Be-leaf it or not, if you're looking for a way to weather the winter freeze, now is the perfect time to get gardening. Here's a helpful guide for shopping seeds, doing routine maintenance, and even sowing certain plants so that when spring comes, your garden is ready to thrive.

🌱 Spring for seeds

Peruse seed catalogs and grab those springtime favorites that are so popular they tend to sell out come the thaw. We’re talking about seeds for snap peas, radishes, specialty lettuces, and heirloom tomatoes. You can also get your wishlist going for the spring planting of fall bulbs like hostas, gladiolas, and dahlias.

Check out these local spots to nab your favorites:

Grounded Plant and Floral Co., 1060 N. Capitol Ave., Ste. 4-101
Andrea’s Garden Center, 5412 E. 65th St.
Sullivan Hardware & Garden, various locations
Dammann's Garden Company, 5129 S. Emerson Ave.
Alice's Garden, 3205 W. 71st St.

No green thumb necessary to lend a helping hand in your neighborhood. | Photo via @massaveindy

🌱 Get growing

While you’re at the nursery, grab some seeds that you can plant up to six weeks before the final frost — which The Old Farmer's Almanac estimates will fall around Saturday, April 25 this year. Use this tool to calculate when to sow some of these early-season crops:

Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kale
Lettuce

Can’t wait for that final frost date? Now is a good time to prep your seed trays. Clean and organize your trays, then use a growing light to sow the plants indoors and move them outdoors when the time is right.

🌱 Routine maintenance

Every green thumb knows that a garden is more than just its plants. Here’s your winter checklist:

Trim and tidy | Toss out any plants that didn’t survive last year and start fresh.
Take care of your tools | Sharpen your pruners and clean your trowels or treat yourself to a new tool set.
Test your soil | Apply your compost, but don’t forget to test your soil to make sure you aren’t missing any nutrients. A soil test kit can help you out here.
Prepare for frost | Combat cold fronts by making sure your watering system is ready for deep freezes and stocking up on row covers.
Plan your beds | Get out your graph paper and dream up your ideal garden.

🌱 Join a local gardening group

What was your most successful plant last year? Lettuce know and you might be featured in an upcoming newsletter.