New Year, New Garden

It is a new year with many new opportunities and a good chance to start fresh. I have a really good feeling about 2026 for many reasons.

Here in Wisconsin, the winter months are pretty much dormant when it comes to growing anything outdoors. I don’t have a greenhouse so my garden is completely exposed to the elements. That means, I have about 2 feet of snow in my garden right now and everything is frozen. However, the start of a new year is a great opportunity to start the planning process. To have an abundant garden that will be sustainable, you have to plan out what and when to grow.

For me, I do actually have some plants that I started back in September that are winter crops like garlic and broccoli. These plants do best when they have a cold snap that they can “sleep” in the soil. Other than that, it is pretty bare. At least in Wisconsin, there is not much you can do in the winter months.

I like to take this time to space plan and research. I usually draw my garden to scale on paper or there are certain apps that can help guide you. @epicgardening is a great resource for beginners and even experts. They have tools to help with space planning and even growing schedules.

It is also good to research all the things you can do with your produce as it comes in. Maybe learn how to can your produce, or find new recipes to try.

I am very excited to get back to my garden and start planning and planting for 2026.

Happy Friday!