December Gardening in Southern California Inland Areas
During the month of December, even the most avid gardeners find themselves focusing on holiday shopping lists and not on gardening tasks. But in Southern California, there is still work that can be done in the yard. Here is Darren’s general list of December gardening tasks for existing vegetable and herb plants, designed for those who live near downtown Los Angeles or in inland valleys. For a customized list of gardening tasks by plant and month, find your GardenZeus Climate Zone.
- Monitor plants regularly, at least every 2 to 5 days during cool-to-cold weather to catch wilting, irrigation, pest, disease, weed, and other problems early.
- Water thoroughly and protect plants with fabric, cardboard, paper, or plastic sheets during occasional periods of overnight frost, especially tender and sensitive vegetables and herbs including basil, chard, and lettuce.
- Maintain or add mulch.
- Harvest thinnings, remaining fall crops, and winter crops.
- Irrigate variably depending upon rain frequency and volume; turn off irrigation during rainy periods.
- Add nitrogen as recommended in the Nutrient/Amendment/Fertilization Needs/Tip field in the Planting and Maintaining section for each plant.
- Harvest and save seeds from fall-and-winter-bolted vegetables and herbs such as basil, chard, and lettuce after seed stalks are brown and dry.
- Cut off expired plant stems at ground level after harvest or as plants die, leaving roots in place to feed soil.
- Plan and complete irrigation, seed-starting, transplanting, soil testing, soil amending, and garden projects for late winter and spring.
- Plan for garden protection from winter winds and/or install windbreaks.
Articles with holiday interest:
Poinsettias: Tips, Care and Fun Facts for the Holidays
Indoor and Potted Plants for the Holiday Season
A Holiday Kiss Under the…Holly?: Mistletoe for The California Holidays, Part 1 of 3
A Holiday Kiss Under the…Tree-Killing Parasite?: Mistletoe for The California Holidays, Part 2 of 3