Vegetable Garden Plan: Late Winter Chores

by Texas Homesteader ~

I’m sharing vegetable garden planning tips for late winter. Even though planting time is weeks away it’s time to focus on garden planning, companion planting strategy, crop rotation & more. Come see how I’m preparing the veggie garden even during the cold dreary days of winter.

(Note: Some links in this post will take you to other related articles for further information. But links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)

Late Winter Garden Planning

It’s early in the season and most of us are dreaming of our beautiful garden, although it’s nowhere close to time to actually drop seeds or plants in the garden. Here in Northeast Texas (new hardiness zone 8b) we typically don’t risk planting outside until Easter when in nearly all probability the danger of the last frost is past.

But there are still garden tasks to complete even though the actual planting time is still weeks away.

Easy Planning For The Garden

I plan my garden using a homemade spreadsheet I formatted in Excel. Noted in this spreadsheet document is planting row layouts, past year’s plantings, seed inventory etc.

I also include notes about companion plants in my excel sheet. This Companion Planting Chart from the Farmer’s Almanac is my guide.

You can see my entire Garden Planning Procedure here.

Using my own personalized excel document allows me to see what & where I planted last year so I can rotate my plantings to help keep pests at bay.

How To Make Your Own Garden Planner

Each gardener’s planting layout will look different. So I suggest you use a program that works best for you to layout the specifics of your own garden.

Some options to consider for your own garden planning:

*Spreadsheet Software Such As Excel

*Garden Planner Notebook

*Downloadable Garden Planner

*Clyde’s Garden Planner

Planting Heirloom Seeds Early

Now that my vegetable garden plan is made it’s time to get seeds started. I have two easy ways to start them early:

Indoor Greenhouse Setup:

My indoor ‘greenhouse’ is a clear lidded tub. The lid helps keep the humidity level right for my seedlings. I’ll plant seeds in little pots and place everything inside this clear tub.

Then I’ll place the tub in a sunny south-facing window to allow sunlight and warmth for my little seeds.

Milk-Jug Greenhouse

A smaller ‘greenhouse’ trick is to use empty milk jugs to start my seeds. The lid closes over the seedlings when they’re small to keep the humidity level high. You can tip the lid back to help harden off the plants when it gets close to planting time.

FREE Biodegradable Seed-Starting Pot Options

I really loved the convenience of biodegradable pots. In spring you can plant the seedling – pot & all – into the ground.

In a typical #UseWhatchaGot moment I decided to repurpose used cardboard to make my Homemade Seed-Starting Pots. It was FREE & it was easy – a few quick snips & folds is all it took.

Now I can plant the seedling, cardboard and all, right into my garden when spring arrives. The cardboard decomposes and actually feeds the earthworms. Win/win!

Removing Late-Winter Weeds From The Garden

The early spring weeds have already started to rear their ugly heads. Weeding is my least favorite garden thing to do.

But if you weed early and often you keep smaller problems from becoming bigger problems.

So when I get a warmer day I’m in the garden doing some weeding maintenance work. I discovered on this day that some problems are bigger than others. I don’t know what plant this beast is, but it grew alongside a weed barrier which kept it from getting its roots very deep into the ground.

So I was able to get it pulled out roots and all. DANG! This helps me understand why it’s such a struggle to keep the weeds at bay – look at that massive root system!

Stirrup Hoe Makes A Quick Weeding Trick

My favorite garden tool this time of year is the stirrup hoe. When the soil is damp like it is now, the stirrup hoe cuts weed roots just below the soil’s surface.

I use my stirrup hoe to clean up early-spring weeds that were trying to grow in my planting areas. Just a few swipes and BOOM!

Using the stirrup hoe I weeded this area in 4 minutes. Yeah, I love this thing!

Vegetable Garden Raised Bed Options

I began planting my garden in rows. But I wanted elevated planting surfaces. I’m not getting any younger, ya know!

If you’re looking to add raised beds to your garden, here are a few options:

Wood Planks: RancherMan built my first elevated planting surfaces using wood planks. But they weren’t very high. That was problematic with the ever-troubling invasive Bermuda grass.

Galvanized Trough: In typical #UseWhatchaGot thinking I pulled some old galvanized water troughs that would no longer hold water. I made sure there was plenty of drainage and filled them up cheaply by using logs, chipped wood, twigs, etc. You can read about Making My Own Raised Bed Soil Here.

Large Tubs & Planters: We had large 35-gallon tubs for cattle supplement, so I used several of them as planting containers. You can use whatever large container you have, just make sure to add drainage holes.

Heavy Duty Raised Beds – This bed is by far my favorite! Made of heavy galvanized steel and with a wood bench. It makes gardening a BREEZE!

Gardener’s Note: The folks at *Hopkins Homestead have agreed to give our readers a discount if you want one of your very own! (Trust me, YOU DO!)

Whatever method you use, your garden should work best for you. Don’t be afraid to change things up from time to time as circumstances change in your life!

Free Weed-Stopping Wood Mulch For Garden Walkways

In the coming weeks I’ll go pick up several loads of Free Bark Mulch and re-mulch my walkways. That will help to make sure they stay weed free too. Work smarter, not harder I always say!

I’m so anxious to get in my garden. I’m dreaming of that bountiful harvest it’s bound to provide us once again this year. But I know it will be time to plant before I know it!

~TxH~

This post categorized in

My Favorite Garden Hacks

Raised Bed Shopping

*Where To Find A Higher-Quality Durable Raised Bed!

Garden Planning

Seed Planting

Soil Health

Garden Styles

Garden Plants/Harvest

Water/Irrigation/Drought

Weed Control

Garden Tips

6 thoughts on “Vegetable Garden Planning Tips – Late Winter Checklist”

theosyiayia at

Another idea for free seed starting pots. I cut used toilet paper tubes in half. Same idea as the homemade cardboard ones – but don’t have to make them and they too can be planted directly tube and all!

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  I don’t cut them in half (I’m always afraid the seedlings will need more root room until I plant them) but I absolutely love how more & more folks are using a previously-wasted item in a new and eco friendly way. Free & eco-friendly is a double win. Happy gardening! ~TxH~
  
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ae minx at

My dad’s favorite is cherry tomatoes.. I like lettuces

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Carla at

I am getting so anxious to start gardening.

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  OMGosh Carla, ME TOO!! ~TxH~
  
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Laurinda at

Tomatoes, warm from the sun, with a little salt, eaten like an apple. It’s ALWAYS been my favorite

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