Some Things to Do (And Not to Do) for the Next Few Months

By the time this post is read, the Christmas gifts so carefully wrapped with care and love will be shredded beyond recognition.

At least the list of seasonal activities and social engagements will have been somewhat reduced.

The current five-week holiday period ends with New Year’s Eve and the start of 2024. Luckily this is a time when the necessary tasks are at a seasonal low and the time away from this effort will not result in horticultural chaos.

Still there are some actions to take during and soon after this festive stretch which will pay dividends in the spring. Before the to-do list is developed, it is worth noting there are activities to avoid.

Premature pruning in December can stimulate growth in plants which are still actively growing. The resulting tender growth will be seriously damaged during a freeze.

Pruning is not normally a productive activity during December in panhandle Florida. While it may be psychologically satisfying to take a sharp tool and hack away at excessive growth, resist the urge.

Winter blooming shrubs like camellias are still displaying their seasonal color. Chopping now will reduce, or eliminate, the flowers soon to appear.

Spring and summer bloomers, like azaleas and gardenias, have already set their buds for 2024. Trimming them back now will take away the color and fragrances of the next warm season.

Many fruit trees are still going dormant, so an untimely pruning will stimulate growth. That tender growth is susceptible to serious damage as freezing temperatures arrive with regularity.

A productive activity is to mark off areas which will need a pre-emergent herbicide treatment in the late winter or early spring. Targets for this type of spraying, like purple nutsedge and chamberbitter, are immune to post-emergent sprays when they are not actively growing in the late fall and winter.

The borders of the infested areas can be marked with flags, stones, or some other relatively stable implement. Establishing treatment zones now while the offending weed is still evident will minimize the possibilities of wasting the spray material later.

The quiet period between parties and after Christmas shopping trips, as fun as they are, is a good time to walk over the home landscape and determine if any transplants are appropriate or bare root purchases should be installed in January or February.

While north Florida’s early winter can be too warm for successful bare root transplants, it is still a good time to make the selections for the following months. If not available locally, many trees and shrubs can be ordered from online nurseries.

Another productive December activity is to rake the yard and remove leaf litter. This byproduct of warm season growth can prove to be a liability if not managed correctly.

Excessive organic debris, leaves, pine needles, and grass clippings can be a starting point for fungal diseases in turf grasses. While the symptoms will not be visible until next spring, the solution can be initiated now.

The leaves and pine straw can be used as mulch in flower beds. If four inches thick it may suppress weed germination. It is also an excellent component in compost piles.

And if planting ornamental annuals is needed to adorn the landscape, there is still time with some species. Pansies, ornamental kale, and others are a way to decorate without having to wonder where to store them after the holidays are over.