flora yield tree . smasher , pears , Prunus persica nectarina , plums , apples , and persimmons all apprise cool line and warmer dirt . The roots are busy growing without having to plump for all that leaf . naturalized trees can be spray with dormant oil to facilitate control insects and disease . Because of our volatile southerly weather , a few dormant oil color - spraying rules apply : Do n’t spray in the midriff of a live sunny twenty-four hour period , do n’t spray within 48 hour of a operose freeze ( below 28 ° F ) , and do n’t accidentally spray any evergreen hedgerow behind your fruit tree .

Bring tender plants inside . Once you ’re done shove everytender plant life insidethe dark before frost , it ’s meter to sort them out . contain the plants for insects , toss the numb ones out , and foist off excess copy onto friend and relatives . Dusting the top of the grime with a footling diatomaceous dry land aid control many insect without any chemical redolence .

Pay attention to your land this calendar month for a year of healthier plants .

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1 . Amend your soil with lime . Ca take a while to make its elbow room into the soil , so adding garden linden tree now can do good plants in the saltation . Apples , pomegranate tree , lavender ( Lavandulaspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–10 ) , lilacs ( Syringaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , and lawn can all do good from a little linden in small - pH grunge .

2 . Take a grease sample . plan a new garden arena or have bother with an quondam one ? Now is a great fourth dimension to beam in a soil sampling for testing . Land allot universities generally offer a dirt testing service . you’re able to also connect with the extension help for advice .

3 . Prepare the soil in your vegetable garden . December is a smashing calendar month to put in your dirt . Whether by adding compost orplanting a cover harvest , you’re able to ensure to enrich the territory for the upcoming time of year of veg while observe the winter weed out . It ’s also time to plant peas . Baron Snow of Leicester peas , scratch snap pea , and shelling peas ( which double as nitrogen fixers ! ) germinate hunky-dory in the cooler temperatures and grow produce any time there are a few days of mild atmospheric condition .

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Learn more about maintaining healthy stain here :

— Jason and Shelley Powell own and manage flower petal from the Past , a garden heart in Jemison , Alabama .

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planting fruit trees

December is the perfect month for planting fruit trees.Photo: Shelley Powell

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variegated agave

Applying diatomaceous earth around this tender agave (Agavecv., Zones 9–11) helps discourage insects.Photo: Shelley Powell

adding garden lime

Add some garden lime to any acidic soils.Photo: Shelley Powell

soil sample boxes

Many university extension services will analyze your soil for free.Photo: Shelley Powell

composting

compost in veggie garden

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