growing · December · 1 min read
Seven Jobs to Do in Your Cutting Patch in December
It's not too cold to garden. Seven deliberate December jobs that will give you a head-start by March.
In this tea-break podcast, I run through my list of jobs to do in December. (Putting your feet up comes at the end!)
1. Mulch, mulch, mulch
If you take only one job from this list, take this one. A thick layer of well-rotted compost or manure over bare beds will feed the soil, suppress weeds and protect tender perennials through the worst of the winter.
2. Protect the dahlias
Either lift and store (label each tuber!) or, if your soil is free-draining and your winter mild, mulch heavily in situ. Decide which camp you're in and commit. Full dahlia overwintering guide.
3. Plant bare-root roses and shrubs
December is prime time to get bare-root stock in. Soak the roots for a couple of hours before planting, plant firm, water in, mulch.
4. Order seed and dahlia tubers
Same as January, but earlier: the best specialty varieties go first. Pull out last year's seed list and audit what worked.
5. Tidy and service tools
Clean and oil secateurs, loppers, spades. Sharpen what needs sharpening. Replace what's broken.
6. Plan next year's patch
Paper first. Draw out your beds. Plan successions. Plan supports. Identify the gaps.
7. Rest
Genuinely. The patch needs a dormant period; so do you. Make the soup, watch the bad film, read the growing books by the fire. Come January you'll want to go again.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: The Cut Flower Podcast — Seven December Jobs
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