December - this is what you can sow and cultivate

Regardless of the weather conditions, there is a lot to do during the winter months. Why not start planning next year's cultivation and flower beds already now? Take a look at the wonderful seed catalogs, dream and summarize what went well and badly during the year. Maybe something can be adjusted for next year. For example, was there too much squash? Or were all the cabbage eaten by caterpillars? December is often a quiet time that provides the opportunity to reflect and refine garden plans.

If you want to grow here and now, that is also possible. Many seeds can now be winter-sown to get an early harvest in spring – just sow the seeds directly on the frozen ground and cover them lightly with new soil. With a little luck, you can get an early harvest as early as March–April, for example of spinach.

Remember to sow the seeds only when it is really cold and the winter is stable, so that the seeds do not rot from moisture or germinate immediately. The idea is that they should germinate only when the spring sun appears, so that the small plants do not freeze. If you are unsure how stable the cold is, it is probably best to wait with winter sowing until January–February.

More about winter sowing:

• Sow in plastic boxes during the winter and get hardy plants for the spring

Don't forget the garlic! If you haven't planted garlic yet, it still works in most places. The cloves should be planted a couple of weeks before the frost sets in, so they have time to establish, but at the same time not peek out of the ground - that shouldn't happen until spring.

Indoor cultivation is also a great option in winter. With grow lights, you can sow leafy greens, potted tomatoes, pea shoots, cress and almost all types of herbs all year round.

You can also pre-cultivate chili, peppers and lettuce for later planting. During December, you can sow different varieties of chili and peppers indoors. The plants have a long development time and must be put in the soil early so that they have time to become large plants during the summer. Lettuce can also be pre-cultivated now, and planted out in a hotbed later.

Read also:

• Build a hotbed – cultivate record early

December is a great month for those who like to do things themselves. Make your own Christmas bouquets for the Christmas table, a beautiful wreath for the door, garlands, place cards with plants or all kinds of Christmas groups. The flower bulbs from the arrangements can be planted in the garden in spring and enjoy the colors year after year.

DIY: Make your own Christmas decorations with plants – see all our ideas and recipes!

• Shake off any wet and heavy snow from plants in the garden, so that branches do not break under the weight.
• Sow chillies and leafy greens indoors under a grow light.
• Harvest Jerusalem artichokes and kale.
• Make your own Christmas groups and decorations.
• Place leaves over vulnerable plants in the bed and protect roses from frost.
• Prune grapes while they are dormant.
• Water plants that have been brought inside for winter storage.
• Plant tulip bulbs if the frost has not yet set in.
• Summarize, dream and plan your gardening for next season.

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