Let's face it, everything from necessary jobs like cleaning, sharpening and repairing gardening tools, to fun activities such as decorating flower pots, winter is a great time to prepare.

Winter gardening preparations are a great way to keep your garden going, and a great way to fill some of the hours of winter.

Let's take a look at some tips for winter gardening to help you have a beautiful yard:

The first thing is to start in the Fall. When Fall comes around you want to prune and cut back shrubs and bushes. This should be done as soon as they become dormant. You want to be sure to rake all the leaves from your lawn and garden as they can cause moisture to build up and welcome disease, etc. To add to that, it's great exercise, it leaves your lawn looking clean and attractive, and the leaves are good material for your mulch bin. So, it is a win win situation.

The next thing you need to do is remove any plants or bulbs from the ground that can't weather the winter. A good choice is to take things that can't take the outdoors, in. You can pot these things and bring them inside until the spring. Store these plants in your basement if you do not know where to put them, just make sure they receive some sunlight.

Another thing you should do is mark all the plants in your garden before they go dormant. This way you will know what they are come spring. Then take the time to aerate and reseed your lawn a couple weeks before the first frost.

These are all Fall preparations, but them make your winter gardening easier.

In Winter you can use your favorite indoor work area to fix up all of your garden tools so that they will be ready for spring. Do everything from sharpening to cleaning. You can clean outdoor furniture, clean up bird houses, and other general clean up. Once you are done with your clean up, you will want to make a garden plan for next year. So, make a sketch of your house and garden, noting where you have planted flowers, shrubs, etc. and decide what you want there when spring comes. You can do research on what plants will be best for your region, etc. Develop a strategy for your garden during the winter and you will have a much lovelier garden come spring.

Research plants and landscaping plans. Use resources such as the Internet, libraries, local garden centers and even TV landscaping shows to further develop your planting plan for next spring.

Another thing you can do during the winter is prepare your soil mixture. Purchase your manure, compost and topsoil in advance, mix and store in a cool, dry place. It is good to keep composting all winter long.