December Jobs For The Garden

Fortunately there is not a lot to do in the garden in December; it’s a time for planning, perusing catalogues and searching online.  It’s a time for looking through your window and appreciating the different view of the garden swathed in frost. Ordinary garden plants take on an architectural quality and berries abound.

The king of the berries in December is on our holly bushes, just right for cutting and decorating indoors. However, we are not the only ones to covert this delight, our winter bird’s think of most berries as a great treat.

Remember to leave some berries to feed the birds.                     

Decide which twigs would look nice in the house and protect them from our feathered friends by covering with netting or something similar. When you are cutting, think of this as a form of pruning and select the cuttings with an eye for the shape of the bush as well as for the house. Keep in mind to leave a few berries for the birds.

Expect some rain, wind and frost this month with the possibility of snow showers so keep an eye on the weather forecast and get advance warning for when to give your plants a little more protection.

Protect plants from frost

Horticultural fleece is perfect protection against frost damage. Cover the plant and bury the bottom of the fleece below soil level to keep it in place. If an unexpected drop in temperature occurs, newspaper is a good emergency standby.  Cover the ground around garden plants and shrubs (mulch) with leaf mould, straw, cardboard, newspaper or even old leaves, to provide a warming blanket.

Pots and containers

A beautiful spring container showing the benefits of winter protection

Pots and containers are particularly susceptible to frost damage so ensure they are positioned in the most sheltered part of the garden. Place the containers on “pot feet” to help reduce the effects of ground frost.

On the coldest day, your pots would benefit from fleece, covering them all the way to the bottom. Stoneware pots give better protection in the winter although the top growth would still require its fleece jacket.

Plant bare root shrubs and trees

You can still plant bare root shrubs, like roses (see November jobs for the garden), any time when the garden is not frozen or too wet. Firm the soil around the earth of newly planted trees and shrubs then mulch. Remember to check them periodically as strong winds can rock the plant thereby loosening the roots. If the conditions are not suitable you could temporarily plant in a pot until the weather improves.

The effects of snow

Snow is nature’s own insulator from the cold so a covering protects plants from the frost. However, problems arise when the snow forms a heavy layer. The extra weight can cause branches to break and shrubs becoming disfigured.  Shake off excess snow from branches of shrubs and trees as well as garden structures like greenhouse or garden frames.

Securing conifers branches protects against snow damage

Secure conifers branches with twine if they are in danger of being bent over for any length of time as they rarely spring back into place after the thaw. Avoid walking on your lawn if it is has a layer of frost or snow. And, don’t be too neat in the garden, leave some of your more tender plants unpruned as the old foliage can help protect the crucial crown of the plant and protect the new growth.

Still time to plant seeds

Some seeds, predominantly those of hardy trees, shrubs and alpines can still be sown now. These seeds mainly require stratification (a period of cold temperatures) in order to germinate. Try collecting seeds like acorns, horse chestnuts, pinecones, beechnuts etc and burying them at a depth of twice their circumference in a plant pot filled with compost.

An easy project for kids

Spread a layer of fine grit on top and place in a sheltered part of the garden, the patio being ideal. By late spring you should see the seedlings emerge. Transplant them to individual pots and grow on.

And that’s about it for another year in the garden. Time to sit back, plan and enjoy the festive season. But please, don’t forget the wild birds at this time of year. Food can be difficult to come by during harsh winter conditions and its amazing the number of species that will flock to a bird table laden with scraps, fat balls, or a wild seed mix.

Published December 8th, 2014 by Jordan. Article ref 3442

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