Tuesday, December 1, 2015

December Garden Tips

Tip for December: stay inside and thumb through your stacks of unread garden catalogs for December garden tips that permit you to stay inside by a cozy fire. Then extend your research to include tips that permit you to stay by the fire with a hot buttered rum. Then take a nap.

But if you insist on actually doing something outside in December, here are some links to some timely articles, with some highlights and our own comments in [blocks]:

From About.com
Keep an eye out for bark damage from ice & deer

Spray broadleaf evergreens with anti-desiccant, to prevent dehydration

Use the branches from your Christmas tree as protective mulch
[Post December 25th, of course!]

Keep watering newly planted trees and shrubs
[Especially if you have recently invested in Ben's Creek Nursery's Installation Services; hint, hint]
and specific to the Southeast region, they tell us:
Be prepared for sudden swings in temperature and protect tender plants with row covers, newspaper or blankets

Prepare your planting beds now, with compost and manure, for planting in early spring

You should still be able to plant trees and shrubs
[Especially by investing in Ben's Creek Nursery's Installation Services; double hint, hint]

Start pruning your wisteria by removing the longer canes
[For those of you with wisteria; for those without, use this time to toast yourself with another hot buttered rum].
Then there is this article from the venerable Southern Living:
Grow some Amaryllis
[An indoor activity; I like it]

Display some Hollies - '... hollies are ideal living Christmas trees. ‘Oakland’ and ‘Robin’ hollies are outstanding evergreens both as specimens and for large hedges.'
[Not sure about 'Oakland'; we used to have some Oakleaf Hollies, and currently have some nice specimens of the Robins. Both are Red Holly cultivars and very popular, although we don't usually sell them as Christmas trees]

Feed the birds
[and watch them eat]

Add mulch
[As we have oft advised, e.g. here, 'mulch in the summer, mulch in the winter, it doesn't matter, keep mulching', it is an all year round, all season, all climate benefit to your yard and garden]
Click the links to read the full text of the articles and/or to avoid our commentary.


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