December’s the perfect time for tidying up the garden and taking stock, thinking about what worked well and what you might change next year. Catch up with all those little jobs you never get time for during the year, like organising your shed and cleaning your tools. And when the days are cold and dark, start planning for next year’s planting.
- Rake up leaves on lawns and put them in a pile, or collect them in black plastic bags to make leafmould. Avoid walking on your lawn when it’s frosted or covered in snow, as this damages the grass.
- Clear fallen leaves from beds, as they can harbour slugs and snails. If the leaves are affected with black spot, don’t compost or store them, but put them in your garden waste bin or burn them if permitted.
- Wrap pots in bubble wrap or fleece to protect them from frost damage, and put them on pot feet to prevent waterlogging which could kill plants.
- Plant bare-root roses, as well as deciduous shrubs and trees.
- Mulch beds with a soil conditioner or well-rotted farmyard manure. Spread a thick (5cm/2in) layer of mulch on the soil and leave the worms to work it in over winter.
- Prune climbing roses, removing any dead wood, tying in new shoots and cutting back flowered side shoots by two-thirds of their length.
- Lift and divide large clumps of rhubarb.
- Cover winter brassicas like kale and sprouts with netting to stop birds eating them. Harvest leeks, parsnips, winter cabbage and sprouts.
- Look after your garden wildlife in winter. Keep bird feeders topped up and birdbaths filled with clean water for birds to drink and wash in. Float a ping-pong ball in your birdbath to stop it freezing over in icy weather. Make a log pile in the corner of your garden to provide a home for toads and other garden wildlife.
Wishing you and your families a wonderful and safe Christmas, and a happy new year. We’ll be back in January with the best tips for 2022 🎉