Winter Gardens

by Leah Day

Winter is probably my favorite time of the year. I'm not talking about the holiday side of it either. In NC, it really doesn’t start to get cold until after New Years, so my favorite months are January and Febuary. Why do I like the coldest, nastiest months of the year? Easy answer: winter gardening.

I know that probably sounds insane, and to most people living up north it must sound completely pointless, but in NC, winter is a very nice time to be out playing in the dirt. This year especially we've had a very warm winter so far so it hasn’t been difficult to get out and work in the gardens. In other years when the weather is wetter, the trick is to dress warmly and only plan to be out for as long as is comfortable. I like to have a plan of what I want to accomplish before I even leave the house. Planting a pack of bulbs or a six-pack of pansies can take about 10-15 minutes so I can gauge how much I want to do in relation to how long I want to be out.

January is definitely bleak and empty, but going outside and working in the dirt can really help that cabin fever mood which can creep up on you from staying inside too much. I used to get winter depression at the end of January, and I really believe it was due to my inactivity outside. Sometimes it is hard to find things to do. I solve this problem by picking up a pack of pansies anytime I see them at a store. That way I always have a pack or two lying around waiting to go in the ground. As long as you keep them watered, they should be fine even if you can’t get to them for awhile.

So are you ready to grab some gloves and a jacket and get playing in the dirt? Even though it's January doesn’t mean you have to stay inside. Go garden, you will feel great that you did!