- Jan 13

Everything to Plant in Your Winter Garden

Calling all garden lovers! Just because it's cold outside, that does not mean you can't still enjoy some chilly days in your garden.

December last year, I planted some tulips in the garden. And waiting to see that first bit of green pop up out of the soil was truly agonizing. I asked for help on social media, and consulted with other gardeners about how long it would take until I saw some growth, but honestly, it was just a waiting game.

Imagine my excitement when I saw the first peeks of green in late March, after planting the buds at the beginning of December. It truly reinforced the subliminal messaging behind the seasons. Waiting patiently in the cold of Winter for the new growth and beauty to arise in Spring.

What To Plant

Herbs: Rosemary, dill, basil, lavender, cilantro, parsley
Flowers: Calendula, tulips, poppies, snapdragons, delphinium
Vegetables: Radishes, carrots, onions, kale, spinach, collards

HERBS

Using your own herbs in daily cooking is an amazing way to utilize fresh ingredients and take your home cooking to the next level. One of my favorite recipes is this rosemary and garlic dutch oven bread, and it is so satisfying to be able to go outside and snip off a bit of rosemary for the recipe.

Herbs are the freshest and most potent when they're not sitting in plastic containers for weeks on end. Of course, if that is all that is accessible to you, then store bought works fine! But it's just so easy to grow your own herbs in a kitchen garden, on your front porch, or in your backyard.

Over the years I've grown dill, parsley, and green onions and it's so easy and so much fun.

Organic Herb Seeds

Get started on your herb garden with this variety pack of seeds!

Herb Garden Markers

These herb garden markers are so handy! I'm notorious for throwing seeds down and then wanting to be surprised later on. They'll be helpful in organizing your herbs and keeping your growth on track.

Italian Crafted Planter

Start small by planting herbs in a beautiful planter. These make an amazing element in a table setting or use them on your kitchen window.

FLOWERS

Flowers were my introduction to gardening and they will always have my heart. I'll never grow tired of seeing the beautiful array of colors that pop up in the Spring and Summertime after months of rain.

My first blog post on gardening outlines all of my tips, and do's and don'ts when starting out with a flower garden.

Planting in the Winter may or may not work out depending on the climate you live in, but here in California, you can grow pretty much anything through the Winter. Flowers like my beloved calendulas, or tulips will spring up once the weather begins warming up around March and April. There's no real concern for snow or frost, so we're very lucky!

I buy all of my seeds online, here are a few of my favorite places to shop for them:

Books and resources on starting your own flower garden:

VEGETABLES

If you've been here since last summer, you probably remember the triumph of my zucchini garden. It was a happy accident but it made me get even more into gardening and growing my own food.

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to grow food through the Winter. Certain greens and root vegetables grow beautifully in colder weather, and can flourish well into the Spring.

Radishes, carrots, and different types of greens will grow seamlessly during this time of year and will be ready to eat come May!

Southern Living Magazine has an incredibly article on growing your own veggie garden which you can read here.