The Garden in December. What to do this month.

The weather has turned again, and winter certainly is here. If you manage to get up early enough to catch the garden before the frost has had chance to melt in any glimmer of sun you are in for a treat.  The garden at this time of year, although cold, can be really stunning with displays of evergreen plants, grasses and seedheads from perennial plants getting covered in frost.

Photinia fraseri 'Red Robin'

Festuca glauca 'Intense Blue' covered in frost

You might also get a few surprises. Spider's webs, usually cunningly disguised thin threads become over burdened with droplets of frozen water and reveal themselves for the beautiful works of art they actually are.

Spider's web heavily laden with frost

If you look carefully, you will see how delicate the frost can be with plants. Note on the Rubus here the frost appearing on each and every thorn on the stem of the plant.

Rubus thibetanus 'Silver Fern'

Euphorbia martinii covered in frost

Another memeber of the Euphorbia family, quite different in style, but certainly popular with many people this time of year is Euphorbia pulcherrima (commonly called 'Poinsettia').

Euphorbia pulcherrima leaf and bract

House plants are popular this time of year, one of the most popular, and easiest to grow is the Hippeastrum (erroneously known as 'Amaryllis').

Bud on an Hippeastrum

Both of these favourites are relatively easy to grow (when you know how!). Click the names of either plant to get care instructions and to find out how to keep them alive and well till next year.

Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) &
Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia)

If you are off out buying a Christmas tree over the next week, it might be worth looking at the christmas tree buying guide first by clicking here.

So, if you wrap up well and want to get going in your own garden, here are a few ideas for things to do.


Herbaceous

Continue to cut back fading autumn perennials, but leave any plants with interesting foliage or seed heads still standing as architectural skeletons in the border. 


Water features and aquatic plants

Shake the leaves off nets covering the pond if you have them, otherwise, remove leaves on the surface before they sink. Use a pond heater to stop your pond freezing over as this can be fatal to your fish. Do not crack the ice as this can be harmful to the fish!


Lawns

If may seem strange but if the temperature is hovering around the 5°C mark or above, the lawn will continue to grow, so if might need cutting if the weather stays mild. Leaves will continue to fall so need to be collected. It's a good time to re-cut lawn edges and repair damaged areas.

A top tip for this and the next few months is to not walk on the lawn on a frosty morning. The weight on stiff grass can damage theblades and can lead to mysterious brown footprint shaped steps around your lawn! Keep an eye open for Fusarium patch (snow mould) and algae problems.


Fruit and Vegetables

Prune and take hardwood cuttings of currants, gooseberries, grape vines and prune open grown apple and pear trees (not cordons, espaliers or fans). Divide and plant rhubarb.

Lift and store root crops. Plant shallots and garlic. Lift and store celery.


General 

If you have alpines, make sure you remove fallen leaves. It maybe prudent to rasie the pots on your pation onto feet to stop them getting waterlogged and crack when frozen. Root cuttings can be taken from now.


The garden advice and plant information contained on this page has been created as accurately as possible, but localised weather conditions and yearly variations in climate mean that information should be used as a general guide only and acted upon accordingly.