Blog by Lanie Keystone
December is here—and so is winter gardening!
Just when we think our major gardening chores are done for the year, along comes December, saying, “ Do these important tasks in the last month of the year and be a happy gardener in the spring!”
So, let’s think about these tasks in groups—starting with:
Pruning:
- Dormant Trees—prune grapevines, roses, and deciduous fruit trees to shape them and also promote healthy growth.
- Evergreens—Trim evergreen hedges and shrubs to maintain their shape.
- Clean Up Dead Growth—Remove damaged or dead branches to aid the health of your plants.
Planting:
- Bulbs—spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and alliums. You’ll thank yourself in a few months with those glorious blooms!
- Bare-root Roses: Plan ahead, buy them now, and plant them in late December.
- Winter Vegetables—those “cool season crops” such as carrots, kale, broccoli, beets, and lettuce. Watch them thrive.
- Native Plants—These can be the base of your spring garden. The best time to plant them is December, during the rainy season, to get them well established.
- Plant for pollinators: Include winter-blooming plants like manzanita, grevillea, or hellebores to attract and support pollinators.
Lawn Care:
- Aerate Lawns: If the soil is compacted, it needs to be aerated to improve water and nutrient absorption.
- Fertilize Cool-Season Grasses—Apply a winter fertilizer to promote healthy growth.
Irrigation:
- Check your automatic irrigation system.
- Adjust your system’s timer to coincide with cooler temperatures and rainfall.
Soil and Mulching:
- Mulch—Set down a generous layer of mulch on all garden beds to inhibit weed growth and protect the soil from erosion.
- Compost-Add compost to your beds. Doing this now helps enrich the soil for spring planting.
Harvest:
- Cool Season Crops: If you planted leafy greens and root veggies in the fall, now it the time to harvest them.
Winter Citrus: Pick ripe oranges, lemons, limes, and mandarins.
Special Note: If you live in Solano or Yolo Counties, contribute some of these bounties to the Gleaning Project. Or, think about starting your own Gleaning Project in your area to contribute to local food banks.
Enjoy the Season:
Once all of these Winter garden tasks are completed, sit by the window, watch the winter critters, and plan for next spring and summer with your favorite seed catalogs. You deserve it!
Photo by Marianna Zuzanna: https://www.pexels.com/photo/water-protection-pros-poland-jacket-double-welding-technique-increased-resistance-to-mechanical-damage-16442685/