Here we are, in the midst of winter, but at least we can make plans for spring. A local garden center or a seed catalog is a good place to start.

With more people at home in 2020, we’re told that people bought seeds and turned to gardening in record numbers. One would hope that they also got around to planting those seeds and enjoying blooming flowers or even harvesting tasty food as a result.

Last March and April, seeds and plants were selling out as people were locking down. You may not have noticed if you were busy looking for a place that still sold toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Vegetables were the most popular, but flowers and herbs were in demand, too. A number of plants are attractive to butterflies and bees, which makes them useful to the environment as well as to humans.

While there are some tips for winter gardening, the best thing about winter is that it allows time to plan ahead. Now is a great time to order seed catalogs or talk to someone at a local nursery and to start planning and even diagramming what you want and where you will plant it. Think about what you’d like to eat. Get the kids involved.

According to The Survival Mom, winter is a good time to look at your grounds. “Are there areas of erosion? If so, you have a project for spring and can start researching and planning how to fix it.” Looking at where snow and ice melt first, and where they last, will give you an idea of which spots receive the most and least natural sunlight.

Learn your “grow zone.” For Great Bend, it’s either 6a or 6b.

Finally, consider starting to grow some hardy early-season plants indoors.

If none of these ideas excite you, don’t worry. With the growing popularity of growing things, perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to know someone who has taken up gardening, and who’s willing to share when the time comes.