For many of us winter is a time to stay indoors and keep warm, but at the same time the gardener in us is missing being outside in the fresh air and tending our plants. So if you are one of those who are feeling deprived and long for the chance to venture out, but feel that the prospect is too daunting here are a few tips that can make the experience more tolerable. Listen to the advice of Valerie Easton whose article I found on the Seattle Times website.
DON?T FEEL GUILTY if you?re a fair-weather gardener. As Greg Graves, co-proprietor of Old Goat Farm in Graham, says, ?We may have a climate where you can garden year-round, but that doesn?t mean you have to ? ? I can?t think of a better mantra for days you just can?t force yourself to boot up and head out.
Yet sometimes, piles of mushy perennials are so depressing that you just have to clean them up despite chill and soggy soil. Other days, the sun beams out from beneath the clouds to lure you into the garden. Or you so long for the smell of earth and plants, you can?t help but go outdoors and commune.Here?s what helps me get a few winter chores done: a lively playlist on my phone to listen to while I work or, better yet, a download of a new novel. I gear up in a pair of Carhartt work pants. The fabric has some stretch to it and repels the damp, and some styles (I use the word loosely) are lined with flannel or fleece. Pull on a pair of thick-soled, knee-high boots; waterproof gloves; and a hat that covers your ears, and fill a thermos with hot, restorative tea. You?ve spent so long getting ready, there?ll be only an hour before dark to work out there, anyway.
See more at Seattle Times
