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Gardening Jobs for December

Any tools not likely to be used during the winter should be cleaned, and any parts likely to rust should be oiled.

This is a good time to start pruning dead and dangerous limbs from trees. These should be burned in case they harbor insects and disease. Apply tree paint to the wounds made in sawing off limbs.

Most plants and shrubs winter-kill because of alternate freezing and thawing, so it is a good idea to bank them up with snow.

Look over the stored vegetables frequently and remove decaying specimens.

To protect tender perennials from harsh winter weather, build a wooden box with no top or bottom. Place it over the plants after the ground has frozen and fill with leaves.

Cover your compost pile to prevent rains and snows from leaching out nutrients.

If iris foliage is hit with heavy frost, remove and destroy it to eliminate borer eggs.

Check the "bones" of your garden or landscape for visual appeal. Hedges, stone walls, and pathways all contribute to the underlying structure. Make a note of what you will change in the spring.

If you're in an area with snow, go out and gently shake the snow from evergreens after heavy snowfalls; frozen wood is brittle. Remove any broken limbs with a sharp saw.

Make holiday wreaths from grapevines, greens, and dry seedpods.

As houseplants are growing more slowly in December light, cut down on watering by half until active growth resumes. Hold off on fertilizing as well.

Group houseplants near each other to form a support group to cope with the low humidity of most winter homes.

Save and inventory left-over seeds.

When watering your houseplants, avoid using cold water because it may shock the plants; use tepid water.

Move your houseplants away from icy windows to prevent any chilling.

Check your houseplants for any insects or diseases, and treat when necessary.

Remove the snow from evergreen shrubs to prevent them from breaking.

To help reduce winter damage to your lawn, minimize traffic on the frozen grass.

Houseplants with large leaves benefit from being washed with a damp cloth to remove the dust.

Check your fruits and vegetables in storage; throw away any that are damaged or diseased.

Bring in the evergreens for holiday decorations!

Relax and dream about next year's garden.

Prepare the soil for any new shrub, flower, or rose bed for next spring. Dig up the soil, remove any weeds, and add compost.

Towards the middle of the month, new bare root roses are available to purchase at garden centers.

Avoid major pruning over the winter. However, be sure to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches from trees and shrubs.

If the weather is dry, occasionally water your lawn, shrubs, and small trees.

Apply a layer of winter mulch to protect your perennials after the first few freezes.

Remember to remove any leaves from your lawn and gardens, as the leaves can block sunlight or encourage disease among your plants.

Plant cool-weather vegetables such as beets, carrots, chard, lettuce, leeks, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, and turnips.

Plant transplants such as asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, and lettuce.

Keep an eye out for pest problems and control before they get out of hand.

Order your vegetable and flower seeds now so you will be ready to plant them in the early spring.

If you want to upgrade your garden, now is a great time to design a new landscape or make any structural improvements to your garden.

Check to make sure indoor plants are getting enough sunlight and water.

Fertilize your winter lawn after the first mowing.

Set out bird feeders with food and water to attract birds to your garden during the winter.

Be prepared for early winter frosts; protect fruit trees.