WINTER GARDENING

I had sent my blog link to someone to check out. They wrote back that they would certainly visit it, come warmer weather. Obviously, this is NOT a gardener! You KNOW don't you, that gardening is a year round endeavor?
You may not get out and dig...that's certainly true. But there ARE things to do, having to do with gardening. Let's talk about a few of them.
First and foremost, care for your broadleaved evergreens. Right now, outside our house, everything is covered in ice. DO NOT TOUCH those bushes when they are covered in ice. If you do, branches will break, and you'll be very unhappy (to say nothing of the bush!) However, as soon as that ice leaves the plants, check them out for broken branches. Prune any broken stems off. You can also remove any obviously diseased branches. If you get a warm day, I'd even spray them with an anti-descicant. That will help them hold onto moisture until the spring rains.
If you get some heavy snow, take a broom handle and gently nudge the branches until the snow falls off. If it's icy, packed, hard snow, I'd skip this until it comes off easily.
Next, I'd make a run around the flower beds. If any plants have been heaved up, try to stomp them down. Frost heaving can be very harmful to our plants.
This is the time of year to get your power tools serviced. The lawn mower, hedge clippers, pruners, rototiller, etc. If you take them to the shop now, they'll be ready to go when you need them. If one of your faithful tools has deserted you and broken, don't wait until you need it to go shopping, get them right now. I'm going to put a link to Gempler's here, so you have a place to get it if you don't have a local garden center, or they don't carry the right brand. Gempler's has good stuff!

Are you keeping the birds happy through the winter? They are wonderful at any time of year. During the warmer months they help us control insect pests, and just are a joy to have around. If you feed them all winter, they will probably be ready to stick around through the summer.
That's enough for today. I've given you a few ideas about what to be doing right now. More to come!