Local Master Gardeners Share Essential December Gardening Tips for Fort Bend County Residents
As the weather cools down, December is the perfect time for Fort Bend County residents to prepare their gardens for the upcoming year. The Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, provide expert advice tailored to the local climate. These trusted professionals offer a wealth of practical tips for gardening in December, ensuring that gardens stay healthy and vibrant throughout the season. Here’s a roundup of the essential gardening tasks and tips for the month:
1. Plan for Next Spring
While your garden may be slowing down for winter, it’s a great time to plan for the upcoming spring. What improvements can you make to your garden to make it easier to maintain, more beautiful, or better for local wildlife? December is the perfect time to research your plans and figure out how to fit them into your budget. Tools like the Earth-Kind® Landscape Planner are helpful for organizing your ideas.
2. Order Trees and Seeds
To ensure you get the varieties you want for spring planting, place your orders for trees, seeds, and plants now. Many local nurseries are happy to assist you with this process. It's the best way to ensure you have what you need when planting season arrives. Visit your local nursery or check out seed suppliers for your gardening needs.
3. Support Local Wildlife
As the temperatures drop, food sources become scarcer for birds and squirrels. Help wildlife through the winter by providing feeders and seed. Local pet stores or farm supply stores can be great places to purchase bird and squirrel feeders. For more information on how to support local wildlife, visit this website.
4. Tool Maintenance
Properly maintaining your gardening tools will keep them in good condition for years to come. If your lawn mower is getting less use in winter, now is a great time to give it some attention. Clean, sharpen, and perform routine maintenance to ensure it's ready for spring. For safety guidelines and tips for maintaining lawn equipment, check out the Lawn Mower Safety resource.
5. Rake Leaves and Compost
Rake up fallen leaves to keep your yard neat. You can use those leaves as natural mulch in your garden beds or compost them. For more information on composting and how to handle yard waste, refer to the Earth-Kind® Principles of composting.
6. Add a Home Composter to Your Wish List
Thinking about a more sustainable approach to your yard waste? Consider putting a home composter on your wish list this holiday season. Composting not only keeps waste out of landfills, but it also helps create rich, nutrient-dense soil for your garden. To learn more about composting, visit the Learn How to Compost guide.
7. Plant Hardy Trees and Shrubs
It’s not too late to plant hardy trees and shrubs, as long as you avoid planting right before a freeze. Be sure to water them wisely—plants still need water during the winter months, but overwatering can damage their roots. The Earth-Kind® Plant Selector can help you find the best plants for your yard.
8. Watering in Dry Weather
If the weather is dry in December, you may need to water your garden and yard occasionally. Keep in mind that plants may still need water, but be sure not to overdo it. Learn more about proper watering techniques in our local climate with the Watering Your Yard Guide.
9. Remove Damaged Plants
It’s time to clean up your garden by removing annual plants that have been damaged by the cold weather. This makes your garden look tidier and opens up space for new plantings. Don’t forget to compost the removed plants to recycle their nutrients.
10. Consider Sheet Mulching
If you have an area of grass you’d like to convert into a garden bed, consider sheet mulching. This is a form of cold composting that smothers grass and weeds, protecting the soil from weed seeds while enriching the ground. Learn more about the benefits of sheet mulching and how to do it.
11. Care for Your Live Christmas Tree
If you’re purchasing a live Christmas tree this year, make sure you select the right tree, cut it properly, and place it in a stable tree stand. Once the holidays are over, there are ways to remove and dispose of the tree in an environmentally friendly way. For more tips, check out the Purdue Extension Guide on Christmas tree care.
12. Spray Dormant Fruit Trees
If you have pecan, peach, or plum trees, now is the time to spray for pests while the trees are dormant. For guidance on how and when to do this, refer to the Homeowner’s Guide to Dormant Tree Pest Control.
13. Remove Dead Fruit from Trees
Remove any dead fruit from the plant and the ground beneath it. This helps prevent pests, fungi, and diseases that could harm your plants in the future. Be sure to remove the dead fruit from grapevines, apple trees, peach trees, plum trees, blackberry bushes, and other fruit-bearing plants in your garden.
14. Protect Your Plants from Freezes
Prepare your plants for winter by gathering materials to protect them from freezing temperatures. This includes blankets, burlap, and other protective coverings that can shield your plants from the cold. Learn more about protecting your plants from freezing temperatures here.
15. Pruning and Trimming
Pruning can be done throughout the year, but the timing varies depending on the type of plant. To learn more about how to properly prune your plants, refer to our guide on Proper Pruning Techniques. And remember: avoid the common mistake of trimming crape myrtles too harshly. This practice, known as “crape murder,” can severely damage the plant. To learn more about this, click here.
16. Holiday Safety for Pets
The holiday season brings extra hazards for pets. From decorations to cold weather, it’s important to ensure your furry friends are safe. Learn how to protect pets from common holiday dangers in our Holiday Hazards for Pets guide by the Texas A&M University Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
December Color in Fort Bend County
Even in winter, your garden can have some color. Consider planting the Texas Superstar Natchez Blackberry, a thornless vine that produces large, firm berries. This plant grows well in full sun and needs a trellis for support. For more information on the Natchez Blackberry, click here.
For other December bloomers, consider Pansies, Amaryllis, Poinsettias, and Christmas Cactus. These plants will brighten your garden and help you enjoy the season. Learn more about Texas Superstar® plants here.
By following these tips from the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, residents can keep their gardens thriving and prepare for a successful spring. For additional advice and updates, stay connected with the local Master Gardener community through the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners website at fbmg.org. Happy gardening!
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
