Top Tips for December

🌲 December Gardening Jobs: Protect, Prune & Prepare for the Year Ahead

As the shortest days of the year set in and the garden slumbers under a frost-kissed blanket, there’s still plenty for the hands-on gardener to do. December is the perfect time to protect vulnerable plants, tidy up, and carry out structural tasks while growth is dormant. Wrap up warm and make the most of the quiet – here’s your checklist for December gardening.

1. Rake Fallen Leaves in Borders

Clearing leaves is more than a tidy-up job — fallen foliage can harbour slugs, snails, and other pests waiting to damage next year’s growth. Rake up leaf litter from flower beds and borders and compost the healthy material for use later.

2. Move Pots to Shelter

Potted plants are especially vulnerable to extreme cold. If a cold snap is forecast, move containers to a sheltered spot like a porch, cold frame, or against a house wall for extra warmth and protection from the wind.

3. Hard Prune Dormant Shrubs and Hedges

With deciduous shrubs and hedges now dormant, it’s a good time for a hard prune to manage their size and encourage strong spring growth. Take care not to prune spring-flowering varieties now, or you’ll lose next season’s blooms.

4. Insulate Soil Around Parsnips

If you’re harvesting parsnips, pile straw or mulch around their base to stop the soil from freezing solid. This simple trick ensures you can still lift them when you need them for festive dinners.

5. Support Brussels Sprouts

Wind can play havoc with tall brassicas. Tie your Brussels sprouts to a cane and earth up their stems to keep them upright and stable, especially in exposed sites.

6. Store Watering Equipment Indoors

Hoses, watering cans, and sprinklers can crack and split when frozen. Drain and store them indoors — in a shed or garage — to extend their lifespan and avoid mid-winter surprises.

7. Winter Prune Fruit Trees

Now is the time to prune large apple and pear trees. Remove dead, diseased, or overcrowded branches to improve airflow and shape the tree for easier harvesting next year. Avoid pruning stone fruits like plums or cherries until summer.

8. Protect Tender Shrubs and Climbers

Use straw, bracken, or fleece to insulate the base of tender plants such as passionflowers, salvias, or young clematis. This extra layer acts like a warm blanket against frost damage.