What to do in the garden in December

In the garden

December brings the first frosts to the inland valleys. Check the forecast and cover tender plants with fleece on clear nights. Use the sunny days to tidy up, sort your tools and sharpen your secateurs before pruning season.

Lawn

Mow only if you need to, and only when the grass is dry. Avoid walking on it when it’s frozen or waterlogged. Clear the leaves so the base doesn’t rot.

Watering

Water as little as possible. Rain and low evaporation cover almost everything. If frost is forecast, switch off the automatic watering the night before and water mid-morning if needed. Check that exposed pipes are protected from the cold.

Pruning

• Palms: a good time, with the red palm weevil less active. Remove only dead fronds and treat the cuts with an approved product.
• Deciduous trees that have already dropped their leaves: persimmons, pomegranates, mulberries.
• Avoid pruning citrus and frost-tender plants until late winter.

Vegetables and fruit trees

Pick oranges and mandarins as they ripen. Finish harvesting persimmons and olives. Plant garlic and onions if you haven’t already. Feed fruit trees with well-rotted manure around the canopy.

Plants of the month

• Bare-root fruit trees and roses.
• Cyclamen, pansies and primulas for winter colour.
• Deciduous trees such as the nettle tree or ash.
• Potted firs and pines for the festive season.

Hedra’s tip

If you buy a Christmas tree with roots, keep it indoors for as short a time as possible, away from the heating, and water it every few days. After the holidays, move it to a large pot or plant it in the garden somewhere with plenty of space. At the garden centre we can advise you on which species will suit your garden best.