December is the gardener's off-season in most climates. Snow or frost covers much of the garden. Plants are fully dormant. Harvest is minimal or nonexistent. This is the month to step back from active gardening and focus on planning, reflecting, and preparing for the season ahead. It's also the month to order seeds before popular varieties sell out.

December tasks

Harvest any remaining crops

In mild climates or when snow hasn't arrived:

  • Kale, collards: Still productive in mild zones; hardy to 10°F or below
  • Root crops: If not already harvested, mulch heavy and harvest as ground thaws
  • Overwintered greens: In mild zones, spinach and lettuce may still be growing slowly
  • Stored roots: Carrots, beets in storage; continue using through winter

In cold climates, harvests are usually finished by November. December is just preservation and storage.

Monitor dormant plants

Dormant plants still need attention:

  • Check mulch depth on perennials and garlic — replace if thin from settling or frost heave
  • Look for frost heave damage — plants pushed out of soil by freezing and thawing
  • Inspect trees and shrubs for frost cracks or breakage from snow/ice
  • Don't prune — pruning stimulates tender new growth that frost will kill

Most plants need minimal care over winter; observation is enough.

Check stored vegetables

If storing root crops, check periodically:

  • Remove any soft or decaying roots before they spoil others
  • Maintain cool (50°F), humid (90%+) conditions
  • Proper storage extends shelf life; carrots keep 2–3 months, beets 2 months

One bad root spoils the batch faster than you'd expect. Rot-causing organisms spread from a single decaying root to its neighbors in storage, especially where roots are touching or piled together — the classic "one bad apple" effect applies just as directly to a bin of stored carrots or potatoes. A five-minute check every couple of weeks, pulling anything soft, moldy, or sprouting, protects the entire batch for a trivial time cost.

Plan spring garden layout

Use this quiet time for design:

  • Draw current layout — where each crop is now or was in past years
  • Identify problems: Shaded areas, wet spots, overcrowded beds
  • Plan changes: New bed locations, trellis placement, pathway improvements
  • Ensure crop rotation: Don't plant same family in same bed
  • Account for succession planting: Reserve space for repeated plantings

Spacing multiple successions of beans or lettuce requires planning.

Review seed catalog

Seed companies publish catalogs in December:

  • Browse new varieties alongside proven performers
  • Note days to maturity: Does it match your season length?
  • Check disease resistance codes on tomatoes, peppers
  • Read descriptions carefully — growing requirements, flavor notes, special qualities
  • Compare similar varieties: Why choose this bean over that one?

Order seeds early

Seed orders placed by late January usually arrive before you need them. Orders placed in February risk favorites being sold out:

  • Popular heirloom varieties often sell out by February
  • Seeds delivered early can be stored cool and dry until planting time
  • Plan quantity: How many lettuce seeds, how many plantings? Order accordingly
  • Group related seeds: Tomatoes, peppers, and herbs are often ordered together

Map succession plantings

Plan the repetition schedule for spring:

  • Beans: Every 7–10 days from mid-April through mid-June? (15 plantings of 3 weeks spacing each)
  • Lettuce: Every 10–14 days April through June? (10–12 plantings)
  • Carrots: Every 7–14 days? (8–10 plantings)
  • Corn: Every 10–14 days?

Knowing how many plantings you'll make prevents over- or under-ordering.

Review year-end notes

Pull out your year-end reflections from November:

  • Remind yourself of what worked and what didn't
  • Note specific failures: "Tomato X produced poorly; try Y next year"
  • Remember successes: "Basil was outstanding; grow extra next year"
  • Recall timing issues: "Planted peas too late; start by March 1 next year"
  • Remember pest problems: "Japanese beetles in July; watch starting mid-July"

Calculate amendments needed

Based on November soil testing:

  • List recommended amendments from soil test results
  • Calculate quantities: How much lime for 500 sq ft?
  • Budget accordingly: Compost, fertilizer, and minerals aren't free
  • Plan delivery — large amendment orders may need advance scheduling

Final harvests

In mild climates

Some regions produce through December:

  • Kale and collards: Often survive winter lows in zones 7+
  • Root crops: Left in ground under mulch; harvest as needed
  • Stored crops: Preserved vegetables from fall harvest

Quality at this point is still good; cold has had time to convert sugars and improve flavor.

In cold climates

Most gardens are snow-covered:

  • All harvesting finished in November or October
  • Focus shifts to storage and preservation of fall harvest
  • No fresh vegetables until spring (unless using season extension or greenhouse)

Managing dormant plants

Perennials and shrubs over winter

Once dormant, plants need minimal care:

  • Mulch is protection: 4–6 inches of mulch around roots insulates soil
  • Don't water: Dormant plants don't need water even if weather is dry
  • Don't fertilize: No growth happening; fertilizer is wasted
  • Don't prune: Pruning before dormancy ends stimulates tender growth

Winter is a rest period; let plants be.

Garlic over winter

Garlic planted in October should be dormant:

  • Mulch should be 4–6 inches deep through winter
  • Check periodically for frost heave; add mulch if needed
  • Sprouts emerging in fall (before dormancy) are normal
  • Growth resumes in early spring (February/March in zone 7)

Perennial herbs

Cold-hardy perennial herbs (thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary) are dormant:

  • No harvesting while dormant
  • Mulch provides protection but many survive without extra mulch
  • Growth resumes in spring — they're among the first plants to grow

Spring planning

Design new beds or improvements

Use winter to plan major changes:

  • New raised beds: Sketch location, dimensions, materials needed
  • Expanded trellising: Where will you grow vertically?
  • Improved irrigation: Install now while planning and can get materials?
  • Pathway expansion: Where do you move in the garden?
  • Shade structures: For heat-sensitive summer crops?

Major construction is easier in dormant season when plants aren't in the way.

Finalize variety selections

Combine notes from past year with catalog browsing:

  • What to grow again? Successful tomatoes, beans, greens?
  • What to try? New varieties you've been curious about?
  • What to skip? Varieties that disappointed?
  • Quantity considerations: Did you grow enough? Too much?

Example planning: "Grew 4 tomato plants, got 50 lbs by September; 3 plants probably enough. Try two hybrid beefsteak, one heirloom cherry. Skip the Roma I tried last year."

Create detailed planting calendar

Work backward from your frost dates:

  1. Last spring frost date: (e.g., May 1)
  2. First fall frost date: (e.g., October 15)
  3. Warm-season crop transplant date: (2–3 weeks after last frost, ~May 15)
  4. Start warm-season seeds indoors: (6–8 weeks before, early March)
  5. First cool-season crop: (2–4 weeks before last frost, mid-April)
  6. Last cool-season planting: (early May)
  7. First fall crop planting: (mid-July, working backward from October 15)
  8. Last succession plantings: (August for quick greens)

Ordering seeds

Reputable seed sources

  • Heirloom seed companies: High quality, genetic diversity, detailed descriptions
  • State university collections: Seeds adapted to your region
  • Organic seed specialists: Certified organic seeds
  • Large retailers: Wide selection, good prices; sometimes generic descriptions
  • Farmers markets: Local and adapted; limited selection usually

What to look for on seed packets

  • Variety name and description
  • Days to maturity: Critical for planning — does it fit your season?
  • Spacing and planting depth: Needed for correct seeding
  • Growing requirements: Sun, soil, water needs
  • Disease resistance codes (for tomatoes, peppers): R = resistant to specific disease
  • Best-by date: Older seeds have lower germination rates
  • Quantity: How many seeds per packet?

Ordering considerations

  • Order by early to mid-February to avoid sold-out favorites
  • Group orders by type (tomatoes/peppers, beans, greens)
  • Don't overbuy — small packets of multiple varieties beat bulk orders
  • Start simple: One or two varieties of each type, not a dozen tomato varieties

Understanding hybrid (F1) vs. open-pollinated on the packet

Catalog descriptions use "F1 hybrid" and "open-pollinated" (or "heirloom," a subset of open-pollinated with a documented history) constantly, and the distinction affects both what you should expect from the plant and whether saving its seed makes sense.

An F1 hybrid is the first-generation offspring of two deliberately chosen, genetically distinct parent lines, bred to combine specific traits — disease resistance from one parent, fruit size from another, for instance. That first generation often shows hybrid vigor (heterosis): more vigorous growth, higher yield, and more uniformity than either parent alone, which is exactly why hybrids dominate commercial seed catalogs. The tradeoff, as covered in the August guide, is that seed saved from an F1 plant doesn't breed true — the second generation segregates back out into a range of traits from the original parent lines, rarely matching the hybrid you grew.

Open-pollinated varieties breed true from seed because they're stabilized — self-pollinated or freely inter-pollinated within the same variety for enough generations that the offspring reliably resemble the parent. Heirlooms are open-pollinated varieties with the added distinction of a history, typically defined as pre-dating widespread hybrid breeding (commonly placed around World War II) and maintained by generations of gardeners. Neither open-pollinated nor heirloom status says anything by itself about flavor, yield, or disease resistance — some open-pollinated varieties are excellent performers and some hybrids taste mediocre; the label describes breeding history and seed-saving potential, not quality.

Practical takeaway for ordering: if you want to save your own seed year to year, prioritize open-pollinated and heirloom varieties. If maximum yield, uniformity, or a specific bred-in disease resistance matters more than seed-saving, a hybrid is often the stronger performer for that specific trait.

Caring for holiday plants

December brings a wave of gift and decorative plants into many households, and most of them get thrown out prematurely simply because their care differs from typical houseplants.

Poinsettias want bright, indirect light and to dry out slightly between waterings — check the soil and water when the top inch feels dry, and always let excess water drain rather than sitting in a saucer, since wet feet cause root rot faster than almost anything else kills a poinsettia. Keep them away from cold drafts (an entryway or a spot near an often-opened door) and away from heat sources alike; both cause premature leaf drop. Contrary to a persistent myth, poinsettias are not seriously toxic — the ASPCA and poison control data classify them as, at most, mildly irritating if eaten, causing possible stomach upset rather than the severe poisoning long attributed to them.

Amaryllis bulbs, whether a gift kit or purchased separately, want bright light and just enough water to keep the top of the soil barely moist until a flower stalk appears, at which point regular watering supports the bloom. After flowering, cut the spent flower stalk but leave the foliage — the leaves photosynthesize and rebuild the bulb's energy reserves for next year's bloom, so removing them early is a common mistake that produces a weak or absent bloom the following season.

Paperwhites, grown in water and gravel or soil, bloom once and are usually discarded afterward rather than reflowered — unlike amaryllis, they rarely rebloom well indoors in temperate climates since they need a cold dormancy period more easily achieved outdoors in mild-winter regions. A trick some growers use to prevent the notoriously floppy stems: watering with a dilute alcohol solution (roughly 4–6% alcohol from spirits like gin or vodka mixed with water) once shoots reach about 2 inches tall measurably stunts stem elongation without affecting flower size.

Live, potted (not cut) Christmas trees need a genuine transition plan if you intend to plant them outdoors after the holidays: no more than about a week indoors in a cool spot away from heat vents, kept moist, and then a gradual re-acclimation to cold outdoors (a garage or unheated porch for a few days) before planting, rather than moving it directly from a warm living room into a hard freeze. Dig the planting hole before the ground freezes if you know you'll be doing this, since a frozen December ground makes digging after the fact difficult or impossible.

Year-end review

What to document

As the year ends, write down (for next year's reference):

  • Varieties planted and performance: Which tomato, which bean, which squash?
  • Planting dates: When did you actually plant? Did it work?
  • First harvest dates: When did you pick first tomato, first bean?
  • Pest and disease problems: When did they appear? Were they controlled?
  • Yield assessment: Did you grow enough? Did plants produce well?
  • Quality notes: Flavor, tenderness, disease resistance in practice
  • Infrastructure notes: Were beds adequate? Was watering sufficient?

Planning improvements

Based on the year, what will change?

  • Bed size or location? More space, shade, or drainage?
  • Variety selection? Stick with successes, try new things?
  • Timing adjustments? Earlier or later plantings?
  • Pest management? What worked? What needs improvement?
  • Crop selection? Grow more of what you used, less of what you wasted?

Looking forward to spring

As December ends and January approaches:

  • Soil testing results should be back if submitted in November; use results to plan amendments
  • Seed orders should arrive by mid-January; store cool and dry until planting time
  • Beds prepared for spring with cover crops or compost
  • Garlic mulched and overwintering under snow or mulch
  • Plan is complete for spring planting

By late January, you're ready for February's seed starting. The quiet month has done its work: planning, ordering, and reflecting are complete. The coming spring will follow your plan.

Sources and further reading