It has been pouring for weeks in the Northwest, with little to do but hide inside.
But suddenly last week, the clouds dissipated and weve had a solid week of chilly but sunny days.
When we get these breaks, I drop everything to be outside in the garden.
Heres everything you should do on sunny winter days.
Sweep the sidewalks now that theyre drythis will reduce your chance of slipping on wet leaves.
You might also throw down some loose sand to help with traction, once youre done sweeping.
This will make raking (or blowing) your leaves easy work.
In the same vein, ensure the mulch is pulled away from the base of your trees and shrubs.
So long as it isnt frozen, youll find the ground is pliable and easy to dig into.
Thinking about fruit trees?
Your nursery will be happy to indulge you.
Nipping the weeds you see now in the bud will mean a lot less work come spring.
Its quite rare people dont have enough nitrogenthe problem is usually not enough carbon.
Plant carrots
Those bright orange veggies are a pain to germinatethey require darkness and constant moisture.
That’s why winter is a fantastic time to get them in the ground.
Another benefit: Carrot seeds that have overwintered tend to yield sweeter carrots.
You wont see these guys until spring, but it will be a sweet surprise come April.
Once it starts precipitating again, its unlikely to stop while the seeds are germinating.
But Im not as good about cleaning my feeders in winter as I am in summer.
In winter, only the year-round staff is present, and they are treasure troves of information.
They’re also probably a little bored, and the center probably has some hot sales.
