13 Winter Activities for Gardeners

Let’s just say winter is not this gardener’s favorite season. Yes, I like that I can regroup after the holidays, take some time to relax, make plans and dream about my gardens. But, I’m definitely the most content when I can get outside and get my hands dirty. The last few weeks as I’ve put doing a little puttering and planning for this post, I came up with a good-sized list of projects and Winter Activities for Gardeners. Here are some great ideas and fun projects we can do to get us through winter.

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Plant an Indoor Herb Garden

Scratch that gardening itch with a fun indoor gardening project like this cute – Mason Jar Herb Garden. I need to get better about cooking with fresh herbs, but I did enjoy having the fresh herbs, if for no other reason than to smell them. I know, I’m weird, but I love smelling things, like dirt, spicy, fragrant herbs, essential oils, a baby’s head, candles, etc., etc. Okay, I got a little off track there, but it’s definitely a fun project to have a little herb garden growing right on your kitchen counter during the winter months. Keep these handy just in case you get gnats.

Get your green thumb fix by growing some fresh leafy greens indoors with a hydroponics growing system.

Work on Your Garden Journal or Garden Planner

Are you always dreaming up projects for your gardens or new gardens you want to create? I certainly do! I’m working harder to be diligent and get it all down in my Garden Planner. As most of our subscribers know, we have an awesome Gardening Resources Library here at Gingham Gardens filled with a bunch of great free gardening printables.

Take some time this winter to print those out and organize them in a binder and voila you’ll have your very own Garden Journal and Garden Planner. In case you need some help putting together your own Garden Journal, check out the post I did a few months ago – DIY Garden Journal. Winter is the best time to plan your flower beds and veggie gardens. Getting your plan down on paper for the upcoming growing season is the best way to get a head start on your gardens.

Make a DIY Project for Your Garden

Cold weather always makes me want to hibernate and winter is the perfect time to get crafty and make something for your garden. Like this Garden Trellis Ladder. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to DIY Garden Art. Check it out and see if you can come up with something fun to make.

This idea on Hometalk is adorable and is a great way to use up some of those clay pots we have. I want to give the author Tracey Lee from Mia Bella Passions Blog the credit for this idea and the direct link to her project, but I could not find the project on her website.

Here’s another DIY Garden Decor project, that I think would make a great winter activity for gardeners and a fun group activity. This DIY Garden Plant Tag project is by Diana from the Adirondack Girl @ Heart blog.

Here’s a cute and easy plant tags project I did for Hometalk. 

More good ideas for DIY craft projects for the garden:

• Make a birdhouse or DIY bird feeder – with just a few minutes of doing a Google search, I’ll bet you can come up with plenty of ideas to choose from.
• Winter is also a good time to make some garden signs.

Plant an Amaryllis Bulb

After Christmas is the perfect time to pick up Amaryllis bulbs on clearance. I have a few started and can’t wait to see those big beautiful blooms in about 6 weeks when I’m really over winter. See the post, How to Grow Amaryllis Bulbs For The Perfect Winter Flower. Paperwhite narcissus bulbs are also easy to find on clearance after the holidays and are easy to grow.

Make a Succulent Garden

Succulents are quite trendy now. They aren’t my thing, but if you like succulents, making a little succulent garden would be a great Winter project. My fellow garden blogger, Kristen at Shifting Roots, shares some great tips on growing succulents.

Start Some Seeds Indoors

Winters can be so long and late winter is the worst. Seed starting indoors is my favorite thing to do to get ready for spring in my gardens. My light station is set up and I’m getting ready to start some seeds in a few weeks. Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get your hands in some dirt in the dead of winter. Be sure to check out Seed Starting Indoors for directions and tips. I’ve said it before, but here I go again… It’s so gratifying to grow your own flowers or vegetables from seed.

Make Soy Candles

Okay, totally not gardening related, unless you grow soy. But, hey I’m a gardener and I did it and it was fun! Candle making is a fun activity and an easy project when you can’t get outside. I posted this article in December and it has been very popular. And, really you could add citronella oil and then you’ll have candles to keep the bugs away when your enjoying your favorite outdoor space this summer.

I take all the guess work out of making candles and show you how to make a clean burning soy candle that can be made in small batches, or large ones. We make a bunch and give many away as gifts.

Winter Sowing

Winter Sowing is hands-down one of my favorite winter gardening activities! Seriously, if you haven’t tried winter sowing, just try 3 or 4 milk jugs, or deli containers, or whatever you have laying around. It’s not complicated at all. It’s the most cost-effective and easiest way to fill in your perennial gardens with new plants. The best part – mother nature does the work!

Don’t want any more perennials? What’s wrong with you! No really, included in the post are some awesome reads about Winter Sowing Vegetables and Tender Annuals too. Go read the post, Winter Sowing – Yes You Can Garden In Winter, and give it a try.

Organize Your Seeds and Buy More

Are you a seed hoarder collector? I am! My problem is that I buy more seeds than I can ever plant, so I just keep saving them. After I created the Seed Inventory list that you can find in the Gardening Resources Library, I am getting better about not buying the same seeds over and over. This Seed Storage Box is awesome. When I first ordered it, I was leery whether it would hold all my seeds, but it’s fairly large and does hold my entire seed collection. 

A seed swap is a creative way to trade some of your seeds for something different. Do a little searching on Facebook for local garden groups and see if anyone is hosting a virtual seed swap there.

Visit a Local Nursery or Conservatory

Do this! It’s such an awesome dose of happiness in the dreariness of winter. My favorite local nursery, is calling my name very loudly these days and I have a gift card burning a hole in my pocket. It’s warm in the greenhouse and there are green and growing things.

We are lucky to live about 25 minutes from the nation’s #1 arboretum, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and their spring conservatory show starts soon. It’s on my “fun things to do” list and I think I’m going to suggest it to my husband as a date. Do some searching and see what’s available in your area. Even if you have to go to a big box store, like Home Depot, just go and stare at their seed display and houseplant display. It will do wonders to ward off those winter blues.

Read Gardening Books

I received this book, Vertical Vegetables, as a Christmas gift and I sat down and read it in a few hours. Its full of practical ideas for growing vegetables vertically. I especially recommend it if you only have space for a small garden.  

Last year I purchased and read Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden book. It’s full of easy to implement ideas and instructions for growing your own cut flower garden. I applied what I learned and grew my own Cut Flower Garden this past summer. For more of my favorite gardening reading, pop over and check out The Best Gardening Books.

More Things for Gardeners to Do in Winter

Plan a dead-of-winter garden party with some friends that love gardening as much as you do. If you have mild winter temps, plan it outdoors with bonfires keeping everyone warm. If you live in the frozen tundra like I do, have your party indoors and pick one of these activities, like the DIY garden tags to do with your friends. I’ve always thought it would be so much fun to do a winter sowing party.  

Another fun activity for gardeners in winter is to work on a gardening puzzle. There’s an Activity Book for Gardeners in the Gingham Gardens Etsy Shop that has some crossword puzzles, word search puzzles and some gardening trivia quizzes.  There are also a few coloring page packets for gardeners. 

Gingham Gardens is chock-full of awesome gardening articles. Pop over and see if there’s something that interests you.

Many of us tend to want to hibernate during the colder months, but I encourage you to venture outdoors for fresh air once in a while. Snap some pictures of beautiful winter scenery and enjoy the stillness of this time of year.

What do you do to pass the time in Winter? I know some of our lucky readers live in areas where they can garden all year long, but most of us in cold climates get a winter break from gardening that tends to last too long. I hope you’ve gained some ideas for Winter Activities for Gardeners. The good news is we can make some plans, pick a few of these Winter Gardening Projects and before you know it, Spring will be here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, I always appreciate your visits. Leave a comment and let me know what you’re doing to make it through Winter.

Happy gardening, or garden planning,
Joanna

p.s. For more great gardening ideas, follow Gingham Gardens on Pinterest.

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