December Gardening Jobs: Your UK Checklist
December is a quiet month in the garden, but a little attention now keeps your plants safe through the coldest weeks and sets you up for spring.
Most jobs this month are about protecting what you've got, keeping pots and borders tidy, and looking after your houseplants. Here's your December gardening checklist for UK gardens.
1. Protect Plants from Frost
Keep an eye on the forecast. When a hard frost is on the way, move pots of tender plants such as bedding cyclamen into a porch or against the house wall, and cover tender plants that can't be moved with horticultural fleece. Citrus trees should already be indoors in a bright, frost-free spot.
See our full guide on how to protect plants from frost this winter.
2. Keep Pots Off the Ground
Cold, wet compost is one of the main causes of winter losses, especially for olives, lavender and other plants that hate sitting wet. Make sure pots are raised on pot feet or bricks so they can drain freely, and group them together somewhere sheltered.
3. Check Your Winter Pots
Winter pots need very little water, but pots under walls or in porches can dry out more than you'd expect. Check them now and then, and water only when the compost feels dry a little way down. Pick off faded pansy and cyclamen flowers to keep new ones coming. For ideas, see how to plant winter pots that last until spring.
4. Knock Snow Off Evergreens
Heavy snow can bend and break the branches of evergreen shrubs, hedges and conifers. After a snowfall, gently brush or shake it off with a broom.
5. Check Stakes and Ties
Winter winds can loosen stakes and rub ties against young trees. Check that newly planted trees are firmly staked, and loosen any ties that are cutting into the bark.
6. Look After Houseplants
Houseplants need much less water in winter, so let the compost dry out a little between waterings. Move them closer to the light, keep them away from radiators and cold draughts, and don't leave them trapped between closed curtains and a cold window overnight. See our guide to houseplant care in winter.
7. Check Stored Tubers
If you lifted dahlia or begonia tubers in autumn, check them every few weeks. Remove any that have gone soft or mouldy so the rot doesn't spread.
8. Keep Off Frozen Lawns
Walking on a frozen or waterlogged lawn damages the grass, so stay off it as much as you can. Clear any fallen leaves that are left, so they don't smother it.
9. Feed the Birds
Birds need extra help through the coldest weeks. Keep feeders topped up, and put out fresh water every day, breaking any ice on frosty mornings.
10. Plan for Next Year
December is the perfect time to look back on what worked this year and plan for next. Make a list of what you'd like to plant in spring, and note any gaps you've spotted in your winter borders, ready to fill next autumn. See what to plant in December for ideas.
December Gardening: Your Questions Answered
What should I do in the garden in December?
Protect tender plants from frost, keep pots raised off the ground, check winter pots, knock snow off evergreens, check stakes and ties, look after houseplants and feed the birds.
Should I water plants in December?
Plants in the ground rarely need watering in December. Pots under walls or in porches can dry out, so check them now and then, and water houseplants sparingly.
Can I prune in December?
It's best to leave most pruning until late winter or spring. Remove any broken or damaged branches, but leave Penstemon stems and dogwood until spring. See our winter pruning guide.
Rest, Protect and Plan
A few small jobs in December will keep your garden safe through the coldest weeks and ready to burst back into life in spring.
Our garden plants are grown in Britain by growers we know, including the Yorkshire nursery that grows most of them. We check every plant by hand before it's packed, and send it out ready for your garden.