12
Winter
What to plant in December
Frost and firelight. A month for hot drinks, reading seed catalogues, and the occasional brisk walk past the beds.
Sow indoors
- Microgreens
- Pea shoots
Sow outdoors
- Broad beans (mild areas only, under cover)
Flowers to plant
- Tulips (last chance, frost-free days)
- Plant bare-root roses
Herbs to grow
- Pot rosemary indoors
- Force chicory in a dark cupboard
Beginner tips
- ✦Rest. Order seeds. Make a sowing list, month by month, for next year.
- ✦Prune apple and pear trees while dormant — open out the centre.
Common mistakes
- ✕Pruning stone fruit (plums, cherries) now — wait for summer to avoid silver leaf.
- ✕Planting bare-root anything into frozen soil — heel them in temporarily.
Small garden & pot options
- · A wreath of foraged stems for the door
- · A bowl of forced paperwhites for Christmas scent
Raised bed suggestions
- · Cover with cardboard and mulch — let worms do the work
- · Check stored squashes weekly for soft spots
Plant this month
If you only do one thing in December…
- →Bare-root fruit trees
- →Tulips (if you can still find them)
- →Garlic (mild areas)
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