​Late summer is the ideal time to plan for your early spring forcing.  Most of us are familiar with forcing springs bulbs such as paper whites, tulips, and daffodils.  But what about forcing rhubarb, foam flower, and forsythia?   Enjoy the joys of gardening before the snow melts next March…or April…or May!

​ Spring Bulbs    Most spring bulbs need a 12-15 week chilling period.  Try dwarf species or hybrids for the best results.  I plant mine in potting soil in nursery pots and put them in the vegetable crisper and covered with plastic to keep in the moisture.  Be sure to label with the date and species.  Paper whites are the exception needing no chilling period.  I keep those bulbs in the fridge unpotted.   When you are ready for some blooms, bring them out.  You can repot in an attractive container and water.  Don’t water again until growth begins.  I water with 7 parts water and 1 part alcohol (I use an old bottle of vodka) to keep them from flopping. 
 Rhubarb   You can freeze stems for use during the fall and winter.  But if you forgot and need to divide your rhubarb now is an excellent time to not only divide but get rhubarb next spring weeks before it is ready in the garden.    According to Rhubarb-Central.Com ( http://www.rhubarb-central.com/forcing-rhubarb.html)   “the cultivation methods for forcing rhubarb was developed as early as the 1800's. Commercial growers of rhubarb use special forcing sheds, or hot houses, but the home gardener can successfully force rhubarb in a home cellar, a garage, or another outbuilding.  Forcing rhubarb can also be done outdoors, in the garden.”  The process is a bit involved and I recommend that you do some research before proceeding. 

​Perennials   According to Tovah Martin in The Unexpected Houseplant,  “Foam flowers (Tiarella cordifolia)   are disarmingly easy to grow indoors.  They often blossom a month or more before their leaves begin to emerge outside and they stay in bloom for a long duration of fulfillment.”  Now is the time to dig up and pot some to bring indoors.  They like indirect light and just enough moisture so they don’t dry out.    Other perennials that make good winter houseplants are Coral Bells (Heuchera) and Sea thrift (Armeria maritime).   If you plan to travel south this winter, plan to stop at a nursery on your way home and pick up a perennial that you can enjoy in the house early and then plant in the garden later.  Try Bleeding heart (Dicentra Spectablis), and Lenten Rose (Helleborus) for a good-looking plant that blooms and makes a fine temporary houseplant.  
Trees and Shrubs    We are familiar with gathering pussy willows in the spring and watch them bloom.  You can do the same with a number of spring blooming shrubs and trees.  Many ornamental trees and shrubs set their flower buds during the previous growing season and need a period of dormancy of about six weeks.  The buds usually open about 2-3 weeks after being exposed to warmth and moisture.  If you are pruning in later winter, pick a day when the temperature is above freezing to help the branch make the transition to indoor temperatures.   If you force a branch without success, try again a few weeks later.  Forsythias, Witch hazels, cherries, lilacs, Rhododendron, Serviceberries, Birches, Red Maple, and Willows can all be forced.    

Gardeners are getting their seed starting supplies put together and in early to mid-April will begin the process.  I don't have the room or patience to start seeds indoors so I have embraced an outdoor seed starting method.  
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​I originally became aware of this method reading about the Winter Sown method.  But even that proved to be too much for me since I can never get around to putting my containers together until right about now, early March.  Since those seeds sit around doing nothing until the temperature is about right - no need to rush into this method.  
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How does it work?  

• Use plastic containers with enough room for 3-4” of potting mix and room above for plant growth
• Need a removable lid for when it gets warm in mid to late spring
• Needs drain holes on bottom and slits for air/water on top
• Label containers with seed type (use permanent marker so it doesn’t fade)
• Seeds that are cool weather or perennials do well
• Can set outside in winter/early spring and the seeds will germinate when appropriate
• Need to pull top on warm days and water when needed
• After several leaves (true leaves) have emerged and growth is robust – transplant into the garden

Websites to learn how:
http://wintersown.org/
http://getbusygardening.com/winter-sowing-seeds/
http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/11/winter-sowing-101-6/

There is still time to order, receive and plant bulbs for next spring.  I doubt that how your garden looks next April or May is on your mind as the leaves begin to change color and start dropping.  However, if you take a few moments now there will be a reward next year.  

Late winter and early spring are the time to check out catalogs, place seed orders and start seeds.  Learn more about several seed starting techniques from Sue Reinardy, UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in an upcoming webinar.  Sue has volunteered her time to create and deliver this webinar that will feature:  deciphering catalog and seed package jargon, proper planting conditions and several techniques including the winter sown planted method that you can start now.  

This webinar can be attended from any home computer or device with an internet connection, microphone and camera.  Instructions to access the course will be provided a few days before the start of the class.   Registration is required through WITC at courses.witc.edu   Enter "Early Seed Starting" in the search box.   The registration fee is $13.50, and for those 62+ it is $9.00 . ​

​“Garden-making is creative work, just as much as painting or writing a poem.”  ~Hanna Rion

I don’t think much about creativity when I garden.  For me it is more about the desired results; fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers for a vase, or a landscape that is pleasing to the senses.  Yet it seems “creative” and “gardening” are put together frequently.  A google search with these two terms yields 164 million results!
 I’ve started to view creativity as more central to my gardening just as I would when decorating the interior of my home.  When I look at those Google results they fall into these categories.  

Some of these photos are from today, some from other years but all reflect my garden in the winter.  I leave my perennials standing because you just never know what nature will provide in the way of a beautiful image. 
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With the new year I am thinking about what my garden can be in the coming season.  Here are my aspirations for 2019: 

• Maintenance free - oh if only!
• Flowers for bouquets from early spring to last freeze (and beyond).  
• Tomatoes that are blight-free. 
• Plentiful tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans in season. 
• Fresh garlic in mid-summer, enough to last the year and seeds for the next. 
• No more trees needing to be removed - our tree maintenance budget in the last few years has been expensive. 
• Success with trying some new plants - what can it be??
• Planting shore-land plants that are good for the lake and that also allow us to enjoy the view. 
• Replacing a few higher maintenance perennials with low-maintenance shrubs.
• Allowing volunteer plants to show me some new combinations that are pleasing to the eye. 
• Less work and more play!

When the snow flies this gardener gets reading.  I can hardly wait to get started on this stack.  I've already sneaked a peak into these and am hoping for some quiet days this winter to really dig into these tomes. Here is what I have on my book stack, in no particular order. 

• The Garden in Every Sense and Season by Tovah Martin (c) 2018 - When I saw that Ms. Martin had a new book, I just had to have it.  Already on my bookshelf was her book on houseplants, The Unexpected Houseplant, that is my go-to book on that subject.  She writes as if we are friends and I always learn something new.  As the title suggests, this book is organized by season and explores our senses within each of them.  
• Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler (c) 2018 - Subtitled "Companion Planting for Beauty and Bounty", this one caught my attention because next year I am substituting flowers for a vegetable bed that we don't use.  I've already picked up a good tip on getting bushier annual flower plants; most of us cut annuals too high on the stem.  The author recommends cutting as low as possible and provides a picture to guide the reader. 
• The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone (c) 2018 - I've already read this one, a biography of David Fairchild who was a globe-trotting botanist at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.  Some finds attributed to him are "Kale from Croatia, mangoes from India, and hops from Bavaria.  Peaches from China, avocados from Chile, and pomegranates from Malta. "  It was interesting to read about where some of our common foods originated and how they made their way to our grocery stores. 
• The Northern Gardener by Mary Lahr Schier (c) 2017 - There are 26 chapters from A for Apples to Z for, of course, Zinnias.  The author provides tips for northern gardeners and history from the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.  There is a potluck of lore, facts, and advice that I'll be able to put to use in the next garden season. 
• The Naturescaping Workbook by Beth O'Donnell Young (c) 2011 - My most popular classes are those involving native plants.  This workbook is full of information on creating a landscape plan, choosing appropriate plants, attracting wildlife, and being a good steward of the land.  I've tried to learn more about landscape design without much success but thumbing through this book I'm hopeful to learn a few techniques that I can pass onto others. 
• Grow Native by Lynn M. Steiner (c) 2016 - Ms. Steiner is also the author of Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin (c) 2007 which is already on my bookshelf.  Her new book advertises that it will give me everything I "need to know to design and cultivate a naturally beautiful yard."  A quick scan of the book shows me that the author has provided "Native Know-How" lists for all imaginable situations.  A few samples:  Native plants as Focal Points,  Perennials to Cut Back in Spring, Attracting Hummingbirds, Drought-Tolerant Species, Rain Gardens, and many more.  I anticipate this will be as well-used as the older book by this knowledgeable author.  

So dear reader, do you have a book to recommend for this winter?  Given that the snow is already flying I have a feeling I'll need more to add to the stack.  Please share. 

​The days are longer and the sun is warmer.  There’s a lot of melting in the north.  The average last spring frost date is May 24-30 in zone 3.   You can check out your location on this chart from the National Climatic Data Center.  The chart gives percentages for dates so you know your chances of beating a freeze.  It is also useful in calculating seed starting dates.  Most seeds require starting 6-8 weeks before the average last spring frost date.  For the Hayward, Wisconsin area this means starting seeds March 30 to April 13.   

​This month is short and the list of things to do for gardeners is as well.  It’s time to get ready for seed starting and to continue to dream about the coming season.