As I write this, snow is falling outside my suburban New York window, and I feel like I just and patio umbrella for the season. And yet, with the winter solstice in the rearview mirror, it鈥檚 already time to start preparing for spring.
Testing Seeds
This morning, I sorted dozens of seed packets by their expiration dates. Seeds are typically considered 鈥渇resh鈥� within a year of packaging, but can be perfectly fine for longer. We just can鈥檛 be sure without testing them for viability.
So, I鈥檒l fold a few into a wet paper towel and place it in a plastic bag. In about 10 days, I鈥檒l compute the percentage that sprouted to get an idea of how much excess I should sow to attain the number of desired plants. If less than 50% of them sprout, I鈥檒l likely ditch the pack and start new seeds.
If I don鈥檛 do this now, the nurseries currently may run out of my favorite seeds before I realize I need them, and my procrastination will haunt me all summer.
Being prepared for early planting
I brought my grow lights up from the basement and will plug them in to ensure they鈥檙e still glowing. If necessary, I鈥檒l pick up or order replacement bulbs so as not to delay that鈥檚 on track to catch me by surprise when I鈥檓 in my pajamas on a random morning six to eight weeks from now. I鈥檒l grab a bag of sterile seed-starting potting mix while I鈥檓 at it.
Caring for equipment
I also need to sharpen my pruning shears, which weren鈥檛 as sharp as I would have liked last year.
And lawnmowers should undergo annual maintenance. Bringing yours in for service now will keep you from getting caught in a spring backlog that may keep you waiting until your grass resembles shag carpeting.
The unpredictable fall weather took my poor plants and me by surprise this year, seemingly holding onto summer鈥檚 heat until a millisecond before overnight temperatures dropped below freezing. There simply wasn鈥檛 time to properly clean hand tools, which were needed far longer than usual, before stashing them in a quick and chaotic rush.
Now, I can clean off dirt and rust, then, at my leisure, lightly coat my beloved trowel in oil to prevent corrosion.
And because of winter鈥檚 late and sudden arrival, I didn鈥檛 get to turn off my outdoor water supply. I realized this last week when I turned on the hose to rinse away a 鈥済ift鈥� left on my walkway by my Havanese, Miguel, and instead was soaked by an erratic spray launched directly from the bib, or outdoor faucet. Yes, it was cold.
If, like me, you were caught off-guard and then distracted with holiday preparations, inspect for damage now so that your spring plants don鈥檛 go thirsty while you scramble to troubleshoot.
Sure, you could procrastinate until spring, but ticking off garden-related chores over winter bestows a favor on your future self. And who knows? He or she may pay you back next fall.
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Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt 51黑料letter. You can sign up for weekly gardening tips and advice.
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Jessica Damiano, The Associated Press
