Christmas Includes the Color Green

Sure, December is all about the holidays, so what does one do about the garden?

Illuminature @ Fresno Chaffe Zoo

I don’t know about you, but December is definitely NOT a month I think about gardening or yardwork! I am getting the house cleaned and decorated for Christmas, planning my shopping trips around the holiday crowds and worrying about how many goodies and treats I will not be able to resist! Weed control is just not up there very high.

So let us consider the new year resolutions…this year, along with improving your life and making good habits, make a resolution to go out and peruse your yard or landscape at least once a week. This will give you time to observe what is going on! How are the flowers growing? (Mary Contrary) What is getting ready to bloom? What critters are going to move in? I get questions regularly from homeowners about pests and disease or stress of some kind on their plants. Many of these questions can be answered by merely “listening” to your landscape. Observing life going on in your garden or landscape will teach you about your plants’ growth habits and the life-cycles of insects which will give you more control over situations before they even arise. Making a schedule of what to do by month is a great way to stay on top of issues that may arise, and starting that plan in January is a great way to get a handle on it.

Soon enough the winter chill will give way to warm spring and our usual hot summer days. Start planning now so you can spend some quality time in your garden enjoying the results from your efforts!

Merry Christmas, and see you in 2025!