December 2026 Garden Calendar | Georgia Fields Collection

In the Garden — December 2026

Vegetable Beds: Harvest late greens like kale and collards. Protect winter crops with row covers during freezes. Add compost or aged manure to empty beds to enrich soil.

Flowers & Shrubs: Plant bare-root roses, fruit trees, and shrubs while the garden is dormant. Prune dead or diseased branches from trees. Camellias in bloom may be cut for indoor arrangements.

General Care: Drain and store hoses to prevent freezing. Clean, sharpen, and oil tools for winter storage. Review garden notes from the year and plan for spring.

The Downy Woodpecker is December’s lively visitor. Smallest of the woodpeckers, its tapping is a heartbeat in the still garden. In gardens, downy woodpeckers feast on borers, beetles and insect eggs hidden in bark.

Garden Trick: Hang suet feeders to welcome woodpeckers and other insect-eating birds through winter. Their presence brightens the cold season.

Full Moon — December 23, 2026 (Cold Moon), a symbol in folklore of endurance, stillness and reflection.

Winter Solstice — December 21, 2026, the shortest day and longest night.

From the Georgia Fields Collection Gardener’s Calendar 2026. Companion illustration: Camellia, whose glossy evergreen leaves and winter blooms bring color to Southern gardens.