Gardening tips for December: here's what you can do now

With December, the end of the year is now getting very close. The last month of the year is upon us and before we know it, we are already planning for a new gardening season. And although there is now less and less to do in the garden, there are still some chores you can do now. Read on below and meet our winter tips. 

A tidy garden is so 2000. Cutting all perennials and ornamental grasses to just above the ground, every twig and leaf: it's useless and not good for the insects that have to survive a winter. By leaving your garden a little wilder not only in the spring and summer, but also in the fall and during the winter, you create remarkably more biodiversity. After all, insects seek shelter, birds feast on seeds and hedgehogs hibernate among branches, under hedges and piles of leaves. Just look at how things work in nature. Which is functional and beautiful, but neat? Not so. The whole ecosystem is just there to ensure that animals and insects can live optimally. As far as I'm concerned, gardens are pieces of recreated nature. They were set up by us humans to be beautiful and to be enjoyed when you're not busy working. But isn't it time we shared that place with everything that flies and crawls around? How? By not cleaning up your garden like crazy right now in the first place and leaving everything alone. Just do the big cleanup in the spring, when everything comes back to life and the days get longer. Plenty of time to start with a clean slate. 

Seeing ornamental grasses and faded Rudbeckia, among others, sparkle in the winter sunlight is fantastic. The silhouettes they reveal are truly to be serenaded. It may be gray and dreary outside at times, but by leaving plants in place, there is always something to do in December and the following winter months.

For a lot of things, now is really too late - or too early - to sow anyway, I think. With the exception of early broad beans (which cope very well with cold spells), I patiently wait for the better weather. Planting garlic is still possible, too, if you haven't already. Don't wait too long though, the cloves need a few cold days to thicken up later in March.

If you did a lot of sowing in the greenhouse in the fall - and I recommend you do anyway - you now have the green leaves that will add color and flavor to your winter salads. Mustard greens, Oriental leaves, head lettuce, chard and pick lettuce, corn salad, chervil, spinach and in some cases even radishes. Outside, winter cabbages stand out. Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, as well as palm cabbage and kale are at their tastiest right now. 

There is a lot of confusion about the ideal time to plant flower bulbs. In fact, you can do so not only in October and November; December is also fine for planting. You can still plant until the end of December. Spring-flowering flower bulbs need a cold period to bloom. Since January and February are the coldest months these days, there is plenty of time. Get some bulbs quickly (see our webshop and buy them with autumn discount) and plant them in pots or containers on your terrace or balcony for a change. That will look enchanting in the spring. Flower bulbs grow everywhere, but tulips especially hate standing water. It makes them rot. Solve that problem by working sand under them and planting them there. Or take no chances and plant your bulbs in December in raised beds or containers. Often these do simply allow excess water to pass through excellently. Do you have grass? Plant naturalizing bulbs there, you'll be doing early pollinators a big favor. Think crocuses and snowdrops.