The cold doesn’t have to stop your garden! The winter months can be a bit boring for those who maintain a garden, with aught to do but plan this coming spring’s arrangement. But the winter months don’t have to mean sitting back and waiting for that for warm spring air! There are several ways that you can start growing in the winter time, but today we’re going to cover the most common method; potting. Your existing garden will also need maintaining, and new plants need potting in anticipation for your springtime garden.

Growing an indoor garden for the winter months is also a great activity to take on with children. Kids love to watch new plants growing and will excited come spring time to transplant any plants growing indoors.

Things to do outside

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean things have stopped growing! Unfortunately for gardeners, weeds can grow right alongside some plants throughout the winter. One of the most common weeds to be wary of is chickweed. These hardy weeds are great at growing year round. Feel free to hoe off the seedlings, but anything larger than that you will need to pull up by the roots.

This is chickweed. You hate chickweed.

Things to do inside

Now for the big stuff. Indoors is going to be the place where you work your gardening magic. Whether inside your greenhouse or your home, there is lot’s to be done this winter. A lot of vegetables are easy to grow inside and transplant. Simply get a container like the one shown to the right, and some potting soil. After planting, water regularly and place your seeds in a warm, well-lit area. A lot of plants can also survive under fluorescent light, allowing you to create a little indoor garden in your home! Come early spring, transplanting your new plants will be a breeze, and you’ll have brand new vegetables for your garden.

Don’t be intimidated by the idea of transplanting, it’s not nearly as hard as it sounds. If you’re using the container pictured to the right or one like it then transplanting is surprisingly easy! First prepare your pot (or place that you will transplant the germinated seeds) with a 50/50 compost and potting soil mixture. Then use a tool (such as a pencil) to get under the roots of the plant and lift them out of their container. Pull up on the leaves, not the stem! Once lifted out, place them in your pot, and remove the lower lying limbs on your stem (assuming you have any). You did it! Give your plant some nice warm water and continue to care for it in its new home!

Let’s look at a few of the most commonly planted vegetable seeds in the winter months.

• Tomatoes and Peppers

  • These will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size, so plan your planting time appropriately!

• Onions

  • You will want to plant these in mid-late February (in New England, late January anywhere else) and allow them to grow to 5-6 inches. Once they reach this height, cut the stalks back to 3 inches. Repeat this until you transplant the plant. All of this Gives the onion a sturdy root system and helps with overall health.

• Herbs

  • Herbs are a big hit in the winter thyme (get it? no, just me? ok). Herbs are very straight forward and can be planted at almost any time in January and transplanted when the temperature warms up. Some of the most common ones are Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Chives, Parsley.

• Rhubarb

  • Rhubarb takes a little bit more than just planting. Once potted, place a larger pot on top to block out all the light. Leave it in a warm area to let it grow. The hotter the area, the better! You can spread manure or straw on top to help encourage growth.

Wrap Up

If you’ve never planted indoors before, don’t be intimidated. Remembering to water your plants and leaving them in a warm, sunlit area will be more than enough for most plants. This easy-to-do growing is perfect for any gardener looking to get something done this winter. At Koopmans, we have the plants, and the knowledge to get your garden moving this winter. Stop by one of our many locations and ask one of our highly trained staff about what will be best for your garden this winter!