It’s winter and your gardening hobby has likely halted to a hard stop. But you miss it and don’t want to wait until spring, right? There are several gardening hobbies you can start in winter if you have a bright spot in your home or don’t mind purchasing some plant lights. Read on to learn some pretty cool winter gardening ideas for hobbyists.
1. Houseplants
Consider getting some new houseplants. These indoor plants clean the air by filtering out toxins and pollutants. They also bring color and life into your home. There are so many plants to choose from. Consider something outside the box like a citrus tree. The meyer lemon and key lime trees are great options. Just be sure they get plenty of sunlight and humidity. For low light areas in your home, consider the peace lily. It is on NASA’s list of top air-purifying plants. It filters toxins including benzene, formaldehyde, ethylene, and ammonia and even absorbs gross mold spores.
2. Succulents and Cacti
They are wonderful indoor plants that are easy to care for. They grow and give you little babies to plant in other pots. In the case of cacti they are called pups. For succulents, you can take any leaf or chunk of stem with a piece of root and grow a new plant most of the time. It is a never-ending cycle when you get the hang of it. You’ll be creating your own little mixed pot masterpieces before you know it. They make great gifts!
3. Herbs
Start a little herb garden. Order some seeds and get growing. I like to grow basil, parsley, oregano, chives, cilantro, and mint, but there are so many options. Choose the herbs you like to use in cooking or teas. Grow your herbs indoors year-round or move them outside in spring. Oregano and mints are nice because they act like evergreen or perennials depending on your climate so you can enjoy them year after year. Chives are also perennials.
4. Microgreens
I love growing microgreens. It is a great way to have healthy, fresh food at your fingertips during the winter. If you like spicy, grow arugula, radish, or mustard microgreens. Some mild options include broccoli, basil, lettuce, spinach, kale, pea, and sunflower. The best thing about microgreens is that some only take a week or less from planting to harvest! Black oil sunflower seeds are my favorite for super quick gratification. Soak the seeds first, but once they germinate, they are ready for harvest in less than a week. For the best flavor harvest them before the second set of leaves emerge. They’ll be about 2.5 to 3 inches tall.
5. Start seeds early
If you normally grow a veggie garden, save some money by buying seeds now instead of buying plants later. You can start your vegetables up to 8 weeks before moving them outside. This gives you a nice jumpstart on spring. I do this with tomatoes and peppers, but you can do this with just about any veggies you like to grow.
Now you have some fun and interesting winter gardening ideas! Go get your hands in some dirt and make this dreary winter cheery!
Make it easy and shop at an online garden store for the best houseplants and trees for sale.
