Magnolia grandiflora in winter

December Garden To-Do List

Lee ArmilleiField Notes

December is a great time to take advantage of the dormancy of the garden and catch up on those tasks you couldn’t get to earlier in the season.

  • Decorate your barren pots with fresh greens, berries, and twigs from your landscape. Find inspiration here.
  • Dormant prune trees and shrubs. Call GreenWeaver for help.
  • Sharpen your tools like pruners, trowels, and shovels.
  • Collect materials to start cool season veggies indoors- peat pots, seeds, soil, trays, etc.
  • Clean gutters, downspouts, and storm drains before each wintry storm.
  • Empty rain barrels and disconnect them from downspouts for the winter months. Leave the spigots open.
  • Make a list of tools & accessories you need for next season. New gloves or weed basket? How about a rain barrel, new raised bed, or compost area?
  • Submit a soil test for lawns or gardens. Test results take a few weeks to get back, so plan ahead.
  • Hang bird feeders around your property to supplement our feathered friends.
  • Flip through magazines, blogs, & Pinterest to start planning your dream garden.
  • Sign up for classes and symposiums offered by local gardens and arboretums next year. Many of these will fill up quickly!