Cuddle Up and Dream of Spring

Did you just put your garden to bed a few weeks ago, cutting back brown vegetation, removing dead annuals, and pruning dead branches?  Now is the perfect time to “work” on your garden, without any of the backbreaking labor.

With few outdoor chores to tackle, late fall into winter is the perfect time for reviewing what went right and wrong in your garden while the past growing season is still fresh in your mind.  You can also start planning what you want to do in the spring.  Many gardeners keep a notebook of where they planted things, how long different seeds took to germinate, what new varieties they tried that they want to grow again, and which seeds just didn’t perform up to expectations.

Working with your own garden journal also allows time for reflection on whether moving plants would help them perform better.  Maybe those beautiful roses you put in a few years ago are hogging up all the sunshine and are too tall for the sun-loving, but lower-growing, annuals you planted next to them.  Perhaps the marigolds you put in the vegetable garden really didn’t do much to keep the rabbits out, and maybe it’s time to put up a sturdy garden fence.

Start checking those seed catalogs for your tried and true, can’t-live-without-them seeds (like zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, cucumbers, and tomatoes).  On dark and cold evenings when the sun sets much too early, you can imagine the return of your favorites (in just a few months) while looking at new varieties that have been developed.  Choosing some to add to your garden can help keep away the winter doldrums and remind us that warm and sunny days will come back around before we know it.  And don’t forget your spring-planted bulbs and tubers, like dahlias, to add some extra drama.  Just be sure to make a note to dig them back up in the fall!

If you’ve always been a flower grower and avoided growing vegetables (or vice versa), the off season can be a perfect time to read more about branching out and trying a whole new type of gardening.  Jealous of your neighbor’s fresh summer salads?  While the garden sleeps you have time to learn how to grow your own.

The Mercer County Library has a wide variety of books on gardening.  Whether you want to do a basic square-foot garden to increase vegetable production, work more with perennials, figure out how to use borders to beautify your lot, or learn about the best trees for the size and scale of your home and yard, the library has something on each of these topics (and more!).  Below is just a sample of some of the exciting things to learn about.  Happy garden-dreaming!

All New Square Foot Gardening: More Projects, New Solutions, Grow Vegetables Anywhere by Mel Bartholomew

An update to the gardening approach made famous by Mel Bartholomew back in 1981.  Working within a framework of 1-foot squares, growers can easily plant and maintain a manageable-size garden with high production levels.

Butterfly Gardening: The North American Butterfly Association Guide by Jane Hurwitz

“Creating habitats that support butterflies will connect you with some of the most beautiful creatures in the natural world-- and bring new levels of joy to your gardening. Hurwitz shows you how to choose and cultivate plants that will attract a range of butterflies, while sustaining them through their life cycles. She includes information for various types of climates, as well as helping your identify the butterflies you attract.”

Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden by Julie Bawden-Davis

Fairy gardens are in, and now you can begin making your own enchanted miniature landscapes, complete with pint-sized accessories, diminutive plants, and quaint fairy figures. Gardeners Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner provide you with step-by-step instructions for creating a magical garden that will attract Thumbelina herself! Learn how to design, plant, accessorize, and care for you very own small corner of the world by following seven simple steps, including choosing the perfect container.

Gardening Hacks: 300+ Time and Money Saving Hacks by Jon VanZile

“From indoor herbs and container gardens to backyard vegetables, annuals, and perennials, gardening is a rewarding endeavor. You can liven up your home-- and cut down on your grocery list. VanZile provides hundreds hacks to help you go from seed to harvest, whether you're just getting started or trying to improve your output.”

Growveg: The Beginner's Guide to Easy Vegetable Gardening by Benedict Vanheems

“GrowVeg offers simple recipes for gardening projects that are both attainable and beautiful.”

Hellstrip Gardening: Create a Paradise Between the Sidewalk and the Curb by Evelyn J. Hadden

How to create a beautiful garden in the challenging strip of land between your sidewalk and the roadway.

Organic Gardening for Everyone: Homegrown Vegetables Made Easy (No Experience Required) by CaliKim

“If you want to grow healthy vegetables at home, but have hesitated because it seems too hard and time consuming, Organic Gardening for Everyone is your perfect hands-on guide-an "if I can do it, you can do it" case study that addresses your concerns and gets you started. Loaded with practical advice and step-by-step guidance, Organic Gardening for Everyone takes a very personal and friendly approach to a subject that can be intimidating. It is a first-class primer on organic vegetable gardening.”

The Shady Lady's Guide to Northeast Shade Gardening by Amy Ziffer

Information on gardening in the shade and the best plants to use for gardeners in the Northeast.

A Year Full of Flowers: Gardening for All Seasons by Sarah Raven

“Tracing the year from January to December at her home, Perch Hill, Sarah offers an account of a garden crafted over decades. Sharing the lessons learned from years of plant trials, she explains the methods that have worked for her, and shows you how to achieve a space that's full of life and color.”

Sustainable Gardening: Grow a “Greener” Low-Maintenance Landscape with Fewer Resources by Vincent A. Simeone

“Take practical steps to protect the Earth for future generations by creating a sustainable home landscape that is also beautiful, budget-friendly, and low-maintenance. In this updated edition of Grow More with Less, author and horticulturist Vincent Simeone shows us that gardens are living laboratories where we can experiment, grow, and connect with other living things.” 

— Jeanne, Twin Rivers Branch