What To Do in Winter: 10 Winter Activities for Gardeners

Even when frost covers the ground and the garden seems asleep, a gardener never truly rests. I always find winter to be one of the most reflective times: a season for dreaming, planning, and laying the groundwork for next spring. The cold months offer a chance to return to indoor projects, reconnect with seeds, and prepare your garden with fresh energy.

Whether you're revisiting landscape design, reading through a seed catalog, or tending indoor herbs, these 10 winter activities will keep your gardening spirit alive and even help jumpstart the new season.

1. Write Down Your Plant List

Winter is the ideal moment to build or refine your plant list for the upcoming season. Browse through seed catalogs, explore native species, and envision how varieties might complement your beds. Use this quiet time to sketch beds, consider color themes, and test ideas on paper or software. A well-thought-out plan now will save you headaches later.

What to do:

• Draft multiple layout versions for your beds.
• Research companion plants, bloom periods, and height relationships
• Mark's preferences (sun lovers, shade-tolerant species, drought-tolerant species)

2. Order & Review Seed Catalogs

There's nothing quite like flipping through crisp pages of botanical promise. Sending out catalog request emails to trustworthy seed companies is a great winter task. As catalogs arrive, circle must-have seeds, compare prices, and highlight new varieties. Winter is also a good time to check germination rates on old seed packets and decide what to replace.

Seed Catalog Tips

• Check germination rates on older seed packets.
• Compare organic and heirloom options.
• Mark plants that thrive best in your zone.

Winter is also perfect for discovering new hybrids and experimenting with unique varieties you might not have tried before.

3. Keep a Garden Journal or Planning Binder

This might be my favorite winter habit: opening my garden journal and revisiting last year's successes and lessons. Record planting dates, weather conditions, pest issues, and soil changes. Over the years, it has become a personal gardening guide.

Why a Garden Journal Matters

• It tracks progress across seasons.
• Helps identify which plants performed best.
• Provides inspiration for new landscape design ideas.

Your notes today will become your roadmap for tomorrow.

4. Start Seeds Indoors & Experiment

While outdoor gardening slows, indoor seed starting kicks into gear. Many plants, especially herbs and tender vegetables, respond well to early indoor growth.

• Fill trays with high-quality seed-starting mix.
• Label each row carefully.
• Use grow lights or sunny windows.
• Monitor moisture without overwatering.

Keep humidity and light in tune; newly sprouted seedlings can be delicate. As they strengthen, gradually introduce them to cooler rooms or window exposure before transplanting outdoors later.

5. Winter Sowing Outdoors

If you're short on indoor space, try winter sowing, a clever way to let nature do the work. Place seeds in mini-greenhouses (like milk jugs) and leave them outside to experience natural stratification.

Benefits of Winter Sowing

• No grow lights needed.
• Prevents leggy seedlings.
• Use less energy and indoor space.

When temperatures rise, your seedlings will germinate naturally strong, hardy, and ready for the garden.

6. Care for Indoor Plants & Herbs

If you bring your herb friends inside, winter is their time to shine. Many herbs thrive in bright windows or under grow lamps.

• Rotate plants to ensure even exposure to light.
• Prune and pinch tips for fuller growth.
• Monitor humidity. Winter air can be dry.
• Use periodic watering but avoid allowing the soil to become soggy.

Plants like basil, parsley, mint, and thyme can keep your kitchen green and productive during cold months.

7. Refurbish Garden Tools & Prepare Equipment

Your garden tools may rest during winter but aren't forgotten. Now is a great time to:

• Clean and sharpen blades.
• Oil wooden handles
• Check for rust or damage.
• Calibrate seeders or planters
• Repair stakes, trellises, and fencing

A well-maintained toolkit ensures nothing slows you down once spring returns.

8. Upgrade Greenhouse or Irrigation Setup

If you own a greenhouse, winter is an ideal time for upgrades such as better shelving, insulation, or structural repairs.

Greenhouse Improvement Ideas

• Install automatic vents or fans for airflow.
• Add reflective panels for better light distribution.
• Adjust heating systems for temperature balance.

Planning your greenhouse irrigation system now can save time later. Draft a drip irrigation layout that considers emitter spacing, water pressure, and the specific needs of the plant types.

9. Read, Learn & Research

Winter offers uninterrupted time to deepen your gardening knowledge. Read books, attend webinars, watch videos, or subscribe to gardening blogs. Focus on topics you struggled with last year, soil amendments, pest control, and propagation, so you return to the garden equipped with fresh ideas. Use your journal to record your favorite tips and incorporate a few into next year's plan.

Best Winter Gardening Resources Online

When the ground is frozen, the internet becomes a gardener's best companion. There are countless online spaces to fuel your curiosity and expand your skills:

• University Extension Websites: These are goldmines for local gardening advice and frost date charts.
• YouTube Gardening Channels: Look for channels that focus on organic methods, seed starting, and greenhouse care.
• Online Gardening Communities: Join forums or Facebook groups where experienced gardeners share updates, failures, and new techniques.

You can also explore online stores offering drip irrigation systems or browse guides about planting a pollinator garden for beginners, both helpful reads during your planning season. The more you learn now, the smoother your next growing cycle will be.

10. Plan a Greenhouse or Indoor Herb Expansion

Finally, consider expanding your indoor growing capacity or building a dedicated space to grow small batches of vegetables or herbs throughout the winter. A modest structure or shelf setup with grow lights can turn part of your home into a productive mini garden. Plan layout, power needs, and plant types now so your setup is ready spring.

Tips for Making Winter Activities Enjoyable

• Tackle one task a day to avoid burnout.
• Invite family/friends to help with catalogs or tool cleaning.
• Take photos of past gardens to inspire future design.

Essential Winter Gardening Supplies to Keep Handy

Even during the colder months, having the right tools makes every winter task easier. Store your essentials where they stay dry and accessible, whether you're tending indoor herbs, organizing seed packets, or maintaining your greenhouse.

Some helpful winter gardening supplies include:

• A sturdy pair of insulated gloves for outdoor cleanup
• LED grow lights for starting seeds early
• Drip irrigation kits designed for greenhouse setups
• Storage bins for organizing bulbs, seeds, and labels

Investing in durable gear now ensures your tools are ready when spring planting begins, helping you stay productive even through frosty days.

Planning for a Successful Spring Garden

Winter is more than cool weather and sitting by the fire waiting for springtime. It's a season of preparation. Use this quiet period to build your plant list, sketch landscape design updates, and refine your goals.

Revisit your past garden journal notes and adjust your layout based on what worked and what didn't.

It's also a great time to request a DripWorks catalog to start planning out your irrigation system. Check out plant and seed options to find exciting new plant varieties suited for your region's climate.

This kind of planning not only sparks creativity but also saves you time and money once warmer weather returns, since you'll already have a strategy in place.

The Bottom Line

Winter doesn't have to be boring or quiet. Use this time for irrigation and landscape upgrades, seed ordering, and preparation. These ten activities let you nurture your green thumb even with freezing temperatures outside. From refining your landscape design to caring for indoor herbs, writing in your garden journal, or prepping your greenhouse irrigation, each effort will help your garden flourish in spring.