☀️ Gardening in December – A Summer Garden in Motion

December brings long, warm days and gardens in full swing. It's a month of abundance — and the perfect time to keep planting, maintain momentum, and prepare for steady harvests through the summer. With just a little regular care, your garden will thrive!

🌱 Sowing in December

Direct Sow Outdoors:

• Beetroot

• Beans

• Broccoli

• Carrots

• Radish

• Spinach

• Silverbeet

Sow in Trays:

• Beans

• Pumpkins

• Courgettes

• Carrots

• Beetroot

• Radish

• Capsicum

• Eggplant

• Melons

• Spring onions

• Tomatoes

• Spinach

Adapt to your needs and space:If you’re short on time or growing in a small garden or containers, you don’t have to sow everything at once. Instead:

🌿 Sow a little beetroot, rocket, coriander, radish, and basil every month.🌿 Each month through to January, plant:

• One zucchini

• One cucumber

• A dozen salad greens

• A few tomatoes

• A row of dwarf beans

This succession planting approach will keep your kitchen full of fresh produce all summer long.

🍓 Plant Fruiting Crops

December is ideal for planting long-season and perennial fruiting plants. Enrich the soil with compost before planting.

• Grapes

• Tamarillos

• Rhubarb

• Passionfruit

• Strawberries

Tip: Give these new plantings regular water and a layer of mulch to help them establish during the hotter days.

🧑‍🌾 Garden Chores

• Take a daily stroll: This is the easiest (and most enjoyable) way to keep on top of things — squash pests, pull the odd weed, and keep an eye out for any issues before they get out of hand.

• Let some crops go to seed: Not only will you attract and feed pollinators, but you can also save seeds for next season. Plants like coriander, lettuce, and radish are great for this.

• Protect summer brassicas: Use mesh or netting to shield broccoli and cabbage from white butterflies.

• Set up support structures: If you haven’t already, put up stakes and frames for tomatoes, beans, and other climbing crops before you plant them out.

• Transplant with care: Make sure seedlings are well established — strong, with several sets of leaves — and have been hardened off for a few days before planting into the garden.

🌸 Enjoy the Buzz of Summer

Your garden is a hive of activity in December — vegetables growing fast, pollinators busy, and the first summer harvests just around the corner. Whether you’re planting, picking, or just enjoying the sunshine, take a moment to admire all your hard work coming to life.

See you at the Shed — happy growing!