Gardening Activities for December
Winter is settling in and December can be cold, wet and gloomy. Periodic milder days can be a good time to catch up on chores that you may have neglected to do earlier. It is also a good time to reflect on how the garden did this year and plans for the coming year. Here are a few garden reminders, inspiring ideas, and maintenance tips for this month.
Indoor Bulbs – Winter doesn’t mean we have to live without flowers. The most popular are the amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus. These plants are fun to grow and provide color and interest during the winter months. Keep other houseplants watered and groomed and keep a check for insects.
Seasonal Arrangements – There are many evergreen plants that make excellent material for wreaths and arrangements. They include Western Red Cedar, Incense Cedar, Holly, Huckleberry, Salal, Oregon Grape, Red & Yellow Stemmed Dogwood, Snowberry, Sarcococca and more. If you don’t already have some of these great shrubs and trees in your garden, consider adding some for next year.
Vegetables – Harvest winter greens and dig root vegetables.
Roses – After the first frost, you can give roses a light pruning (in late winter or early spring, they will be pruned again). Cut back any wayward branches that are extending out from the bush. Overall, keep pruning to a minimum but you can go back as much as 1/3. It is wise to remove any remaining leaves and dispose of them. Also, clean up any fallen leaves on the ground around the base of the rose. A dormant oil spray can be used around the base as well as on the limbs. Reapply a deep mulch of leaves, compost or bark chips, covering the bottom foot of the rose. In the spring, this will be removed.
Transplanting – Deciduous trees and larger shrubs can be moved as long as there is no frost in the ground.
Planting – Trees and shrubs can be planted throughout the winter months.
Mulching – If you missed applying mulch earlier in the fall, it is not too late. Mulching adds a layer of protection for plants during the cold months and helps to control weeds.
Pest & Disease Prevention – Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees and ornamentals around New Year’s Day and then every 2-3 weeks weather permitting until bud break. Dormant oil or horticultural oil paired with liquid copper fungicide is the best defense against insects and fungal issues. Mix 1 ounce liquid copper (Liqui-Cop) with 2 ounces of horticultural oil in 1 gallon of water.
Lawns – Pelletized lime can be added to lawns. You can also add Six-Iron fertilizer to green up the grass and provide needed nitrogen. Keep leaves raked off of grass.
Garden Tools – Clean, disinfect and sharpen garden tools.
Bird Feeders – Periodically clean bird feeders with gentle dish soap, bleach or vinegar. Larger feeders can be submerged in a 5-gallon bucket and allowed to soak. Thoroughly dry the feeders before filling again. Always make sure that bird seed is fresh.
