There are a lot of clean up activities scheduled for the winter, from the Carolinas southward.

Here in FL, we do a lot of planting as well. Once risk of frost has passed and the soil starts to warm again, tropicals can be planted.

I kinda prefer wintertime gardening because I seem to sweat less and there are fewer bugs (though I did see mosquitos flitting about this past weekend).

I just turned over all the veggie garden soil by hand rather then renting a rototiller (why don't I lose weight???), trimmed bushes that have damage from last summer, moved a few bushes to better spots in the flowerbeds, hauled water up from the creek (again, why can't I lose weight???)

Usually I am busy growing plants to sell at the Wake Forest Farmers Market so I have stuff left over from last year that needs to be moved up into larger pots, seedlings from last spring that are large enough for gallon pots (finally!) and new stuff that I am trying to get some size on so I can sell them for big $$$ - so I keep myself pretty busy all year.

I have lights set up in the hoophouse so that I can work after the sun sets. And I've been known to stay outside with a flashlight working til the wee hours.

I agree with John - less sweat and fewer bugs. :) This is actually the first year that I haven't been going gangbusters in the garden all winter. The drought was very discouraging, but now I'm back in gardening mode, cleanup is progressing, and new beds are nearly finished. Seeds have been winter-sown and direct-sown; 3 new blueberry plants have been ordered; fig cuttings are being rooted. Life is good! :)

I really don't slow down at all during the winter -- the only weather that really chases me inside is ice. I find that if I dress for wind resistance, I can tolerate any temps for a chance to play outside. For me, winter is the best time for planning garden structure and for getting most deciduous woody plants into the ground. I also have a few specific weeds that need control measures right about now or I'll be very sorry later. As for bugs, I've encountered a few ticks already this year, but I do appreciate the lack of chiggers.

As a rule, yes, I'm a year round gardener. I do tend to stick with the nicer days, but in the Carolinas you always have some nice days sprinkled in. :-) This year in particular, I've not really had an "off season", I have way too much to do here to be ready for spring.

Being able to garden in winter was one of my reasons for moving here. Of course I was even more excited to actually discover the ground does not freeze solid! Hubby has laughed at me many times in the last few months as I stand outside with my shovel yelling "Hey, wanna know why I'm turning over this soil? Because I CAN!" Yes, sigh, I know, I'm a total garden geek, but hey, I can live with that!
Sandi

i garden year round and love getting out on those 60 degree days in winter. i don't like doing a whole lot unless it's above 55, i have to admit- i'm too cold natured. around here, though- that still gives a lot of days. i don't garden in the rain, ever ( i think i'm a cat at heart), but i love the fact that there's barely any bugs and everything's low and you can really see structure. and now, as the first blooms and stirrings happen- mmmm, i love it.

I do more "scratching the surface of the soil" in the winter...and just making sure things are alive in general. I can't seem to do too much gardening though...although I probably could.

I love working in the garden in the winter. It is a lot easier to dress warmly in the winter than to stay cool in the summer. My dream is to add a large enough heated greenhouse that I can grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc., out of season. Currently, I am trying to expand each year the things that I am able to grow outside under wire hoops covered by shade cloth and plastic.

transplanted2scin07, I laughed so hard when I read you message, I am exactly the same! the neighbors are always asking "what is she digging NOW" ha ha ha, well this year I am NOT digging up bricks! (finally got them all dug up I hope) hundreds of them under what is now my main flower bed!

At the moment I am 'potting up' my seedlings, working my compost bed and trying to fingure out what I am going to do with all of these new plants! No bugs here, but [erhaps a bunny chewing my shrubs. Winter is truly grand. We didn't plant any flowers for winter this year because of the watering restrictions, so it is pretty brown outside now, but the daffodil and forsythia have started to bloom, everything else must surely follow soon!

Frances

My answer is yes. I like to spend time in the garden just wandering....doing a lot of observing and thinking about what things will look like, what should be moved, what worked and what didn't. There's always clean up to do..and composting, mulching,chipping and shredding. I've just started my seedlings for annuals and vegetables...have sowed carrots, spinach, peas and planted broccoli and lettuce. It's a nice time of year to reflect without a lot of jobs looking me in the face.....I can finally sit on the porch bench!
Pam

I love getting out in my garden during the winter for many of the reasons stated above. Having moved to the Triad from the West Coast just a few years ago though I really don't fully understand my North Carolina garden and I am always worried I will trim a plant that should net be cut back in winter. Still, I am always busy clearing ivy and wisteria and picking up fallen branches from my pecan and oak trees after a storm.

I wish my grass would stay green in winter like in Europe.

Winter is often the busiest gardening time for me, especially if there's heavy labor involved. Also, I always avail myself of late fall markdowns that get planted over the winter. Just don't have the ooomph to battle the bugs & heat of summer like I used to. It helps that I don't plant annuals except for a few window/porch pots, and that 99% of my plantings are flowering shrubs and evergreens.

GreenthumbGene - re "not fully understanding your NC garden ... I think you'll find a whole lot of gardeners here, myself included, who had a lot to learn upon landing here. There's some good NC gardening books out there that'll set things straight, along with NC State University's online content. But, I've learned the most right here at Gardening in the Carolinas, so you're in the right place :)

Here is a link that might be useful: NC State Urban Horticulture

there is no such thing as winter here. Just a short catalog season!

I avoid the moisture days, i.e., rain, snow, ice. Otherwise, I am out there if not traveling.

This year we have some dead trees to cut down, and I hope we don't damage the understory too much.

What little cleaning up I do is in late winter, usually February.

I do work in the garden if the weather is decent (above low 50's). I am in Tennessee, but not in the mountains so while we have very cold days, we also have some nice ones. Great time for pruning some things that are dormant and can see where to cut with leaves off the trees or shrubs. Do any of you add iron or manure to your shrubs in the winter?