December in the Garden

Crocus

Checklist 

• Check catalogs for seeds.

• Outdoor lights provide warmth to frost sensitive plants.

• Protect citrus, bougainvillea, & other cold sensitive plants with non-plastic wraps when necessary.

• Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location. Feed monthly and soak the soil when you water.

• Keep leaves and debris from piling up; they shelter disease and insects.

• Apply second dormant spray of copper to fruit trees.

• Prune shade trees, and roses, and other sturdy shrubs while they are dormant. Remove leaves from roses to force dormancy.

• Avoid over-pruning of other perennials to reduce their susceptibility to freeze damage in the coming winter.

Planting Guide

Fava Beans

Vegetables & Herbs

• Start seeds in greenhouse or cold frame for Cauliflower, broccoli, onion, cabbage, lettuce, beets, spinach, carrots. Plant potato eyes.

• Plant asparagus, rhubarb and artichokes Harvest Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, parsnips, rutabaga, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, and turnips.

Bulbs and Flowers

• Plant any tulip and daffodil bulbs that you still have stored in your refrigerator. Tulips not chilled will bloom on slightly shorter stems.

• Plant cyclamen.

• Plant asparagus, strawberries, artichokes, and rhubarb.

Western Redbud

Trees & Shrubs

• Buy and plant bare root roses early while roots are still fresh. If soil is too wet to plant immediately, cover roots with moist mulch to keep them from drying out, or dig a shallow trench and lay them in horizontally, covering roots well.

• Plant bare root fruit trees, asparagus.