December 2022 Gardening Tips

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Annuals (or perennials used as annuals) - Calendula, Chrysanthemum paludosum (nice white daisy flowers for winter bloom), Bellis perennis, Primrose, Sweet Peas, Cyclamen (plant a little high so they do not rot).

Shrubs- Chaenomeles (Flowering Quince-can be a spreader), Daphne*, Elaeagnus pungens 'Marginata', Cornus stolonifera (Redtwig Dogwood-for great winter stem color).  

Trees- Arbutus 'Marina', Crataegus (Hawthorn) , Chionanthus retusus (Chinese Fringe Tree).

Veggies - Onion sets, Shallots, Spinach, Lettuce.

*Daphne shrubs can quickly disappear from nurseries. If you really want one, start shopping now before they are all gone! Choose well branched, full plants with lots of flower buds that haven't bloomed yet.

Extras - Dormant Oil or Neem Oil, Frost Cloth and Clothes Pins to hold cloth onto plant. 

• Plant some drama- For a dramatic, low care shrub that will steal the show in winter, plant Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (Harry Lauder's Walking Stick). Harry offers year-round interest. In the summer this shrub will be full of green leaves, by fall the leaves can turn a yummy yellow before falling off to reveal its winter splendor of catkins hanging down from twisted stems! Little to no pruning is needed for Harry except to remove any sucker growth a few times a year.
• Sweet Peas - can still be planted this month by seed or seedlings (may be best choice-just in case seeds have a hard time germinating). Protect from birds, earwigs, snails, slugs etc. Planted now will ensure large plants and lots of flowers by spring.
• Pruning- Wisteria pruning in winter is how to encourage the most blooms in spring. Prune, leaving two to three buds on each spur (short stem). When you look closely you will see fat buds and thin buds. The thin buds will make more foliage. The fat buds will become your beautiful flowers in spring.  To learn how to prune Wisteria, Fruit Trees, and other plants contact Mary for an appointment . Continue to prune off spent flowers (called deadheading) from Pansies, Bellis perennis, Calendula and other winter bloomers so they keep blooming and do not go to seed. 
• Fruit Trees - Remember, dormant pruning will encourage lots of new growth next year. So, if you're trying to make an old apple or pear tree smaller best to leave it be in winter. Spring and especially summer pruning will slow growth. 
• Frost- Leave frost brunt leaves on plants, like citrus, to protect the undamaged growth.
• Pests- Spraying for peach leaf curl: The best way to remember when to spray is to begin around Thanksgiving, then at Christmas, and then near Valentine's Day (before bud break). Follow instructions on spray as to how to apply. Choose a time when no rain is in the forecast for a few days at least. Fuchsias and other dormant plants may also benefit from dormant spraying to manage pests like thrips. Remember to also spray the ground under and around plants and trees because pests can overwinter in the soil. When using bird netting to protect young vegetable plants, make sure to close off the bottom sides of the netting with 2x4s or something laid along the edge so birds cannot get in and hurt themselves on the netting. Once plants are big enough netting can be removed. Watch plants carefully to keep them from growing into the netting.
• Weeds- Get ahead of annual weeds that germinate once rains arrive. Weeding before they go to seed is key! Watch The Gardening Tutor's video: How to Manage Weeds.

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