Planning Next Year’s Garden During the Winter Months
Dear Friend,
By late November in the Blue Ridge, the last leaves have mostly fallen, the air carries that clean cold smell, and the frost lingers in the shaded places well past breakfast. The pace of gardening has slowed to a crawl — at least above ground. But for the gardener’s mind, this is a fertile season.
If summer is the time for action, winter is the time for intention. The best gardens I’ve ever seen weren’t dreamed up in the rush of spring — they were mapped, tested, and rethought while the ground was resting. And here in the mountains, where our growing season has both treasures and challenges, a bit of winter planning can make the difference between a good garden and a great one.
Today, I want to walk you through the practical, research-backed steps for planning your garden in the quiet months, so when spring comes, you’re ready to plant with confidence.
Step 1: Review the Past Season
Good planning starts with honest reflection.
What worked? Make note of the varieties that thrived, the beds that produced well, and the design elements you loved.
What didn’t? Identify crops that underperformed, problem pests, and areas that stayed too wet, too dry, or too shaded.
Record keeping: A garden journal, photos, and even harvest logs help you make decisions based on real data, not just memory.
Scientific note: Documenting planting dates, bloom times, and harvest yields allows you to track how climate patterns — like our shifting frost dates in Asheville — are affecting the garden over time.
Step 2: Know Your Space
Measure twice, plant once.
Map your beds — include dimensions, sun exposure, and slope.
Test your soil — Winter is an ideal time for a soil test, so you can amend before spring planting. NC State’s soil lab processes samples free of charge most of the year.
Identify microclimates — South-facing slopes may warm earlier; low spots may frost later in spring.
Step 3: Set Your Goals for the Coming Year
Ask yourself: What do you want more of?
More flowers for pollinators?
Higher yields of specific crops?
A more low-maintenance layout?
A four-season garden with winter interest?
The clearer your goals, the easier it is to filter plant choices and design decisions.
Step 4: Select Your Plants Intentionally
For edibles:
Choose varieties adapted to our USDA Zone 7a climate.
Stagger maturity dates to extend harvests.
Select disease-resistant varieties for our humid summers (e.g., tomato varieties resistant to early blight).
For ornamentals:
Favor native and climate-resilient species.
Plan for continuous bloom from March through frost for pollinator support.
Include structural plants for winter interest — conifers, ornamental grasses, shrubs with colorful bark.
Mountain wisdom: Don’t plant what you won’t eat or enjoy looking at — it’s a waste of space, time, and soil.
Step 5: Work Backward from Planting Dates
Using our average frost dates in Asheville (last frost ~April 15, first frost ~October 20), create a calendar:
Start seeds indoors at the right lead time (e.g., tomatoes 6–8 weeks before last frost).
Plan direct-sowing dates for cool- and warm-season crops.
Schedule successive plantings to avoid gluts and gaps.
Scientific note: This is where growing degree days (GDD) tracking can refine timing. Matching crop maturity to accumulated heat units ensures better harvest predictability.
Step 6: Rotate and Rest Beds
Crop rotation reduces pest and disease pressure and maintains soil health.
Don’t plant members of the same family (e.g., tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) in the same bed two years in a row.
Incorporate cover crops or fallow periods into rotation for soil building.
Step 7: Plan for Infrastructure
Winter is the time to design and build:
Raised beds
Irrigation systems
Compost bins
Trellises and supports
Building now avoids the spring rush and ensures everything’s ready when planting begins.
Step 8: Order Seeds and Supplies Early
Popular varieties sell out fast, especially from smaller regional seed companies.
Prioritize seed companies that offer varieties tested for the Southeast.
Store seeds in a cool, dry place until planting.
Step 9: Budget for the Year Ahead
Whether you’re managing a home garden or a nursery production schedule, winter is the time to:
Estimate costs for seeds, soil amendments, and supplies.
Allocate funds for infrastructure upgrades.
Track anticipated returns — whether in harvest yield, plant sales, or landscaping income.
A Unicorn Farm Example
Each winter at Unicorn Farm, we start by reviewing last year’s notes: which perennials sold best, which vegetable varieties thrived in our production beds, and which landscaping installs drew the most pollinators. We map out our propagation schedule, set dates for seeding in the greenhouse, and place orders for plugs and seed before the rush.
We also take stock of our marketing calendar — aligning blog topics, farmers’ market offerings, and installation services with seasonal availability. The result? By the time the first daffodils bloom, we’re weeks ahead instead of scrambling to catch up.
Closing Thoughts
Winter planning is the gardener’s version of sharpening the saw — you’re not cutting yet, but you’re making sure that when you do, every stroke counts. In the quiet months, we have the gift of perspective. We can look back at the season just past, look forward to the one ahead, and make deliberate choices that will shape the garden for years to come.
So pour a cup of something warm, spread your notes and seed catalogs across the table, and let your mind wander through next year’s beds. In the stillness of November, you’re laying the foundation for the abundance of April, June, and September.
Yours in the winter dreaming,
Unicorn Farm Nursery & Landscaping