What to sow and grow in December

Add scent to your garden in December with Sarcococca confusa
Image: Sarcococca confusa from Thompson & Morgan

There's plenty of jobs to keep you busy in the garden in December. As the year comes to a close, make the most of any dry, crisp winter days to keep things tidy and get a head start on jobs for spring.

These flowers, plants, fruit and veg are suitable for sowing and growing in the garden this month.

Plants and flowers to sow and grow

Sow snapdragon seeds now for earlier summer blooms
Image: Antirrhinum majus 'Bronze Dragon' from Thompson & Morgan

In the greenhouse/indoors

• Sow half hardy annual seeds like antirrhinums (Snapdragons) and laurentia ‘Shopping Stars’ in a cool greenhouse now for early flowering in the summer.
• Sow Begonia semperflorens 'Options Mixed' and geranium ‘Moulin Rouge’ seeds under cover or on a sunny windowsill. These will look great planted up together in containers come late spring. 
• Plant out indoor grown forced hyacinth bulbs in garden beds and borders after Christmas flowering is over. They will flower again next year. 

Plants outdoors

• Plant up winter containers with ivy, Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’ and evergreen grass plants such as Carex morrowii 'Irish Green' to add colour to your winter garden. Position them beside entrances and well used paths for the best effect.
• Plant flowering bulbs in large pots of compost ready to fill any gaps in spring borders. Tulip bulbs are a great choice, they will still do well planted this late in the year.
• Plant winter flowering shrubs this month in beds and borders outdoors. Sarcococca confusa brings strong fragrance to your garden at this time of year whilst Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ produces bright yellow blooms throughout the month.
• Plant bare-root native hedging to encourage wildlife and create attractive boundaries around your garden. Choose bare-root colourful hedging to add a splash of colour, or, if you want quick results, check out fast growing hedging, for natural boundaries that establish in virtually no time at all. Find slower, more manageable hedging varieties in our range of slow growing hedging.
• Take stock of any winter-flowering annuals in your garden, and make a note of your favourites to grow next year.

Herbs and vegetables to sow and grow

Sow herbs on your windowsill for winter use
Image: Basil 'British Basil' from Thompson & Morgan

In the greenhouse/indoors

• Sow herb seeds like basil ‘Sweet Green’, dill, chives and mint indoors on your windowsill for winter use. Allow the strongest seedlings to mature for spring planting.
• Sow winter hardy salad leaves under cover, such as lettuce 'Winter Gem' and 'Arctic King'.
• Sow onion ‘Ailsa Craig’ seeds on a sunny windowsill to give your exhibition-worthy bulbs time to grow as big as possible.

Direct sow outdoors

• Sow hardy broad bean 'Aquadulce Claudia', or the dwarf variety ‘The Sutton’, in rows outdoors under cloches.

Plant outdoors

• Plant rhubarb plants now in well-prepared soil. Add plenty of organic matter - they're hungry feeders!

Fruit to sow and grow

Plant blackberries now for sweet summer harvests
Image: Blackberry 'Loch Ness' from Thompson & Morgan

• Plant raspberry canes while they’re dormant. These will provide a tasty crop come summer or autumn, depending on the variety you choose. 
• Plant other berry fruits like blackberries any time between now and the spring.
• Plant blueberries this winter for an attractive addition to the fruit garden. With pretty white flowers, delicious berries and fiery autumn foliage, these acid loving plants provide constant interest. If your soil is too alkali, try growing your blueberries in containers with ericaceous compost.
• Plant bare root gooseberries, like the heavy cropping ‘Invicta’, this month along with red, white and black currant plants.

Keep one step ahead - what to order this month

Get ahead this month by ordering seeds for early sowings
Image: Diyana Dimitrova/Shutterstock

• Request a catalogue to browse next month while the jobs in the garden slow down. Make a list of all the flowers, fruit & vegetables you want to grow in the New Year, and get ordering!
• Buy hardy broad bean varieties like ‘The Sutton’ to sow outdoors under cloches or in pots next month. 
• Order show-grade onion seeds to start next month undercover. Try ‘Ailsa Craig’ for huge brown bulbs with good flavour. An early sowing will give your bulbs more time to swell.