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.  

​There are many systems for indoors that claim to do a great job delivering moisture for houseplants.  But as gardeners we know that each plant has its own finicky needs and the challenge even for hand watering is how to provide just the right amount.  Several winters ago, I tested a few systems prior to going on a two-week trip.  While my neighbor has proven to be even more reliable than myself, it was time to find an alternative way to take care of the plants.  

Each day brings another stack of gardening catalogs prodding me to think about the next season even when the thermometer registers below zero.  I like to spread out in a sunny spot and putter for an afternoon with my seed tub, catalogs and wish lists.  It is a wonderful time to take advantage of the down time and to avoid cabin fever.
 

• I start with my new garden calendar and transfer notes from last year.  I’ve adopted the task lists from a calendar that was developed by the Madison Area Master Gardeners (no longer published).  Here’s a copy for you to adopt for your own.   You may also want to check out Melinda Myers’ Month-by-Month Gardening in Wisconsin, Cool Springs Press.
  
  
• It’s also time to clean out last year’s catalogs before throwing the new ones on top.  I also clean up last year’s tags and seed packages that have accumulated in my seed tub.
  
  
• Check seeds from last year (or before) for viability by placing a few seeds between moist paper towels for several days.  With good germination rates, they can be used for the coming season. 
  
  
• Check stored tubers and corms and remove any that are rotting.  I’ve had elephant ears start to sprout in January.  When that happens, they can be moved out of storage and treated as a houseplant.  Water sparingly and do not add fertilize for several months.
  
  
• Winter is a good time to prune dormant trees and shrubs and remove any branches that have been damaged by winter storms when the damage occurs.
  
  

I enjoy wandering through the catalogs circling anything that interests me.  This is the time to dream; I can get practical next month.