Gardening Jobs For December

December plants

• Clematis cirrhosa
• Helleborus x ericsmithii
• Heathers
• Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese Quince)
• Cyclamen

(all available at Palmers)

December Jobs Checklist

• Rake up leaves
  
• Clean out pond
  
• Mulch and/or manure bare soil
• Protect ceramic & glazed pots
  
• Prune wisteria & honeysuckle
  
• Clear away annual climbers
  
• Prune laurel, yew & camelias
  
• Plant tulip & lily of the valley bulbs
• Provide food & water for the birds

General Maintenance

• Rake up fallen leaves that could be sheltering slugs and scoop fallen leaves out of ponds
• Now’s the time to get some manure to improve your soil – either dig it in during the winter months or pile it onto the soil for the worms to do all the hard work and drag it under for you
• Take this chance to de-clutter your shed, sharpen blades of hoes, secateurs and other tools, and repair and treat fencing and timber structures with preservative while climbing plants are dormant
• Wrap insulation material around outdoor taps and pipes; remove pumps and filters from ponds and bubble fountains to avoid damage in freezing weather
• Protect large ceramic or delicate glazed pots from frost damage by wrapping them in bubble wrap or moving them into a shed or somewhere undercover during winter

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Flowers and Shrubs

• Prune wisteria sideshoots to 10-15cm from their base, and tie in leading shoots to create a framework. Cut back overgrown honeysuckle. Check stakes and ties are secure
• Cut down dead perennials and clear away annual climbers, such as sweet peas and morning glory. Trim autumn-flowering heathers and deadhead pansies
• Prune overgrown laurel, yew and camellias back hard to rejuvenate them
• Prepare soil well before planting new roses and prune the tops of standard roses to reduce wind rock. Firm soil around roses loosened by wind rock during storms and bad weather
• Finish planting tulip bulbs for spring colour and lily of the valley
• Move tubs of shrubs or winter bedding to a sheltered spot if conditions turn very cold and wrap straw around the base of tender shrubs and climbers to protect them
• Spread compost on to flower beds for worms to work in over winter or gently fork it in, taking care not to injure emerging bulbs
• Snow may look beautiful but remember to knock it off the branches of shrubs, trees and other plants bending under its weight to prevent branches breaking

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Lawn and Trees

• Cut your grass on a dry day with the blades set high and remember not to walk on lawns in frosty weather or when it’s very wet
• Plant bareroot trees and deciduous hedges, such as beech and privet, with plenty of compost

Don’t Forget The Birds

Winter is a hard time for wild birds, they struggle to find food in the cold and their water freezes over.

• make sure you put out fresh water
• put out fresh food that is high in energy, or fat/suet balls
• give your bird table a good clean and check that it’s sturdy and in good condition.