Winter Wakeups
Three shrubs to beat the doldrums
by Leslie Hunter
Right now we are in the thick of it. Cold, dark and dreary days of winter are surrounding us with a blanket of plain white, brown, and gray. Depressing to a gardener that longs for shimmers of green and color, any color will do.
Typically we go to the catalogs, books, and internet to find treasures for the coming spring, but there are gems to be found in the winter garden if you plan for it. There are many shrubs, deciduous and evergreen, that fill corners of gardens throughout the year bringing yearlong interest. Here are three shrubs that keep working even when the world goes blah.
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Do It Yourself Cold Frames
by Kristi Cook
Winter gardening is the busy gardener’s dream come true – bountiful harvests with little to no weeding, watering, or other tiresome work. However, you do need to provide a bit of protection for winter veggies. DIY cold frames can be both inexpensive and highly functional, and constructed using materials you may already have on hand.
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Resolutions for a Better Harvest
by Jan Riggenbach
I don't wait for January to make resolutions for the New Year. While the memory of the successes and failures of the recent season is still fresh in my mind, I like to make a list of resolutions as soon as I’ve put my garden to bed for the winter.
Here are just a few of those resolutions I’ve made over the years that have resulted in more fun, less work and a better harvest.
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Warming Herbs for Winter
by Jim Long
Ever wonder why some herbs are popular in summer while others gain prominence in fall and winter? There are some very good reasons why we use mint, parsley, lavender and lemongrass in summer, and why sage, rosemary, thyme, hyssop and others are considered winter herbs.
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Winter Planning for the Spring Garden
by Ruth Mason McElvain
Whether you are a veteran victory gardener or an eager beginner with a few pots, experts agree that a little advance scheming makes for a better garden, saving time, money and wear and tear on your own momentum. February, with its frigid air, freezing rain and slumbering garden, is a perfect time for planning.
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Versatile Winter Squash: Stuffed or Gratin
by Kate Jerome
A cold winter evening is just the right kind of weather to fire up the oven and bake the fruits of fall and winter, savory winter squash (and that includes pumpkins). The aroma that drifts through the house will make even the pickiest eater hungry. Best of all, because they store so well, you can usually purchase all types through the winter months.
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11 Plants that Love the Cold
by Ben Futa
As the Director of the Allen Centennial Garden, a public garden on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I’m always on the lookout for plants that extend the season of interest for our visitors. Plants that are hardy, easy to grow and dependable rank high on this list of some of our favorites.
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Plant for a Year Full of Beauty
by Anne Larson
Upper Midwest gardeners know the preciousness of growing things. They typically have five to seven months to cram in as much green and growing things as they can. A well-planned landscape can ensure that beyond the prime growing season, landscapes are filled with beautiful flowers, leaves, bark and structure ...
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