Winter is the season of dreaming. While the Minnesota landscape sits tucked under a heavy blanket of white and the thermometer struggles to climb toward double digits, the most successful gardens in Carver County are already growing—at least in our minds. 

Welcome to Armchair Gardening season. It is the brief, sweet window when we can dream of a beautifully designed garden of flowers blooming, rows of well-formed, blemish-free tomatoes and rabbits that cannot find the tulips or lettuce this year. It’s a beautiful delusion; let’s lean into it.

The arrival of seed catalogs in the mailbox is the true herald of spring. When browsing, it is easy to be seduced by heirloom descriptions of “purple-streaked flesh” or “honey-sweet nectar.” However, for the Minnesota gardener, the most essential acronyms to look for are those denoting disease resistance. Look for codes like V (Verticillium Wilt), F (Fusarium Wilt), and LB (Late Blight). 

Selecting varieties bred to withstand these common pathogens ensures that your hard work doesn’t wither in mid-August. If you struggled with powdery mildew on your zinnias or cucumbers last year, now is the time to find resistant cultivars that will keep your garden looking lush even in the humidity of July. If you are looking for a few new ideas for plant varieties to try this year, visit the University of Minnesota Extension website for recommendations. 

Another strategy is to include crop rotation in your planting plan. Rotation is your best defense against soil-borne pests and nutrient depletion. Grab your garden journal and review last year’s planting plan. Revise the 2026 plan to avoid planting the same family of plants in the same spot for more than two to three consecutive years. 

Vegetable crop rotation is your best defense against soil-borne pests and nutrient depletion. For vegetables, the golden rule is to avoid planting the same “family” in the same spot more than once every three years. For example, rotate the Nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes) with another family, such as Brassicas (broccoli, kale, and cabbage) or Legumes (peas and beans). By rotating families, you break the life cycle of pests that overwinter in that spot, depriving them of a hearty feast. 

For annual flowers, rotation is not as important, but they can benefit from rotation to avoid soil-borne diseases and fungal buildup. If you plant the same flowers in the same spot year after year, pathogens that love that specific plant build up in the soil. For instance, impatiens, zinnias, and peonies are susceptible to molds and mildews. If they became infected last year, moving them to a new site is a smart move.

Before you hit the order button on that catalog website, take inventory of your existing seed packets. To check seeds for viability, try this: place 10 seeds on a moist paper towel, fold it, and seal it in a plastic bag to trap humidity. Put it in a warm spot, like the top of the refrigerator, but avoid direct sunlight so you don’t “cook” them. After five to 10 days, count the sprouts. 

• 8-10 sprouts (80-100%), the viability is excellent, and you can plant those seeds as usual. 
• 5-7 sprouts (50-70%), the viability has dropped, and you may want to plant more seeds (2-3 seeds/hole) to ensure reasonable growth. 
• Fewer than 5 seeds sprout (less than 50%), toss that packet and buy fresh seeds.

Winter is also a time to evaluate winter interest in your landscape. Our plants, shrubs, and trees spend nearly half the year in a state of dormancy; this is the perfect time to improve the views during future armchair seasons. 

When the perennials have died back, the “bones” of your garden are revealed. If your view out the window is currently a flat expanse of grey, consider adding plants that provide structural beauty, color, height and movement against the snow. 

The red twig dogwood is a Minnesota staple for a reason; its vibrant crimson stems provide a stunning architectural contrast to the white drifts. Similarly, planting ornamental grasses like Karl Foerster or shrubs with persistent berries, such as winterberry holly, provides texture and pops of color that feed local birds while delighting the eye. Paper birch offers striking white, peeling bark. Pin oak trees provide movement, as their dried leaves persist and flutter in winter winds. For color, choose crabapples with persistent fruit; they act as natural ornaments while feeding hungry robins and waxwings.

As you sit by the fire with your catalogs and sketches, remember: a garden well-planned in the winter is a garden that thrives in the summer. Use this quiet time to build a foundation of disease-resistant varieties and smart rotations and you’ll be reaping the rewards long after the snow melts.

In the next article, we’ll talk about seed starting and winter sowing for those who simply cannot wait another minute to see green.

For more details, contact the Carver-Scott County Extension Master Gardeners via our website, Yard & Garden Line: 952-446-5308 or by email: questions@carverscottmg.com.