Hello Friends, Neighbors, Fellow Gardeners,

In December it is time to spend time with family and friends enjoying holidays.  Here are some garden tips, educational opportunities, and events for December. Events include Flying Squirrels, Garden of Lights, A Forest Journey,  Introduction to iNaturalist, Winter Woods Weekend, International Migratory Bird Day Workshop, Garden After Dark: Holly Daze, Winter Solstice Celebration, and more!

Planning:

• When planning your wildlife-friendly backyard don’t forget to include native trees and shrubs that produce fall and winter persistent fruits.
• Evaluate gardening year and make notes of desired changes.
• Start collecting plant seeds for next year and for trading.
• Sign up your friends and family for garden magazine subscriptions as holiday gifts.
• Support our local farmers! Visit a local farmers’ market near you. Download Montgomery County’s Office of Agriculture Farmer’s Market Flyer to find a farmer’s market near you.

Flowers and Groundcovers:

• Water transplants if weather is dry.
• Force spring bulbs for indoor blooms this January by potting them up, watering thoroughly, and placing them in your vegetable crisper for about 10 weeks.
• Take cuttings from coleus and begonias to propagate and over-winter indoors.
• Pests to watch for: voles
• Diseases to watch for:  powdery mildew, rust, bacterial diseases, fungal leaf spot.
• See UMD’s HGIC’s December Flower tips for more details.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Prune maples, dogwoods, birch, elm, walnut, and yellowwood to prevent “bleeding”.
• Water slowly and deeply if weather is very dry.
• Prune out Fireblight damage Malus and Pyrus when very cold.
• Mulch or compost healthy leaves.
• If your conifers start shedding their needles or your spring bulb foliage starts peeking out of the ground, don’t worry. This is normal for our autumn cycle.
• Prune evergreens to get in shape for fall/winter.
• Prune and thin shrubs that have already flowered.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly or as needed.
• Pests to watch for:  adelgids, aphids, scale, sawfly, spidermites, and voles.
• Diseases to watch for: Fireblight
• See HGIC’s December Trees and Shrubs Tips for more details.

• Have soil tested (every 3 years minimum).
• Fertilize your lawn and reseed if needed.
• Apply fertilizer and lime to turfgrass based on soil tests and UME recommendations.
• Rake leaves, shred, and gather in compost piles.
• Turn your compost pile weekly and don’t let it dry out. Work compost into your planting beds.
• Diseases to watch for: brown patch, and red thread
• Pests to watch for: Grubs
• See HGIC’s December Lawn Tips for more details.

Indoors/Houseplants:

• Clean the leaves of your indoor houseplants to prevent dust and film to build-up.
• Set up a humidifier for indoor plants or at least place them in pebble trays.
• Reduce fertilizing of indoor plants (except cyclamen).
• Rotate houseplants to promote even growth.
• Do not place live wreaths or greenery in-between your door and a glass storm door, especially if the doorway is facing south. This placement will “cook” the arrangement on a sunny day.
• For readying Christmas cactus and poinsettias for holiday blooming, see holiday blooming tips: Poinsettia Plant Care, Holiday Plant Care
• Remove old leaves, damaged stems.
• Fertilize houseplants now that they are actively growing again.
• Repot root-bound houseplants and start fertilizing them.
• Pests to watch for:  aphids, spider mites, and  whitefly
• See HGIC’s December Houseplants Tips for more tips.
  

Indoor/Outdoor Insect and Wildlife Tips:

• Keep bird feeders filled for birds in the winter.
• Vacuum up any ladybugs that come in the house.
• Don’t put your birdbath away. Birds need fresh water for drinking and bathing throughout the fall season. Clean frequently and keep filled with fresh water.
• Check for vole problems and set up traps.
• Switch your deer deterrent spray.
• See HGIC’s December Insect Tips for more details.
• Watch for: carpenter ants, flies, stink bugs, termites, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, deer, moles, snakes, squirrels, and voles.
• For more information on wildlife management and attracting wildlife see HGIC’s December Wildlife tips.

Source: University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) and the Washington Gardener.

See below for upcoming local events in December.