As the new year begins to sprout,  don’t forget to dig your hands in the soil, and allow yourself to feel rooted knowing the seeds you patiently plant now will surely flourish before your eyes. January reminds us of fresh starts and new seasons; with it shining light in the knowing that nothing grows overnight, even when we want it to. The timing of cycles, seasons, our surroundings, and the work and patience we put in, in time makes all the difference both in our everyday and in our harvest.

It may still be cold and soon colder outside; however, the perfect time is upon us to start working on your garden’s desired look and feel. A good starting point right now would be to decide what areas you may be growing in this spring and maybe attempt to grow from seed (now is the best time to order seeds!). Even patio gardeners can start small in pots and raised beds in the coming weeks. January is for getting grounded and literately digging in, prepping your garden to offer your new seeds or garden transplants. Fun Farmer tip: Adding some cottonseed or bone meal to the top two inches is a natural way to stimulate root growth for young seedlings and reduce transplant stress.

We caught up with farmer Brionna from BB’s Blooms & Things, for some extra winter garden guidance and she was kind enough to share some tips for what you can do to ensure your harvest is bountiful.

  • Make sure compost is laid and built up to enrich the soil; good soil will provide much-needed food to your plants.
  • Gift the land back what it gives you; Composting and naturally tending soil it is a magnificent way to not only give the land nutrients but also to have zero to little waste.
  • Protect what you’ve worked so hard to grow. As soon as the temperature hits the low 40’s, make sure you have frost cloth ready to cover your plants. Anything below 35 degrees can damage or even kill even your strongest plants.
  • Planning ahead as much as you can will maintain more certainty in anything you have going on and growing on!

Thanks to Farmer Brionna for this reminder to support our farmers who work year-round and under every condition, to provide us with the offerings their hand-worked land so graciously gives.