Although the snow might be flying and the temperatures plummeting outside this winter – it doesn’t mean you can’t begin to get ready for your best garden season ever right now – with just a few simple but very important indoor winter garden chores!
Not only can a little work now set the stage for bigger and better plants – it’s also the perfect way to shake the winter blues!
For many gardeners, spring seems to arrive in the blink of an eye. One day, the landscape is still frozen under a layer of snow and ice. And the next thing you know – it’s planting time! Unfortunately, all too often, it leaves gardeners rushing to get their plants in the ground.
Once planting season arrives, so does mowing season, pruning season – and every other garden chore imaginable. Which is exactly why getting everything in order now can keep you on track once the planting time arrives.
3 Indoor Winter Garden Chores To Do Now To Get Ready For A Great Garden Season
#1 Don’t Wait – Get Your Gardening Supplies Now
One of the best ways to prepare for gardening season now is to pick up or your seeds and supplies early. This includes not only seeds and seed starting supplies, but also important items such as potting soil, seed starting soil, worm castings, fertilizers, gloves, tools and more.
We’ve all been there. Whether we want to admit it or not, time flies! And when it does, suddenly you’re rushing to find everything. And sometimes, it simply becomes too late to do the garden tasks that just a few months prior you dreamed of.
This happens all too often with gardeners who want to grow their own plants from seeds. You need to act early during the winter months. Now is the time to order your seeds and seed starting soil. It’s also the time to make sure you have the pots, seed trays and lights you will need to grow from seed. Affiliate Link: Gardeners Basic Vegetable & Flower Seeds Store
But it’s not just about ordering seeds. You also need to make sure you have potting soil, fertilizers and other amendments. They are just as important to have at the ready right from the start! Missing critical fertilizing times or not having soil additives on hand when planting can set plants up for slow growth.
#2 Create Your Garden Plan & Timeline – 3 Easy Indoor Winter Garden Chores
Now is also the time to plan for gardening success! A garden timeline is one of the most important tools for a successful garden. But what exactly is a garden timeline, and how do you create one?
Simply put, it’s a list of everything you plan to grow, organized by when you need to start seeds or plant them in the ground. It doesn’t need to be complicated or long, but it’s incredibly useful for staying on track with your gardening goals.
Start by using your garden plan as a reference. Write down what you’re growing and the ideal time to plant each crop. Then, organize the tasks in the order they need to happen. It sounds so simple, and it is – but can it ever help when planting season arrives!
Don’t forget to include crops you’ll plant multiple times, like beans, radishes, or lettuce, which can be grown in succession for larger harvests. If you’re starting seeds indoors, note when to start them and when to transplant them outside.
Avoid the last-minute scramble by using your garden plan to order seeds ahead of time. This ensures your season starts smoothly and you have the plants you truly want.
By following this simple process for all your crops, you’ll create a clear roadmap to keep your garden running smoothly all season long. The old saying that failing to plan is like planning to fail couldn’t be more true when growing a garden!
#3 Start Saving Egg Shells & Coffee Grounds – 3 Easy Indoor Winter Garden Chores
Last but not least – start saving up all of those valuable egg shells and coffee grounds all winter long!
Saving egg shells and coffee grounds might be the easiest winter garden chore of all, but can it ever help your plants grow better and stronger than ever. See: Saving Egg Shells & Coffee Grounds – And How To Use Them To Power Plants & Soil For Free
Coffee grounds are ideal for putting into almost every planting hole in the spring. The spent grounds are filled with nitrogen and other micro-nutrients that power plants. Coffee grounds also help absorb and hold moisture to plants – and improve soil structure as well. All for free!
Not only are coffee grounds free, they are easy to store and save all winter. And all without the worry of molding. Simply put your grounds in a resealable freezer bag or container and pop in the freezer. It’s easy to add more each day – and come spring – you will ready for planting with power!
Saving Egg Shells – 3 Easy Indoor Winter Garden Chores
Egg shells may even be more valuable than coffee grounds for plant health and growth. Egg shells contain loads of calcium – which is vital to both early plant growth and production. As an example, without enough calcium in the soil, tomato and pepper plants can suffer early blossom rot.
Unfortunately, a lack of calcium can also keep other vegetable and flower plants from flowering strong as well. But how you save and use egg shells can make a big difference in how helpful they are.
It’s best to grind up your egg shells into a powder instead of small pieces. Why? For starters, it makes them far easier to store all winter long. But even more importantly, when you add egg shell powder to planting holes and soil, the calcium and other nutrients can be more readily available for plants to take in. If left in small pieces, egg shells can take months to break down.
Just like coffee grounds, egg shell powder can be kept in the freezer without worry. And to grind them – it’s as simple as putting in a blender or coffee grinder.
So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to get planning and moving on garden season! Here is to doing a few simple indoor winter garden chores – and being ready to grow when spring arrives!
Simple Garden Life
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Simple Garden Life is a website dedicated to keeping gardening fun, simple and enjoyable! We publish two new articles each week along with a new garden podcast episode every two weeks. This article may contain affiliate links.