December Garden Activities:
· Check houseplants for insect infestations. Both spider mites and aphids can be an issue. You can give your plant a shower with a strong jet of water to dislodge the mites. There are also pesticides available to control these pests.
· If snow gets higher than the tree guards on the trunks of your fruit trees you need to try to either extend the tree guards above the snow level or remove the snow level below the tree guards. Otherwise the bark of young trees will be susceptible to mice and voles that can girdle the trees above the tree guards. It is especially important on young trees in their first few years.
· Start reviewing your choices for your spring plantings from the many garden catalogs that will start arriving soon. It’s fun to experiment with at least one new cultivar in the vegetable or flower garden. You can plan to share seeds with your friends and neighbors.