Ten Important Gardening Jobs for DECEMBER

It might be a bit cold and dark outside at this time of year - but that doesn't mean that there aren't still things to do out in the garden. So here are the ten gardening jobs you need to do in December. On the plus side, it's a good way to burn off some fo those extra Christmas calories.

1. Protection

   Protect any tender plants from hard frosts, wall shrubs or climbers can be covered with sacking or fleece. Try to leave a space between the plant and the covering to provide a protective air pocket. Also, protect any undeveloped fruits on fig trees by covering them with straw or by hanging sacking over the branches.

2. Lawns

   Give the lawn a final rake and spike it to give aeration and help improve drainage. Add a dressing of a worm control product such as Cast Clear or Sulphur Soil to lower the soil pH and discourage worm activity. Avoid walking on frozen grass.

3. Houseplants

   Move houseplants off windowsills and into the room on frosty nights, the air trapped between the glazing and the curtains can be much colder than inside a room. Stand pots on trays or saucers of pebbles and add water to the tray/saucer; this will help to combat the dry air created by central heating systems.

4. Remove Snow

   Tap snow to remove it from plants such as conifers where the weight of snow may cause broken and splayed branches. Gently brush snow from the roofs of greenhouses and polythene structures; this is particularly important if these places have been insulated for the winter.

5. Care for Wildlife

   Top up bird feeders regularly and replace the ice in bird baths with fresh water. Also, float a ball or piece of wood on the surface of ponds and water features to lessen the chances of ice forming.

6. Propagation

   Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous trees and shrubs, select the current season's growth. Cuttings should be 25-30cm (10-12ins) long and insert the lower 2/3 of the cutting into prepared, weed-free soil (these cuttings can be inserted through a black plastic mulch to help control weeds).

7. Storage Watch

   Check over any stored fruit and vegetables and remove any showing signs of rot or damage. Also, inspect any stored bulbs, corms, and tubers for signs of mould or rotting; a dusting over with Yellow Sulphur (Vitax) or Mildew Clear (Neudorff).

8. Vegetables

   Continue to harvest winter vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, carrots, and parsnips. Order seed potatoes to make sure you get the varieties you prefer. Continue with winter digging whenever the ground is free from frost, or mulch the area with an organic mulch if you prefer the no-dig method.

9. Fruit Garden

   Apply grease band traps to any trees that were not done last month, and renew any bands that have trapped many insects, especially female winter moths. Spray top fruit with a Tree winter wash to kill insect eggs and hibernating grubs. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the container. Prune grape vines as soon as they have shed all of their leaves. Cut back all side shoots to within one or two dormant buds, removing any thin, weak, or damaged shoots.

10. Christmas Trees

    If you have a potted tree, place it on a large dish or saucer and water into it so that the plant can take up water in the dry indoor atmosphere. For cut trees, keep them outdoors until a week before Christmas, cut off the lower 15cm (6ins) of trunk and place them in a bucket of damp sand before taking them indoors.

Steve Bradley