Florida Gardening in December

December is the time to spruce up our gardens for the holiday celebrations with friends and family.  For me, working in the garden helps reduce holiday stress. The cooler temperatures and low humidity make it easy for us Central Coastal Floridians to spend more time than usual getting our hands in the dirt and completing various garden projects.  Let’s explore gardening in December for those gardenistas and gardeners living in hardiness zone 9b. 

(Don’t know your hardiness zone?! I got you >> find your zone by clicking here!)

What to Plant:

December’s pleasant weather allows us to plant varieties that definitely couldn’t take the summer heat.  This month, Florida gardenistas and gardeners can experiment and add cooler season plants to our yards. Poinsettias are a popular decoration for the holiday season, but below are some other plants you may want to add to the garden in December:

Flowers: 

  • Alyssum

  • Amaryllis

  • Begonia

  • Bush daisy

  • Calendula

  • Carnation

  • Chrysanthemums

  • Delphinium

  • Dusty miller

  • Foxglove

  • Geranium

  • Goddetia

  • Hollyhock

  • Million Bells

  • Petunia (super Petunias are great for hanging baskets)

  • Pansy

  • Salvia

  • Snapdragon

  • Sweet Pea

  • Verbena

Pansies are always a crowd favorite with their cute little faces.

Pansies are always a crowd favorite with their cute little faces.

Herbs: 

  • Anise

  • Basil

  • Chives

  • Cilantro

  • Coriander

  • Dill

  • Fennel

  • Garlic

  • Lavender

  • Mint

  • Parsley

  • Rosemary

  • Thyme

  • Sage

Chives, Basil, and Parsley are grow well in container planters.

Chives, Basil, and Parsley are grow well in container planters.

Vegetables:

  • Beets

  • Broccoli

  • Cabbage

  • Carrot

  • Cauliflower

  • Collards

  • Celery

  • Lettuce

  • Onions

  • Peas

  • Radish

  • Spinach

  • Swiss chard

  • Turnips

My niece mesmerized by the beets, collard greens and mustard greens my mom’s neighbor grew and harvested in late November.

My niece mesmerized by the beets, collard greens and mustard greens my mom’s neighbor grew and harvested in late November.


What to Do

One of the biggest takeaways I took from the UF/IFAS Master Gardener program is to use fresh soil and clean pots when starting a new container garden.  This is a good habit for anytime of year, because you’re not passing on diseases and funguses and reduces attacks from pests. Good soil is key to the plant’s success, but it’s also nutritionally important for those garden edibles.       

As it becomes cooler, leaves from trees and plants fall.  Leaves are a great carbon addition to your compost and can become a cheap mulch alternative.  Adding organic matter to your garden, such as leaves and pine needles, is an excellent way to improve your garden’s soil quality.

The holiday season can make a dint in the wallet.  Since the plants don’t need as much water during the cooler months, homeowners can save money by adjusting the irrigation schedule to every three days, if your area doesn’t get rain. Watering should be done in the early morning hours; not in the evening.  New plants need more water initially to get established. I use a watering can for my new plant babies.  

Deadheading flowers should be done early in the month.  Plants will redistribute their energy to the roots and grow more foliage making the plants stronger and encouraging new growth or blooms within a few weeks - just in time for holiday gatherings.  Try to leave some spent blooms for wildlife and re-seeding.  

Certain pockets of the Central Coastal Florida area experience frost.  According to my research, on average date for the frost is December 18th.  Some of our plants aren’t resilient enough to survive these cold fronts. You can protect your more sensitive plants with pillow cases or sheets.  Since we don’t get severe cold conditions a light cover will be sufficient in hardiness zone 9b; no need to secure the ends. 

Most plants don’t grow as fast as they would in the summertime.  Another way to save money and time is to plan for mowing the grass every other week.  

Planting by the Moon

  • Plant Above-ground crops: 1, 2, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29

  • Plant Below-ground crops: 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15

  • Weeding: 3, 4, 21, 22, 30, 31

  • Prune trees and shrubs: 7, 8, 16, 17, 26, 27

Enjoy these cooler months while they’re here and start or finish a garden project(s).  If you have limited space, try container gardening. They’re easy to start and move if needed.  

Hope this holiday season treats you well and I look forward to growing and sharing my garden knowledge with everyone in the new year.  Happy Gardening!      




Resources:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450#SECTION_12

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-tom-maccubbin-gardening-chores-1125-story.html



Kristy Buchler