The internet is full of gardening information. As we settle into winter, here are some ways to find the best of it.

I’m old enough to remember when a newsletter about gardening was a real newsletter, one that comes in snail mail and gets printed on paper. There were a lot of them. I still have several copies of my favorite book, “The Avant Gardener”. I’m empty of others I’ve received, but they were some of the highlights of the day when they arrived. Unfortunately, like so many great things, they have given up on the Internet.

What has replaced these simple newsletters is the sometimes bewildering mix of blogs, online newsletters, and websites that list searchable resources straight to your weekly inbox.

I have mixed feelings about the Internet alternatives to those mailed newsletters. For one thing, most of them are free and we don’t know what “free” means when it comes to the internet. On the other hand, older newsletters were highly curated by reputable editors who put their names and necks to the test. Some of these new computer shows are too uncomplicated for gardeners already involved in gardening, often displaying advertisements disguised as gardening information.

But that’s what it is, and the days of mailing newsletters are gone forever. It’s time to move on and learn how to make the most of the alternatives. I’m sure the younger gardeners among us, those who may have never seen a paper newsletter, are adept at navigating the internet to find the gardening information they need. Some of us aren’t quite there yet and just need a little help wrapping our gardening heads around switching from paper to electrons.

Let’s start with coldclimategardening.com. This is a great example of what I call a comprehensive information site. This is located in upstate New York, which I know is very cold with long winters, so I know the topic will be helpful. “Editor” Cathy Purdy is best known for her blog and writing in the garden. You simply migrate to these types of sites occasionally to see what has been added or allow the gardener to sign up to receive notifications of new hires. There are plenty of cold climate resources dedicated to the New York garden, but many of them apply to us. In addition to her blog, there is a catalog section, a cooking section, and even book reviews.

Then there are the “highly sponsored” sites that want to be an alternative to newsletters. While these are full of articles and columns, from gardener travel to seed catalogs and plant shows, they are curated nonetheless. They have nice pictures, helpful maps and sometimes a special book that you know, but the products listed pay for the mention. I’m not saying this is bad, keep in mind. You can find a lot of useful information on these sites. However, it’s like getting a Costco membership magazine: You read it knowing full well that everything is for sale in the store and they make money from every offer. One example is gardenista.com (which I went to because the word “gardenista” is only used to refer to followers of Heronswood Nursery). Some useful stuff, but be on your toes.

Then there are the websites that are clearly commercial, but nonetheless useful. I do some work with the Gardener Supply Company, which takes me to their site, gardeners.com, quite often. Sure, their business is selling gardening equipment, but there are all kinds of articles that explain how to use their products to achieve a great garden. These types of websites don’t try to hide what’s going on. So, for example, check out Gardener’s “Seed Beginner Buying Guide” to see what I mean. Beginners will find it very educational and useful. More advanced gardeners will recognize offers that will make their gardening efforts more efficient and easier (not to mention more successful).

Finally, there are the newsletters that come through your email. These are often close to old newsletters sent by mail. A good example of this is the Garden Design Newsletter (gardendesign.com). It’s a weekly edition and is geared toward “design inspiration” although it has a lot of gardening information as well. You can find suitable offers “directly to your inbox” by using a search engine to narrow down the criteria to something useful that is of interest to you, for example, “Dahlia’s newsletters” (result: sfdahlias.org/january-2021-newsletter/) or “Letters Rose newsletter (score: weekroses.com).

People who are a little older often need to adapt to new methods. Get weekly advice emailed or sit back and spend an hour or two each week, Google your way to finding useful information has become a part of winter gardening. Going to the mailbox is not.

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Jeff Alaska Garden Calendar

Winter light shows, walks, and ice sculptures: There’s a lot going on at the Alaska Botanical Garden this month. Check https://www.alaskabg.org for all details and to make reservations. Membership, by the way, has its advantages.

Pelargoniums: If you’ve over wintered, prune them now for flowers next month.

Amaryllis: If you store it, take it out and water it, put it in the light and grow. buy new.