What to Plant in December: Seasonal Picks for Your Garden

Vegetables and Herbs for a Winter Feast

December rolls around, and the gardening itch remains strong—rain, snow, or sun. I've braved chilly mornings, coffee mug steaming, planting hardy greens and sturdy herbs that laugh at winter weather.

Kale tops my planting list every December; frost actually sweetens its leaves. Spinach thrives equally in cooler temperatures, and December-planted spinach produces vibrant salads by early spring.

Garlic cloves planted in early winter guarantee vigorous bulb growth come summer. Select firm, plump cloves, planting pointy end up about 2 inches (5 cm) deep in fertile soil.

Other Frost-Resistant Veggies:

• Carrots: Direct sow carrot seeds in loose soil; a sprinkle of snow won’t scare these roots away.
• Broad Beans (Fava Beans): Hardy against winter chills, sow beans 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep, spaced generously.
• Mache (Corn Salad): Tender, buttery leaves define mache, a cool-weather delicacy rarely seen in supermarkets.

Plant garlic by mid-December for optimal bulb development—well-timed garlic harvests yield bulbs 30% larger than spring-planted crops.

Flowers for Late-Winter Color

Flowers in December? Absolutely doable. I've found charm in planting bulbs and perennial seeds during winter's calm, anticipating bursts of beauty when the earth warms again.

Bulbs Worth Planting Now:

• Tulips: These bulbs adore winter cold, especially if planted deep—around 6 inches (15 cm)—to ensure vibrant spring blooms.
• Crocuses: Early risers that push through snow, crocuses are resilient symbols of renewal.
• Daffodils: Sunny yellow trumpets easily planted 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) deep, their cheerful blooms signaling winter's end.

Seeds to Scatter in December:

• Sweet Peas: Hardy annuals whose fragrant blooms perfume early summer gardens, best sown now for strong root systems.
• Poppies: Scatter poppy seeds generously atop frost-chilled soil, requiring cool temperatures for germination—winter does the stratification work for you.

I remember one particularly cold December morning, scattering poppy seeds onto the frozen earth, skeptical they'd germinate. Come spring, the soil erupted into waves of scarlet blooms, proving nature's determination.

Fruit Shrubs and Trees to Establish

December remains an ideal time for planting bare-root fruit trees and shrubs. Dormancy makes these plants blissfully unaware of the cold soil around their roots.

• Apple and Pear Trees: Established now in deep, fertile holes—about twice as wide as their roots—these trees enjoy settling in before buds break open in spring.
• Currant and Gooseberry Bushes: Tolerant of winter chill, these shrubs planted now provide abundant crops next season, perfect for jams and desserts.
• Raspberry Canes: Planted deeply, approximately 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) down, raspberry canes establish swiftly, rewarding you with sweet berries come summer.

Come December, planting becomes a pleasurable gamble against winter—a gardener's joyful rebellion, cultivating life in the frost. Bundle up, drink something warm, and let the soil surprise you.

Planting smart in winter sets your garden up right. Knowing exactly what to plant in December lets you savor fresh lettuces, kale, spinach, and radishes well into colder months. Hardy bulbs like garlic and onions planted now promise rewarding harvests later on. And don't forget vibrant pansies and hellebores—bold colors pushing bravely through frost and chill—reminding gardeners everywhere of growth even in quiet times. Choosing wisely, planting thoughtfully, December becomes not a dormant pause, but the subtle beginning of next year's bounty.