Winter doldrums

With the 29" of snow we received last weekend, I have not been able to really do much of anything in my backyard.  But, that doesn't mean there aren't any activities that don't have to be completed right now.  As experienced gardeners know all too well, the growing season will soon be upon us.  So, before you get caught flatfooted, you have to attend to those items that can certainly sneak up on you.
My first priority is to make sure that my seed starting area is primed to begin the processes.  That means I need to check the grow lights, fixtures and to be sure I have enough seed starting mixture to get the plants off to a good start. I also have to clean the area around the grow area to insure that it doesn't affect the plants in any way.  My area is a combination seed starting bench and tool area. That means I have to clear the bench of any non-garden related item and basically clean the surfaces off.
I also will be cleaning the grow lamp beds and the seed starter unit I have.
Once I get that cleaned up and hopefully the snow has melted so that I can get into my shed, I will have to clean the various tools I have with a bleach and water mixture.  I do this in order to kill off any fungus or bacteria that may have grown on the tools over the winter.  It's precautionary but yet another practice that is one of many that help the garden produce at it's best.
The next item of business will be to thoroughly clean my rain barrels and move them to their new spots.  I will have two in the gardens this year, one at the end of each bed.  I will then install a spigot on each of them.  I haven't decided if I am going to install a regular hose or try soaker hoses.  I probably will experiment and do one each way in the two beds to see which is easiest.  After all, ease of use is always a consideration in most gardens.
This will keep me busy for a few weeks if the weather holds and, if we get another snowstorm, a little longer.  Not really much else is out there to do as I am basically in a holding pattern for now.  Such is the life of a Mid-Atlantic gardener.  Until next time everyone, happy gardening!