Gardening for December
For the past two months we've been very busy. Your in ground sprinklers should be working on their own. Don't forget this winter my be drier than usual. If you are choosing to water instead by manual means, you'll need to water an area for twice as long to get the same coverage. Don't over water because fungus can still cause problems with lawns and plants..even impatiens.
Your fertilization should be done as well as your major pruning. You really do not want to do either of the aforementioned since stimulating a plant in winter is unnecessary. Since it is winter, you shouldn't have to cut the grass as often either.
Always remove dead wood from trees, and dead or unsightly palm fronds. If you notice dying areas in the lawn and you have ruled out the possibility of, "no water" being the problem..think insects. Don't wait till it is too late. Insects can devastate a lawn overnight.
Plants to plant for December are: petunias, pansies, snapdragons, torenia, marigolds, begonia,
alyssum, nasturtium, and verbena.This is the best time of year for VEGETABLES. Try planting tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, peas, peppers, parsley, collards, and radishes. The easiest way to go would be to plant, started plants in containers. In a container, you would be able to bring the plant inside if the temperature drops or at the very least cover it with a plastic bag, or blanket.
Don't forget 3 to 4 inches of mulch will also protect your plants from unwanted weeds as well as a damaging frost.
Enjoy your garden,
JOY Schwartz