What to do in the garden in December
December is a gentle month in the garden, made for winter pruning apple and pear trees, planting bare-root plants on mild days, protecting pots and looking after the birds. It is also a wonderful time to enjoy the bones of your garden and plan for the year ahead. Here are the jobs worth doing now.
Enjoy the winter structure
This is when you really see the shape of a garden. Evergreen shrubs, clipped forms, the bare outlines of trees, and the seedheads and grasses you left standing in autumn all come into their own, especially with frost on them. Take a few photographs on a bright, frosty morning. They are a brilliant record of where your garden already has winter interest and where a little more structure would help. My post on planting a border that looks good all year has plenty of ideas for building that in.
Keep planting bare-root
Bare-root trees, shrubs, hedging and roses can be planted all through December whenever the ground is workable. Avoid days when the soil is frozen or sticky and waterlogged. If your plants arrive during a cold snap, keep them in a cool, frost-free shed with their roots wrapped and damp, or heel them into a spare patch of soil until the weather softens.
Any tulips still in their bags can go in during early December too. They may flower a little later than those planted in November, but they will still give you a lovely show in spring.
Winter prune apples and pears
From December to February, while the trees are dormant, is the time to prune free-standing apple and pear trees. Start by removing anything dead, damaged or diseased, then take out branches that cross or rub against each other. Aim for an open, balanced framework that lets light and air into the centre of the tree. Use clean, sharp tools and cut just above an outward-facing bud.
Little and often is the best approach. Removing too much in one go encourages a flush of upright, leafy shoots rather than fruit, so spread bigger changes over a few winters. Plums, cherries and other stone fruit are different: leave those until summer, when pruning is much less likely to let in silver leaf disease.
Protect plants from the cold
Keep pots raised on feet so they drain well, and move the most tender ones into a sheltered spot against the house. A layer of horticultural fleece is handy to keep nearby for cold nights. After heavy snow, gently knock it off hedges, conifers and evergreen shrubs so the weight does not bend or split branches.
Winter winds can loosen stakes and ties, so check young trees and climbers after a storm. Tighten anything that has slipped, and loosen any ties that are starting to cut into growing stems.
Look after garden birds
Birds need plenty of energy to get through cold nights. Keep feeders topped up with good-quality seed, suet and fat balls, and put out a shallow dish of fresh water. On frosty mornings, a little warm (not boiling) water will melt ice in the bird bath. Clean feeders regularly to keep birds healthy. Shrubs with berries, such as holly, pyracantha and cotoneaster, are a welcome natural larder too.
Check your stores
If you lifted dahlia tubers or have bulbs and corms in storage, have a quick look through them this month. Remove anything soft or mouldy, and keep the rest somewhere cool, dry and frost-free. Stored apples benefit from the same attention.
December checklist
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, hedging and roses on mild days.
Plant any remaining tulips in early December.
Winter prune apple and pear trees.
Leave plums and cherries until summer.
Raise pots onto feet and keep fleece to hand.
Knock heavy snow off hedges and evergreens.
Check stakes and ties after windy weather.
Feed the birds and keep water free of ice.
Check stored tubers, bulbs and fruit.
Indoor jobs and planning
Short days are perfect for the jobs that make spring easier. Wash and stack pots and seed trays, sharpen and oil secateurs, loppers and spades, and give the shed a sort out. Seed catalogues arrive around now, so make a list of what you would like to grow and order early for the best choice.
For a festive touch, cut a few stems of evergreens from the garden, such as holly, ivy, yew, pine or eucalyptus, along with seedheads and dried hydrangea flowers. They make beautiful wreaths and table decorations, and a light trim does the plants no harm. If you choose a potted Christmas tree, keep it indoors for as short a time as you can, away from radiators, and keep the compost moist. It can then go back outside to enjoy next year.
When the new year comes, my January garden jobs carry on from here, and if you missed any bulbs or bare-root planting, my November garden jobs cover those in more detail.
Quick answers
Can you plant in December?
Yes. Bare-root trees, shrubs, hedging and roses can all be planted in December, as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
Can I prune apple trees in December?
Yes. December to February is the ideal time to prune apple and pear trees, while they are dormant. Leave plums and cherries until summer.
Should I cut back plants in December?
Most perennials and grasses are best left standing until late winter. They give structure, food for birds and shelter for insects, and look beautiful with frost on them.
