December is one of the months with less activity in the vegetable garden, a time to plan for next year and start planting the first crops. Learn all about what to plant in December.
December is one of the months with less activity in the orchard, a time that we can take advantage of to plan well the work, crop rotations, and plantings. We can also take advantage of this time to review and maintain the working material in the orchard, as well as the hedges or walls of the orchard.
Growing In Very Cold Temperatures
Some vegetables are very resistant to cold. This resistance can be reinforced even more if we plant them in the greenhouse or in a place where the cold or intense frosts do not affect them directly. We recommend our article about a greenhouse for vegetable garden.
We start with the seedlings and for this, we must look for quality seeds to obtain excellent results. The vegetable seedling is very useful for these cases because there we start the plants that we know will resist cold frosts because we will have the opportunity to cover them with a thermal blanket propped up with tutors, which resembles a tent.
If we are in an area that is cold but not so cold (freezing winds), these vegetables will be able to withstand these inclement weather conditions. The recommendation is:
Short Cycle Vegetables to Plant in December
Winter Crops
- Beans
- Swiss chard, especially yellow chard
- Peas
Hardier Crops to Plant in December
- Onions
- Tomatoes in different varieties such as Legend, Oregon Spring, Prairie Fire, Siberian, etc.
- Round black and pink eggplant,
- Long black and striped eggplant.
- Cabbages
Let’s remember that we already have some crops from previous months., hardy crops are likely to withstand the cold if they already have stem strength and look firmly rooted in the ground. It is quite disappointing for the gardener or farmer that after working so hard, do not take the necessary precautions in advance to prepare the conditions of your planting for the winter to cold damage the plants.
It is not necessary to wait until winter arrives to prepare ourselves, because we will not have the time to condition the soil so that it is not cold to receive the crops, it is an adverse circumstance that will bring its consequences.
In December You Can Not Miss the Sowing of Garlic
Sowing garlic is a very simple activity, it can be done directly in the ground, clove by clove separated from each other at least 4″ (10 cm), placing the clove with the bud upwards. In 190 days you will see the results, a fruit of very good quality.
Garlic is harvested in June and July, presenting a fleshy and succulent fruit. It is a plant that is worth planting when there is winter weather for its resistance. The benefits are not long in coming. Learn more about how to grow garlic from a clove.
Potatoes In Winter
Winter is the best time to grow potatoes. It is one of the most versatile vegetables to grow. It is a staple and indispensable food in the kitchen. Its cultivation is very good at this time of the year. It resists all its cycle with the climate changes and the way to grow it is quite simple, so we can include it in the list of vegetables to grow in December.
Tips For Plant in December
Stores are specializing in excellent products in terms of the type of seed to use in winter, materials to use in the greenhouse as the vegetable seedling, the thermal blanket and so a series of elements that will help us to concentrate on improving the environment where our crops will be from which we want to obtain the best fruits. The planting calendar is very useful when deciding what we are going to grow, transplant, and harvest in our garden in a given month.
In December there is a wide range of vegetables and fruits to plant, it is good to schedule the tasks to be done so that everything goes according to plan during the winter.
- Acquire quality seeds
- Review the tools that we already have in our possession and acquire those that we need for the cultivation in December.
- Have the utensils to be comfortable in the garden or greenhouse when we are in the middle of planting.
- Plan the protection that we will give to our crops in winter, especially to the most vulnerable plants, those young plants that cannot be moved to the greenhouse.
- Remember that it is very important to apply compost on the soil to protect the plants from the cold to prevent them from freezing.
- If we are located in an area where the winter is mild, then we must be alert to give air to the greenhouse so that the air circulates avoiding excess humidity.
- Do not leave cracks in the greenhouse and avoid any crevices where the cold can seep in.
- Thank the animals that help us to protect the orchard by placing feeders or nests insight in the case of birds and houses for ladybugs for example. (Ladybugs fight aphids naturally).
Soil Care in Winter
It is recommended not to leave the soil of the vegetable garden bare during the winter as frost would reduce its fertility. In this sense, if we are not going to plant anything until spring, it is advisable to cover it with a vegetable cover (grass, foliage, gorse…etc) that will increase the biological activity of the soil, reduce the appearance of weeds while this organic matter will decompose to incorporate it into the soil in spring.
For the rest, it is recommended, as in the other months, to continue elaborating organic compost with the remains of peelings, cut grass, foliage, etc. This organic matter is the guarantee of a living and productive vegetable garden.
