By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
Got cabin fever? Perhaps you’re going a little stir crazy looking out the window and seeing the drab, limited pallete in your seemingly lifeless outdoor space. It’s important to embrace this time of year as the composting and cleansing part of Earth’s cycle before spring’s renewal – but that doesn’t mean we should be trapped inside forever. Here’s a winter/early spring list of activities, divided by indoor (Part 1) and outdoor (Part 2), for the gardener and yard keeper.
☝️ First, let’s quickly note the important activity happening under the snow – and how your actions now will affect the summer garden!
What's Going on Outside When We Aren't Paying Attention?
Before heading out to attend to these jobs have a look at the ground beneath you.
If it is frozen hard you are good to go but avoid treading on the crowns of perennials.
If it has been warm and sunny and the soil is warm and dry, consider laying down a few planks to walk on.
If the soil is soggy then postpone those tasks until it has dried. What we are trying to protect is not your shoes but the soil itself.
Ideally, soil is comprised of 50% solid materials such as minerals and organic matter in various stages of decomposition, and 50% open air space. Water from rain or melting snow enters the soil, displacing the air. Wet soil is easier to squish down and that process is called compaction.
While walking on wet soil would not seem to have much effect, it occurs within the depth where annuals, perennials and lawn grasses have their roots. Compaction makes it harder for roots to grow through the soil. Roots can grow stronger to push aside the soil particles, but tougher roots are less effective at drawing in nutrients and moisture. Removing air spaces makes it more difficult for water to percolate down so compacted soils remain wetter. Plants don’t grow as well and are more prone to insect damage.
The freeze/thaw cycles of fall, spring, and winter heave the soil relieving compaction and aerating the soil; a good way to start the growing season. Preventing further damage to the soil is relatively simple. Stay off it when it’s wet. Later, consider using pavers or pathways in heavily travelled areas of the lawn. Aerate the lawn with a machine that removes small plugs of soil and redistributes them over the surface. In beds and borders, add compost and use a thick mulch layer to absorb some of the pressure.
And stay off it when it’s wet.
With this in mind, we can appreciate Earth’s renewal capabilities, as well as prevent destroying our yards and gardens!
Part 1: Activities for When it’s too Cold and the Soil isn’t Ready Yet
Yup, it’s bleak out there. It’s time we make that herbal tea and turn our attention to creating a lively, green indoor environment, even if just to get us through the winter. Here’s a to-do list for trapped gardeners and plant enthusiasts to make the most of our wintry sentence.
Indoors: Get Inspired!
- Expand your knowledge: There’s an endless plethora of botanical media at our fingertips, use this down time to learn more!
- Sustainable winter crafts: Why buy décor and gifts when you can make them from materials found outside? Perhaps you dried flowers or found some interesting seed pods – time to display them, and perhaps, eventually compost them.
- Visit botanical gardens: Ely’s boyfriend took her to the Royal Botanical Gardens as a birthday gift last year! Botanical gardens are a great way to experience interesting plants being preserved in a welcoming environment that differ from the dreary winter outside.
- Get floral: Try buying flowers and displaying your own arrangements! Colour is something we sometimes lack in the wintry months, and this is a good way to introduce it impermanently.
Indoors: Thinking Ahead!
- Use this winter down time to plan the next garden season - find more here on garden planning.
- Use a garden journal to assist your garden planning - see here inspo for garden journaling.
- Consider planning companion plants - see more here on companion planting.
- Go pot shopping – your local greenhouses and ceramic shops would love your support in the winter.
Indoors: New Beginnings!
- Bulb forcing and small science experiments: Flowering bulbs like amaryllis (more on amaryllis here) aren’t just a holiday splendor! Now is also the time to create cuttings to share with friends.
- Invest in winter fruiting botanicals like indoor fruit trees. Small, potted citrus by the window don’t only liven up the place but offer nutritious treats in the winter. Consider a calamondin!
- Microgreens - see our blog about it! When it’s too early to start seedlings that will go in the ground, you can still garden right on your kitchen counter.
- In late winter, start seedlings: but make sure you don't do so too early! Untimely seedlings can be too leggy before it's time to plant them outside - learn about hardening off seedlings here.
Part 2: When the Soil IS Ready!
Suit up!
Outdoors: Don’t Fall Behind!
- Appropriate seasonal décor: It goes without saying stringing lights and ornaments everywhere is good for the spirits in these dreary months… however 😬… come February, they seem to lose their vigor. Taking the décor down in preparation for new exciting things to come is also good for the soul! Remember to recycle your Christmas tree (see how here)!
- Turn your compost! Perhaps you’ve faithfully continued to add to your compost all year – your garden thanks you! On a warm day, remember to turn it and aerate it so it’s ready for spring.
- Cover all your bases: Make sure to prevent rodents from damaging your tree bases by wrapping them well above the anticipated snow level – so rodents can’t chew your unprotected trees with the helpful elevation of snow!
Outdoors: Get Inspired!
- Go for nature walks: if you can safely go for a walk, hit the trails or stroll around your neighbourhood! A slow-paced change of scenery will help to fight your cabin fever, keep you active, and help you gather inspiration from the natural world.
- Visit your local maple syrup producers for tours.
- Don’t forget our critters: Provide winter homage and appropriate food for our nonmigratory friends (i.e., hutches and feeders) outside windows where pets can observe nature too!
Outdoors: Thinking Ahead!
- Winter weeding: Some tough varieties of plants have evolved to use other plants’ winter dormancy to their advantage, tugging them out now will ensure that you and all the wanted plants in your garden have a fair start this spring.
- Manage snow piling: Heaped snow piling can kill plants including lawn, as well as introduce gravel and debris to areas where gravel is not wanted. Make sure your snow piles aren’t suppressing anything you’d like to live this summer.
- Early spring: Perhaps ice storms and plows have done a number on your trees and shrubs - prune broken branches to prevent pests and disease from entering your plants.
- Litter control: pick up the debris revealed by melting snow so it doesn’t venture farther into natural habitats or tempt wild animals to hurt themselves.
Outdoors: Start Something New!
- Cold hardy crops in cold frames: Cold frames are doable! Use recycled materials - Victory gardens often used car windshields and old windows – to construct in-ground beds facing the sun (southwards) for passive solar heating.
- Winter sowing: Find more on winter sowing here.
We hope these suggestions help you stay green this spring and winter! For more gardening activities, see our other blogs here. We hope to see you this spring (March 5th, 2026) at Eising Greenhouses and Garden Centre! 🌱❄️
Most of us want to easily pull together everyday outfits without overthinking it or overspending. In reality, putting stylish clothing combos together can feel harder than it should. If you stare into the closet and can’t find anything to wear, you’re not alone! Many of us struggle to assemble outfits that feel stylish and put together.
Your friends at Sassyfras Boutique in Eising Garden Centre are here to help with 4 go-to outfit tricks that always work!
These are simple style tricks you can rely on, and they're built around versatile essentials you may already own, plus just-right combinations and accessories that pull everything together. You’ll also find new ways to assemble simple pieces to create countless outfits.
These tricks come from years of helping people in our shop to build their wardrobes. Ready to get started? Let’s make getting dressed and looking great one of the easiest parts of your day!
4 Easy Outfit Tricks
- Get a Great Jacket
In every season, a great top layer pulls an outfit together. Invest in a jacket, blazer and coat for cool or cold weather. Wearing a linen shirt/shirt jacket, sweater, shacket, or cardigan works well for summer, spring and fall. Or you can simply drape it over your shoulders just in case temperatures dip a bit while you’re out or the A/C is a little too drafty.
The top, jacket, and pants are from B. Young, found in Sassyfras at Eising's Garden Centre.
2. Start with a Matching Base Layer
Begin with a neutral, matching base. Easy peasy. Once you have a neutral base, add any jacket colour and accessories! One of the great jackets you’ve invested in will enhance a neutral outfit and create multiple great looks. The key is to start with a dress, or a top and pants/skirt that are similar shades. Some examples of a neutral base are: blue/faded blue, cream/beige, grey/grey, white/white, or black/black. From there, add on any colour jacket or sweater and a similar or complementary shade of bag/purse/earrings/shoes.
Pants by B. Young. Top by Culture. Bag by LaVolta.
3. Match Your Top and Jacket
Here’s a trick you can probably achieve with the clothes that you already have! Instead of matching your top and bottom pieces, match your top and jacket or sweater. Once you put together similar neutral shades on top, you can add almost any skirt or pants and look stylish.
Jacket by Tribal. Pants by B. Young.
4. Camel Adds Class
So you’ve put your outfit together using a neutral shade for your top and bottom, or matched your top and jacket…now do you want to make your ensemble look even better? Add a touch of tan or camel, maybe even a bit of gold. Camel colour bags and shoes go with everything and are staples for easy, classic outfits. Add some gold earrings and a pair of sunglasses, and you’re set!
Top and skirt by B. Young. Hat by Kooriginal. Bag by La Volta.
Help!
We’re here to help you put it all together. Come into Sassyfras wearing your neutral base, and we can help you find that great jacket or cardigan, handbag and accessories to go with it. Or, start from scratch and find a neutral base you can build on. And for heaven's sake, let’s make it easy to look good!