Gardening: Use winter to prep seeds, tools and more for the next gardening season

Winter has finally arrived. No more sneaking out into the garden to do one more project because the ground is still thawed. The problem is that with all our garden projects buried, what’s a gardener to do for the next few weeks?

In my world the first project on the list is to read in detail all the seed catalogs that are filling the mailbox. With a pack of sticky tabs, I’ll read all the enticing descriptions and flag those I would like to try. The problem that then arises is that my gardens aren’t big enough to hold all the types of vegetables that sound interesting. And then there is the budget.

Once all the catalogs have been perused, it’s time to set up my seed starting station. Mine is a baker’s rack with three LED shop lights hung on each level set up in our furnace room where the furnace heat helps with germination. I start seeds in 4-inch plastic pots filled with fine-grained potting soil set in plastic trays. This way I don’t have to pot up the seedlings as they grow. I cover the flat with plastic wrap until the seeds germinate. Watering is my biggest challenge but a hose from a nearby sink makes it easy.

January is a good time to go through your tools and get them ready for spring. Brush dirt off and use some rubbing alcohol to remove pitch and gunk. Sharpen the blades of shovels, hoes and other digging tools with a file. A sharp tool makes any job easier and faster. Sharpen loppers and hand pruners for the same reason. Smooth wooden handles with sandpaper to prevent splinters from catching your hand. Wipe all your tools down with a light oil to prevent rust. Lastly, organize them so you can find them in the spring.

If your mower needs service, take it in now while there’s no grass to mow. Shops are busy and it might take several weeks to do any repairs. In my book, giving the shop the time to do the repairs correctly is more important than time.

If you keep mason bees, now is the time to clean up your boxes of straws. Until recently, just removing old straws and replacing them with new ones was all that was needed. Now experts are suggesting that the straws be emptied because of increasing disease and invasive insect predation. The straws can be unpeeled or carefully sliced with a razor and the cocoons gently washed in a water bath of two teaspoons of bleach to a gallon of water for no longer than a couple of minutes. Remove the floating junk and dry the cocoons completely. In mid-March, the cocoons can be placed in a protected spot to hatch. Restock your tubes with fresh straws and you are ready.

Lastly, be careful about watering houseplants. They are dormant and can easily be overwatered. Stick your index finger into the soil and if it comes out dry, water.