Garden Help: December gardening tips include cold protection

Poinsettias need some special help to thrive.
Poinsettias need some special help to thrive.

The holiday season is here and so are the cold temperatures that come with it. While a Florida cold is much different than most of the country, it can still have a huge impact on our gardens. Here are some tips to get you growing in December:

Frost on the horizon

As I’m writing this, areas of our region are looking to see their first dip into the 30s for the year and a threat of frost. Some winters we may not see a frost, but historically our first event should be in mid-November. This can put your tender tropical plants in danger.

Protect these specimens by bringing them indoors if in containers, or cover them in frost cloth overnight if they are in the landscape. Overall, it is best to plan your landscape to survive frosts and freezes by only using plants suitable for your horticultural zone, which is 9a for most of our region. This ties into the Florida-Friendly Landscaping concept of Right Plant/Right Place, where you match your plants to the characteristics of your yard.

If plants do get some cold damage, remember to not cut them back until spring. The dead areas actually help protect the plant from further cold.

Giving a gift of gardening

December is a month of many gift exchanges, and while I subscribe to the rule of never giving something living as a gift, plants can be a great option for other gardeners. As with any purchase, a bit of research is advised to make sure the plant will match the recipient's experience level and where it will be grown. Some seasonal favorites include amaryllis, poinsettias, rosemary and Christmas cactus, but their survival requires proper care. For more information about these common options, go to https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdoor-living/holiday-gift-plants.html.

If ordering plants online, make sure you are getting them from a reputable source, that they will survive in our area if they are to be planted outside and that they are not invasive.

Holiday container gardens

Container gardens can provide a huge pop of color and seasonal beauty for the holidays. Consider plants that will invoke the season with options such as poinsettias, dusty miller, cyclamen, ornamental kale and pansies together.

Building a container garden usually will contain a thriller, filler and spiller. The thriller is taller and provides vertical height and structure, fillers are medium height and are planted to take up the majority of the container, and spillers flow out and downwards. You can also use other materials to supplement your plants like fresh cut greenery, tree branches or holiday ornaments.

Poinsettias in peril

The most common plant flooding stores this season is the poinsettia, and I think overall they probably have one of the lowest survival rates of any plant I know. Care inside the home is important, and you must remember that poinsettias do not like having overly wet roots. If the plant is wrapped in cellophane or any material that limits drainage, remove it. Monitor the moisture of the soil, watering when the surface becomes dry to the touch but not too often. Wet soils can lead to root rots and other issues. Do not use ice cubes.

Place them on a porch or window where they will receive indirect sunlight for at least 6 hours each day. If kept inside, don’t place them in too much heat or in contact with cold drafts. They can also benefit from light fertilization every 4-6 weeks indoors but can be placed outside once temperatures warm in the spring.

Things to plant in December

Vegetables: cauliflower, beet, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, Chinese cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, leek, onion, parsley, mustard and radish.

Herbs: Parsley, thyme, sage, dill, fennel, garlic, comfrey and cilantro.

Annuals: Petunia, pansy, snapdragon, lobelia, alyssum and viola.

Bulbs, tubers, rhizomes or corms: Agapanthus, amaryllis, Aztec lily, calla lily, hurricane lily, kaffir lily, paper whites, shell ginger, spider lily and zephyr lily.

Wayne Hobbs is an extension agent in environmental horticulture for Clay County.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Garden Help: December gardening tips include cold protection