How To Prepare Your Winter Garden for Spring 

Now that we’re thoroughly through the hustle and bustle of the holidays and solidly in the new year, you may be thinking about what’s coming up over the next few months. This time of year, I enjoy the slower pace that the cold weather brings. Mugs of warm drinks, stacks of books, candlelight, and cozy socks are pretty much the norm around my house this time of year. While enjoying all those winter pleasures, I also often thumb through gardening books and seed catalogues. I start to make lists of what I know needs to happen in the garden this spring and any changes or additions I want to consider. Today we’re going to talk about how to prepare your winter garden for spring with a bit of planning ahead of time.

We all know that once the first inkling of warm weather comes, we want to be outside but also need to maximize the short but full season that spring is. This quote by Henry Rollins pretty much sums up a gardener’s life in the transition from winter to spring:  

“In winter, I plot and plan. In spring, I move.” – Henry Rollins 

Now let’s plot and plan so then we can move! 

1. Assess the Current State of Your Winter Garden 

When you think through how to prepare your winter garden for spring, it’s critical to actually go out to the garden. Even in colder temperatures, you still have to go through your garden beds. What do you see? For your perennials, shrubs and trees, how do they look? Inspect them for plant health and look for any evidence of winter damage, diseases, or pests. Better to address these issues early on before the warmth and water of spring exacerbates these problems.  

Take a look at your garden soil, especially in areas where you plan to grow edibles. If you’ve not done it in a while, test the soil for Ph and basic nutrient levels. Consider whether you need to add compost or other amendments this spring to improve soil nutrition and texture.  

Look for any problems areas that caused issues last year. Are there damaged garden structures or beds that need repair? Does one area always have compacted soil and it needs extra attention? Does water run off continually collect in a particular place leading to drainage issues or erosion? Think through how you may address these in the coming year.  With many things in the garden (and life), a stitch in time saves nine.  

2. Clean Up Dead Plant Material 

Once the ground warms enough to move debris from the garden, look for any dead or decaying plants, leaves, and weeds to remove. Leaving a light layer of leaf mulch or plant debris can add organic matter back into the soil which is always good.

However, pay particular attention to any plants that clearly have evidence of pests or disease. You’ll want to fully remove them from the garden to prevent the spread of these things in future.  

Now is a good time to prune back any perennials and lightly shape them for the season. This will spur new growth once temperatures warm up consistently. 

3. Prepare Your Soil 

Checking on your soil is a key part of how to prepare your winter garden for spring. For any new gardening areas, you’ll need to likely add some organic matter to the existing soil. Compost is usually the best option for this as it breaks up compacted soil and adds micronutrients.  

For existing garden areas, it can still be beneficial to add an annual layer of compost and work it into the soil with a garden fork. Regular additions of compost will typically add any needed nutrients to the soil, avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers.  

If you typically use mulch, assess whether you’ll need to source more to replenish any bare areas. For new garden beds, you’ll want to plan on adding a 3-4″ layer of mulch to suppress weed growth and hold moisture in the soil. There are many types of mulch to consider, which have different benefits and price points. Even shredded leaves from a fall lawn clean up can be useful as a mulch and are often free from your own property or a neighbor. 

4. Prepare Your Winter Garden for Spring Planting 

Are there new plants you’d like to try growing this year? Maybe you’ve always wanted fruiting shrubs or a particular perennial. When you prepare your winter garden for spring it’s the perfect opportunity to think through where these plants could go and where you will source them. Garden centers get swamped come spring some a few phone calls mid-winter can save you the trouble of driving around to multiple nurseries just to find a few different plants. This is also a good time put in any special orders for particular plants that are harder to find.  

What edibles do you want to grow? Make a list of any vegetables, annual flowers, and herbs you plan to grow. Consider whether you’ll start these from seed (and what seeds you’ll need) or if you’ll buy them as transplants. If you’re starting plants from seed, consider when you need to start them indoors and when to start transitioning them outdoors. 

For existing edible gardens, think through any crop rotation that may be beneficial. It’s often a good practice to rotate where you grow certain annual vegetables. This can prevent the spread of pests and disease and improve soil health.  

5. Prepare Garden Tools and Equipment For Spring

When thinking through how to prepare your winter garden for spring, your tools play an important role. Take a walk out to your shed or to your garage and assess the state of your garden tools. Do they need cleaning, sharpening and lubrication? Those stubborn pruners will work a lot better (and safer) with sharp blades and greased gears. A sharp edge on a square spade with make your digging exponentially easier when cutting through tough soil and roots.  

Are there tools that you consistently wished you had last season but were lacking? If budget allows for it, consider what tools you may wish to add to your arsenal. Secondhand sites like neighborhood buy-sell-trade groups or Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to find used tools and equipment. 

Inspect your garden nozzles, sprinklers, hoses, and any irrigation lines. Do you have enough? Are they broken, cracked or leaking anywhere? 

If you have small engine equipment (mowers, trimmers, blowers, etc.) start them up to make sure they run properly. If they need routine service or a repair, winter is a great time to get that work done. Come spring, shops that service this type of equipment are often swamped and you may have to wait.  

6. Pay Attention to the Weather

Even though spring is approaching, it’s not usual to still have early-season frosts. If there’s tender plants that are starting to emerge (especially edibles), watch out for extreme drops in temperature as these can damage plants. Fabric row covers (or even old sheets or blankets in a pinch) can offer another layer of protection from frost.  

As you start to think about planting your seedlings or transplants in the garden, keep an eye on weather reports. Watch for extremes in temperatures so you can gradually transition them to their new home. This process is called hardening off and prevents damage from too much cold or heat too soon.  

Wrapping up Preparing Your Winter Garden for Spring 

While the slower pace of winter allows for it, do a little planning and preparation now to allow for a successful spring. When you prepare your winter garden for spring it doesn’t need to be complicated or overwhelming. Some small chunks of time and effort put in early on will really help you get a leg up on spring gardening chores. It will also minimize that feeling of the spring gardening frenzy (it’s a thing with gardeners, trust me!). To recap, here’s the big ideas we discussed when preparing your garden for spring: 

1. Assess the current state of your garden.
2. Clean up dead plant material.
3. Prepare your soil.
4. Plan your spring planting.
5. Prepare garden tools and equipment.
6. Pay attention to the weather.

Now, grab a pen and paper and start your garden preparation list. While it’s still winter, plot and plan. Once it’s spring, get up and move!