Southwest December Garden To-Do List

By now , we are deep into the holiday time of year , and no matter what that looks like for you and yours this yr , one thing is sure : You will always have your plants !

Plant some tree and shrubs ; do n’t plant others . You should be capable to find deciduous , bareroot tree and shrubs at great prices this fourth dimension of twelvemonth . view adding ‘ Yuletide ’ camellia ( Camellia sasanqua‘Yuletide ’ , Zones 7–10 ) to your landscape painting . This dreamy , evergreen shrub has sheeny , dark green leaves and violent blooms with bright white-livered stamens . It will blossom from fall through winter and reach 10 feet marvelous and wide . It make an amazing hedge or backdrop to any landscape but does need partial shade . Other trees and shrubs that thrive in the Southwest that you could plant right now let in these :

However , deflect establish tender trees , bush , and treelike plant this month , such as the following :

crop tomatoes . Tomatoes that were planted in July through September should be produce some beautiful yield that’sready to harvestaround now . However , keep in mind that cool temperature may cause ripening to take a flake longer . Tomato plants are freeze sensitive , so cover them with a icing cloth when you see the temperature dipping below 35 ° F .

Update containers and make holiday décor . We’re always looking for an exculpation to jazz up our container plantings , and what better reason than wintertime to make that modulation ? turn over adding poinsettias ( Euphorbia pulcherrima , Zones 10–11 ) , seasonal green , and dried berries to your containers . Although we make out our Christmas cactus ( Schlumbergeraspp . and cvs . , Zones 10–12 ) , in our experience , they are a bit too sensitive to be placed outdoors in container during the cooler month . Instead , we love hunting down textural green from our local nursery to tote up some holiday cheer to our container . depend for combination of Eastern white pine ( Pinus strobus , Zones 3–8 ) , American arborvitae ( Thuja occidentalis , Zones 2–7 ) , and juniper ( Juniperusspp . and cvs . , Zones 2–9 ) . If you may find some various Berry that are either dry out or fresh , then you ’ll be on the road to some beautiful vacation musical arrangement .

Evaluate your irrigation system . Take reward of the cool days to rework or compensate your irrigation organization . Now is the sentence to do some digging to add additional pedigree or drips to any newer landscape painting or container . Also , be certain to water trees and shrub about every three to four weeks during this time of year . We are always trust for some moisture during wintertime , but you never sleep with what the weather may impart . So make certain you do n’t ignore the indigence of your trees and shrub . instruct more about irrigation here :

Compost fallen leaves . If you have any leaves fall from your deciduous trees , keep open them . compound them with grass clip or yard waste to create a nutritive - plenteous compost for the spring . If you do n’t already have a compost bin on your property , do n’t worry . We ’ve seen people detect really creative ways to salt away compost without bins , using everything from pallets , to thick composition board boxes , to concrete blocks . If you do n’t have the infinite in your cubic yard , think outside the boxwood a bit . perchance you have an alleyway or launder behind your home that would make the perfect composting area . It take a bit of effort toget started with composting , but once you do , you ’ll have beautiful , rich constituent material for your garden beds before you know it .

We wish well everyone a lovely December occupy with sunshine , laugh , and healthy plants . Cheers !

— Sheila Schultz and Laurel Startzel are a mother - girl couple who founded Denver Dirty daughter Container Gardening while hold out in Denver and have go on their commercial enterprise since moving to Tucson , Arizona .

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Southwest: January Garden To-Do List

Midwest December Garden To-Do List

Northeast December Garden To-Do List

South December Garden To-Do List

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