Garden Planning

Dream Up New Gardens This Winter

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a snow covered garden in January

“Anyone who thinks that gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year. For gardening begins in January with the dream.”

– Josephine Nuese

January is the month of garden dreams. The winter pause gives us time to think, to plan, to ponder. How can we make our gardens better, more productive, more beautiful and sustainable, more the gardens of our dreams?

A garden is never done. This idea eludes new gardeners. But those of us with a few gardening years behind us realize that we are always pursuing an ideal.  

Misty memories recall our grandmother’s garden. Trips to public gardens inspire. Friends’ gardens spark ideas. And so our gardens evolve. 

These changes are part of the joy of gardening. As gardeners, we are always learning and adapting.  

When we bring into our garden an idea that we’ve seen elsewhere, it isn’t stealing. It’s imitation, the ultimate flattery. Soon our garden becomes a memory garden, a reflection of special people and places.  

So as the snow falls, the wind howls, the rain whips our windows, we dream of better gardens.  

We flip through photos of gardens we’ve visited. Ah, yes. There is that arbor we fancied for the perennial bed. We must have that peony. And that birdbath would be perfect in that corner.   

That jars a memory of a berry-laden bush in a friend’s yard that a mockingbird favored. We make the call, get the name, and add it to our wish list for spring nursery visits.

Seed catalogs tumble from our mailboxes. Ripe with ideas, they make our dreams flavorful as we salivate over heirloom tomatoes, Thai basil, and hot peppers. We rush to put together an order before the best varieties sell out. 

A crimson flash catches our eye as a cardinal glides by the window. An arc of ornamental grasses would enliven that view, wouldn’t it? Grasses sway in our minds as we add them to our list.  

Seeing a copy of Garden Revolution on our bookshelf, we are reminded of our New Year’s resolution to be more sustainable.  

We sketch ideas for a compost pile and download instructions for making a rain barrel. Onto our shopping list go soaker hoses and insecticidal soap.

We remember from a garden talk the suggestion to add seating to our gardens – places to rest, relax, and enjoy the lovely views we create. Our wish list grows to include a wooden garden bench.    

Winter is the time to dream of a garden that feeds body and soul, that delivers a bountiful harvest of food and beauty. So pour a cup of tea, wrap yourself in an afghan, and dream on. 

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension.

This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.

A Forgetful Gardener Makes Notes for Next Year

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I’m a forgetful gardener. I always think I’ll remember next year what I put where, what varieties of tomatoes I loved, and what plant needed extra water. But I don’t.  

I’ve reached that glorious age where I forget where my glasses are (on top of my head) or where I left my hand pruners. (God knows.) 

As Dr. Seuss’ Grinch said, “I puzzled and puzzled till my puzzler was sore.” 

So this year – right now – I’m making more than mental notes and investing in a few doodads to make next year’s gardening a bit easier. 

I’ve started by breaking out my garden maps. These rough pencil sketches on graph paper tell me what I planted in each garden bed.  

I start out with grand intentions in the spring, but end up adding things willy-nilly that I forget – or am too busy – to write down.  

Now’s the time to catch up. So, I’m updating my maps and making notes because I know I won’t remember everything by the time spring rolls around.  

For further motivation, I’m starting a brand-spanking new garden journal to note what worked and what didn’t.  

A garden journal lets you note what worked and didn’t.  

What are some of my notes for 2023?

My two butternut squash plants made a grand total of – drumroll, please – two squash, so I will try yellow summer squash instead next year. I missed the peak crop of persimmons, so I’ll check them more often and earlier.

Heirloom yellow pear tomatoes produce gangbusters and are very tasty.  

I loved the taste of my yellow pear tomatoes and they produced gangbusters, so I’ll plant them again. My zinnias bloomed their heads off and are still attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, so they are must-haves.

pink zinnia flower
Colorful zinnias bloom for a long time and attract pollinators. 

My bee balm got powdery mildew, so I’ll be more careful to water at the base of the plants only. One pot of annuals was always thirsty, so I’ll move that pot elsewhere. 

Make your journal your wish list, too. Jot down anything you want to add next year. I want to try strawberries, add more native plants and groundcovers, and plant a tree for privacy.

I finally got the zinc plant labels from last year’s wish list and I love them. You can write on them with a pencil and they last and last and blend well. I won’t mark everything, just key plants that help me find everything else. 

Also note in your journal any tools that would help you such as a garden kneeler, self-watering container, ratcheting pruners, or lightweight wheelbarrow. Christmas is coming, after all.  

Your journal also can be your rip-and-replace list. I’ve already banished non-native vinca from one bed and am putting together a list of native replacements. What do you want to change? 

I hope these ideas inspire you to make some notes, start a journal, and label some plants so you can start off your next garden season with less head-scratching and more action.  

Now where did I lay down my trowel?  

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension.

This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.

How to grow a healthy garden

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It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of gardening advice in books and websites. So I thought I’d simplify things by sharing my top 10 tips for keeping a garden healthy. 

Start with your soil. Healthy soil grows healthy plants. So get a soil test to know what you have and need.  

Add compost or other organic matter regularly to enliven the soil and keep the soil community happy. This intricate web of beneficial microbes, fungi, bacteria, worms, and more is crucial to healthy plants. 

Well-adapted native plants such as this white penstemon naturally resist pests and disease. Photo: Kathy Vesely

Minimize soil disturbance. Every time you turn the soil, you bring up weed seeds and wreak havoc on the soil community. So dig and till minimally.

Keep the soil covered with plants, an organic mulch, or cover crops. Bare soil invites weeds, encourages soil-borne disease, and promotes erosion. 

Put the right plant in the right place. Choose plants that suit the site whether it’s sunny or shady, wet or dry. This matchmaking helps plants not only survive but thrive.

Use native plants. These tough, well-adapted plants need less water and fertilizer. Since they co-evolved with native wildlife, they support pollinators and other native species best. 

Encourage beneficial insects. These are the good bugs that help control bad bugs. Nine out of ten insects are beneficial, naturally controlling the few true pests. Put them to work for you. 

How? Reduce or eliminate chemical pesticides which kill both good and bad bugs. Use organic products instead and try other controls like hand-picking or floating row covers.

Further, encourage beneficial insects by planting a wide variety of plants to provide food and shelter. Add a rock to a birdbath so insects can sip. 

Wait to cut back perennials and grasses until spring to give beneficial insects a safe place to overwinter. Many tuck into hollow stems or leaf litter.

Check your plants often. When you’re strolling, be patrolling. Look for spots, yellowing, or other changes that might be clues to a problem. Early detection makes fixes easier.

If you live in Washington County, Maryland, e-mail or call me if you need help identifying an insect or disease. Just send me a photo or bring me a sample. If you live in another area of Maryland, contact your county or city Extension office, or send your questions to Ask Extension.

Many problems are preventable. Honest. About 80% have cultural or environmental causes and aren’t due to pests or diseases. So there’s much we can do to prevent problems.

Water wisely. Water in the morning and avoid overhead watering. Leaves that are wet overnight tend to have fungal problems.

Removed diseased plants. Add compost which naturally suppresses some diseases. Space plants so air circulates. Cover bare soil so rain doesn’t splash fungal spores up onto plants.

At the end of the growing season, thoroughly clean up vegetable plant debris which can harbor harmful overwintering insects and disease.

There you have it, my top 10 tips for a healthy garden. When you work with nature, not against it, you naturally limit pests and diseases, grow more resilient plants, and build a healthier garden and community.

That’s a very good feeling indeed.

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension. This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.

January is for garden planning

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I spent the early days of January 2023 thinking about the vegetable garden I won’t be planting until March. I’ve ordered my seeds, and I’ve gone so far as considering drawing a map of what goes where. (I may not get beyond considering, though it would be smart if I did—see below—but planning in two dimensions is always hard for me, and I’m pretty good at knowing how much I can grow in my 400 square feet, just not necessarily where exactly it’s going to go.) There is absolutely no need to start all this quite so early, but I like knowing that the seeds I want won’t run out before I get to them, and I had the time and enthusiasm, so there we are.

Since I don’t have room to grow everything I might want to, I have to make some choices. When I was a newbie gardener, I always bought too many seeds, and… okay, I still buy too many seeds, but at least I have a method now! So I thought I’d share it in case it’s of help to anyone.

Continue reading →

Seed starting and soil testing: a Master Gardener outlines his spring gardening progress

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In mid-February, I started my Gypsy, Monty, and Green Magic broccoli, Snow Crown cauliflower, Lacinato kale, several types of lettuce, and some Big Blue salvia.

Italian flat-leaf parsley was started in mid-January. Most of these transplants will be planted in the garden or containers in the first week of April after hardening off for at least a week in my cold frame. My pre-sprouted snap peas will be planted in late March. Planting dates for central Maryland can be found here on the Home and Garden Information Center website.

Kent's seedlings

In early March, I will be making a trip into Baltimore to get some other seeds for Sugar Ann snap peas, Jade string beans, and a couple of other things. In late March, I will be planting some seed potatoes in containers, just to see what the yield is. On March 27th, seven to eight weeks before the spring plant out date of mid-May, I will be planting Galine eggplant and several different types of peppers.

In previous years, I’ve planted tomatoes six weeks prior to my plant out date, but they have been leggy. This year, I’m planting them on April 10 for planting in the garden and containers on May 15.

My latest soil test, done in May of 2019, says to incorporate one pound of nitrogen (N) per 1,000 square feet. Only N is required since the beds contain the optimum amount of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) and are at the correct pH.

To determine what fertilizer needs to be added to my beds which are 32 or 40 square feet, I will have to convert this recommendation to determine the amount of urea (46-0-0) to apply to my beds. This is fairly simple to do, using the following equation. Amount of N/.46 (% of N in urea) x beds size/1000 square feet. This yields the following: 2.17 pounds of urea x 0.032 for a 32 square foot bed equals .069 pounds of urea or 1.1 ounces. I guess I’ll have to get out my kitchen scale.

Alternatively, the University of Delaware suggested 2.5 pounds per 1000 square feet or 2.5 x .032 = 1.28 ounces of urea. This calculation works for almost all recommendations from soil test labs. However, if in doubt, you can always Ask a Gardening Expert at HGIC.

By Kent Phillips, University of Maryland Extension, Howard County Master Gardener

Planning and budgeting for a new raised bed garden

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snowy landscape scene


Even though it is snowing again today, I am dreaming of gardening season and I am working on a budget for a new raised bed garden that will be 8’ x 4’ x 12”. I have always grown vegetables in a traditional in-ground garden, which only requires some tools for preparing the soil, soil amendments, and a suitable location (full sun with good soil). However, I want the advantages of a raised bed:

  1. earlier soil warming; 
  2. more focused usage of growing space (through succession planting and square foot gardening techniques);
  3. less body bending to plant, maintain, and harvest; and
  4. getting to plant cole crops sooner (with my in-ground garden, I have to wait until late May for the ground to be unfrozen and dry enough to run the the tractor tiller).
garden with a fence
Raised bed made from grapevines and a plastic liner.

A lot of inspiration can be found on the internet for building materials, but think about materials that you may already have on hand or something you can find freely or cheaply. More information on raised beds can be found on the University of Maryland Extension website. 

Some things to keep in mind:

  1. Natural materials (stones, logs, untreated lumber, cement blocks, sawmill slabs, bricks, etc.) are safe, affordable, and often can be scavenged/repurposed if you aren’t afraid to ask or do some physical labor. 
  2. What is your skill set? Maybe you can work out a trade with someone who can help you build the raised bed. 
  3. Any time you can buy items in bulk, you will save money.
garden sketch and seed catalogs


After doing some research, I plan to purchase new pine lumber from a local box store (easy to find and within my budget). Pine or softwood lumber should last anywhere from 3-5 years. Using commonly available sizes/dimensions, I will be spending approximately $80 (if it lasts 3 years, that’s $27 a year). Cedar boards would cost double the money but they could last closer to 15 years (cedar was out of stock in a lot of locations I checked).

Most stores that sell lumber will cut the lumber for no extra fee. It is sometimes cheaper to buy a longer board and have it cut into smaller pieces for transport. Be sure to plan ahead.

The most expensive part of creating this garden will be the topsoil, since I don’t have any extra in my landscape to use. The soil is an investment and will be a resource that I can use for many years to come to produce nutritious fruits and vegetables.   

raised bed vegetable garden

I used a free cubic feet calculator to figure out an estimate of how much soil I will have to purchase for my 8’ x 4’ x 12” garden. See the calculations below. 

cubic feet calculations

Soil is expensive and hard to transport and handle. I am prepared to do this step over the course of several days or have some people help me. Bagged topsoil usually isn’t the best quality and can add a lot of expense, but the source can be traced if any issue should arise, and also gives anyone with access to any vehicle type/transportation the ability to create a garden. Bulk topsoil and compost is usually sold by the ton or cubic yard, so the free calculators are helpful for figuring out amounts needed. Soil testing is recommended for raised bed gardens. 

            Soil Type         Price
Bagged Topsoil (43 bags of 0.75 cu foot)$110 
2/3 bagged topsoil, 1/3 bagged compost (45 bags)$145 
Bulk topsoil/compost$65   

The bottom line is that the raised bed could cost up to $225 depending on which option I use for soil. Using bagged soil/compost mixed ($145 + $80 lumber) is going to cost the most $225. If I use the bulk topsoil/compost option and use my own farm truck to haul it, it’s only $145. I’ve also budgeted an additional $40 for a 7ft deer fence and landscape fabric. For my family of 4, I am willing to count this raised bed garden as a worthwhile investment of time and money.

Have you used any interesting materials to create a raised bed garden? Do you have questions about a material that you can use to create a garden this season?  Ask your gardening questions here or share your story in the comments.

By Ashley Bodkins, Senior Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Garrett County, Maryland, edited by Christa Carignan, Coordinator, Home & Garden Information Center, University of Maryland Extension. See more posts by Ashley and Christa.

How to plan a garden now — and challenge yourself to try something new

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January in western Maryland is not what you would call “prime” gardening season; however, it is one of my favorite times to start thinking and planning for my upcoming gardens and gardening projects. I am lucky to have several season extension tools that get my fingers back in the soil sooner. My mom has a heated greenhouse and we have two high tunnels that allow us to gain several weeks on our short growing season.  

What is your favorite way to plan for the upcoming growing season? One of my favorite tools is the Home and Garden Information Center’s Vegetable Planting Calendar. It provides great guidelines for telling you when and if you should plant vegetables as seeds or seedlings. If you are starting your own seedlings you can use a traditional calendar and figure out what week you want to have plants ready to put in the garden and then use the information found on the back of seed packets to figure out when you want to sow the seeds (count backwards from your goal date). I often sit down in January and start writing dates on the calendar for when I should sow each plant.

calendar with planting dates

I love to grow hybrid spreading petunias and they are often the first seeds that we sow in the greenhouse because they grow incredibly slow. I purchased a seedling heat mat several years ago and it has been the best investment for getting better, faster germination rates.  

I try to challenge myself to try at least one new vegetable or flower each year so that I can expand my knowledge and get outside of my comfort zone. A few years ago, I tried globe artichokes, which were beautiful foliage plants as well as flowers, although, I have to admit, I didn’t actually eat any of them. 

artichoke flower and foliage

We found that aphids loved the foliage for some reason. You can see the sooty mold growing here on the aphid honeydew (waste). This is a sign that you have an aphid infestation hiding on the underside of the leaves. 

artichoke with sooty mold

Last year I tried eucalyptus! This is a eucalyptus plant growing with other vegetables in the high tunnel. It did well, but would have benefited from having more space. It was just recently harvested for fresh cut flowers in this picture.

eucalyptus

I also tried companion planting by adding nasturtium and radishes to our cucumber hills in order to reduce cucumber beetle damage. I have to say, I think it helped, but it did look like a jungle.

nasturtiums and cucumbers

Did you have any gardening disappointments last year? Are there truly any failures with gardening though? Don’t we always learn something from the experience? If you had trouble with a plant disease, you can find a hybrid variety to help combat the problem. Cornell University has a good list of disease-resistant vegetable varieties. This year we are planning to try a hybrid disease-resistant variety of tomato called ‘Abigail’, as that is my oldest daughter’s name.

If you had an insect problem, look for a natural predator that you could attract. Is there a plant you can put in your garden that the bugs can eat or go to, that you don’t care about losing to insect damage? This is referred to as a trap crop or sacrificial crop.

Here are more photos of things I have tried recently.  

purple and green cauliflower
Colored cauliflower, self-blanching varieties. There is no need to tie the leaves up around the heads for blanching.

zinnias yarrow and sunflowers
Left: Mixed zinnias (annual) with yarrow (perennial). Right: Miniature sunflowers are a refuge for all kinds of beneficial insects.

As I look outside at the several inches of snow blanketing my garden, I cannot help but be excited for the upcoming growing season. Having a nice hot cup of tea and the latest seed catalog doesn’t hurt either.

I hope you are inspired to try something new this season. Remember that often we learn the most through our challenges and they often make us more passionate about gardening, so don’t be afraid to try something new in 2021!

By Ashley Bodkins, Senior Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Garrett County, Maryland, edited by Christa Carignan, Coordinator, Home & Garden Information Center, University of Maryland Extension. See more posts by Ashley and Christa.