By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Winter isn’t time for planting, but it’s a great time to plan a garden plot.

Jana Dalke, owner of Serenity Gardens, rural Hillsboro, said soil preparation can be done as soon as weather conditions permit.

“Now, or once it dries out, they could prep the soil they need to till or plow,” Dalke said.

Tilling helps with insect control by bringing eggs to the surface where they dry out, she said.

It’s a good time to treat the soil as well.

“If you need to add any compost, manure, or organic matter, now would be a good time to do that,” Dalke said.

Dalke said gardeners can pick cold-tolerant plants and start seeds indoors now so seedlings can be transplanted in early spring.

Lettuce and broccoli are cold-tolerant.

“Peas could go in now, actually,” Dalke said. “Peas are very snow tolerant.”

Potatoes and seed onions can be planted in the first half of March.

“Onion plants need to be a little bit warmer because they’ve got some green growth on them, but seed onions can be put in now,” she said.

April 17 is the average last frost for this area, Dalke said.

For a flowerbed, pansies, snapdragons, perennials, and plants in the dianthus family can be planted sooner than most flowers. Trees and shrubs can also be planted early.