Things to do in your garden in December.
Taken from the Ontario Master Gardener Calendar
by John Hethrington, Master Gardener Emeritus
Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario
Please contact John for more information!
December Garden Tips: After the wonderfully mild “Late Summer” days in November, here are a few things you still can do in your garden this December. As you know, there is no end to garden chores.
- Cut down tall perennials and ornamental grasses bent over by high winds & snow but leave a few with seeds for the birds and pollinators.
- Loosely wrap evergreens and especially rhododendrons with burlap. It is better to use 3 tomato stakes and make a triangle of burlap, as high as the plant and 6” to 8” away from it This will break the drying wind and shield it from the winter sun.
- Protect young trees and shrubs from rodents with spiral plastic wraps or chicken wire. I know wraps look ugly, but the white reflects the sun to minimize sun scalding.
- If not done already, hill up the soil and/or place compost around your hybrid tea roses and other tender plants and shrubs.
- I place loose straw over my potentially tender Phenomenal and Czech lavender to create an igloo of protection.
- Bring in, drain and store all hoses and water related equipment. Blow out in-ground garden water lines before they freeze. Maybe call a plumber.
- Wash all your garden tools. Wipe the metal parts with a cloth soaked in 3-in-1oil. If you really want to be fancy, wipe wooden handles with boiled linseed oil.
- Make sure you have stocked up on firewood for your fire place this winter.
- With all the mild weather, the ground should not be frozen yet, so you can still plant those spring bulbs that you forgot in your garage or bought at 50% off. (I once planted tulips on Christmas Day in my garden by the sidewalk in downtown Toronto. An elderly gentleman passed by and asked, “Whatever are you doing?” I told him “It’s an old Hethrington tradition, I always plant tulips and daffs on Christmas Day”. He shuffled off shaking his head, but there were blooms in April. So, stick any spring bulbs you can find into the ground before it freezes.)
- Inside, check to see that your house humidifier is maintaining the humidity at over 40% to benefit both house plants and your family.
- Put lots of garden tools and garden books on your Christmas gift list.
- Start making to-do lists for your garden for next year. It never ends!
- Order seed catalogues and start dreaming about SPRING 2024!
John Hethrington,
Master Gardener Emeritus,
Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario
Beaver Valley Probus Club