• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cottage at the Crossroads

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Gardening
  • Recipes
  • Canning
  • DIY
  • Holidays
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Gardening
    • Recipes
    • Canning
    • DIY
    • Holidays
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Garden

    Winter in the Garden

    By: Leo · Updated: 1 Feb, '15 · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    For a gardener, it's all about what can be done during the dead of winter. All the leaves have fallen from the trees here at the Crossroads and it's winter in the garden.

    Our garden in the winter | cottage at the crossroads
    Our garden in the winter | cottage at the crossroads

    As soon as they fell, I got them up and spread them in the garden. They make an excellent mulch and help to revitalize the soil. I've come to appreciate the value of organic material like the leaves . They are full of trace minerals that the trees draw up from deep in the soil.  They serve as great food for earthworms and beneficial microbes. The leaves are also good for holding moisture in our sandy loam soil. In just a few weeks, I'll break out my tiller and mix these leaves into the soil. After all, it's about preparing for spring planting that will be here before we know it. For us here in the South, a few things like potatoes, onions, and spring peas can be planted in February. 

    Our garden in the winter | cottage at the crossroads

    In December, I pulled up the remaining plants from our fall garden. In February I will mix in more garden soil and compost in these raised beds. Jane and I are already planning what vegetables to plant and where to plant them. In the dead of winter, we spend a lot of cold, wet days in the bookstore perusing gardening books and magazines . Every time we do this, we pick up new ideas and fresh tips. After all, a garden is an ongoing learning process.  What worked last year, and what didn't work well last year??? It's a new challenge each season.

    Raised beds | cottage at the crossroads

    On these gloomy, cold days it's nice to remember what things looked like last spring 

    Vegetable garden | cottage at the crossroads

    and the mild, warm weather.

    Our garden in the winter | cottage at the crossroads

    And here's what it looks like in the dead of winter.

    The garden in winter | cottage at the crossroads

    I've been adding organic materials to our compost bin for months. 

    Our garden in the winter | cottage at the crossroads

    I think of it like cooking a big pot of fertilizer. Pretty soon I'll put on my boots and be right in the middle of this lovely pile.  Yeah, you've got to get down and dirty to be a real gardener!

    Our garden in the winter | cottage at the crossroads

    It's the dead of winter in the garden here at the Crossroads, but we all know that everything will be green and blooming before we know it.  Ain't the cycle of nature a wonderful thing?

    More Garden

    • Support for tomatoes
      Tomato Support Ideas for a Bumper Harvest
    • Best way to remove weeds from large area
      Best Ways To Remove Weeds From a Large Area
    • Potting mix vs. Potting soil
      Potting Mix vs. Potting Soil
    • 20 plants that repel flies
      20+ Plants That Repel Flies

    Sharing is caring!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. liz

      January 08, 2015 at 4:35 pm

      I needed this post - it's cold, but sunny. This is a good reminder to get out and prep for the spring. I missed out on my garden last year - bought some items to improve the raised beds and get the watering system in, but never got around to it. Now is the time, whenever the weather is agreeable. I already have about 4 catalogs to entice me to get planning for 2015!

      Reply
    2. Martie Brown

      January 06, 2015 at 9:51 pm

      Love your garden. The roses on the fence are beautiful. What is the name and type? Am also
      trying to figure out your watering system on your raised beds. So neat.

      Reply
      • [email protected]

        January 07, 2015 at 9:56 am

        Thank you Marty. The roses are single flower red knockout roses that we planted about five years ago. We trim them back and fertilize them each year. Click the link below to read about our watering system. It's nice to have a watering system near your raised beds since they dry out quickly. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    3. [email protected]

      January 06, 2015 at 5:02 pm

      You did the right thing Patty. The leaves will help the garden. May I suggest that you test your soil. After the results of your test, they will offer recommendations to amend your soil. Good luck on your second year.

      Reply
    4. Marlene Stephenson

      January 06, 2015 at 3:45 pm

      I don't have much space but i would like a new bed to plant more in and i need to get it done,so thanks Leo for reminding me.

      Reply
      • [email protected]

        January 06, 2015 at 5:05 pm

        Thank you for stopping by Marlene. Happy gardening.

        Reply
    5. Patty

      January 06, 2015 at 2:30 pm

      I had a garden for the first time this year. I already told my husband I want a bigger one next year. I had no clue what I was doing but I also raked the leaves into the raised bed. After reading your blog today, I realized I did the right thing. Thank you for the info.

      Reply
    6. Jayne

      January 06, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      My husband and I use to do a garden. We haven't had one in a few years. I miss the fresh green beans! I really want to do one this year and am hoping to talk my husband into a small raised bed garden instead of the big one he used a tractor to plow up. We're not as young or as ambitious as we used to be. I think a small garden would be just perfect!

      Reply
      • [email protected]

        January 06, 2015 at 4:54 pm

        The raised beds really cut down on the hours spent in the garden. I'm thinking about adding a few more. If you want to build your own, here's a post that might help. Thanks for the comment.

        Reply
    7. AnnMarie

      January 06, 2015 at 1:28 pm

      Our gardens in the northeast are soon to be covered in snow again! I leave all my leaves that fall through the winter and rake in the spring. I think my gardens like that!

      Reply
      • [email protected]

        January 06, 2015 at 4:52 pm

        Hi Ann Marie,
        Your garden will definitely benefit from the leaves under the snow. Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
    8. Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage

      January 06, 2015 at 11:38 am

      Hi Leo,
      I hate looking at the brown where color once was too. I know your gardens will look so pretty this spring and summer. We have 6 inches of snow covering my garden areas right now. Ohhhhhh to think of spring and summer ahhhhhh! Have a great week.
      Kris

      Reply
      • Leo Windham

        January 06, 2015 at 1:25 pm

        Oh noooooo on snow. That's exactly why I live in South Carolina besides that fact that this is where I was raised. I love it. Here's to a quick thaw for you and happy planting when you can, Thanks for the comment.

        Reply
    9. anewkirk

      January 06, 2015 at 11:07 am

      I noticed your watering system in your raised beds. How do they work?

      Reply
      • Leo Windham

        January 06, 2015 at 1:23 pm

        The watering system works great and I highly recommend the effort and expense to install some sort of watering system since the beds tend to dry out quickly. Thanks for the comment.

        Reply
    10. Barbara (WA)

      January 06, 2015 at 10:43 am

      I, too, use the fallen leaves as mulch but this year, right at the peak of Autumn, I fell & broke my wrist. It will be an interesting Spring since my gardens will have to recover from neglect. I am browsing seed catalogues & hope to start some in February!

      Reply
      • Leo Windham

        January 06, 2015 at 1:22 pm

        Hi Barbara,
        I'm sorry to hear that you broke your wrist and I hope it's better. It won't take much to catch up when you start planting. Good luck and thanks for stopping by The Cottage at the Crossroads.

        Reply
    11. Dawn

      January 06, 2015 at 9:53 am

      Leo, I'm not fond of the dead brown look either but it does give you a chance to rest and plan for spring. My garden is covered in snow, and my first seed book arrived in the mail last week.

      Reply
      • Leo Windham

        January 06, 2015 at 1:20 pm

        Hi Dawn,
        We've gotten a few seed catalogs as well. We're going to try some different stuff this year and we'll let you know what and how it turns out. Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
    12. [email protected] Designs

      January 06, 2015 at 9:01 am

      Your beautiful garden is resting ... it needs all the rest it can get to come back strong in its most beautiful state...to gain the energy the flowers and plants need to bring you beauty...Love your garden and look forward to seeing it in the Spring.

      Reply
      • Leo Windham

        January 06, 2015 at 9:38 am

        Hi Shirley,
        You're right but the gardener doesn't get much rest. We've got to get ready for planting.
        Good to hear from you and I hope all is well with you. Thanks for the comment.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads

    We're Jane and Leo!

    Thanks for stopping by! We're renovating and preserving our family's 100 year old home place where we garden, complete a few DIY projects, and do some cooking. Please leave us a comment so that we'll know that you were here.

    about →

    Reader Favorites

    • Setting up a gardening journal
      How to Set Up a Garden Journal
    • Wooden garden obelisks
      DIY Wooden Garden Obelisk
    • Sweet cucumber relish featured
      Sweet Cucumber Relish
    • Cucumbers in raised beds
      Growing Cucumbers in Raised Beds

    Gardening How-tos

    • How to dry and store fresh garden herbs
      How To Dry Herbs
    • 1
      Instant Pot Canning Basics
    • Growing tomatoes from seed to garden
      Growing Tomatoes From Seed To Garden
    • Best cucumber companion plants
      Best Cucumber Companion Plants Reviewed

    Growing Vegetables

    • Fall decor 063
      Our Fall Vegetable Garden
    • Garden and yard may 2013 132
      Evolution of a Garden
    • Celebrity tomatoes in cages
      How to Grow Your Own Tomatoes
    • Growing lettuce in containers 030
      Growing Lettuce in Containers

    Footer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    © 2021 Cottage at the Crossroads · All Rights Reserved

    Contact Us · Privacy

    10 shares