Horticulturist John Hetherington asks:
Master Gardener John Hetherington doesn't let work pile up in his 20 different Meaford gardens. His advice to all gardeners is that there is always something to work on.
Here are tips for gardening in December.
Cut tall perennials and ornamental grasses that are bent over by high winds and snow.
Wrap greenery, especially rhododendrons, loosely with plastic wrap. It is best to use three tomato canes and make a triangular hole at the height of the plant and six to eight inches from it. It will protect against dry weather and protect against the winter sun.
Protect young trees and shrubs from rodents with spiral plastic wrap or mesh. I know the wrap looks ugly, but the white color reflects sunlight to minimize tanning.
If you haven't already done so, dig the soil and/or place compost around hybrid tea roses and other delicate plants and shrubs.
I placed the straws on top of my phenomenal and potentially soft Czech lavender to create a protective pin.
Bring, drain and store all water related hoses and equipment. Place garden waste on the ground until it cools.
Wash all your garden tools. Wipe the metal parts with a cloth soaked in 3-in-1 oil. If you want to look really fancy, wipe the wooden handle with boiled linseed oil.
In winter, take care of the supply of wood for the fireplace.
With cool weather, the ground hasn't frozen yet, so you can still plant those spring bulbs you forgot in the garage.
One Christmas I planted tulips in my sidewalk garden in downtown Toronto.
An old man came by and asked, "What are you doing?" I told him. “It's an old Hethrington tradition. I always plant poppies and daffodils at Christmas."
He walked on and nodded, but the flowers bloomed in April. So stick any bulbs you find in the ground before it gets cold.
Indoors, make sure your home dehumidifier maintains humidity above 40 percent, which will benefit your houseplants and your family.
Put more garden tools and gardening books on your Christmas list.
Start making your garden to-do list for next year.
Order the seed catalog and start dreaming of spring 2024.
Merry Christmas from your Beaver Valley Master Gardener!
