Here is a gardener’s to-do list for December, 2025, across the United States

Here is a gardener’s to-do list for December, 2025, across the United States. December is the deep breath of the year—the garden rests, and so should the gardener… but not entirely. There’s still beauty to tend, plans to lay, and a quiet kind of work to do that echoes through the coming spring.

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Northeast

• ❄️ Protect Plants: Mulch deeply around shrubs, roses, and perennial beds.

• 🧣 Wrap Trees: Guard young trunks from sunscald and rodent damage with tree wrap.

• 🌿 Bring in Greenery: Decorate with cut branches of holly, fir, or boxwood—nature’s ornaments.

• 📚 Plan Next Year: Cozy up with seed catalogs and dream of spring.

• 🧤 Keep Watering: If no snow, water evergreens during dry spells.

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Midwest

• 🌾 Mulch Beds: Top off insulation around root zones of perennials and garlic.

• 🌲 Prune for Décor: Cut evergreen branches for wreaths and porch pots.

• 🪓 Clean Up: Store tools, oil blades, and repair garden structures.

• 🔥 Protect Shrubs: Shield from windburn with burlap or windbreaks.

• 📝 Inventory Seeds: Check what’s left, what grew well, and what to order.

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Southeast

• 🥬 Keep Planting: Sow carrots, kale, mustard, onions, and leafy greens.

• 🌼 Cool Season Flowers: Pansies, violas, and snapdragons still thrive.

• 🌿 Cut Back: Trim frost-damaged plants; remove leaf debris from beds.

• 🐜 Pest Check: Look out for slugs and aphids on overwintering vegetables.

• 🎄 Use the Garden: Clip evergreens and berries for natural holiday arrangements.

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Southwest

• 🧄 Plant Garlic and Shallots: Still time in milder zones.

• 🪴 Container Plants: Protect or bring in potted tender perennials.

• 🌱 Seed Start Indoors: Begin onions and leeks under lights.

• 🌸 Cool Flowers: Sow desert wildflowers, sweet peas, and calendula.

• 🚿 Water Sparingly: Reduce irrigation, but don’t let things dry out.

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Pacific Northwest

• 🌧️ Watch Drainage: Ensure garden beds are not waterlogged.

• 🧊 Protect from Frost: Cover winter vegetables during hard freezes.

• 🌿 Harvest Herbs: Snip rosemary, thyme, and sage—especially for holiday cooking.

• 🧤 Rest and Reflect: Review your gardening journal (or start one).

• 🌾 Mulch Deep: Especially over fall-planted garlic and perennial beds.

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Mountain West

• ❄️ Mulch Deep: Snow insulates—mulch does too. Protect roses, berries, and veggies.

• 🔒 Shut Down Water: Ensure hoses, spigots, and irrigation lines are fully drained.

• 🌲 Decorate Naturally: Use pine, juniper, and sagebrush in wreaths and arrangements.

• 🧯 Protect Evergreens: Water during winter thaws if no snow is covering roots.

• 📖 Plan: Research cold-hardy varieties and native plants for spring.

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California

• 🥬 Keep Planting: Broccoli, cabbage, beets, carrots, and leafy greens.

• 🌼 Add Flowers: Pansies, violas, stock, and sweet peas love the cool air.

• 🍋 Citrus Watch: Protect trees during cold snaps; harvest as fruit ripens.

• 🌱 Start Seeds Indoors: Think tomatoes and peppers for early start zones.

• 🧹 Clean Garden: Pull weeds before rains help them spread.

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December whispers instead of shouts. It’s a month for mindfulness and preparation, a quiet tending of roots—both in the soil and in the soul. While the garden sleeps, the gardener dreams. And that dreaming is part of the work.

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