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It's December, Do You Know What That Means?

Today is December 1st, 2011.  The first day of the last month of the year, do you know what that means?

Mockingbird on a Frosty Morning
Only 137 days left until our last frost date here in Middle Tennessee!!!  WOOHOO!

OK, I sound completely ridiculous here but think about all the stuff that has to get done before that planting date over the winter.  Seed catalogs need drooled over, new plant introductions need perused, seeds for planting in the garden need selected, garden beds need prepared, weeds need weeded, seeds need planted, mulch needs put out, plants need transplanted, hardwood cuttings need to be taken, and there are many, many more things I could list.


Here are few things for the Winter Garden To-Do List:

  • Finish moving plants around.  I have a red twig dogwood in a bad spot that needs a new home and several other plants that really could use better (less crowded) locations.  Remember that rule "right plant right place"? Well I didn't!  
  • Finish bulb planting.  I mentioned on the Facebook page that I finally finished planting daffodils - that was before I bought crocuses, allium, Dutch irises,  and more daffodils at 50% off.  I habitually make more work for myself.
  • Decide what seeds I want to order this year.  I always try a few new things and replant seeds that did great.
  • Feed the birds!
  • Finish preparing the vegetable garden. 
  • Place more stone borders in the vegetable garden.  I added some stone block borders couple weeks ago but I would like to get the newly cleared Bermuda grass section set up with fancy stone borders. 
  • Weed the chickweed and henbit from the gardens. Anything else too that needs weeded.
  • Take hardwood cuttings of red twig dogwood, viburnum, butterfly bushes, and willows.  
  • Mulch, mulch, mulch.  I think I mention mulch monthly!
  • In mid February I'll start seeds indoors for transplanting outside after the frost date.  Greens can be planted outside before the frost date as seeds so I won't pre-start them indoors.


We always think of winter as a time for slowing down, for taking a break, but really winter is when everything starts!