Cold Spring? 4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Gardening Season

Frozen ground and biting winds don't have to stall your gardening momentum. Here are four productive projects to tackle while waiting for spring to truly arrive.

1. Start Annuals Indoors

Sow cosmos, cleome, alyssum, California poppies, bachelor buttons, blue flax, marigolds, and sunflowers in peat pots or Jiffy pellets now. They'll provide instant color when transplanted and fill gaps from cold damage. Jiffy pellets expand with water—no soil purchase needed.

2. Order Novelty Plants

Select a few untried varieties from mail-order or online sources (e.g., BlueStonePerennials.com, WaysideGardens.com). Anticipating their arrival keeps you motivated, and they'll ship at proper planting time for your zone.

3. Begin Hardscaping Projects

That path, patio, or wall you've postponed for years? With a jacket and gloves, you can make serious progress now. Wait for snow melt, but don't wait for warm soil.

4. Design on Paper First

Sketch new beds, redesign existing ones, or plan a front-entry garden. A solid plan prevents impulse buys at the nursery—where "just one more plant" often leads to mismatched choices. Use the extra time to design intentionally.

However stubborn the weather, spring will come. Be ready.