Your garden to do list for December

By Nell Reed

Oklahoma County Extension Master Gardener

In December, most of the necessary garden chores have been done or it is almost too late to do them. Since November has brought us some unusually low temperatures, most gardeners have already decided which of their potted plants to bring in and overwinter for next year. Some plants can be overwintered in an unheated garage and others may need to be brought into the house. Before we look for indoor gardening projects, here are some tips for outside.

Lawn

Continue mowing cool-season lawns on a regular basis. Remove leaves from cool-season grasses or mow with a mulching mower. Continue to control broadleaf weeds in well-established warm or cool-season lawns with a post-emergent broadleaf weed killer.

Trees and shrubs

If the soil is dry, irrigate all plantings at least 24 hours before hard-freezing weather. If you have newly planted shrubs and trees make sure they receive regular watering for the first year which includes the winter months.

Equipment and tools

Have you winterized your power equipment and cleaned up your tools. If not, now is a good time to do that.

Indoor plants

Some of the most popular indoor plants for December are Amaryllis, Christmas Cactus and Poinsettias.

Amaryllis can be found at the garden centers and box stores usually in a vase containing a large bulb ready to be watered so that it will start blooming in 6 to 8 weeks. Purchasing one in November will let you anticipate the bloom that is coming around Christmas. Once it has bloomed, it can remain in its container and be planted outside in the late spring. It will probably bloom again in June or July. One it has bloomed, it should be left in the ground until late summer and then turned on its side so that it can start to die back. Once it has died back, it can be taken in and stored in a cool, dry place and planted outside for the summer.

Christmas cactus is a popular plant with colorful flowers and does not require a lot of care. It is usually in the stores during its blooming period. There are three Holiday cacti, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Each bloom close to its season. Thanksgiving cactus is commonly sold as Christmas cactus. Christmas cacti have flattened leaves with rounded teeth on the edges and Thanksgiving cacti have pointed leaves. Getting the Christmas cactus to bloom after it’s purchased is sometimes difficult. For a Christmas cactus to rebloom, it must first experience shorter days and cooler night temperatures of about 50 degrees for a prolonged period. If the cactus was taken outside in the summer and left through fall, this condition would occur naturally. If kept in the house, it could be moved to a garage to experience shorter days and cooler nights. With proper care, Christmas cactuses can last for years.

Poinsettias are very popular in December and come in many colors, with red being the most popular. The flower bracts are commonly mistaken for flowers. The tiny flowers are the red or green button-like parts in the center of the colorful bracts. Bracts or flowers, they are still beautiful. If possible, poinsettias should be placed by a sunny window away from drafts and should not be overwatered. They like temperatures between 50-70 degrees. They will flower longer if they are moved to a cooler room around 55 to 60 degrees at night. Many years ago, they were thought to be poisonous, but a study at Ohio State University found that one would have to eat over 500 leaves to be harmed. Pets snacking on the leaves might have diarrhea and vomiting so keep them out of their reach. Poinsettias are named after Henry Poinsett who introduced them to the United States from Mexico.

Feed the birds

If you like to watch birds, put some shepherd hooks in the ground in your yard where they are easily visible from inside, hang some squirrel-proof feeders filled with sunflower seeds on the hooks and enjoy watching the birds, especially on snowy days. A bird-bath de-icer placed in a bird bath on days when the temperature is below 32 degrees will provide drinking water for the birds. Enjoy the cold weather and the Christmas season knowing that you are helping some of the least of God’s creatures.