Monthly Checklist: December

Winter is nearly here, and with the holidays on the horizon, there are still a few odds and ends to do around the yard.

In the Garden

• Cool-season annuals like pansies, violas, snapdragons, ornamental cabbage, and kale can still be planted now to fill your containers and gardens with fall and winter color! 
• Now’s the time to get fall bulbs like daffodils, tulips, alliums, and hyacinths in the ground for spring blooms.
  • Save yourself a little work by planting your bulbs and cool-season annuals together so you have blooms all the way through spring!
• Don’t forget the fertilizer!
  • Dynamite is a slow-release fertilizer that feeds for up to 9 months.
  • FlowerTone is an organic fertilizer, perfect for all flowering plants.
  • PlantTone is a wonderful all-purpose fertilizer for all your plants, and it’s organic too!
•  Check for potential pest problems. Generally, we don’t have many problems this time of year, but it’s still good practice to check plants regularly for problems.
  • All Season Oil is an organic triple-action control (insects, fungus & mites) that is safe to use on edibles as well as ornamentals and can be used in colder temperatures than Neem Oil.

For the Landscape

If you want to add some new trees and shrubs before the holidays, now is a great time to plant! Air temperatures are lower, which means less stress on new plants, but the soil is still warm for summer, which is great for root development.

• Use Lobster Compost to amend soil, and Root Stimulant to help roots acclimate and help prevent transplant shock when planting.
•  If you have issues with Voles, protect new plants by using mesh Vole Bags to keep the roots safe.
• Pests and fungal problems are rarer now that temperatures are getting cooler. We still recommend checking plants regularly for signs of problems. With our weird weather, you never know when we’ll have a random warm spell.
  • All Season Oil is an organic triple-action control (insects, fungus & mites) that is safe to use on edibles as well as ornamentals and can be used in colder temperatures than Neem Oil.
  • If you had fungal issues on any deciduous plants this year, we recommend cleaning up fallen leaves before they decompose, so any potential fungal spores don’t remain to resurface next year.

• It’s not recommended to fertilize your trees and shrubs at this point in the year; they’ll be going dormant soon and won’t need the nutrients until spring.

• Mulch around your plants. Mulch helps retain moisture. It also insulates root systems, protecting plants from freezes during winter.
• Perennials will either start dying back or will have already done so by now. You can cut back dead foliage and toss (or add healthy specimens to the compost pile).
  • Alternatively, you can leave everything and let overwintering pollinators use it for a home until spring, providing them with protection and saving you from extra work in one go!

 In the Lawn

While fallen leaves can definitely provide nutrients to your lawn as they decompose, if the leaves fully cover your grass, the grass can’t get enough light to thrive, so rake them up or blow them away if they’re covering too much.

• Cool Season
  • If you still haven’t seeded yet, it might be best to wait until mid-spring next year.
    • Hard frosts are far more likely right now and they can kill young grass easily.
  • If you seeded last month, you can apply your second fall fertilization with Jonathan Green Veri-Green Fertilizer at least 30 days after your previous fertilizer application.
  • If you’re ready for your 3rd application of fertilizer, you can apply Jonathan Green Winter Survival to prepare your new and established lawns for winter.
  • If weeds are cropping up in your new or over-seeded lawn, you’ll need to wait before applying any weed control. 
    • On average, you should wait until you’ve mowed new grass 3-4 times before applying any weed controls. Using them any earlier can harm delicate, young grass.
• Warm Season
  • Don’t seed or sod with warm-season grass right now; they’re about to go dormant. Wait until spring, when soil temperatures are at least 65° or warmer.
  • You can continue your battle against weeds by applying Bonide Weed Beater Ultra or Jonathan Green Lawn Weed Control as needed, following the instructions on the label. Keep an eye on temperature limitations, as some chemicals don’t work or can cause damage at certain temperatures.

For Your Pond

Ponds are about to go dormant for winter, so there’s not a whole lot to do until spring startup.

• If you have deciduous trees near your pond, put up netting to catch falling leaves so they don’t fall in.
• Keep an eye on water temperatures. Once they drop below 50°, stop feeding your fish entirely until spring.

Misc.

• • As food sources become scarce over the cooler months, hungry critters might turn to your garden and landscape for a snack. Protect your plants with Animal Repellents.

• Create a powerful barrier around plants and garden beds with Deer Scram to keep the deer at bay.

• Liquid Fence can be sprayed directly onto plants to protect them from deer and rabbits.

• • • Most critters don’t like spicy food, so spraying your edibles with Hot Pepper Wax is an easy, organic way to make sure you’re the one who gets to enjoy your veggies, not the squirrels. (Remember to rinse off your veggies before eatting them or your salad might be a little spicy).
      • Note – if you’re trying to protect plants from birds, Hot Pepper Wax won’t discourage them. Birds lack the receptors to detect capsaicin, so they don’t experience the burning sensation mammals do. Use netting or scare tape to keep the birds away.

• Repels All is a good all-purpose repellent that repels a broad range of animals.

Click here for January’s checklist.