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What to do now - November
December
What to do now - January
What to do during December in your garden and greenhouse.
We Polled Hundreds of Gardeners on the Most Underrated Plants – Here’s What They Said
Best winter-flowering plants
Jobs on the allotment in December
Wildlife gardening jobs for December
Your monthly gardening checklists
Flowers
- Protect terracotta pots from cracking in freezing weather by bringing them indoors or wrapping in bubble polythene
- Rake up accumulated fallen leaves in borders that could be harbouring slugs and other pests
- Plant bare-root roses and other deciduous shrubs, plus ornamental trees
- Hang bird feeders near roses to attract hungry birds that will also pick off any overwintering pests
- Cut stems of berried winter shrubs, seasonal flowers and evergreen leaves for festive decorations and wreaths
- Move plants in pots to a sheltered spot if conditions turn very cold, as their roots are more exposed to the elements
- Pile straw or bracken around the base of tender shrubs and climbers to protect them from falling temperatures
- Plant fragrant winter shrubs in pots on the doorsteps, including chimonanthus, sarcococca and Daphne odora
- Prune climbing roses between now and February
- Hard prune overgrown shrubs and hedges while they're dormant
- Check stored bulbs and corms regularly for any signs of rot
Prune climbing roses before February
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Fruit and veg
- Place straw around the base of parsnips to prevent the soil freezing, which can make harvesting difficult
- Plant blackberries, such as thornless 'Loch Ness', for easy pickings of large, sweet, juicy fruits
- Winter prune large fruit trees, such as apples and pears, to control their shape and size, and to increase their productivity
- Plant fruit trees trained as cordons, fans or espaliers to make good use of limited space
- Start to plan next year's crops and order seeds
- Tidy up raspberry and blackberry beds – weed and mulch with compost, then tie new stems to support wires
- Lift and divide large clumps of rhubarb, replanting the outer sections into soil enriched with well-rotted manure
- Keep kale, winter cabbages and other brassicas covered with netting to protect them from hungry pigeons
- Finish clearing old crops and debris from the veg plot, but only compost healthy material
- Remove yellowed leaves on brassicas, so fungal diseases such as grey mould and downy mildew don't take hold
- Make sure Brussels sprouts don't topple over in strong winds - tie to a cane for support and earth up the stems
- Prune grapevines, cutting back side-branches to one or two buds from the main stem
Cut back grapevines
Greenhouse
- Pot up a clump of rhubarb and place under a large bin to force an early crop of sweet stems
- Pick faded leaves and dead flowers regularly from plants overwintering in the greenhouse, such as pelargoniums
- Pinch out the tips of autumn-sown sweet peas to encourage bushier growth
- Deadhead indoor azaleas, water regularly and provide cool conditions, away from radiators, to prolong flowering
- Monitor greenhouse temperatures with a max-min thermometer to ensure heaters are working efficiently
- Bring hyacinths growing in the greenhouse into your home to flower, placing in a cool, bright spot
- Water plants sparingly to keep the greenhouse as dry as possible, which should reduce outbreaks of disease
- Prune greenhouse grapevines while dormant
- Water florists' cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) from below, and deadhead regularly to encourage more blooms
- Check overwintering plants in the greenhouse for red spider mite and other pests, and treat if necessary
Grow cacti from seed
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House plants
- Give houseplants extra humidity to combat the drying effects of central heating
- Repot moth orchids after flowering if they look like they're about to burst out of their pot
- Water house plants less frequently and move them off particularly cold windowsills at night.
- Plant hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in pots for spectacular flowers over the festive season
- Repot any house plants that have become top heavy or pot bound into larger containers
- Move houseplants onto a sunny windowsill over the winter, to get as much light as possible during the shorter days, or choose indoor plants for low light
- Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
- Take leaf cuttings from house plants, including African violets and begonias
- Take leaf cuttings from succulents, such as echeverias, crassula and sedums
- Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs
- Put large-leaved house plants into the bath or shower and hose them down to clean off accumulated dust
- Sow cacti seeds into moist, loam-based compost and place in a propagator or on a warm windowsill
- For more house plant advice and inspiration visit our Growing and caring for house plants page.
Garden maintenance
- Top up bird baths with fresh water every day during frosty weather
- Bring all watering equipment indoors, including hoses and sprinklers, so they don't freeze and split
- Scoop fallen leaves and debris from ponds, leave on the side so pond life can escape, then add to the compost bin
- Stand your Christmas tree in a bucket of water in a sheltered spot outdoors until it's time to bring it indoors
- Clear out your shed, and organise and clean your tools
- Check tree ties and stakes are firm enough to stand up to winter storms
- Prune blackcurrants once dormant, removing about a quarter of the old stems
- Order well-rotted manure or mushroom compost to dig in over winter or spread over bare soil as mulch for worms to take down
- Order summer-flowering bulbs such as lilies and gladioli
Order your bulbs for next summer
Offers
Explore the gardens of Dublin & the Wicklow Mountains
Spend a week exploring the inspiring gardens of Dublin and Wicklow in the company of horticulturist, journalist ad broadcaster David Hurrion on this exclusive tour, and enjoy your stay at the Killashee Hotel.
From£2999
18-24 August 2027, 6 nights, 7 days from £2999pp. Double room for sole use from £499pp, subject to availability at time of booking.
use code: GWDBNOV26
Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête'
Early flowering and petite to make your spring garden complete.
£14.99£24.99
Supplied as 100 x bulbs
Raspberry 'Autumn Bliss'
With excellent flavour and firm texture, the fruits of ‘Autumn Bliss’ are ideal for eating fresh from the plant or freezing for another day. Can be grown in containers as they don’t require supports for their stems.
£9.99-£12.99
Supplied as canes