December in the garden. How to take care of the garden in December?

December in the gardenseems to be a month when there is not much work for the gardener. Most of the work should already be completed and the plants should be prepared for winter.In December, we usually forget about the gardensand our thoughts go to Christmas. Although, as you will read below, there will be a lot of work in the garden for the greatest enthusiasts. Seehow to take care of a garden in December !

December in the garden

December in the garden can be beautiful!

In December, the ground usually freezes permanentlyand periodically there may be snow cover.In such conditions, we will do nothing in the ground. In addition, the shorter days and lower temperatures do not encourage garden visits. Butit is worth visiting the garden in December , because it can be decorated with frosted or snow-covered crowns of trees and shrubs, beautiful red-discolored shoots of dogwood, left seed heads of wild roses, barberry and rowan.

Regardless of whethersnow falls in Decemberor not, there will be some gardening responsibilities:

• No snow in the gardenthis is a reason to check the winter cover of plants and the thickness of the layer of mulch covering perennial beds.
• And if snow falls , we will have to clear the paths and driveways and shake off the excess white fluff from conifers.
• It is also worthto put up bird feedersand help them survive the cold winter. By the way, you will be able to observe the birds and listen to their chirping.

In December we say goodbye to the calendar autumn and welcome the winterThe determinant of the end of the phenological autumn is the complete fall of beech and birch leaves, which may have already occurred at the end of November (depending on the weather in a given region ). And although the greatest frosts are still ahead of us, the consolation is the fact that from the end of December the days will be longer, and wewill start counting the time to sowing seeds and producing seedlings !

December in the fruit garden

• In December, we check the stored fruit. The most ripe ones are taken for consumption, androtting specimens are discardedThe storage room should now have a temperature of minimally above 0 ° C and high air humidity, preferably 90%. The room with the stored fruit should be ventilated to reduce the ethylene content.

• Grapevines grown in the greenhousetrim to three meshes .
• We are checking whether the frost and wind protection made in November has not been damaged by wind and rains. If the mounds around the trunks of trees and shrubs have been blurred,reclaim them .
• In orderto prevent bark crackingand the formation of scale wounds, we can whiten the trunks of fruit trees at the end of December.
• You should alsoprotect the bark of trees against damage by rodents and hares . Protection may be, among others. plastic sleeves put on the trunks of thin trees, i.e. orchard casings.

• The bark can also be gnawed by deer. In order to deter deer from the garden, it is recommended tohang toilet soaps wrapped in paperat a height of 1 m. They do not like the smell of deer very much.
• Regardless of the preventive measures taken, you mustmonitor the condition of the trees in the orchard throughout the winter We can see destruction and stripping of bark by animals, as well as longitudinal cracks in the bark on tree trunks or thicker limbs with the naked eye. Damaged places should be covered with garden ointment (e.g. Funaben Plus 03 PA or EKO Derma).

• After the first strong frosts (but before the onset of heavy frost), we can collect slips from fruit plants for grafting. During this time, we should cut the stems of cherries, peaches, apricots and pears.Zrazy collected in December from these species preserve better and will not be damaged by frost.Zrazy of species less sensitive to low temperatures - apple, plum and cherry - we can pick up slips for grafting at a later date. One-year-old shoots with well-developed buds are cut for slips.
• Collected slips, after tying them in bunches,put them in a hole with sand, and then cover them overWhy should they be kept in the sand? Damp sand is not conducive to the growth of mold, which can happen in humus soil.If we intend to keep the slips longer, we should impose snow and sawdust in the place of burial. Then the low temperature will remain even until the end of April.
• In December we can also obtain woody cuttings from one-year old currant shoots and grapevines. We store them until springsimilar to slips for grafting .
• From the next month you will be able to start cutting fruit trees, so it is worth preparing for it and checking the condition of our cutting equipment. If our secateurs have become dull, perhaps in December we will find time to sharpen the secateurs.

December in the vegetable garden

• At the beginning of the month,should be done last cleaning work on the plot . Remember to clean and preserve your garden tools afterwards.
• Fields with winter vegetables sown in autumn for early harvest (lettuce, spinach, lamb's lettuce, onion, dill) requireshelter from frost and winds If winter is snow-free, it is worth covering with a double layer of winter agrotextile or natural materials - leaves, straw or pine branches.
• Parsley, celery and garden chervil cannot stand frost. They should betransferred to a cold inspection , which we cover with a reed mat.
• In December, from the vegetable garden, we systematically collect vegetables resistant to low temperatures, such as: Brussels sprouts, kale, lamb's lettuce, leek, parsley and parsnips. They should bedig up before the soil freezes .
• If we did not apply manure fertilization in autumn, we can do it in winter.Manure is spread over the beds with a thin layerand left until the weather conditions allow it to be dug into the soil.
• Remember that the thickness of the snow cover is very important for the depth of soil freezing. If winter is snowless,prevent the soil from freezing by spreading leaves or straw on its surface In such a protected position, next season it will be possible to cultivate crops under low tunnels, to set up a frame or a seedbed.
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• If you do not trust greens bought in the store, you can tryto brush some vegetables yourselfTo do this, plant parsley and celery roots in a box on the window (they must not be too tight trimmed in advance), onions or clumps of chives dug out of the garden. If we provide them with enough light and water,they will quickly release green leaves that can be regularly nibbled on foodChives feels best on the windowsill and must be watered regularly (the root ball cannot dry out) . Parsley and celery for green leaves can be rushed even in a bright cellar or on a porch protected against frost (the best temperature is approx. 15 ° C and moderately moist soil). "

December in the ornamental garden

• It is worth checking winter covers of perennials and shrubs. If they turn out to be insufficient or damaged by the windthey should be replaced immediately .
• The crowns of coniferous trees and shrubs should be tied with string - this waywe will protect the boughs and branches against breaking under the weight of snow .
• The flower beds on which we have planted bulbs such as tulips and narcissi are good to mulch with straw, conifer branches or pine bark.
• We check the condition of the stored bulbs, rhizomes and tubers in the cellar. Those with symptoms of diseases or damage caused by pestsmust be removed immediatelyso that pathogens do not spread to other, still he althy ones.
• In frosty weatherlet out the fat mixed with grain for birdsRobins like oatmeal and blackbirds like apples. In order for our help to reach the most needy birds, such as tits, as well as bunting and greenfinches - it is necessary toprepare an appropriate feeder , in which both the feed and the birds using it will be sheltered from rain and the wind.Feeders can be hung among tree branches or attached to high supports (this will protect the birds from cat attacks). Birds attracted to the garden in winter will help fight pests, e.g. aphids in spring.

• In December we can still pick woody cuttings from evergreen shrubs.
• During severe frostscheck that the water does not freeze in the pondIf there is a sheet of ice, cut the hole. To prevent freezing of the water surface, it is worth using a polystyrene ice hole, available in various versions, depending on our needs.
• Many people use regular s alt such as sodium chloride to remove ice from paths and sidewalks. It is readily available and relatively cheap. Unfortunately, it is also harmful to plants and must not be used in the garden.Instead of s alt, use plant-safe preparations for removing ice, such as magnesium chlorideIt has the form of flakes that dissolve snow and prevent water from freezing even at -50 ° C.That is why the surfaces are not covered with ice despite severe frosts. Magnesium chloride is not much more expensive than regular s alt, and it does not cause such adverse changes in the environment as regular table or road s alt.

Potted flowers in December

• In pot growing, we can tryto stimulate germinationcitrus seeds.
• Short and often cloudy days, dry air in our apartments, and too high temperature, strongly affect home potted flowers. A short day with little sunlight puts the plants in a state of rest. To prevent their shoots from becoming limp and stretched, plants such as agapanthus, clivia, afelandra or saxifrage should bemoved to a room where the temperature does not exceed 10-12 ° Cor illuminated with lamps for plant lighting. Currently, it has become so simple that modern, very economical and relatively inexpensive bulbs and LED lamps for lighting plants are available for sale.

• In December, buds appear on Japanese camellias. If we want them to create flowers, we should make sure thatthe temperature in the room does not exceed 15 ° C . The plant should always face the light with the same side and sprinkled frequently.
• If in September we decided to plant forcing tulips in the cellar, now, after 3 months, sprouts should appear about 5 cm.Move them now to a bright room at 18 ° CWhen they bloom, they can become a decoration for the festive table.
• At Christmas time,a cut Christmas tree, standing in a warm room, should be sprinkled with a little water every dayto prevent the tree from drying out quickly and losing needles. If we decide to have a live tree in a container, then after storing it in a cool and bright place and systematically watering it with water, we will be able to move it to the garden in spring.

• If we want the poinsettia - the star of Bethlehem to retain its decorative qualities as long as possible, provide it with plenty of light, a temperature of 18-20 ° C, high air humidity anddo not expose it to drafts .
• Otherplants that can decorate the Christmas Eve tableinclude min. the African violet (also called the violet vulture) and the Persian cyclamen. More ideas for floral decorations for Christmas in the article Christmas flowers.

Lawn in December

• During this period, we do not do any maintenance work.Avoid walking on the lawn after snowfall , because under trampled, frozen snow, brown patches of rotten turf easily form.
• In the case of , when an ice-snow crust forms on the surface of the lawn, it is good to crush it . If we do not do this, the residual, compact snow will make the lawn easily attacked by snow mold in the spring.
• If you want to set up a lawn in the spring, and the ground has not yet frozen - it is worth digging the soil deeply on the site intended for the lawn and leaving it in the so-called sharp furrow (after digging, do not rake or level).The soil left in this way will crumble, soften and oxygenate the soil.Under the influence of frost, the soil will acquire a better structure and become more permeable to water. By the way, some of the weeds will disappear. This will make setting your lawn easier in the spring.

How to plan work in the garden?

If you want to prepare as best as possible for gardening work for a given month and be sure that you will never miss anything important that needs to be done in the garden again, use the resourceful gardener's planner calendar book. It is a practical gardening guide with a gardening calendar for the whole year and a place for your own notes. More information in the description on our store's website: -)

The text was prepared on the basis of Moje Ogród, Delta, Warsaw 1993, pp. 528-535, and articles published in Flowers on the plot and balcony, No. 2 (35) / 03 and Działkowiec, No. 12/2003.