What to Grow in December: A Winter Gardening Guide with Hortiwool

December may feel like the quietest month in the gardening calendar, but there is still plenty to sow, plant, and prepare. Both indoors and out. While the daylight hours are short and the temperatures low, gardening in December offers a valuable opportunity to set foundations for spring growth, protect your soil, and keep a small but steady stream of produce going. With thoughtful planning and a little help from Hortiwool Garden Pads you can make your winter garden both productive and resilient.

Below, we explore what you can grow in December, how you can support those plants, and the key gardening jobs that will get your outdoor space winter-ready.

What to Sow Indoors in December

While outdoor sowing is limited this month, plenty can be started indoors on a windowsill, in a heated propagator, or in a greenhouse. Indoor sowing gives you a head start on early crops and helps you keep your gardening spirit alive during the coldest weeks of the year.

1. Herbs

Certain hardy herbs can be sown indoors in December, including:

• Chives

• Basil (on a sunny windowsill)

• Parsley

• Coriander

These can thrive in pots or troughs kept in a warm spot. To help maintain consistent soil moisture and insulate roots, place Hortiwool Garden Pads beneath your pots. The wool fibres regulate temperature and humidity, offering a natural buffer against chilly windowsills.

2. Microgreens and Salad Leaves

Fast-growing favourites such as mustard, rocket, radish microgreens, and winter lettuces can be grown under cover all month long. They require very little space, making them ideal for indoor growing.

When using wool for your plants, you can tear pieces of your Hortiwool Pad and add them to compost mixes to improve moisture retention. Especially important when central heating can dry pots quickly.

3. Early Peas for Shoots

Pea shoots make an excellent addition to winter salads. Sow in trays and keep in a bright, cool room. Again, lining a tray with a layer of wool helps slow evaporation, reducing your watering frequency.

What to Plant or Transplant Outdoors in December

Outdoor planting is limited due to frost, but not impossible. Especially if you’re growing perennials or overwintering staples.

1. Garlic

December is still suitable for planting certain varieties of garlic, as they benefit from a period of cold. Choose a sunny, free-draining spot and plant cloves directly into the soil. Covering the soil surface with torn sections of Hortiwool Garden Pads acts as a natural mulch, helping suppress weeds and insulate the earth.

2. Broad Beans (Hardy Varieties)

If your region is mild or you can provide cloche protection, you may still plant hardy broad bean varieties. Adding wool to the planting trench helps retain moisture and encourages strong early root development.

3. Fruit Trees and Bushes

Bare-root fruit trees: apples, pears, plums, and currants, can be planted throughout winter as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Adding a layer of wool mulch around the base protects young roots and reduces weed competition.

4. Winter Bedding Plants

Pansies, violas, and winter heathers can still be planted in December to bring colour to dull borders. Wool mulch around these plants helps stabilise soil temperatures and reduces frost heave.

What to Grow in the Greenhouse or Polytunnel

If you have a greenhouse, December can be surprisingly productive.

1. Winter Lettuces

Varieties such as ‘Winter Gem’, ‘Arctic King’, and mizuna thrive under cover. Wool pads placed beneath greenhouse staging help insulate pots from cold ground.

2. Spinach and Chard

These leafy greens survive well in cool conditions and provide reliable pick-and-come-again harvests. A thin layer of wool mulch helps protect the soil from freezing.

3. Hardy Asian Greens

Pak choi, tatsoi, and mibuna all grow well in unheated structures through winter with some simple protection.

Other Essential Gardening Jobs for December

To create the perfect winter garden, December is about preparation, protection, and planning.

1. Mulch Your Beds

Use Hortiwool Garden Pads as a natural mulch in borders, around fruit trees, or on raised beds. Wool suppresses weeds, locks in moisture, and enriches soil as it breaks down.

2. Protect Tender Plants

Wrap pots or vulnerable shrubs using fleece or repurposed wool from used Garden Pads. Wool’s insulating properties offer excellent frost protection.

3. Clean and Repair Tools

Winter is the ideal time to sharpen blades, oil wooden handles, and repair anything that won’t survive another busy season without attention.

4. Plan Your Spring Garden

Order seeds, sketch your planting layout, and evaluate what stocks you have leftover. Dreaming and planning are essential parts of gardening in December.

5. Care for Wildlife

Leave some areas undisturbed, keep bird baths ice-free, and hang feeders. You can even use wool fibres as nesting material for birds later in the season.

December gardening may be quieter, but it is far from dormant. By choosing the right crops to sow indoors, taking advantage of hardy outdoor planting opportunities, and using natural helpers like Hortiwool Garden Pads, you can nurture a thriving winter garden and prepare your outdoor space for a strong start in spring.

With a blend of indoor growth, outdoor care, and seasonal maintenance, your winter garden can be as productive as it is peaceful. Fill your December days with all the satisfaction that comes from using wool in the garden.