As innkeepers of the Inn at Woodhaven, we wear a lot of hats… and that includes in the garden!

During these cold winter days, planning your planting may not be top of mind; however, it’s a great season to get a jumpstart on creating a welcoming garden space.

We thought we’d take this month to share a few of our Kentucky gardening tips for you to try this spring. Are they truly groundbreaking? Maybe not, but we sure do love a good gardening pun! 

When To Start Your Planting in Kentucky

We don’t consider ourselves gardening experts, but if there’s one thing we know for sure it’s that seasonal gardening in Kentucky is a constant learning process. Some trial and error is required when it comes to planting.

Fortunately for us local Louisville folks, there are resources that share a wealth of knowledge about everything from starting a vegetable garden to planting your spring flower beds to pruning your shrubs and trees.

With gardening, for us most activity takes place between the last day of frost in spring and the first day of frost in winter. Finding the exact dates for your region of the state will help you plan your gardening accordingly.

Find The Hardiness Zone For Kentucky

With a country the size of the US, gardening isn’t the same across all 50 states. Instead, every region has a number assigned to it based on the average annual temperature. A lower number indicates a lower average temperature, which makes it more difficult for certain plants to thrive.

Most of the Bluegrass State sits comfortably somewhere between the moderate hardiness zone 6b and 7a, which makes it suitable for a wide range of plants, from fruit trees and vegetables to fresh herbs and flowers.

Pro tip: Always check for your specific hardiness level, as zones vary even within the state. A garden in Bowling Green might require different care from one in Louisville.

How To Start Gardening In Winter

Growing a garden in Kentucky isn’t just a summer activity. If you want the fruits of your labor in summer (warned you about the puns), the winter months are when you lay the foundation. 

February is still frozen and March is an incredibly temperamental month in Kentucky with large temperature swings, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put flower or vegetable seeds to soil. Here’s how to get started.

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1. Plant Vegetable Seeds

If you’re looking to start a vegetable garden, the colder months of the year are actually a great time to get seedlings going indoors.

For example, February is the ideal time to plant vegetables and to start seeds such as:

• Delicious leafy greens: arugula, kale, and collards, among others
• Herbs: who doesn’t like to have fresh basil and thyme?
• Cool season vegetables: cauliflower, cabbage and eggplant are great candidates

Most of your annual and perennial flowers need a warmer soil. Planting these outside, as well as crops like tomatoes or sweet corn (a Kentucky classic!), should be saved until it’s almost Kentucky Derby time in April or May.

2. Prune Your Fruit Trees And Plants

In Louisville, the potential for frost extends through early April. Trees and plants are dormant in these months. We use this time, instead, to prune our rose bushes and other summer-flowering shrubs to ensure a floriferous season ahead.

It’s also a great time for us to check in on the health of the many gorgeous dogwood and weeping cherry trees we have around the property. What’s growing on your property? We’d love to hear in the comments.

3. Soil Maintenance

Soil quality plays one of the most important roles in the health of your blooms and composting is a great way to improve that quality. During the late winter season, remember to rotate your compost heaps to add fresh oxygen to the decomposition process.

At the end of February, we like to add about an inch of compost to the garden beds on the property. This helps nourish the soil for better planting results come spring. This blog from Ready To DIY has some great tips on improving your compost quality.

4. Water Your Plants

Don’t forget to think about watering. For the trees and shrubs on your property, late winter can actually be a great time to give them a little extra TLC.

Evergreens, in particular, will benefit from some additional watering in February and March. This is especially important if it’s been a dry season with lower rain or snow levels than usual. 

The Importance Of Soil to Sew Your Seeds

You may not know this, but we were Florida residents for quite a while. In Florida, the soil more closely resembles sand, making gardening more challenging than many people expect.

In Kentucky, however, we feel lucky for the local crider soil, which is far more nutritionally dense and well-draining. How valuable is crider? It’s actually Kentucky’s official state soil! (Yes, that’s a real thing.)

Soil Testing Services

No matter how many times you try, sometimes certain plants simply won’t grow. The reason might not be your lack of a green thumb.

Plants need to be planted in the right soil. To find out what type of soil you have, consider using one of the many soil testing services in your area. With just a consultation, you’ll learn the type you have to work with and more importantly, how you can improve the quality.

Spring Gardening

After lying dormant for a few months, it’s always a joy to see your garden come back alive in spring! All around you, you can see fresh green and colorful flowers as new life awakens. While the joy is there, spring gardening in Kentucky comes with its own set of challenges.

Gardening Tool Maintenance

When the beautiful spring and summer weather arrives, we’re excited to dive right into adding colorful blooms around the property and placing cuttings around the Inn. But in order to start the season smoothly, we take advantage of these cooler temperatures to make sure that our gardening tools are in good shape with a thorough cleaning and sharpening.

If you have a lawn mower or other motorized tools for your property, this is an ideal time to inspect them and get them serviced if needed. Being proactive in this area will help you avoid the spring rush for these businesses so that there are no delays in maintaining your yard.

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Plant Your Flowers

Spring is when you plant most of your summer bloomers. If you missed your chance to plant any new perennials in fall, this is your second chance. After the last day of frost, you can start planting more delicate flowers and bulbs.

Don’t be too eager and plant all of your flowers at once. Keep in mind that some flowers are really delicate and can be destroyed by a single night of frost.

Place Any Birdhouses

February and March are also great months to add birdhouses to your property. Very soon our feathered friends will be seeking nesting sites and you can create welcoming spaces to host them in your yard (though we’ve found they don’t appreciate the bedside carafe of sherry like our inn guests do).

If you’re new to birding, check out these tips to select the right types of birdhouses for the types of birds you’re looking to attract or watch below.

Find a New Favorite Flower

Many visitors are surprised to learn that of all the floral varieties, its spindly yellow Goldenrod has claimed the title of Kentucky’s State Flower since 1926. If the thought of that gives you the sniffles just thinking about it, the good news is that there are countless options for you to consider.

Kentucky is a fantastic state for growing a large variety of blooms in every color imaginable during spring and summer.

Some Of Our Favorite Flowers

On the list of easier-to-care-for flowers, we love the colorful bursts from pentas. They’re relatively drought-tolerant, which is helpful with our busy hosting schedule. They also do well in a variety of light conditions and seem to do fine whether in a hanging basket, pot, or directly in the ground.

Another easy plant is coral honeysuckle (also known as trumpet honeysuckle). It is a native species in Kentucky and is a beautiful trellis-climbing vine. Honeysuckle’s vibrant trumpet-shaped flowers range in color from rich red to coral orange to rich yellow. Plus, this flower attracts several varieties of pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard.

And what Kentucky garden would be complete without roses—one of the icon symbols of the Kentucky Derby. At the Inn at Woodhaven, we have several varieties in hues of white, yellow, pink, and red. With so many varieties available, we encourage you to explore which ones work best for your property and level of gardening expertise.

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Enjoy Flowers At The Inn At Woodhaven

While most people love flowers, not everyone shares the same love of growing them. We make that easier for all our guests with our “Romance is Inn the Air” package, which includes roses or a mixed floral arrangement.

And for a limited time, you can also reserve chocolate-covered strawberries in a heart-shaped box with a bottle of our favorite sparkling Rose. It is the perfect addition to your Valentine’s season stay with us. Schedule your reservation today.

And we don’t mean to be presumptuous, but we think our Rose Cottage or Garden Suite may be just perfect for you. Which one calls to you more?