Keep Growing ... Even Through the Snow

On this cold and dreary day I have to remind myself of all the ways I can continue to grow as we head into winter. There’s still work to be done before the ground freezes and the snow hits us (sooner rather than later, it seems). I still need to add lime and fertilizer to my veggie beds but just want to hold out as long as possible.

Just the other day I picked a bunch of beets, carrots and parsnips that I then roasted with salt, pepper and a touch of sugar. Nothing tastes more like fall to me than root vegetables, except maybe butternut squash. I’m still waiting on the first frost before I pick those bad boys.

Within the next couple of weeks I’ll mulch our perennials with the newly fallen leaves of fall and pot up some herbs for a sunny windowsill. I’ll also propagate my favorite annuals by taking cuttings and rooting them and gather seed heads from my zinnias, marigolds and favorite Mexican sunflower. I’ll start these seeds in March when I start everything else for spring planting. My tools need maintenance and the compost pile needs turning, but this can be done whenever I have the time.

When the ground finally does freeze and the snow comes it will be time to rest my hands for a bit. I’ll hit the library, get a manicure and take some classes at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. I’ll load up on gardening magazines and work in the greenhouse at Elm Bank for a fix. 

At the end of this season, I’m feeling good about how much I’ve learned as a gardener. I hope that I’ve helped you become a better gardener, too. If you have any suggestions on topics you’d like me to cover this winter please just give me a shout.

Let’s keep growing together.