December Gardening Tips | Top Advice For December 2024

Your December Gardening Tips Checklist is here! Our expert knowledge and advice will help your garden stay flourishing for the month.

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As the festive season approaches and temperatures drop, winter is the perfect time for cosy evenings, festive decorations, and spending quality time with loved ones.

However, if you’re a keen gardener, the colder weather doesn’t mean you have to abandon your garden entirely! There are plenty of tasks you can tackle this month to keep your garden healthy through winter while embracing the festive spirit.

Let’s look at some December gardening tips that can help you maintain your garden, prepare for the holidays, and try out some creative DIY ideas.

Christmas is all about festive decorations, and as a gardener, you can bring a touch of greenery into your celebrations.

Poinsettias are a Christmas classic. With their bright red leaves (technically bracts), they add a festive splash of colour to any room. Keep them in a warm, well-lit spot and avoid overwatering to ensure they last through the holiday season.
Decorate your home with seasonal pot plants such as amaryllis or hyacinths. These winter bloomers add both fragrance and colour to indoor spaces.
Get creative and bring the outdoors inside! Pick pinecones, acorns, and holly to craft your own natural Christmas decorations. Use these to create wreaths, tree ornaments, or even centrepieces for your festive table. It’s a great way to make use of what nature provides and adds a rustic charm to your home.

General Garden Jobs for December

Even with winter settling in, there are still essential tasks to keep your garden healthy during the colder months.

Store Your Tools

With fewer outdoor tasks to manage, now is the ideal time to focus on maintaining your tools. Start by giving them a thorough clean to remove dirt and debris, then sharpen any blades to restore their effectiveness. Once they’re clean and sharp, store them in a dry, well-ventilated space to prevent rust and extend their lifespan.

Hanging your tools neatly in a shed or garage not only keeps them organised but also frees up valuable floor space, ensuring they’re in perfect condition and ready to use when spring arrives.

Turn Over Vacant Ground

Take advantage of the quieter gardening season to turn over vacant ground, provided the soil isn’t too wet or frozen. This simple but important process helps to aerate the soil, improving its structure, maintaining its health, and preparing it for future planting.

For this task, the Hozelock Eco Fork is an excellent choice. Designed to effectively aerate the soil, it minimises disruption to the ecosystem beneath the surface, preserving vital biodiversity and promoting a healthier garden.

Clear Away Garden Debris

Take the time to clear away garden debris, including fallen leaves, dead plants, and other organic matter. Removing this buildup not only tidies up your garden but also reduces the chances of slugs and snails finding places to shelter and breed.

By keeping your garden clean and well-maintained, you create a healthier environment for your plants and ensure pests are less likely to cause damage during the colder months.

Harvest Your Winter Vegetables

Harvest your winter vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, Christmas broccoli, parsnips, and leeks, to make the most of the season’s bounty.

These nutritious and flavourful vegetables can be enjoyed fresh in your meals or stored properly to ensure they last throughout the holiday season and into the colder months ahead.

Freezing: Vegetables like Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and broccoli can be blanched briefly in boiling water, then cooled, dried, and stored in airtight freezer bags. This preserves their nutrients and flavour.
Cool, Dry Storage: Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, and swedes are best stored in a cool, dark, and dry space, like a garage or garden shed. They can be placed in breathable containers or boxes, ideally layered with sand to keep moisture levels consistent and prevent rotting.
Pickling and Fermentation: For a unique flavour twist, try pickling or fermenting crops like leeks, radishes, and carrots. Pickling is easy and allows you to create jars of tangy, flavourful vegetables to enjoy with winter platters and roasts. Fermentation, on the other hand, adds a probiotic boost, enhancing the nutritional value of vegetables like cabbage and turnips while delivering a rich, sour taste.

Tidy Up Your Space

Take some time to tidy up your greenhouse or conservatory by trimming back overgrown plants and removing any dead or yellowing foliage. This will help keep the space neat and ensure your plants stay healthy during the colder months.

Water sparingly, as plants require less moisture with reduced light and cooler temperatures. Overwatering can lead to root rot and other issues, so it’s essential to adjust your care routine to match the season’s conditions. A little maintenance now will keep your plants thriving through winter.

Sow Hardy Seeds

Get a head start on next year’s garden by sowing seeds for hardy crops like onions, garlic, cauliflower, and radishes, as well as winter daisies for a touch of seasonal color. These plants thrive in cooler conditions, setting the stage for a productive garden in the months to come.

Now is also the perfect time to plant Japanese maples, lilies, clematis, and pansies. These additions will not only enhance your garden’s beauty but also ensure a vibrant display come spring. By planning and planting now, you’ll enjoy a flourishing garden in the new year.

Check Your Bulbs

If you’ve stored bulbs for the season, take a moment to inspect them carefully. Look for any signs of mold, rot, or other damage. Remove bulbs that feel soft, appear discolored, or show visible signs of decay to prevent the problem from spreading to the healthy ones.

Regular checks ensure your stored bulbs remain in good condition, ready to be planted when the time is right, and help guarantee a successful bloom next season.

Protecting Your Garden from Winter Weather

Winter can be tough on your plants, so it’s important to protect them from the harsh elements.

Prevent Frost Damage

Move potted plants to sheltered spots near walls and raise them on pot feet to ensure good drainage.

This prevents roots from becoming waterlogged or frozen.

Maintain Your Pond

If you have a pond, prevent it from freezing by floating an inflatable ball on the surface.

If the pond freezes over, place a pan of boiling water on the ice to melt a hole—never break the ice, as this can harm fish and wildlife.

Don’t Forget Garden Wildlife

Put out food for birds and provide a shallow container of water for animals like hedgehogs and foxes.

Get Festive with Natural Decorations

December is the perfect time to combine your love of gardening with some festive creativity.

A Real Christmas Tree

Bringing a real Christmas tree into your home is a delightful way to add natural charm and celebrate the season. To make your choice even more sustainable, consider opting for a potted tree. After the holidays, you can plant it in your garden, allowing it to grow and be enjoyed for years to come.

Before bringing your tree indoors, keep it outside in a sheltered spot to protect it from extreme weather. This will help maintain its freshness and make the transition to your home smoother when it’s time to decorate.

Make Your Own Wreath

Get creative this holiday season by crafting a beautiful, natural Christmas wreath using pruned evergreen clippings, dried flowers, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks. For an extra festive touch, consider adding dried citrus slices to bring a pop of color and a hint of seasonal fragrance.

This project is a wonderful way to involve the whole family, turning it into a fun and memorable activity. Not only will your handmade wreath add a personal touch to your holiday décor, but it will also bring a sense of accomplishment and charm to your home.

Reuse Garden Clippings

Put your pruned evergreen branches to good use by turning them into festive garlands or using them to fill vases for natural indoor decorations. These simple yet elegant arrangements bring a touch of greenery and seasonal charm to your home while repurposing garden waste.

This is a great way to keep your garden tidy and reduce waste, all while creating unique, nature-inspired décor that complements your holiday celebrations.

Additional Garden Jobs for December

Now is the time to prune open-grown apples and pears, ensuring a healthy crop for next year.
Check your greenhouse heaters to make sure they are working properly and keeping plants warm during the coldest days.
Insulate outdoor taps to prevent freezing, and regularly check your stored produce to keep mice away. Read our blog on Maintaining Your Hozelock Products to learn more about protecting your items during winter.
Reduce watering of houseplants: As winter sets in, your indoor plants require less water, so be sure to adjust your watering routine accordingly.