December, the Garden's Rest

December is the garden’s rest, and yours too, mostly. There’s not much urgency — a few jobs on mild days, and a good excuse to sit with a seed catalogue and plan.

Sow now

Nothing pressing. If you’re keen, broad beans in a cold frame in mild regions.

Plant out

Bare-root trees, roses, and hedging on any mild, unfrozen day — the window from now through winter is the best time to plant them.

Harvest

Leeks, parsnips, and any remaining winter brassicas — sprouts especially, if you timed them for Christmas. Forced rhubarb, if you started it.

Prune

Apple and pear trees on a dry, frost-free day. Deciduous hedges.

General jobs

Protect pots and vulnerable plants from hard frost and heavy snow. Clean and oil tools before putting them away for winter. Order seeds for next year while there’s still full stock and time to plan properly. If you’ve got an alpine bed, a pane of glass or cloche over the crowns does more good than any amount of frost protection — it’s the winter wet that rots them, not the cold itself.

This weekend

Take stock — what grew well this year, what didn’t, what you’d do differently. A few notes now save a lot of guessing come spring.

Frost and ground conditions vary widely by region this month — check local conditions before any bare-root planting, especially in the North, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.