What to do in now in December – 2

Jobs to do………in December

• Continue to add vegetation to the compost heap or bean trench
• Check netting over brassicas
• Continue to check over crops that you have stored from previous months
• Cover late crop vegetables that are not winter hardy such as salads and oriental leaves
• Continue to hoe all weeds where possible
• Dig over the soil if the weather allows and add a thick layer of well rotted manure
• If you haven’t already done so, dig trenches for next spring
• Give the greenhouse a good clean
• Insulate the greenhouse with bubble wrap if you have crops in there
• Scrub pots and seed trays
• Lime your soil if needed
• Order seeds and plant plugs ready for next year
• Prune fruit trees such as pears and apples
• Prune blackcurrant bushes and take hard wood cuttings
• cut Autumn fruiting raspberries down to soil level
• Plant garlic cloves if not already done so
• Harvest any remaining herbs to dry and store
• Construct a new compost bin if you have the time and space
• Don’t forget to feed the birds
• Order seed potatoes
• Pinch out the tips of Autumn planted sweet peas to encourage bushy growth

What to sow………Indoors

• Winter salads
• Summer Cabbages
• Summer Cauliflowers
• Onion seeds for giant varieties
• Parsley (curly leafed)

What to sow………Outdoors

• Garlic
• Autumn onion sets and shallots

What to plant………in December

• Winter salad crops – protected by some sort of cloche
• Plant rhubarb sets
• Fruit bushes are best planted now
• Bare root container-grown trees

Crops in season now

Broccoli (Sprouting)
Brussels sprouts (tops)
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Kale
Kohl Rabi
Jerusalem Artichokes
Leeks
Lettuce
Parsnips
Spinach
Swede
Swiss chard
Turnips
Winter Radish

Above all, have a well earned rest and enjoy the Christmas holiday period!

Happy diggin’

Debb

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