Though it is December, Northwest Florida weather fluctuates between winter and spring temperatures.
Our nice days are wonderful opportunities to do outside landscape chores to prepare for spring.
But, it is also a good time to plan for next month’s colder temperatures.
Since we don’t experience frozen soil, winter is the best time to transplant hardy trees and shrubs. Deciduous, or shedding, trees establish root systems more quickly while dormant, versus installing them in the spring with all their tender new leaves.
Here are a few suggestions for tasks you can perform this month:
●Plant shade trees, fruit trees and evergreen shrubs.
●Plant pre-chilled daffodil and narcissus bulbs (late December/early January).
●Do major re-shaping of shade trees, if needed, during the winter dormancy.
●Water live Christmas trees as needed, and water holiday plants, such as poinsettias, as needed.
●Check houseplants for insect pests such as scale, mealy bugs, fungus gnats, whitefly and spider mites.
●Continue to mulch leaves from the lawn. Shred excess leaves and add to planting beds or compost pile.
●Replenish finished compost and mulch in planting beds, preferably before the first freeze.
●Switch sprinkler systems to ‘Manual’ mode for the rest of winter.
●Water thoroughly before a hard freeze to reduce plants’ chances of damage.
●Water the lawn and all other plants once every three weeks or so, if supplemental rainfall is less than 1 inch in a three-week period.
●Fertilize pansies and other winter annuals as needed.
●Protect tender plants from hard freezes.
●Clean, sharpen and repair all your garden and lawn tools. Now is also the best time to clean and have your power mower, edger and trimmer serviced.
●Be sure the mower blade is sharpened and balanced.
●Provide food and water to the area’s wintering birds.
Sheila Dunning is a commercial horticulture agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DUNNING: 15 things Northwest Florida gardeners can do in December