Another year, another chance!

Our woodstove is on full almost all day every day now. We are in a strange winter of sorts where mother nature has yet to make her mind up on what season she wants to thrown down. So, each week the forecast is written down for my husband and I to go over and decide what it is we will be doing. This week looks to be awful cold, so that gives us a chance to get our interior chores done, planning and paperwork that have been pushed to the back burner during our "warmer" days.

Now is the best time to sit, stay warm, and imagine! If your like me, and cannot sit, here are some suggestions:

On Cold/Cooler days (0-32 degrees):

* If you haven't yet- schedule your mower servicing, before the forecast or even the groundhog makes its predictions for the spring, and everyone else has you on a waiting list down at your local co-op.
 * Bring your hand tools in and give them a good once over, some can go straight into your dishwasher! Sharpen the blades, oil them and take inventory to see what you'll need to replace before the sales start at the local stores.
* By now, too- your seed catalogs are probably filling your nightstand, put your orders in early, especially those that offer shipping by plant dates, ESPECIALLY your cold weather lovers- lettuce, onions, garlic, chard and peas.
* Take stock of your pantry- what is going out of date that a local food bank could really use now that the christmas season is over? What did you can last year that was not used, that your out of and need more this year?
* Certain ingredients hold better then others, and are necessary when you go to can again- Pectin, Sugar, Tomato Paste in cans, wax, Vinegar, etc. Start picking up those items on your weekly grocery trip and you won't be searching for them on bare shelves when canning season starts up again!

* Plant your Lavender! That's right! Lavender requires a cold dormant start to really take root, so now is a great time to plant those seeds. If you forget, that's OK
! you can mimic the freezing start by placing them, already planted in trays, in your fridge for a week. Propagating this perennial is also possible if you don't want to start by seed.



 On warmer days (32-55 degrees):

* Clean out your greenhouse! Cooler weather may not seem like the best time, but if its at least 45 degrees, it is the best time! Mold and Mildew cannot stand such cooler temps, and your plants can take the gradual coolness of fresh air for the couple hours to really  spray it out. Try not to use bleach, though. Apple Cider Vinegar will kill it, and won't drip back down on your plants once you move them back in and hurt them during the cooler night.

* Clean out pots, start filling the ones you plan to use again this year with dirt and amend it as necessary. When time to plant comes, you'll be ahead of the game! Put crushed eggshells in near the bottom for extra calcium, a small handful of epsom salts, or even used coffee grinds! When used under the soil and before planting, they will not burn your plants.

*Check your greenhouse for your shopping lists. Do you need more dirt? Epsom salts? pots? watering cans? hoses?

I hope this blog helps! Let me know if you have any other suggestions or ideas that you use in your winter blah days!