What to Plant in December: Seasonal Picks for Your Garden

Gardening tools and plants suitable for December planting.

What to plant in December

Wondering what to plant in December? Sow hardy vegetables like kale, garlic and onions now for an abundant spring harvest. Potted winter blooms such as pansies and cyclamen add vibrant color to patios during colder months. December planting rewards gardeners with thriving crops and stunning blossoms—read on for plants that'll flourish despite winter's chill.

Cheatsheet: December Planting Power Plays

🌱 Cool-Weather Edibles

  • Garlic — Plant cloves before heavy frost; boosts immunity
  • Onions — Sets or seed; high in vitamin C
  • Spinach — Handles soil as cool as 40°F/4°C
  • Peas — Sow in unfrozen beds; fixes nitrogen
  • Broad beans — Cold-hardy protein; sow in mild regions
  • Asparagus — Start crowns for spring harvests

🌸 Ornamentals for Spring Color

  • Tulip & daffodil bulbs — Plant if ground isn’t frozen
  • Crocus — Naturalizes easily for early blooms
  • Winter pansies — Brighten beds; edible petals

🥕 Indoor Sowing Opportunities

  • Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant — Sow under lights for early spring transplants
  • Herbs — Basil, chives, cilantro on sunny windowsills

🌡️ Regions & Soil

  • Mild zones (USDA 8+, UK South) — Direct sow hardy greens
  • Cold zones — Focus on bulbs, indoor starts, overwintered garlic
  • Soil temp: Most seeds want 40°F/4°C+

🛠️ Tools and Products You'll Need

  • Cold frame or cloches for frost protection
  • Quality compost for root crops
  • Row covers to extend harvests
  • Seed trays & grow lights for indoor starts
  • Hand trowel & weed fork
  • Mulch to retain soil warmth

📈 Quick Stats

  • Garlic: Up to 5x ROI in yield
  • Winter greens: Up to 4x more vitamin C than summer lettuce
  • Bulb planting boosts pollinators in early spring

🔄 Steps

  1. Prep Beds — Clear debris, amend soil with compost.
  2. Plant Bulbs/Seeds — Use spacing per packet; plant bulbs twice depth of bulb size.
  3. Mulch & Protect — Apply mulch, cover with cloches or row covers in cold regions.
  4. Start Indoors — Sow tender seeds in trays, use grow light, keep at 65–75°F (18–24°C).
  5. Monitor & Water — Avoid overwatering; check weekly.
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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.

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Frequently Asked Questions About December Planting

Which vegetables thrive best in colder weather?

Vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, and spinach tolerate frost and even become sweeter as temperatures drop. Root vegetables, including carrots, parsnips, and radishes, also develop flavor and texture through colder conditions.

Can flowers successfully bloom if planted late in the year?

Yes, certain hardy flowering plants excel when planted late. Consider placing pansies, violas, and hellebore (Christmas rose), as they bloom vibrantly throughout cooler months and into early spring.

Should gardeners protect newly planted items from frost?

Providing protection enhances survival chances for newly planted items. Using cloches, fleece, or mulch layers insulates roots and reduces frost damage. Be ready to cover plants during periods where nighttime temperatures fall below 32°F (0°C).

Do fruit trees benefit from winter planting?

Winter planting offers excellent opportunities for fruit tree establishment. Dormant planting allows trees like apple, pear, plum, and cherry to establish strong root systems and prepares them for vigorous growth when warmer days return.

How often should new plantings receive water during winter?

Though colder conditions reduce water evaporation, regular watering remains necessary for freshly planted specimens. Moist soil conditions promote healthy root growth, so maintain consistent watering cycles approximately once weekly or as soil becomes dry to the touch, considering precipitation.

Are herbs suitable for cooler season planting?

Many herbs happily grow during cooler weather. Hardy herb varieties like thyme, sage, parsley, and chives withstand frost much better than tender basil or cilantro and can flourish even with shorter daylight hours.

What to plant in December is all about understanding your climate, your soil, and your appetite for fresh produce and color through the colder months. Cool-season greens, sturdy root crops, and a few well-chosen ornamentals all have a place. For those in mild regions, winter planting can mean a steady supply of greens and herbs; in chillier spots, it’s about prepping for early spring. Indoors, growing vegetables under lights can scratch that gardening itch. December rewards those who plan ahead, work with what they’ve got, and aren’t afraid to experiment. Keep your tools sharp, your hands dirty, and remember—every seed sown is a bold little act of hope.

The Prepper's Guide: December Planting for Food Security

Fast Growing Cold-Resistant Crops

  • Mizuna: Matures in 20–40 days; withstands -6°C (21°F).
  • Tatsoi: Grows in 30–45 days; survives -9°C (16°F).
  • Winter radishes ("Daikon"): Ready in 50–70 days; stores well underground.

Calorie-Dense Root Storage

Plant Jerusalem Artichokes ("Sunchokes") now—yield 400–600 lbs (181–272 kg) per 100 sq ft (9 sq m). Hardy to -40°C (-40°F), harvestable throughout winter.

Parsnips: Sow seeds in December for spring harvest; provide vitamin C, folate, potassium.

High-Yield Alliums for Nutrition and Immunity

  • Garlic: Plant cloves in December; harvest bulbs in summer. Garlic offers antibacterial, antiviral properties.
  • Multiplier onions: Winter hardy to -29°C (-20°F), yield continuous onion harvest after establishment.

Strategic Fruit Bushes for Long-Term Harvests

December planting of berry bushes (black currants, gooseberries) ensures earlier establishment, future vitamin-rich yields, antioxidants.

Emergency Seed Germination Supplies

  • Agribon fabric row covers: Provide extra 2–4°C (4–7°F) frost protection.
  • Portable cold frames: Maintain daytime temperatures 10–15°C (50–59°F), enabling germination in freezing weather.
  • Compost-filled burlap bags: Insulation for roots, maintains constant temperature.

Vital Nutrient-Rich Cover Crops

Plant Austrian winter peas, winter rye: Nitrogen-fixers, soil improvers—support future crop productivity. Hardy to -23°C (-10°F).

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