Gardening in December: Best Things to Do in The Garden

Winter is here to stay, which is a nice change for those people who work outdoors. Some people might just wish to stay inside and drink chocolate close to a cosy fire! However, avoid spending too much time inside because there are still numerous gardening tasks you should be performing in the garden and orchard during the winter. This blog will walk you through a few of the things you should do in your garden in December.

Gardening Tips for December

• Prepare your soil for planting by digging over bare borders.
• To shield them from the worst winter weather, group potted plants together in a protected area of the garden.
• Start chopping! Among the plants that profit from winter pruning is wisteria, some fruit trees, roses, and Japanese maples.
• Maintain the birds' needs by keeping the feeders clean, stocking up on wild bird food, and ensuring they have access to clean water.

Trim and Prune

Now is the perfect time to remove dead branches and shapely trim any fruit trees, bushes, shrubs, or flowers you may have. In the winter, when there is less foliage, it is simpler to see what and where to prune.

Gutter Cleaning

Make sure to have your gutters cleaned after all the leaves have fallen from the trees. They are probably clogged and unable to perform their function because they are filled with dead foliage and twigs.

Safeguard Delicate Plants

The majority of plants can survive the colder months quite well, but some require additional protection. Some plants could benefit from an extra layer of protection throughout the winter, including citrus trees, delicate blossoms like dahlias, and spring-blooming shrubs like azaleas and rhododendrons.

Maintaining a Lawn

• If your lawn is covered in a thick layer of frost or snow, avoid stepping on it to prevent damage to the grass.
• Continue to mow the grass as it grows if the winter is warm, but increase the height of the mower blades.
• Keep raking leaves off the lawn to allow light in and prevent the emergence of dead patches.
• Spike lawns with a garden fork to enhance drainage and aeration.
• While they're less in demand, get your lawnmower and pruning shears serviced.

Remove Snow From Plants

If you reside in an area where snow falls in December, you must be prepared to remove it as soon as it falls. Although the garden seems beautiful when covered in a heavy layer of snow, the weight of the snow will destroy delicate stems and tree branches.

Additionally, the risk of deterioration can be increased by ice and melting snow, therefore it should be cleared right away. Clear snow by hand using the old-fashioned method. To clear snow, use a shovel, a snow rake, or a broom. To clear snow, use a shovel, a snow rake, or a broom.

Snow on small, delicate plants can easily be removed with a little brush. Avoid using tools or substances that could harm the plants during gardening, such as salt or snow blowers.

What To Do in The Flower Garden

• Start winter-pruning the wisteria by reducing the summer side shoots to two or three buds. After a good shaping, favourites like Wisteria Sinensis will appear neater and flower better.
• Now is the time to prune climbing roses, getting rid of any unhealthy or damaged growth and tying any new shoots to the support. Older flowering side shoots should be pruned by a third of their length.
• Deciduous climbing honeysuckle should be planted right away, but avoid planting them on freezing or soggy ground.
• If necessary, prune your Japanese pruning trees (Acer palmatum), as they will bleed sap if you wait much longer.
• You should wait until spring to remove the faded flower heads from your hydrangeas because they shield the developing buds further down the stems from frost.
• To lessen the possibility of the infection spreading the following year, gather up and remove any fallen leaves that are still on the ground from any of your rose bushes that experienced blackspot or rust during the summer.
• Continue inspecting the dahlia tubers that have been stored, looking out for rot.
• Relocate shrub planters or bedding planters to sheltered areas; grouping them together helps shield the root systems from damage caused by frost.

Winter Pruning is Made Easier with Durable Garden Shears

The optimum time to prune trees and plants is in the winter since they go dormant then. For the growth of healthy foliage, pruning is necessary. Plants recover from pruning more quickly while they are dormant. When the temperature is low, plant diseases and pests are also less likely to spread. Invest in top-notch pruning tools with sharp blades to reduce trauma. You can swiftly make clean cuts using sharp blades available at our online shop. For tiny plants, use a hand pruner, while for bushes and shrubs, use large pruning shears. For more information, get in touch with us today.