• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
Somervell County Master Gardeners
Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • AgriLife Extension Service
  • News
  • SCMG Gardening Resources
  • Members Only
    • Members Hour Form
    • Meeting and Financial Documents
    • Constitution and By- Laws

December Gardening Tips

December 7, 2014 by lheideman

by Bonnah Boyd, Somervell County Master Gardener

*Cover flower and shrub beds with from 3 – 4 inches of mulch to prevent moisture evaporation and to modify soil temperatures.

*Clean out warm-season flower beds, add an inch or two of compost and mix it into the soil.

*Water the entire landscape at least once in December in the absence of significant rainfall to prevent freeze damage.

*If a hard, prolonged freeze (24 hours or more) is predicted, cover freeze-sensitive plants with cardboard boxes or blankets.

*Move tender container plants indoors near a very bright window to keep them healthy through the winter.

*Mow winter weeds to keep them in check.

*In areas of the vegetable or herb garden that are void of plants, pull winter weeds and plant a cover crop, such as cereal rye grain.

*Cover crops reduce weed establishment and can be tilled into the soil later to improve the soil.

*Use leaves from the trees to build a compost pile or as walkway materials. Continue to add leaves to the walkway as they press down with foot traffic.

*Remember to provide water for the birds during winter.

*This is a great time to plan next year’s gardens. Try some new things.  Add a new “feature” to your garden.

 

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Gardening Tips, Newsletters

Upcoming Events

Jun 7
10:00 am - 11:00 am

SCMG Public Education Event – TBA

Feb 19
10:00 am - 11:30 am

SCMG Monthly Business Meeting

Feb 19
10:00 am - 11:30 am

SCMG Monthly Business Meeting

Feb 19
10:00 am - 11:30 am

SCMG Monthly Business Meeting

Feb 19
10:00 am - 11:30 am

SCMG Monthly Business Meeting

View Calendar

Get Updates

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

RSS Recent Posts

  • Azo-What?
  • Pop Up Plant Sale 2025
  • Plant Sale and Raffle
  • Infect Your Beans for Healthier Soil

Administrator Only

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System Member
  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information