Christmas is just around the corner, and with it comes the winter weather. Whilst the garden isn’t a hive of activity, there is more to do than you might think! Read on to find out what to do in your vegetable garden in December.
What To Do In The Vegetable Garden In December
Growing, Sowing & Harvesting
- Plant out rhubarb crowns in well prepared soil.
- Sow any hardy winter salads in the greenhouse.
- Now is the time to plant raspberry and blackberry canes.
- Plant gooseberries, currents and blueberries.
- Propagate strawberries by dividing the runners.
- Strawberries can also be planted out now.
- Lift the last of the leeks and parsnips before the soil freezes.
Tidying & Maintenance
- Remove yellowing leaves from any winter brassicas.
- Cut down any dead asparagus foliage.
- Harvest any remaining Jerusalem Artichokes.
- If you have any empty borders, now is the time to dig them over and add manure on top.
- If you’re planning on growing beans next year then dig a trench in preparation. You can then fill it with kitchen waste (no cooked food though!) and re-cover with soil. This will ensure well fertilised soil for your upcoming bean crop.
- Cover any winter brassicas with netting. This will prevent birds from getting at them.
In The Greenhouse and Container Garden
- Still not cleaned our your greenhouse? Get on it! If you tidy it now you can go into the new year with a well organised and clean greenhouse. Don’t forget to wash the glass, the floor and the staging. Do so with horticultural disinfectant, as it will kill any pests and diseases.
- If you’re blessed with snow this month, remove any heavy snowfall from on top of the glass.
- Open doors and windows on warmer days to ventilate the greenhouse. This helps to prevent the risk of disease.
- Water your plants sparingly.
- Plant basil, dill, chives and parsley on windowsills indoors.
Other Things To Do In The Vegetable Garden In December
- Still looking for Christmas presents? Get the gardener in your life our gift card!
- Seed stock – feed any old seeds to the birds, have a list of things that grew well, and things that didn’t, then get ordering your stock for next year. We love doing this, all the potential is very exciting!
- Give all your garden tools and good clean and wipe down.
- If you’ve got a shed, consider spending a wet afternoon tidying it and getting rid of any old/unused items.
- Wash bird-feeders and refill.
- Clean out water-butts before they refill with rain water.
- Turn over your compost heap to help it decompose.
- Pile up old logs in one corner to provide shelter for toads and other small animals.
To Conclude
There’s still plenty to do over the festive period (although we’ll forgive you for taking Christmas day off!). Most of the tasks in December revolve around clearing, tidying and preparing the garden for spring.
What are you doing in your vegetable garden this December? Share your photos with us on social media!
