Lawn & Garden Tips

December Lawn & Garden Tips

Now is the time to reflect on this year's garden and landscape. Make notes as a starting point for next year's plan. Don't forget to protect sensitive plants from frost, now through March.

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  Bulbs and Flowers - It's finally time to plant tulips and hyacinths that have been cooling in the refrigerator. Cover with up to 4" - 6" of soil. Surprisingly, you can still plant flowers and bedding plants for late spring blooms. Wildflower seeds can also be sown now.
  
• Clean Up Debris - Grab fallen leaves and debris and compost them for mulch. Cover the compost pile with plastic or tarp to hold in heat and keep rain from washing out nutrients. Use fallen leaves now as a mulch in flower beds to keep mud from splashing on small plants.
  
• Feed New Plants - If you didn't use a PowerMix with ProPower Growth Formula Soil Product for your fall plants, they'll need a fast-acting nitrate form of nitrogen fertilizer to keep them growing. This is especially important for flowers and vegetables as the weather gets cool.
  
• Move Container Plants - Place them next to south or west-facing walls so they will absorb reflected daytime heat and stay shielded from wind. Move cacti, succulents and potted trees under cover for protection from cold and rain.
  
• Buy a Living Christmas Tree - Wait until Christmas week to take them indoors where they can stay for 1 - 2 weeks. Longer than this and they will drop their needles. Decorate with berries, popcorn, seeds and cookies. Take outside after the holidays and let birds eat the "ornaments."