Snow Days

February 8, 2026 — Kim Jewell

Why We Need Winter

Ahh… snow.

With the generous amount of snow that we have recently received in Northern Indiana, I would image that most gardeners are already wishing away all this white stuff in favor of warmer temps and the emergence of green things in spring. Don’t be so hasty friends! There’s a lot to appreciate about snow and I want to share some of my thoughts the subject.

The view outside of Kim's home office window.

First and foremost, I love snow. If it’s going to be cold anyway, I would prefer that my world be blanketed in white. For some reason I just associate the cold white environment with a pause in the hustle and chance to rest and reset before gardening seasons starts again.

It also gives me a chance to really think about my gardens and what I want to accomplish when I can get outside and play in the dirt again. So whether you like it or not, I think that the respite snow gives is good for our health and helps feed our souls:

- It scours the mental landscape.
- Keeps us from getting jaded.
- Erases from memory the excesses (Hubby Steve-- "You spent how much?") and failures of the year before.
- It allows us to believe that next year, for sure, it's all going to work—there will be no weeds, no drought, no personal idiocy, no dead-as-doornails $29 plants.

Aside from being good for us, did you know that snow is also really good for our gardens? Snow helps insulate our plants. Without snow, very cold temperatures would likely freeze the soil to a much deeper level. Deep frost levels can wreak havoc on the root systems of trees and shrubs.

Poor Man's Fertilizer

Did you also know that snow is sometimes referred to as “the poor man’s fertilizer?”

As it falls through the atmosphere, nitrogen and sulfur attach to the flakes. When the snow melts, these elements are released into the soil and absorbed by plants. Nitrogen as we well know is essential to plant growth. And of course there is the obvious benefit of snow providing moisture for our gardens. As it melts in the spring it helps provide water for emerging perennials.

You can’t deny the beauty of a snow covered garden. Structures like benches, arbors and paths are highlighted. Evergreens look brighter and trees with ornamental bark are shown off with the white background. Seed heads and ornamental grasses wear crowns of white.

The Japanese have revered snow for a long time and consider it an important part of their garden display:

They use special snow viewing lanterns called yukimi placed around the gardens for gardens tours.
They call snowflakes that adorn tree branches sekka, or snow blossoms.

When everything is covered in snow, the landscape is peaceful and still. The snow sparkles and all is white and pure. It’s magical to stand outside with the big, fluffy flakes falling around you.

Winter visitor in Kim's garden.

Winter Daydreams

So yes, gentle reader, it’s ok to take an hour or two and peruse those seed catalogs and dream of what might be; come spring. And if anyone ( like Hubby Steve) gives you grief about excessive charges on the Visa bill, remind him that it’s still much cheaper than therapy or a vacation to someplace tropical to get a “green fix.”

Winter keeps the gardener reaching for something higher, for another plane of beauty and fecundity. And since all those plants we order in fits of midwinter madness actually do show up in the spring, demanding to be stuck in the ground, the garden really does become more beautiful and fertile (or at least more crowded) every year.

— Kim Jewell, Master Gardener and Amateur Author

Snow Days

February 8, 2026 — Kim Jewell

Why We Need Winter

Poor Man's Fertilizer

Winter Daydreams

Read more from Whitley County Master Gardeners