Garden Calendar for December

Keywords for the month of December are “Winter Plant Protection”. What you do now to protect your plants from the cold winter temperatures will make all the difference in the spring.

Winter Plant Protection

One of the best ways to provide plant protection is to simply cover the plants with some type of cloth material. Place 3 or 4 stakes around the plant, then drape the burlap, or other cloth over the stakes so it does not come into direct contact with the leaves of the plant.

Winter protection for mums: by covering the crown with soil. Cover the soil with a 2 or 3-inch layer of mulch. Do Not Cut Back Dead Stems!

Winter protection for rose bushes: Pile or hill up a loose, well-drained soil/compost mix around and over the plant to a depth of about 10-12 inches. After soil has frozen, you can add another 10-12 inches of leaves, hay or evergreen branches.

Tie branches of columnar arborvitaes or junipers to prevent damage due to weight of snow or ice.

All perennials gardens benefit greatly with a layer of mulch to provide a blanket of protection over the root system.

Taking Cuttings

Prune evergreens, like holly, junipers and pines for holiday decorating.

Clean Up

Take time to clean up the garden any leaves that have fallen. Dead leaves can be cut off perennials and the debris from summer plants can be collected and added to the compost pile. A little time spent on grooming the garden will certainly improve the overall appearance of the garden for the rest of the fall and winter.

Poinsettia Care

Place in sunny window. Keep the plant from touching the cold windows.

Keep Poinsettias away from warm or cold drafts.

Ideally Poinsettia’s require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees F. And nighttime temperatures at 55 degrees F. Put in cooler room at night if possible.

Check soil daily. Punch holes in foil so water can drain into a saucer. Water when soil is dry.

Fertilize with a houseplant fertilizer once a month.