It may be chilly outside now, but if we get some winter sun, wrap up and head out into the garden. There are still plenty of December gardening jobs to be done.
Clear muck and leaves from paths, patios, and decking
Winter damp plus mud and leaves can make garden surfaces mucky and slippery. Sweep up and bag leaves, then give surfaces a good clean with a pressure washer.
Bring some life back into your garden
Just because it’s winter, there’s no need for your garden to look drab. There are some plants that are at their best in December including:
- Pansies
- Primroses
- Hellebores
- Sweet peas
- Delphinium
- Narcissus
- Poinsettia
- Holly
These will bring some beauty and sweet scents into your outdoor space when the world around you looks brown and bare. Hopefully you already have some evergreens in your garden which will make for a striking contrast.
Look after the birds
One of the pleasures of having a garden is noticing the different types of birds that visit. Winter can be a tough time for birds as food is scarce and water sources can freeze over. Taking care of the birds in your garden should be one of your priority December gardening jobs. Here’s what you can do:
Build or buy a waterproof birdhouse to keep birds dry and warm. Put nesting materials like dry leaves and wool inside for extra comfort.
Provide them with food. Set up bird feeders with nourishing seeds, grains, nuts, and dried fruits. Suet blocks are also a good source of energy to see them through the coldest months.
Give them a water source. Provide a bird bath or other containers full of water or melted snow. Don’t forget to clean them regularly to keep them disease-free.
Plan your garden projects for the Spring
One of your most important December gardening jobs is making the time to take stock and plan. Decide which seeds and plants you want to grow come the spring, and order them early before every gardener gets in on the act.
After the cold, dark days of winter, it’s exciting to get out into the garden and see nature bursting into life again. As temperatures lift a little, you can start sowing seeds and preparing flower borders, and vegetable patches. Once the soil has warmed up, you can plant potatoes, onions, cabbages, carrots, lettuce, and spinach.
Come March/April time, you can plant perennials and summer-flowering bulbs like gladioli. Make a note to keep on top of weeds, and water plants at the beginning and the end of the day if conditions are sunny and dry. December is the perfect time to spruce up your garden and to imagine what it will look like once the clocks change again. Which gardening jobs would you add to our list?
For more interesting articles on making the most of your outside space, check out the rest of our blog.
