December is the first month of winter and definitely the most festive. If we have been preparing our garden since last month, then we need to worry only about the Christmas preparations. The work in the garden has stopped and the care that the plants need is few, as December is the month of rest and the inactive phase of plant growth.

Nevertheless, as good gardeners, what can we do in our garden:

We complete the pruning of the deciduous trees, while we plant the last citrus or fruit trees. If we have young trees or bougainvillea, it is good to protect them with a plastic cover in case of very cold or frost. As for our roses, we do not need to worry, as the roses bloom even in the winter months!
If we have the appetite to work outside, we can repair the corridors or the rock gardens. We also clean and maintain our gardening tools and all the machinery we may be using, while arranging the garden items in our warehouse to be ready next spring.
We do not forget to see our bulbs that we planted in the fall and to take care of the soil, digging it and protecting it with pebbles or tree bark. We also check the supports on our young trees and sensitive plants to protect them from strong winds.
Our main task this month is to dig the soil in our flower beds when it is dry, so as to help it renew and aerate. During this period the garden and with it the soil rest to be ready to welcome spring.
As for our pots, we focus our attention, mainly, on indoor plants:

We move the pots both inside and outside the house to protect the plants from strong currents, high heat from various heating sources (eg fireplace), while protecting them from heavy rainfall and snow with suitable covers.
We often check the indoor plants for watering and humidity, as the various heating sources of the house raise the dryness of the atmosphere. That is why it is good to open the windows to refresh the air inside the house and to water as often as possible the plants that need it. Be careful, however, not to fill the dishes in the pots with water, because there is a risk that their roots will rot. In case of a lot of rain, move the pots to a tighter point.
December is a month of rest, not only for our garden and plants, but also for ourselves. The "clean" image of the garden helps us to see what we like and what we do not like, such as species and colors of flowers, species of plants and their location, decorations and constructions. Now is a good time to research, design and fix our garden. On the occasion of the cold of winter, we can look for many ideas and solutions for practical issues in gardening books and on the internet, but also ask the experts in nurseries and specialty stores.

Happy Holidays!

December TIPS:

Our favorite holiday flower: the poinsettia, the well-known "Alexandrino" or "Christolouloudo". One of the most beautiful flowers, a trademark of Christmas, which needs a lot of patience until its crimson flowers bloom in spring! Yes, you read that right! Poinsettia blooms in spring, but to get its crimson flowers in mid-December, we need to keep the poinsettia in the dark for several days in the fall, covering it with a dark cloth. When the last flowers fall, we prune the plant to half its height and take care of it in normal conditions so that it blooms again next year.
Pay attention to the plants that are very close to the windows of our house! When it gets dark, the temperature drops a lot and the cold is more intense in these places. Remove any pots with the setting sun.
If we want to keep the floor of the terrace or our small balcony as clean as possible, we can cover the surface of the soil in the pots with pebbles, so that the rain water does not "splash" with mud.