{"id":1050,"date":"2025-12-29T11:07:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T11:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.andrewgardener.co.uk\/?p=1050"},"modified":"2025-12-29T11:14:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T11:14:26","slug":"december-gardening-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andrewgardener.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/12\/29\/december-gardening-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"December Gardening Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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December Gardening Checklist<\/h1>

A simple guide to flowers, fruit & veg, greenhouse care, houseplants, and winter maintenance<\/em><\/p>

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Flowers & Borders<\/h2>

  • Protect terracotta pots from frost by bringing them indoors or wrapping them.<\/p><\/li>

  • Rake up fallen leaves in borders to reduce slugs and pests.<\/p><\/li>

  • Plant bare\u2011root roses, deciduous shrubs, and ornamental trees.<\/p><\/li>

  • Hang bird feeders near roses to encourage birds that eat overwintering pests.<\/p><\/li>

  • Cut stems from winter shrubs and evergreens for festive decorations.<\/p><\/li>

  • Move potted plants to sheltered spots during very cold spells.<\/p><\/li>

  • Mulch tender shrubs and climbers with straw or bracken for winter protection.<\/p><\/li>

  • Plant fragrant winter shrubs in pots, such as sarcococca, chimonanthus, and daphne.<\/p><\/li>

  • Prune climbing roses anytime between now and February.<\/p><\/li>

  • Hard\u2011prune overgrown shrubs and hedges while dormant.<\/p><\/li>

  • Check stored bulbs and corms for signs of rot.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

    Fruit & Veg<\/h2>

    • Mulch around parsnips to stop soil freezing and make harvesting easier.<\/p><\/li>

    • Plant blackberries, including thornless varieties like \u2018Loch Ness\u2019.<\/p><\/li>

    • Winter\u2011prune apples and pears to shape trees and improve fruiting.<\/p><\/li>

    • Plant cordon, fan, or espalier fruit trees to save space.<\/p><\/li>

    • Start planning next year\u2019s crops and order seeds.<\/p><\/li>

    • Weed, mulch, and tie in new stems in raspberry and blackberry beds.<\/p><\/li>

    • Lift and divide rhubarb, replanting healthy outer sections.<\/p><\/li>

    • Net brassicas to protect them from pigeons.<\/p><\/li>

    • Clear old crops, composting only healthy material.<\/p><\/li>

    • Remove yellowing brassica leaves to prevent fungal diseases.<\/p><\/li>

    • Support Brussels sprouts with canes and earth up stems.<\/p><\/li>

    • Prune grapevines back to one or two buds on each side\u2011shoot.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

      Greenhouse<\/h2>

      • Pot up rhubarb and cover to force early stems.<\/p><\/li>

      • Remove dead leaves and flowers from overwintering plants.<\/p><\/li>

      • Pinch out autumn\u2011sown sweet peas to encourage bushy growth.<\/p><\/li>

      • Care for indoor azaleas: deadhead, water regularly, and keep cool.<\/p><\/li>

      • Monitor temperatures and check heaters are working.<\/p><\/li>

      • Bring hyacinths indoors to flower in a cool, bright place.<\/p><\/li>

      • Water sparingly to keep the greenhouse dry and reduce disease.<\/p><\/li>

      • Prune greenhouse grapevines while dormant.<\/p><\/li>

      • Water cyclamen from below and deadhead regularly.<\/p><\/li>

      • Check overwintering plants for pests like red spider mite.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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        Houseplants<\/h2>

        • Increase humidity to counteract central heating.<\/p><\/li>

        • Feed weekly with liquid fertiliser through autumn.<\/p><\/li>

        • Repot moth orchids after flowering if overcrowded.<\/p><\/li>

        • Water less often and move plants off cold windowsills at night.<\/p><\/li>

        • Plant amaryllis bulbs for festive blooms.<\/p><\/li>

        • Repot top\u2011heavy or root\u2011bound plants.<\/p><\/li>

        • Move plants to brighter spots during short winter days.<\/p><\/li>

        • Wipe dust from leaves, especially on snake plants.<\/p><\/li>

        • Take leaf cuttings from African violets, begonias, and succulents.<\/p><\/li>

        • Check for pests such as aphids, scale, and mealybugs.<\/p><\/li>

        • Rinse large\u2011leaved plants in the bath or shower to clean foliage.<\/p><\/li>

        • Sow cacti seeds in warm, moist compost.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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          \ud83d\udee0\ufe0f Garden Maintenance<\/h2>

          • Keep bird baths topped up with fresh water during frosty weather.<\/p><\/li>

          • Bring hoses and watering equipment indoors to prevent freezing.<\/p><\/li>

          • Remove leaves and debris from ponds, letting wildlife escape before composting.<\/p><\/li>

          • Store your Christmas tree outdoors in water until you bring it inside.<\/p><\/li>

          • Clean and organise your shed and tools.<\/p><\/li>

          • Check tree ties and stakes before winter storms.<\/p><\/li>

          • Prune dormant blackcurrants, removing around a quarter of old stems.<\/p><\/li>

          • Order well\u2011rotted manure or compost for winter mulching.<\/p><\/li>

          • Order summer\u2011flowering bulbs such as lilies and gladioli.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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            Reference<\/h2>

            BBC Gardeners\u2019 World Magazine. (2025). What to do now: December<\/em>. [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.gardenersworld.com\/what-to-do-now-december\/ <\/span> [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            gardening, december, winter, greenhouse, houseplants, pruning, bulbs, vegetables, maintenance, UKgardens<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[112,67,139,107,110,111,68,129,62,115,128,140],"class_list":["post-1050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-garden-tasks","tag-bulbs","tag-crystal-palace","tag-december","tag-gardening","tag-greenhouse","tag-houseplants","tag-london","tag-maintenance","tag-pruning","tag-ukgardens","tag-vegetables","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t