Gardering in december

What to do in the garden in December?

In December, the days are shorter and the temperatures cold.

However, a number of activities await you in the garden, including the latest harvests, some plantations and light gardening.

I propose here some ideas to realize in the garden in December.

The harvest of the garden in December

Vegetables and winter fruits allow you to continue enjoying the season’s crops. For example, root vegetables such as carrots, celery and radishes.

Harvest your red beets before the frost sets in and keep them ready for consumption. The last leeks for delicious pies, parsley and salads such as mesclun, arugula, or lamb’s lettuce.

Fruits with late varieties will allow you to make pies, compotes or jams. So, harvest the last pears and apples.

If you have citrus, it’s time to savour them: oranges, mandarins, lemons, clementines, grapefruits, pomelos and yuzu. They will be perfect for vitamin breakfasts!

Fruits and vegetables of December

Fruits and vegetables of December
Fruits and vegetables of December

The ideas of plantations

The land in this season is fresh. You can take the opportunity to plant bare root fruit trees. If you like fragrant cuisine or herbal teas, take the opportunity to make a massive of aromatic plants.

To do this, place the shrub herbs in the centre, as they will grow in height. For example, thyme, basil, parsley, tarragon, but also lavender, chives, sage and rosemary.

I advise you to generously straw your plantation to find it fertile in the spring. Take advantage of this time to clear crop plans and plant your salads.

Garden in December: some tasks in the garden

  • On the lawn, install slats to avoid pushing the soil in each pass. You can remove them in the spring if you wish. If you have a pool at the bottom of the garden, lay bundles on the edge, you will avoid the phenomenon of breakage.
  • In the orchard, take advantage of the month of December to remove all the fruits with Moniliose, and spray your tree with Bordeaux porridge to avoid the proliferation of this fungal pest.
  • This month’s frost-free period is also ideal for planting deciduous ornamental shrubs. For example, the Callicarpa gives small clusters of autumnal flowers with buttered colors, L’Arbre aux papillons resists a temperature of -25°C and requires very little maintenance. Or, the «King Edward VII» Flowering Gooseberry with its shimmering spring colours and blackcurrant scent. Not to mention roses such as Happiness or Charles de Gaulle.
  • As for the maintenance of the vegetable garden, do the digging very superficially, the snow will be in charge of refining the soil for the spring. Next, amend the soil with compost or manure. Mulch to keep your plantings at a temperature that is sustainable, but especially to avoid the proliferation of weeds. It also prevents flooding in the root system. In case you have a greenhouse, ventilate daily and throughout the morning, this will help to re-oxygenate the atmosphere. Water your plants only in the morning. Finally, if you have sunflowers in the garden, the tits will feast on their seeds during the winter!

The end of the year ends gently in a garden in December, which will rest serenely to regain all its splendour next spring.

Come and share with us all your tips and garden maintenance activities during the month of December.

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