When it comes to gardening tasks, December is a generally slow month. That’s good because it’s the holiday season and there are plenty of other non-gardening tasks to do.
Overview
Still kind of warm, but not too much rain. That means this year the weeds are not too rambunctious. Cool temperatures and shorter days with less daylight all translate to slow growth. Slow growth does not mean no growth. Roots continue to grow, so if you have a spare moment, or are feeling frustrated, go pull those weeds. A better outlet for frustrations than road rage any day!
December Water
I just said this: “Slow growth does not mean no growth.” Irrigation water is needed for landscape plants at least once in the month of December. Yes – even if they are all “low water” plants. They are generally planted more densely in our yards than they would be in nature.
If you haven’t yet, switch irrigation controller to winter water schedule.
Rain
Lack of rainfall is something of an issue for many landscape plants, watered or not. If you have lived in the Southwest for a while, you know how dusty it is. In general plants can tolerate being dusty, but dust blocks sunlight from reaching photosynthetic tissue. Less light is not too bad if there is also no rain to trigger growth. BUT. Along come us humans with our irrigation. Irrigation tells low-water plants to grow, but being covered by dust during the short days of winter can be troublesome.
It is not critical, but plants appreciate a nice rinse. I spray water up over all my plants once a month or so. It is also one way to help clean the yard for the holidays ahead.
I don’t have to tell you to NOT do this in the evening – do I?! Morning is best. But avoid this if a frost is expected!
December Pruning
It is too late (or too early) to prune anything. BUT. If you you can lightly prune things that are in the path or damaging structures. The operative word here – lightly!
If you can at all, avoid pruning mesquite, citrus, yellow bells, palms, all those tropical plants. Mesquite especially have a hard time healing from winter pruning and may bleed black sap for the rest of their life.
Flowers for December – and beyond
Spruce up the yard with some cool season color. Plant people say “color” when they mean “flowers.” Well, usually. You can also add colorful foliage… Almost an entire alphabet of annuals can be planted now.
Cool Season Color article
Cool Season Color Guide Book (available for purchase)
Spring Wildflowers article
Spring Wildflowers Class (available for purchase)
You can also force bulbs for some indoors color – so nice in the dark days of winter. Too late to have them blooming at Christmas, but they can brighten the new year! Here’s my YouTube video Forcing Bulbs.
By the way, I said “spruce up your yard” but spruce trees don’t do well in Low and Middle Desert.
More about Living Holiday Trees.
Leaves Falling
Don’t worry if some desert plants lose their leaves. Many desert landscape plants are what we term “cold deciduous.” In a warm winter they may not lose any leaves at all, but if it gets cold enough, start raking.
There is also a genetic component that decides leaf drop. I have three sister mesquite trees all grown from beans from the same mother tree. One is the thorny sister, one is the tall gangling sister, and one is the “scare-dy cat” and goes bald with the least hint of cold.
Vegetables
In the vegetable garden, plant cool season vegetable sets, including onion sets (seedlings).
Plant cool season herb sets such as cilantro, parsley, dill, fennel, calendula, monarda, yarrow, and nasturtium. While it is too late to start most winter vegetables from seed, you still could start some using sets from a nursery. You could even plant a mini-garden in a large pot. Select one around 8 inches deep for lettuce, 12 to 18 inches deep for bigger crops like broccoli.
Cool Season Vegetable Gardening
The above link is to the basic nutshell article on this site. More details in the 200-something page book I wrote ->. If you purchase it from me before December 10, I will sign it and can get it to you in time for Christmas according to the USPS.
Harvest Edibles
December harvesting is fun, especially when you can brag about it to friends and relatives back east. Harvest ripe citrus as you need it. A gentle tug will drop fully ripe citrus into your hand. Let unripe citrus soak up some more sunshine and get even sweeter. Tree ripened grapefruit is so tasty and sweet!
Harvest any pecans left and enjoy them while they are fresh. Get the last of the pomegranate before the birds do. Pineapple guava can be harvested and stored in the fruit drawer of the refrigerator. Persimmon should be left until soft – unless the birds are starting to get to them. Then bring them in. They can develop further inside.
Olives still on the tree can still be used – even if they are small and wrinkly. They can still be brined into edible olives.
Olive Harvest & Process – series on my Savor the Southwest YouTube
Speaking of olives. No critters seem to eat the downed olives. BUT – do rake up and compost or discard other fallen fruit and nuts. Unless you like attracting mice and packrats to your garden.
One Final Task
Don’t forget to go outside and enjoy your yard!
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