Gardening
with Gail

There is magic in the air as we walk through the forest at this time of year. The stillness is almost mesmerizing. Now and then, if we’re lucky, we may hear the soft wings of a snowy owl overhead, quietly keeping watch over the woodlands. Nature, as always, has equipped them beautifully — their plumage perfectly camouflaged to blend into the winter landscape.

On days when you don’t feel like puttering in your own backyard, there’s no shortage of wonderful outdoor activities for families. Snowmobiling, skating trails, ice fishing, outdoor rinks, snowshoeing, pick-up hockey games, and miles of wooded trails are all waiting to be enjoyed. Add in winter carnivals and community events, and there’s something for everyone.

Whether you’re an avid downhill skier, a cross-country enthusiast, or simply looking for a peaceful winter getaway, this part of Ontario offers an exceptional experience. We truly live in a welcoming and beautiful place — it’s important to get outside and embrace it. I also highly recommend stargazing, an experience your children will remember and talk about for years to come.

It’s a little early yet to notice much underground movement, but it’s certainly not too soon to begin thinking about winter sowing if that’s on your to-do list.

Winter sowing is a wonderfully low-effort way to start cold-hardy seeds outdoors using recycled milk jugs. It’s also a fantastic project to do with children and grandchildren, helping them feel involved and excited about gardening.

What you’re essentially doing is mimicking nature by using cold stratification to break seed dormancy, resulting in naturally germinated seedlings that are ready to transplant in spring. It’s a real space-saver, too, since it eliminates the need to crowd indoor windowsills with trays and lights.

The technique is simple: fill containers with moist soil, plant your seeds, add drainage holes, and seal the containers — leaving the caps off. Place them outside in the snow (rain is perfectly fine), and let nature handle the rest. Yes, it takes a little patience, but it’s extremely cost-effective.

February is an ideal time to begin, as winter sun increases and daylight hours slowly lengthen. If you haven’t saved milk jugs, clear plastic containers from the dollar store work just as well.

Great edible options for winter sowing include broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, along with leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, and bok choy. Herbs like sage, oregano, dill, and mint also do very well.

Zinnias can be winter sown, though success isn’t guaranteed. Heat-loving annuals generally perform better when planted directly outdoors in spring. However, many perennials benefit from cold stratification and early starts, including echinacea, lavender, cosmos, bachelor’s buttons, sweet peas, foxgloves, calendula, snapdragons, and poppies.

If this growing method interests you, there are plenty of helpful tutorials online for first-timers.

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s a lovely time of year to dream, plan, and prepare for the garden ahead. A little thoughtful planning now will reward you many times over once the real work of the season begins.