The Austin Garden: December in the garden | devious mistletoe

The curious history of mistletoe: writer Linda Ly explores how this 'innocuous yet deviously toxic plant' made its way into our Christmas culture, and connects it back to the Norse god Baldur, god of the summer sun. Garden Betty ❦

Save the monarchs: The Native Plant Society of Texas is offering grants of up to $400 to public garden sites as part of its Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas program. They will be available to schools, nature centers, and other native plant sites. Deadline: Feb 9. NPSOT ❦

Update on EZ Herbs: Ellen Zimmerman reports the sale of her business to Jenny Perez has fallen through - and she is going to continue running it herself into the new year. Current sale: all inventory 15% off. EZ Herbs ❦

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New plants for 2019: A snowdrop found on Facebook, a miracle berry that tricks your tastebuds, and a rubbery shrub that oozes superglue. These are among the many new species of plant discovered this year. The Guardian ❦

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Central Texas Gardener: As the Vallejos approached their 50th wedding anniversary, Alfredo broke new ground for a garden of family memories. In the studio, a visit with Mandi Golman (Yarrow Landscaping). Saturday. 4 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. KLRU ❦

December in the Garden

by Chris Winslow

1. Replace summer annuals with winter bloomers if the frost has burned them. Top performers are dianthus, flowering kale, flowering cabbage, pansies, snapdragons, violas, and stock. Add some rich compost and bone and blood meal to the soil to give the new plants a boost.

2. Plant bulbs: There is still plenty of time to plant those spring flowering bulbs. Look for narcissus, daffodils, tulips, anemones, ranunculus, jonquils, and muscari.

3. Cut back perennials: If the frost and freezing weather has damaged the tops of your flowering perennials, cut them back to just above ground level and mulch with compost and pine-bark mixed. This will conserve soil moisture and keep the roots healthy and warm.

4. Choose a living Christmas tree: This is the season to bring a tree indoors for the holidays. Why not choose a living one that you can add to your landscape in January. Some good choices: Allepo pine, Arizona blue-ice cypress, deodar cedar, blue point juniper, and Italian stone pine.

5. Rake leaves: Get outside, do some raking and inhale some of that lovely chilly winter air. Remember, un-raked leaves can damage your lawn, especially if they become wet.

6. Start a compost pile: Please don’t send those leaves (mentioned in 5) to the landfill. Use them to build a great big compost heap.

7. Move tropical plants inside… or they will die. Mandevilla, plumeria, philodendron, ficus, bougainvillea, and hibiscus will all perish if allowed to freeze. Put them in a garage or greenhouse, and provide as much light and ventilation as possible; water when dry throughout the winter. If you can’t carry them in, have some row cover (freeze cloth) close at hand.

8. Care for fruit trees: Spray them and look after them. Rake all leaves from around the base. Spray with dormant oil to kill scale insects. This should also be done on scale-infested shrubs. Inspect burford holly and euonymous, as they are prone to this.

9. Buy a little rosemary tree (trimmed). They are a delight, and make nice table decorations for Christmas. After the holidays, dig it into your culinary herb garden as a center point.

10. Rest on your laurels: On those super cold days when it’s too cold to be outside, curl up by the fire and reflect on your successes of the past year… and dream up some plans for 2020. A bigger vegetable patch? Chickens? A koi pond. An evergreen screen against the traffic? A moon garden? Endless possibilities. Happy gardening everyone! ❦