Get your winter gardening on!

It may be colder and cloudier outside, but winter can still be a productive time in your garden. Need some tips for making the most of the slow season?

CHIC (Pearl)

Believe it or not, winter is the perfect time for planting. Visit your local nursery to pick up whatever varieties of bulbs they have in stock, grab a guide on Google, and get your Spring plants in the ground now. While you’re digging around, be sure to clear out all the dead plant material in your garden to make room for the healthy plants and keep pests at bay. And that compost you’ve been collecting? Now’s your chance to mix it in with the topsoil to give your bulbs an extra boost of nutrition.

GEEK (Kevin)

Need a break from planting? Try your hand at pruning deciduous plants (the ones that lose their leaves in winter) like fruit trees, vines, roses, maples, and more. Start by getting rid of all the dead weight, then focus on aesthetics like thinning out crossed or rubbing branches. Just remember not to trim more than 30% of the plant if you don’t know what you’re doing. You may end up inadvertently harming the plant. Don’t know what kind of plant you’re pruning? Take a picture to your nursery and ask a pro.