Six Things to Do for Your Garden on a Sunny Winter Day

It has been pouring for weeks in the Northwest, with little to do but hide inside. But suddenly last week, the clouds dissipated and we’ve had a solid week of chilly but sunny days. When we get these breaks, I drop everything to be outside in the garden. Here’s everything you should do on sunny winter days.

Clean up driveways and sidewalks

Rain, snow, and wind can ruin all the nice lines of your yard. The mulch and dirt you swept into beds a few months ago now might be all over the place, so the first thing I do is start tidying up. Sweep the sidewalks now that they’re dry—this will reduce your chance of slipping on wet leaves. You might also throw down some loose sand to help with traction, once you’re done sweeping. 

Rake leaves back into the beds; all leaves need is a day or two of sun to dry out entirely. This will make raking (or blowing) your leaves easy work. In the same vein, ensure the mulch is pulled away from the base of your trees and shrubs. While mulch is fantastic for your beds, when it’s wet, it is also an easy way to spread viruses and fungus to your plants, so simply pull it away from the trunks. 

Work the soil

Now is a great time to put plants into the ground, if the ground is workable. So long as it isn’t frozen, you’ll find the ground is pliable and easy to dig into. Thinking about fruit trees? Roses? Your nursery will be happy to indulge you. Remember you want a hole three times the depth and width of the plastic pot the plant comes in, so get digging. 

If you’re not feeling as ambitious, this is the best time of year, believe it or not, to weed. The weeds are at a minimum right now, but what you see above ground will yield to tons more weed progeny come spring. Nipping the weeds you see now in the bud will mean a lot less work come spring. Also, you’ll find it easy to get the weeds out, given the softness of the ground from rain and snow. While it sounds miserable, sitting on the ground working your way around the beds weeding is a meditational afternoon that keeps you outside. 

Turn your compost

I have a terrible habit of ignoring my compost piles in winter, but it's important you turn the compost over so the pile has fully baked by spring. Get your spade or hayfork in there and stir it up, paying attention to what you see and smell. If the pile is well-balanced with carbon and nitrogen (some people call this brown and green), the pile won’t smell and should be breaking down. It’s quite rare people don’t have enough nitrogen—the problem is usually not enough carbon. So if your compost isn’t, well, composting, add in dry leaves, cardboard, newspaper, or something else that qualifies as “brown.” 

Plant carrots

Those bright orange veggies are a pain to germinate—they require darkness and constant moisture. That's why winter is a fantastic time to get them in the ground. Let Mother Nature do the work for you, with the rain and snow that's sure to come back at any moment. Another benefit: Carrot seeds that have overwintered tend to yield sweeter carrots. You won’t see these guys until spring, but it will be a sweet surprise come April.  Spread the seeds out on the top of soil that tends towards sandy rather than clay, and then ever-so-lightly cover them with soil. Some people cover the seeds with burlap or cardboard to preserve moisture, but this time of year, I find it’s unnecessary. Once it starts precipitating again, it’s unlikely to stop while the seeds are germinating. 

Clean your bird stations

Few things delight me as much as watching the Anna's hummingbirds in my yard fight for supremacy over my feeders, particularly as the temperatures drop. But I’m not as good about cleaning my feeders in winter as I am in summer. With the sun out, it’s time to take the feeders down and give them an actual scrub with bleach. With bird flu in all 50 states, it’s more important than ever to protect our birds as well as our pets. If you’re not sure if you can keep up the cleaning regimen needed, you might decide to take your feeders down altogether. 

Visit your garden center

In spring, you'll have to wait in line to ask questions about your garden or specific plants, and will likely be asking seasonal help. In winter, only the year-round staff is present, and they are treasure troves of information. They're also probably a little bored, and the center probably has some hot sales. Take an hour or two and wander the center, ask questions about that garden project you've been putting off, and get great deals on plants.