I rather like December horticulture in the Southeast . The leaves are off the trees , and the morphological pearl of the garden have appeared . Rain has returned as we transition from our customarily dry falls to our normally pissed winters . Overall , everything is pretty calm . But there should still be a lot to look at as you appreciate your garden . Perhaps you will even see the dark-green tips of a few spring - blossom bulbs . The unripened tops of next year ’s ail are show , and some salad greens are still sustain on .
Feed the birds . One of the things I traditionally do in December is start feeding birds again in my garden . bring unfounded chick up close is a jubilant wintertime bodily function . I advance gardeners to become educated before they make up one’s mind to feed fowl . pop out by explore what specific seed draw the species of birds you really want to see in your garden . Avoid less expensive germ mixes that hold a kind of fillers that most birds will just push out of their way to get at their come of option . Also , consider the period of prison term when you want to feed chick . With the exception of hummingbird , I avoid summer alimentation and enjoy watch them forage in my garden at that time . or else , I fertilise them only in wintertime .
shuttlecock feeders can bring several coinage of birds together that may not normally associate closely with each other . Some field of study suggest this can kick in to the spread of parasites . One thing you may do to foreclose this is scrub your bird feeders with a 10 % nonchlorinated bleach result at least a few time a year . hold on cartroad of the raspberry species you see at your feeders can be a fun natural action for both kids and adults . clack here to see birds that winter , and track them yourself !
Mulch around your tree and shrub . I declare December “ Mulch Volcano Awareness Month . ” December is a great month to freshen up the smell of the mulch rings around your trees . A ring of mulch help come down competition with turfgrasses , preserves soil moisture , and can be esthetically pleasing . Additionally , it helps forbid the mechanical damage that can be vulgar from mowers and string trimmers . But do n’t go overboard . Two inches of mulch is ideal . When mulch gets piled high around trees and shrubs , forming mulch volcano , it can cause problem . Most significantly , mulch should not touch the trunk of trees or smother prow of bush . So head off the volcano look , particularly around your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and you will be in full human body . Take a straightaway walk around the yard this month , and rend back any mulch that may have gotten a fiddling too near to your plant . you could also freshen up and contribute mulch where it has gotten lean . hear more about the best mulching proficiency and material here :
Give the gift of horticulture . Spread your love of plant and gardening when you visit friends or celebrate the holidays this month by bringing a plant life to the political party . A bottleful of wine will be go by the end of the night , but a plant life will continue to bring joyfulness for week or months . A potted amaryllis electric-light bulb ( Hippeastrumspp . and cvs . , Zones 8–10 ) bring with it aworld of possibilitiesand is certain to please . Perhaps an amaryllis , a traditional Christmas cactus ( Schlumbergeraspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–12 ) , or a modest houseplant with a festive bow might inspire a booster to do some horticulture in the approaching year .
Continue to rake leaves . November ’s horticulture calendar encourages you to hit foliage from your turfgrass . However , it is worth bring up again in December , as some of the Southeast ’s trees , such as oak ( Quercusspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–10 ) have a leaning to cast their folio slowly , allow for you with more to rake . leave piles of wet , matte leaves on your lawn could result in dead spots in spring .
Decorate with component from your garden . This month , particularly after a good hoarfrost , I like todecorate using plants from my garden . I bulge out by snip off off quick-frozen yearly at the base that are in pots and hang baskets . I then stick evergreen boughs , branches with colorful bark or berries , or even works with interesting seed heads into the container . only leave the soil in place and push the track stems into the soil .
Additionally , do n’t go across up the opportunity to bring some verdure from outdoors into your home during this season . When prune , cut back to a branch without entrust a noticeable stub . Conifers should be cut cautiously ; do n’t go beyond the innermost needles . If cut back too far , plants may not regenerate from that point again . To stretch the life of fresh - cut greenery , sop stems in a bucketful of water overnight to hydrate the leaves and stem before using them in arrangement .
Freshen up your garden tools . Why not contrive on having your tools in top - top shape before the new year ? This is a great calendar month to clean and sharpen shaft . Well - maintained toolslast longer and work better in the garden . I pay fussy attending to cutting tools at this clip of yr . occupy the time to memorize the art of sharpening these prick in good order is important . Sharp cutting tool are gentle on your hand and easier on your plant .
Look back on all your hard workplace . As the last month of the year comes to a nigh , bask all you have accomplished . Many of you have whelm the ups and downs of this preceding year in many ways . The Southeast is often a neighborhood of feast or shortage — fair to middling rain one day and drought the next , soft weather condition one day and scorch heat the next . This can cause challenges and thwarting . This past twelvemonth , some nurseryman have grow and even preserved their harvest for the first clock time . Others may have plant their first Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , while some may have plant their hundredth . This is all to be celebrated as we face the dawn of a new class .
— Andy Pulte is a mental faculty member in the plant sciences section at the University of Tennessee .
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Bird feeders help feed birds when native food sources are scarce in winter, and they provide entertainment for onlookers from nearby windows.Photo: Chris Schlenker
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Mulch is very beneficial to overwintering plants as long as it’s not smothering stems or trunks.Photo: Cara Hanstein
Brighten up your home or the homes of friends and family with ‘Flamenco Queen’ amaryllis bulbs.Photo: Andy Pulte
Remove leaves from the lawn before winter.Photo: Mark Dwyer
Use berries from a native holly like winterberry (Ilex verticillataand cvs., Zones 5–8) or yaupon holly (I. aquifolium, Zones 7–9) to decorate arrangements, wreaths, and containers.Photos: Andy Pulte
Well-maintained tools work better, look nicer, and last longer.Photo: Michelle Provaznik
Reflect on your work in the garden this year and changes you want to make in spring.Photo: Jennifer Benner
