Teri's Tips

I Love Winter!

Teri ColeAs it gets chilly and the temps drop, I always wish for a beautiful snowfall, which is so good for the garden. A blanket of snow insulates the plants and allows a slow and deep watering as it melts away.

As my garden sleeps, I turn my back, go inside and make plans for the spring months, which are just around the corner. I make sure the birdfeeders are full of nuts, dried fruit and seeds. Shallow dishes of water are filled daily (especially if it freezes) and placed throughout the garden. Don’t forget the hummingbirds — they depend on us to feed them to help them get through our winter.

I can’t wait to get lost in bulb catalogs and look forward to new issues of gardening magazines.

Experiment with new comfort food recipes, especially casseroles. A lit, fragrant candle or two makes the evening cozy and glowing.

I sleep when the garden does, but if you can’t help yourself and want to work outside, then order up some compost and distribute it around your plants and shrubs. As it rains, it will wonderfully feed your sleeping garden in preparation for spring to come alive. You need to rest because we, as gardeners, can’t wait to get back in our gardens and watch the magic happen.