Northern California December Garden To-Do List

December is a unruffled , restful calendar month for most gardener in Northern California . It ’s a prison term for browsing germ , rose , and Dahlia pinnata catalogs , reviewing the past year ’s horticulture succeeder , and dreaming about and design ahead for the upcoming growing season . If all is going well , rain has fall and softened the soil , washing the ironic time of year ’s dust ( and sometimes ash ) from our garden . Winter breaking wind have cross the last remain leaves from the deciduous tree , and frost has perhaps imperil once or twice , keeping us on our toes and avail to check the overwintering insect universe . We ’re not burdened with many urgent garden chore this month , but there are still a few things that should be done .

pass judgment your irrigation system . While the dry season is still fresh in your mind , carefully survey your irrigation system ’s potency and annotation where improvements can be made . Which areas were overwatered ? Which plant were leave thirsty ? Do the emitter require to be reevaluated or replaced ? Perhaps the whole system needs an inspection and repair ? Mark your calendar with a deadline to have all repairs made and improvements in property so that your organisation is in everlasting shape and ready to go as soon as winter rains cease . Learn more about irrigation here :

Monitor irrigation needs in your garden . If it ’s a drought twelvemonth and the rainfall are thin or have n’t even arrived , supervise your garden ’s moisture necessity and deform your irrigation system of rules back on if necessary . insensate temperatures , abeyant plants , and short days lessen the amount of piss plants demand , but keeping your plant appropriately hydrated reduces works stress , boosting the overall health of your garden .

Protect ship’s boat plants from hoarfrost . Iffrost threatens , move container - grown succulents , citrous fruit , or other vulnerable plants under the canopy of a leafy tree diagram or the eaves of an overhanging roof to shelter them for the duration of wintertime .

Prune yield trees and retard them for pesterer and disease . Pruningof your fruit trees can get once the trees have drop their leaves and are plain abeyant . If pestis have been an subject , strangle winter insect eggs , scales , mites , and soft - bodied insects by spraying with a dormant oil directly after pruning . Fungal problems can be controlled with a sulfur- or fuzz - base spray . Do n’t forget to continue spray your nectarine and peach trees to aid prevent peach leaf curl . Any meter you ’re using spraying , be sure to read the labels , follow all pedagogy , and wear protective eyewear , boxing glove , and clothing .

clear and sharpen your tools . A rainy December day is the staring time to look back your horticulture tools . Toss or substitute any that are broken or inefficient , andclean , sharpen , and oil all cutting sharpness . Sharpen lawn mower blade , and take your lawn lawn mower in for servicing now if require .

Pick ingredient for bouquets and holiday décor . Even though the days are inadequate , a NorCal gardener can always find time to get outside to revel winter - blooming blossom such ashellebores(Helleborusspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9),stock(Matthiola incana , Zones 7–10),Iceland poppies(Papaver nudicaule , Zones 2–10),violets(Violaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , and pansies now brightening up flower border . Camellias(Camelliaspp . and cvs . , Zones 6–10 ) have also begin to flower , with the lovely variety ‘ Yuletide ’ looking particularly spectacular in December . Be trusted to bring bloom - laden limb indoors for refined bouquets , or simply float a few bloom in a shallow bowl of water supply . smart - burn branches ofeucalyptus(Eucalyptusspp . and cvs . , Zones 8–11),pine(Pinusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9),cedar(Cedrusspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–9),juniper(Juniperusspp . and cvs . , Zones 2–9 ) , andmagnolia(Magnoliaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) can also be harvested now and are the perfect ingredients for showy , long - lasting holiday garland , swags , or garlands for indoors or out .

While weed , look out for slimy pests . continue on top of weed in your garden beds , and keep an eye out for slugs , snails , and other common pests .

— Fionuala Campion is the possessor and manager of Cottage Gardens of Petaluma in Petaluma , California .

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Southern California December Garden To-Do List

Midwest December Garden To-Do List

Southwest December Garden To-Do List

Northeast December Garden To-Do List

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