The Winter Solstice has passed and with it the longest night of the year. Even though the coldest weather of the winter is yet to come for us in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are already lengthening. It's time to think about Spring!!

The Herb Cottage one spring with Shirley Poppies and Texas Bluebonnets, our State Flower.

Spring brings thoughts of new growth, little green shoots peeking out from melting snow or winter mulch and that first tomato plant in the ground. But, as we know, gardens, whether in the ground or containers, don't happen overnight. Preparation is needed.

No matter where you live, there are many things you can be doing now, during the Winter. If you live in Gardening Zone 8 or above, you can plant winter hardy vegetables, flowers and herbs now for continuous harvest during the winter months. If you live in colder areas, you can start planning for the time to plant in your area.

Here is a timetable for Spring Planting and Winter Growing in the Gulf Coast areas of the U.S. : http://theherbcottage.com/the_plants.html

This is dream time for all of us, with gardening and seed catalogs and colorful websites when all is possible, since your garden is all in your head! Just be careful not to be taken in by those perfect pictures.... check the zones for any plant you are interested in growing and make sure it'll do well in your area. Especially if you're looking at shrubs and trees, you need to make sure the specimen will tolerate your weather. Often, more research is needed to assure your investment will be a good one.

Don't know your gardening zone? Here's a page where you can find your gardening zone and the average date of your last frost: http://theherbcottage.com/the_plants.html

If you'd like to grow your own seedlings, whether they be herbs, vegetables or flowers, you need lead time. Generally, you should give yourself 8 weeks, at least, to get good, sturdy seedlings from seed sowing. Perennial varieties of herbs and flowers can take up to 12 weeks to be strong enough to plant outdoors. Examples of perennial herbs that can take the extra time are oregano, catnip and even, parsley- which, as we know, is actually a biennial. Annuals and most vegetables can be ready in 8 weeks with good seedling care.

The idea is to count back 8 weeks (or however many weeks you're seedlings need to be ready) from the date of your average last frost. Remember, these dates are just a guide, an average... any given year the date can be sooner or later. Check your local weather for more accurate information. And... keep blankets, sheets or other cloth handy to cover tender seedlings in the event of a frost.


Cauliflour Seedlings- about 6 weeks old.

Seeds need warmth to germinate well. If you're growing in the house, which is a good place to start seeds so you can watch them carefully, the temperature there should be enough to get seeds up and growing. Then, the little plants need light. Light coming through a window is often not enough, and will cause the plants to stretch and lean. Seedlings that stretch for light often never recover to grow well.

To get good light for your seedlings, a fluorescent fixture is excellent. Since the light itself isn't hot, you can hang the light close to the tops of the little plants and raise the light as the seedlings grow. About 2 inches (5 cm) above the plants is a good distance to keep the light source.

It's also important to not let the seed tray or the seedlings dry out... or stay too wet! The soil medium makes a big difference in keeping the moisture level right. Use a good, light potting mix or a mix prepared for seed starting. Before the seeds germinate, keep the soil lightly moist but never soggy. Then as the seedlings grow, make sure the soil medium never dries out completely or you'll lose the seedlings.

If you see me at a Market or come to The Herb Cottage, you can purchase a bag of the seedling mix I use for seed starting and growing out. This will shortly be available on-line, too: http://theherbcottage.com/soil.html

Keeping the soil too wet can cause problems, as well. If you've ever tried to start plants from seed and had them up and growing and then they just keel over at the soil level, that's called 'damping off', caused by a fungus. To keep this from happening, keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. This is where a well-draining, sterile- new, not used- soil mix is essential. Clean, new or disinfected containers will help assure you a pathogen free environment. You can also put a fan near your plants to gently move the air around them. This can be a big help, too.

When the little plants have about 2 or 3 sets of true leaves, it'll be time to pot them into bigger pots so the root systems can develop. You can use pots you've saved from purchased plants, just wash them out and soak them briefly in a bleach solution to kill any pathogens that might be lingering in the pot. A bleach solution of 4 ounces of bleach to a gallon of water is fine. Then, just let the pots dry, fill with your seedling mix or another well-draining potting mix and pot up.

If you live where the days are a little warm, you can put the seedlings outdoors in the sun during the warmest part of the day. Remember to bring them in at night, however, if the temperature is forecast to drop below about 40 deg. F. (4.4 deg. C)

SOIL PREPARATION

Once your seedlings are up and growing, it's time to think about where you'll be planting. If you have a garden already, as soon as the soil can be worked in your area, amend the plot with compost and a good organic all-purpose fertilizer. If your soil has been treated this way for several seasons, that is probably all you'll need until you have crops in the ground. If you know your soil lacks certain nutrients on a regular basis, dig in whatever you might need at this time.

An all-purpose dry organic fertilizer should have all the minerals and trace elements your soil needs, and unless a problem shows up during the growing season, you generally don't have to apply each mineral separately.

Here is a short explanation of Soil Minerals: http://theherbcottage.com/Minerals_in_Soil.pdf

If your garden wasn't as successful as you'd hoped last year, a soil test might be in order. You can purchase soil test kits in stores or on-line. Or, ask your county agent about having your soil tested.

CONTAINER GROWING

Growing herb, flowers and vegetables in containers has become more and more popular as folks downsize into smaller living environments. Anything you can grow in the ground can be grown in a container, given the right combination of factors: container size, soil mix, nutrients, moisture and location.

Container Size

Give your plants enough room for good root development. We've all seen those lovely, really full containers with herbs and flowers, even vegetables, tumbling out of an elegant pot. You can plant like that, but realize those containers take frequent fertilizer application during the growing season as well as pruning and grooming to keep them looking fresh and attractive.

Soil Mix

Soil mix is very important when growing any plants in a container. You need nutritious soil that drains well, yet holds moisture and nutrients.

Nutrients

All plants need nutrients for good development and growth. Vegetables need a ready source of food so they can produce the crops in a timely manner. Flowers need different nutrients to put on a good show. Herbs need a regular, balanced food source throughout the season.

For more detailed discussion of growing in containers, including nutrient needs, here is more information.

Watering

Probably the question I'm asked the most from novice gardeners, is, "How often do I water?" It is really impossible to answer that question properly, especially for container growing. Whether you grow in the ground or containers, your plants and the soil will tell you when to water. Conditions change- temperature, rain and your soil mix all contribute to how fast the water in your containers or the ground is used up. In containers, you might use a soil moisture meter if you are not sure you can tell how dry the soil is just by looking or feeling the soil. In the ground, an inch of water a week is perfect, but since none of us live under perfect conditions, again, you have to look at the plants and soil to see if watering is required.

Location

Most edibles- vegetables and herbs- as well as flowers need sun, unless you're growing shade loving flowers or foliage plants. Especially in Spring, when the sun is not blistering hot, place your containers in full sun. If you have pots that will grow during the hottest part of the summer... especially is you live in the Southern U.S., afternoon shade will be much appreciated by your plants.

No matter how long and cold winter seems, Spring is always there beckoning us with fresh soil, green shoots of new plants, flowers and the promise of summer vegetables and fruit. Satisfy your gardening passion this Winter by making plans for Spring. Whether this is your first garden or the next in a long line of gardens, Winter is the time to plan and dream your Spring Garden.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.

-John Muir, naturalist, explorer, and writer (1838-1914)