Welcome to December, gardeners! For some lucky people in the southeast or southwest there is still sunshine and tomatoes. For the rest of us, it's a wet city. While summer and fall are the perfect time to finally take a breather, there are plenty of things you can do if you want.
It is always a good time to plant onions when the soil is suitable.
Yes, it's cold, but as long as you can work the ground, you'll be safe. Flower bulbs love this weather. If you have persistent frost it should be even more difficult, so take advantage of the great deals at my favorite bulb stores. Eden Brothers, a company I love for their colors, is offering up to 50% off fall bulbs. Holland Bulb Farm offers many different discounts and is great for bulk purchases. Breck's sale has all of these new pink and pale yellow daffodils as well as some great deals on bulbs.
It also means it's not too late to plant garlic, onions and chives. If you don't have garlic at your garden center, many people have success using store-bought garlic, and while it doesn't usually mean you have to buy organic garlic for this purpose, I always grow non-organic garlic at my garden center at kitchen. The same goes for onions too. If you have a feather, buy it. Since they are often sold in sets, check your garden groups. someone always has more.
Let the rain have its effect
Do you know how weak root germination is in summer? Now it's not autumn because the rain spoils your easy work. Sow carrot seeds in the beds a few days before rain and then watch them germinate. The same goes for radishes, especially daikon and green onion seeds. Since onion seeds (all types of onions) have a very short lifespan, usually only one year, you can do the same. If they sprout, that's great, if not, no loss.
Now you also need to think about cold stratification. Now they can remove any flower seeds that need cold stratification for planting and bring them back when winter is over. You can refrigerate them now and take them out six to eight weeks later.
Tool time
Now that I've finally put my tools away for the winter, I've protected them from the elements. This is also a good time to take a closer look at each one and figure out what needs special attention. Sharpen the edges as needed, including on chainsaws and other saws. Check the pipe ends and check the spades for rust. Make sure tools are clean during storage. Then I get the snow shovel and ice scraper out of the shed and out the front door.
Dormant trees and bushes
Not all plants go into a dormant phase in winter, but rather directly after the fruiting season. But many of your trees and shrubs are ready for winter, so it's time to do that pruning you've been putting off. Shrub branches can be used to make a beautiful tree this year, and larger branches can be cut and prepared for next winter. Be careful of limbs that can cause problems in snow and rain, as well as anything hanging over your home, street, or car. Now google how to prune absolutely any plant or tree, and I recommend doing this on plants that are important to you. How you prune your lilacs can affect next year's fruiting.
You may have more delicate shrubs and seedlings that would benefit from winter covering, which simply means covering them with burlap, leaves, and insulation. Your gardener will know why this cover may be necessary in your garden, but if you have extreme winter temperatures it may be useful for young fruit trees or fig trees. You can buy wool for this at the garden center.
Seeds, seeds, wonderful seeds!
In about six weeks it will be time to start planting for next year. Seed stores are now publishing catalogs, and many places have posted next year's new varieties online. Order before New Year to get the best selection. Orders go fast these days. If you have empty seed packets from last year, you should have a plan for what you want to order.
