December in the Garden

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December

Summer days and holidays …

The transition from late spring to early summer is often blurred. It’s not unusual for some parts of the country to have already experienced extreme heat well, before the official start of the new season. We know summer is really here when the hydrangeas are covered in big, blousy heads of blooms! This month, it’s all about making sure the garden is looking good.

The hard yards put in over spring should now be paying dividends with the lawn lush and green, veggie patch producing tasty fresh crops, fruit trees showing evidence of luscious fruits ahead and the flower garden bursting with colour. At least, that’s the dream! Sometimes circumstances conspire against us, and there’s a last-minute rush to get chores done in time for the festive season and following holidays.

Gardening in December

Chilli

It seems that most people now have at least 1 or 2 chilli plants at home – it’s become incredibly trendy. Growing...

Cucumbers

Delicious in salads and sandwiches, the crisp, sweet crunch of a cucumber is one of the joys of summer. Growing...

Spring Onion

Spring onions (also known as green shallots and green bunching or salad onions) are a delicious addition to a whole...

Tomatoes

Nothing beats the taste of your own home-grown tomatoes, freshly picked and warm from the summer sun. Slice them into a...

Strawberries

Who doesn’t love strawberries? If you’re a strawberry fan, there are many varieties easy to grow at home, allowing you...

Raspberries

What could be better than a bowl of sweet, fresh-picked raspberries in summer? These delicious fruits are easy to grow...

Cherries

Homegrown cherries are sweet, juicy and delicious. Many varieties will be dripping with ready to pick cherries around...

Choko

Chokos are an old-fashioned crop that’s making a comeback! Once upon a time, these vigorous vines covered pergolas...

Orchids

Orchids are a great addition to any home, with their exotic, delicate and diverse flowers and their beautiful shapes and...

Sunflowers

If you want to grow something spectacular, plant sunflowers. They come in a whole range of sizes from dwarf to giant and...

Allium

Alliums belong to the same family as onions, garlic and leeks, as you can tell from the aroma when you crush the foliage...

Roses

Roses are among our favourite garden plants – and deservedly so. They are versatile, produce vibrant colour through...

African Violet

Cheerful, bright and compact, African violets are the perfect indoor pot plant. They have eye-catching purple, red, pink...

Snake Plants

Snake Plants are the easiest houseplant of all to grow. This undemanding plant will grow in the most challenging of...

Weeping Fig

Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) are elegant houseplants loved for their glossy leaves that hang gracefully from arching...

An indoor Pilea, also known as a Chinese money plant, in a pot.

Pilea peperomioides/Chinese money plant

With its iconic round leaves and vibrant green colour, the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) has become a...

Buffalo Grass

A popular stalwart in Australian gardens for good reason, buffalo grass makes for an incredibly resilient lawn. It is...

Kikuyu Grass

Kikuya grass, or Pennisetum Clandestinum, is a vigorous plant often used in Australian lawns and common in public...

Bromeliads

Bromeliads ( Bromeliaceae) are a diverse group of plants with a very tropical vibe. With over 3000 different species in...

Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas put on a showy display of vibrant colour throughout summer. These vigorous vines are drought tolerant and...

Magnolia

Magnolia's magnificent blooms arrive at the end of winter, announcing that spring isn’t far away. On deciduous magnolias...

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise plants are tropical beauties with big leaves and flamboyant, colourful flowers that resemble birds...

What to harvest now:

Many of the veggies planted or sown in through spring may start cropping during the month, some earlier than others. Pick what you need daily and rinse in clean water to remove dirt and dust before eating. Beans, lettuce, tomatoes, beetroot, spring onions, snap peas, silverbeet and sweet corn all taste better fresh from the garden.

What to plant now:

Seedlings of summer favourites and Asian greens may still be planted now into well prepared and fertilised soil. Add a long-term or controlled release fertiliser and mix through the soil then moisten well a few days before planting.

Advanced tomato seedlings can still go in provided they are given some protection from scorching sun until they are established. Staggering the plantings over many weeks will provide continuous cropping throughout summer. Check the below interactive chart to get some ideas on what to grow:

Plant seedlings of the following:

Veggie patch tips for December:

Use a liquid fertiliser for vegetables and herbs such as Scotts Osmocote® Pour+Feed for Tomatoes & Herbs or a certified organic fertiliser to keep veggies growing well.
Check the ties on bush tomatoes to ensure they are not too tight.
Train climbing crops like peas and beans up tripods or trellising to keep plants up off the ground.

Hand pull or hoe out weeds as they appear – they compete for nutrients and moisture and may also harbour pests that could attack your crops.
Water early in the day direct on to the soil – avoid wetting leaves because this could encourage diseases.
Build a shade cloth or bird netting cover over the entire veggie patch to prevent birds or possums eating the produce before it’s ripe enough to pick. Use a mesh size of 5mm or less to prevent birds and animals being caught in it.

Fruit

What fruits to harvest now?

The first of the stone fruits – cherries – ripen early in December. The first box into the wholesale markets is usually auctioned off for a handsome sum, donated to charity. Later in the month, apricots will be ripe, followed by early season plums.

Strawberries and early cropping varieties of raspberries and blackberries all fruit in December, and the first of the passionfruit may turn purple and drop to the ground. Tropical fruits and citrus are still cropping in warmer areas, and honeydew melon, watermelon and cantaloupe are still in season in hot, dry regions.

What fruit to plant:

Planting of evergreen and potted deciduous fruit trees is not recommended over summer. Soil and air temperatures are too high and may damage roots and soft growth, from which the plants may never fully recover.

Flowers

What flowers to plant:

Continue planting gladiolus corms every two weeks until mid-December. They usually flower in about 60 days.

Plant seedlings of the following into pots, tubs or baskets (not into the garden):

Bedding begonia
Candytuft
Carnation
Celosia
Geum
Linaria
Nasturtium
Petunia
Portulaca
Salvia
Scabiosa
Sweet William
Verbena
Wallflower
Zinnia

Indoor Plants

Tips for Indoor Plants:

Keep the air around indoor plants humid by regularly misting plants with a water atomiser.
Wipe leaves occasionally with a damp cloth to keep them clean.
If you are going away over the festive season, water all your potted plants thoroughly a day or so before leaving then move them all to the coolest part of the house. They will survive quite well for a couple of weeks without further water.
Feed fortnightly with ready to use Osmocote Pour+Feed Indoor Plants – no mixing required. There are also Pour+Feed products for orchids and cacti.

Lawn

Maintenance tips for your Lawn:

Regular mowing will keep existing lawns looking neat. Raise the cutting height to leave the grass longer to protect the crowns and runners of grasses from the sun. This also helps keep the soil and roots cooler. If it doesn’t rain, water the lawn deeply at least once a week (if there are no restrictions in place) early in the morning before sunrise.

Apply a slow release lawn food (Lawn Builder Buffalo, Lawn Builder All Purpose) now to keep the lawn growing well. If your soil is hydrophobic (repels moisture), use Lawn Builder + Wetting Agent.
Lawn grubs may be problematic now in warmer areas. Use Lawn Builder + Grub & Insect to control them.

If you have a broadleaf weed problem, buffalo and lawn substitutes can be treated and fed with Lawn Builder Buffalo Weed, Feed & Green Up, a hose-on product that can be safely used on all lawn types.
Watch for bindii spreading through lawns and get on top of any incursions quickly with Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf, a ready-to-use, hose-on lawn weeder that’s safe to use on all grasses.

Garden Tasks

Things to look out for and do during the month:

Summer is all about mulching – add a layer about 100mm deep of pea straw, lucerne or sugarcane mulch over garden beds, including the vegetable patch, to keep the soil cool, moist and weed-free.

Keep flowering annuals, vegetables and herbs growing well with regular applications of Osmocote Boost+Feed All Plant Types.
Continue regularly trimming evergreen trees and shrubs to keep them neat.
Apply fungicide sprays on fruit trees to combat fungal diseases like brown rot and freckle until fruits are almost ripe. DO NOT spray within two weeks of harvest.
Spring bulbs that have completely died down may be lifted now. Leave them on the grass to dry off for a day or so before gently brushing off loose soil. Then spread them out in a single layer on a wire or plastic mesh tray and store in a cool, airy and dry place until autumn.
Buy a couple of pots of brilliant red poinsettias a week or two before Christmas. There’s nothing quite like them to bring a real festive air to your home.
Take down hanging baskets on hot, windy days and move them as well as outdoor pots to a shady, sheltered spot where they won’t get burned to a crisp.

Pest Control:

Slugs and snails can be active whenever there are young plants around – Defender Snail & Slug Pellets in a bait trap will protect your plants and keep your pets safe.
Watch for aphids and other sap-sucking pests like thrips on young plants and flowers. Defender Pyrethrum Insect Spray will control them. Don’t forget to spray the undersides of leaves as well as the top surface.
Check for powdery mildew on roses and other plants including pumpkins and zucchinis, especially when nights are warm and humid. Use a copper-based fungicide to control them.