Look at gardening books, websites and magazine and tear out photos that you love and place in a folder. When spring arrives you'll be ready to plant!  It is so much fun to do and it makes winter so much more bearable! 

Take comfort.... Spring is not far away!

Cheers!
Becky