December in the Houston Garden
As the weather begins to be more consistently cool, the timer on your irrigation can be reduced. If your plants look very wilted in the late afternoon and to not look like they have recovered right before dark, they probably need more water during the day. However, if the top 2” of soil are still feeling wet at the end of the day, it is a good sign to begin decreasing the time. Here’s why we think drip is the smartest way to water your garden.
If you haven’t added compost to your beds in the last few months, now is the time! As you start adding winter plants to the garden, you should also add fresh compost to the garden to provide your new plants with fresh nutrition. This boost will help your plants stay strong in the case of a frost! Don’t want to do the dirty work? The Monarch Team can help! We can also deliver bags of our favorite compost straight to you!
SHOP our 2024 Planting Calendar! Find the exact planting dates our team uses to keep our clients’ gardens thriving in Houston (Zone 9) year-round. Gardening is our full-time job. The Monarch team works in gardens all over Houston Monday-Friday, every single week. We guarantee our clients’ can eat out of their gardens 52 weeks of the year! When you make a promise like that one, it’s important to have a solid planting plan. We pass all of our knowledge on to you in our planting calendar!
Struggling in the garden and wondering what to do to turn things around? Consider scheduling a personalized coaching session before the winter. We’ll stop by, assess your growing space, and give you pointers (and lots of high-fives and encouragement). Your winter season will be your best season yet!
Wanting to add more gardening space? The winter and spring gardens in Houston are to die for. Now is the best time to make a plan for adding more growing space. We can start gardens year round here in Houston. The Monarch Team can stop by for a consultation and help you make a plan.
Make sure to keep all lower leaves of lettuces, kale, and swiss chard trimmed off of the soil level. Leaving rotting leaves on the soil is a magnet for pests and disease. Wondering what to do when you see holes in your plants?
Harvest your lettuce, kale and swiss chard plants from the lower outside leaves so your plants can provide you with a continual harvest!
Even if your late summer and fall plants are still producing, it is a good time to asses which of these plants will die in the case of a freeze. Start planting frost tolerant plants around and under the the plants that will not survive a freeze. This will help your garden stay full throughout the winter season! Need help with garden maintenance?
Love the idea of having fresh produce right outside your door, but not ready to commit to a garden? Try a patio garden! You can grow so much in a small space. I gardened in pots for years before I had my first raised bed garden. I learned so much and grew a surprising amount of food. It’s a great way to get started and we are here to help! We can deliver a packed patio salad planter right to you here in Houston! Or, if you would like to DIY, we can show you how!
Now is time to start harvesting all your basil! As soon as temps fall into the 40’s, it discolors and the flavor changes. Now is the time to make pesto and freeze it for a year round supply. It’s a great time to start adding winter herbs like cilantro and dill in these spaces. See how to make our pesto on Monarch Living Recipes!
Make sure to fertilize your garden and landscape as the weather begins to cool! This is an important step in helping to strengthen the cell walls of your plants, which will ultimately help them fare better in cooler weather. We love MicroLife fertilizers for our gardens and landscapes. They are local to Houston, and you can find their products at local nurseries or order them on Amazon with ease!
In December we are planting seasonal flowers in our gardens and landscape that are more frost tolerant. These flowers include snapdragons, pansies, violas, sweet alyssum, dianthus, and dusty miller.
It is safe to assume there will be at least one night below freezing each winter. If you don’t already have frost cloth, we recommend getting it now before they sell out! Here’s what we get and what to do when a freeze hits Houston!
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FREE! Download our Monthly Tasks and Tips for the garden and landscaping. We’ll keep you on track throughout the year. You’ll know when it’s time to add compost, what flowers are in season, when to plant bulbs, when to mulch, and so much more.
HELPFUL LINKS
Buy our 2024 Planting Calendar now!
Follow us on Instagram and/or TikTokfor daily garden inspiration!
Wanting to start a patio garden? You’ll love our Patio Salad Planter! Grow salad greens and herbs year-round on your patio AND get our online course to learn exactly how to care for your planter for FREE!
Need help designing and installing landscaping beds or rethinking your outdoor spaces? We'll be right over. Get started HERE.
Check out our Amazon Storefront for products we love in the garden and other fun items we use to bring the garden to our table!
Order your plants and compost for delivery! Plant Order
Want seasonal recipes and ideas for how to make the garden a part of your everyday life? Check out Monarch Living!
Wanting a garden of your very own? Want to add more garden beds? We'd love to help you create your dream garden space. Click HERE to start the process.
Looking for ongoing help taking care of your vegetable garden? Check out what Monarch Garden Company Maintenance has to offer (it's a lot)!
Need garden coaching? Wanting to plant something new? Things not going great in your garden? Want some help troubleshooting? Learn more about our Garden Coaching and get on the schedule!
