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 5^th, 2026) at Eising Greenhouses and Garden Centre! 🌱❄️

When you design your home’s exterior with winter curb appeal in mind, it's amazing how welcoming and warm it can look with just a few simple touches. When the neighbourhood is blanketed with snow and the sky is grey, having an eye-catching, beautiful home can really lift your spirits! There are many fun and low-effort ways to transform your home's aesthetic for the winter. Take a look at some of these curb appeal landscaping and decorating ideas to spruce things up this winter season!

8 Inspiring Ideas For Winter Curb Appeal Design 

For some serious Simcoe curb appeal, try adding in some of these stylistic touches to keep things merry and bright:

First, Pick A Theme. Are you into the rustic vintage look, or are you more of a glitter-and-glam type? Having a consistent theme throughout your home's outdoor aesthetic will make everything look streamlined and beautiful. Browse through social media hashtags and Pinterest to get some inspiration for themes and colour schemes, or create a mood board to get those creative juices flowing.

Light Things Up. Twinkle lights are a quintessential holiday decoration, but you can do so much more than just hanging them around your roof. Jazz up the bare trees in your yard by wrapping lights around the trunk and branches, add some into your container arrangements, and grab some solar-powered lanterns to decorate your garden and porch.

Get Creative With Holiday Urns. Fresh evergreen boughs, pinecones, ribbons, and natural wood elements or glitzy picks look so fabulous all arranged together in an ornamental urn. Start by picking out an urn that matches your chosen theme—a birchbark motif would look amazing if you're going for the rustic look. Next, gather all the accoutrements for filling your urn, and arrange them with the tallest pieces in the middle, and shorter pieces all around the border.

Adding in some pieces that trail down the side can also have a great impact on the composition of your arrangement. You could even try wrapping some twinkle lights around the base of your urn for some extra sparkle. If you're less-than-confident in your design skills, join us at one of our holiday urn workshops on November 21st at 6:30 pm, or November 23rd at 10:00 am!

Embrace Metallic Accents. Silver and gold are the go-to metallics for winter decor, but you could even experiment with metallic colours like amethyst, rose gold, or emerald. The shimmery finish complements the glittering white snow beautifully, and they catch the light so well. Paint a few branches with metallic paint and pop them into your holiday urn, or grab some metallic outdoor accessories like lanterns, plant pots, or wind spinners.

Make A Statement Wreath. There are endless ways to customize your wreaths, whether you make them with fresh evergreen sprigs, twisted twigs, or whatever material suits your fancy. Think outside the box and try something different—maybe even integrate some cute novelty ornaments and funky fabric ribbons! Some folks have even taken to hanging their wreaths like a chandelier, with wispy evergreen plumes that hang down ever-so-elegantly. 

Give A Warm Welcome. A cute, festive welcome sign is a straightforward way of creating an inviting and warm atmosphere! We're really looking forward to our Christmas Welcome Planter workshop at 1:00 pm on November 30th. Come join us, and we'll show you how to make one yourself!

Put Up A Bird Feeder. Not only are ornamental bird feeders a lovely sight to behold, but the birds they attract are welcome visitors that are so enjoyable to watch. It's a win-win: you get to enjoy their pretty songs and colourful feathers, and they get to enjoy a hearty snack to help get them through the winter. We recommend buying a simple wooden one and giving it a cool custom paint job to fit with your chosen colour palette.

Get Some Potted Dwarf Conifers For The Porch. Little miniature Christmas trees are downright adorable! A variety like the Blue Star Juniper is nice and compact, and it would add tons of holiday festivity without taking up too much real estate. Pick out some pretty decorative containers and string some lights around them for maximum impact! And the bonus is you can plant it into your landscape in the spring.

Beautiful decorations and glittering lights make holidays at home all the more memorable. If you're in need of some fresh evergreen boughs or other winter decorating supplies, or if you'd like to register for one of our upcoming workshops, visit us in-store at Eising's, and we'll help you get your home winter-ready.