Gardening Notes for December – Things to do


Finish removing leaves from lawn areas. Shred and place in garden beds. Decorate containers remaining outdoors for the winter. Evergreen boughs such as Yew, Pine, Hemlock, fruited Holly or Cherry Laurel branches can be pruned from the garden. Add some white painted birch stems, red twig dogwood or magnolia leaves.

Make sure the soil around newly planted evergreens remain moist. A 3-4” layer of mulch over the roots certainly helps to retain the moisture. A thicker layer of mulch is detrimental to the plant. Rhododendrons, Holly or other evergreen shrubs that have been recently planted will benefit from an application of an anti-desiccant spray. Apply during periods when the temperatures are above freezing for several hours.

Finish cutting back perennials which have little winter interest, or that can potentially spread seed throughout the garden and become a weed nuisance during next summer. For Tea Roses, mulch the graft union with soil, leaves or mulch after the soil has started to freeze. This will ensure that the desired and budded named selection plant will not perish during the winter.

Protect roses from winter damage by mounding up their crowns with a 6- to 12-inch layer of soil before the ground freezes. After all is frozen, add a layer of leaf mulch to further insulate.

Winterize lawn mowers and other gas-powered equipment. This entails cleaning or replacing of filters and amending the fuel with an additive that will prevent it from becoming more viscous and potentially blocking fuel lines come spring.

Seed vegetable gardens with winter rye as a green manure. If there is access to composted or even fresh horse or cow manure, it too can be spread now in the annual beds (not vegetable).

Pot-up daffodils, tulips or minor bulbs in shallow pots and when evening temperatures consistently are in the teens, place them in the back of an unheated garage for the winter. Water when the soil appears dry. As the shoots begin to appear in February, place them in a sunny but cool window (hopefully in the garage). They will provide nice early color to the kitchen table in March or for outdoor containers in March and April.

Check your houseplants for pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. If tackled before they get out of hand, nonchemical methods are usually successful: a simple shower, insecticidal soap spray (as directed on label) or with the most tenacious (like mealybugs) sometimes an alcohol swab and Q-tip. Houseplants are semi-dormant now (unless growing under plant lights). Don't feed (or feed very little); watch it with the water in particular.