OrganicBunny.com Living

Winter Gardening

Those of us who like to play in the dirt get a little sad when the leaves start to turn and the first frosts chase us back inside. Some would say that winter's a good time to take a rest from all the back-breaking chores of the warmer months, and they'd be right.

Like the plants and the soil itself, we do need to rest once in a while. Even so, winter doesn't mean that we need to cease from garden activities altogether. So, here are a few ideas for things to do this month, while the earth gets set for a long winter's nap:

First off, make sure you've done your fall cleanup. A well-tended garden now will make life easier, and yield better results, when spring comes. Trim back, mulch, and provide protection for tender plants that need it. If you live in a warmer climate, this month is your last chance to plant trees, shrubs, wildflowers, perennials, and bulbs before the first real frost. For more information specific to your area, find your local cooperative extension office by searching here (they're a great resource): www.csrees.usda.gov

Next, you can always bring the outdoors indoors! Be as grandiose or as modest as your heart desires, from a potted lemon tree to a few sprigs of parsley in a jar. I have an aloe plant in my kitchen which is great not only because it is extremely hardy (ie, I can't seem to kill it) and it adds a little natural color near the sink; it also provides a quick and soothing remedy for burns, when needed. Basil, chives, oregano and parsley are also good kitchen ideas because they'll liven up your winter cooking as well. Cooking not your thing? "Forced" bulbs (ie, bulbs that are grown in a pot and "forced" to bloom out of season) can provide pretty blooms with little effort. For more ideas on plants that grow well indoors and "how to" tips, try: www.organicgardening.com

You can also bring the outdoors indoors with fun seasonal decorations: even "weeds" like yarrow, chicory, pokeweed and Queen Anne's lace look festive when placed in a vase. Expand your creativity to berries, seeds and nuts, too - bittersweet, acorns, and pinecones are old fall standbys. As winter progresses, dried plants and flowers add interest. Rose hips, for example, can also look great on a table. Feeling a little more ambitious and crafty? Try your hand at a winter wreath. Evergreen wreaths are traditional, grapevine wreaths are a classic, and pinecone wreaths are kitschy. I've even seen wreaths crafted out of succulents, so use your imagination! For more home decorating ideas, check out: www.dominomag.com

Finally, we are at the start of gift-giving season, and the garden can be a wonderful source of inspiration for unique, personal presents. In addition to the dried bouquets and wreaths mentioned above, you can create delicious potpourri from flowers that have been cut and dried over the summer. Lavender and roses are two of my favorites. Put them in a decorative container and add a bit of essential oil to intensify the scent. Or you can make simple sachets using a strip of cloth and some thread or ribbon. Create a pretty pouch, slip the scented flowers inside, and tuck them into closets or drawers for a little memory of summer all year round. Essential oils and other fun sweet-smelling gifts can be found at: aromawerks.com

Edible gifts are welcome, too: if you have a vegetable garden, share in the bounty of the harvest season by passing along all the great squash dishes and pumpkin pies you whip up. And don't forget your wild friends - "gifts" like keeping bird baths and feeders well stocked will be well-appreciated the colder it gets! (Just be sure to be consistent - they'll come to rely on the food source, so don't start if you know you won't keep it up all winter.)

For an informative list of birds and their feeding preferences, as well as links to purchase everything from bird baths to toad houses, check out: www.bestnest.com