Your Garden in December.
It’s finally December and the start of the UK winter season. As well as the important jobs like celebrating the festive season, there are a few jobs and activities to do around the garden this December.
Continuing the process of maintaining your garden during the cold winter months, frost protection is important, as well as caring for both plants and pots. There are also a few plants and seeds you can sow in December, which is all in preparation for the next spring and summer seasons.
Sowing Seeds.
December isn’t a great month for sowing seeds and crops outside, however, inside your home is the perfect atmosphere for planting seeds to start their life. Geraniums, Cyclamens, hyacinths, sweet peas are just a few plants that can be sown indoors this month.
Ideally, they should be planted in small containers or cardboard tubes in soil and watered regularly. Keep them in a relatively bright spot and in warm conditions.
Frost Protection.
The weather has already dramatically shifted to low freezing temperatures, and it’s important to make sure your garden and plants are protected. Closely monitor the weather and predicted forecast and take action accordingly. Use garden fleeces and cloches to protect the plant.
This is particularly important for the plants and crops you’ve sown during autumn, as they are still developing and adjusting.
Greenhouses.
If you have a greenhouse in your garden, which you are currently using to grow plants and crops regardless of the winter season, please ensure your greenhouse is insulated and all the heaters are working efficiently. This will make sure your plants and crops stay thriving throughout the season.
Did you know?
Freezing weather can cause cracks in terracotta pots. To avoid this either, bring them indoors or wrap them in bubble polythene.
Berry Shrubs.
December is a great time to plant Thornless berries ready for next summer. You can select from an array of berries, including raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and more uncommonly tayberries, loganberries, boysenberries, which are hybrids of raspberries and blackberries.
They mainly like sunny but sheltered areas and moisture-retentive soil. They are usually planted and trained against walls/ fences; however, they can be grown in containers.
Planning Ahead.
The perfect time to plant these fruit trees is between November and March. Good soil preparation is vital when planting trees, especially if you want them to last years. The fruit tree should be planted in a location with full sun and plenty of room for the bush to grow and thrive.
Dig a hole approximately 16in by 16in (40cmx40cm) and secure the trunk with a wooden stake and rubber buffers. Make sure to water the tree well and mix compost into the soil to keep it moist.
