What to Do in the Garden in December (PNW Edition)

December in the Pacific Northwest has its own quiet magic. The mornings arrive soft and misty, the afternoons are short, and the garden seems to take a deep inhale before the new year begins. But beneath the stillness, there’s plenty happening — roots continue to grow, birds forage for food, winter herbs stay surprisingly lively, and your future spring garden is already forming in small, invisible ways.

This is the month for gentle tending. Not rushing, not reinventing the wheel — just small, meaningful tasks that protect plants, feed wildlife, and set you up beautifully for spring.

Here’s your calm, practical, PNW-friendly December garden checklist.

1. Protect Pots and Tender Perennials

Move terracotta pots under cover

PNW rain + freezing nights = cracked clay. Slide fragile pots under a porch, eave, or greenhouse shelf.

Mulch tender roots

Dahlias, salvias, rosemary, hebes, and potted herbs benefit from:

• a 2–3 inch layer of bark

• straw or leaf litter

• or simply tucking them closer to the house for extra warmth

Lift what won’t survive

Fuchsia baskets, scented geraniums, and some tender salvias prefer a cool, frost-free indoors spot or a bright garage window.

2. Sow Sweet Peas for Early Blooms

December is prime time in the PNW to sow sweet peas in pots or root trainers.

Why sow now?

• They sprout slowly in cool temperatures

• Winter growth = stronger, earlier flowers

• Roots develop beautifully before spring warmth

Choose hardy varieties like:

• ‘Nimbus’

• ‘Cupani’

• ‘April in Paris’

Keep them somewhere bright and chilly — a cold frame, porch, or unheated greenhouse is perfect.

3. Cut Decorative Holly (But Mind the Birds!)

December is when holly is at its berried best — ideal for wreaths, table centerpieces, and doorway bunches.

Just one note:

Birds rely on those berries for winter food. So:

• Cut sparingly

• Leave the upper branches untouched

• Never strip a tree fully

If you want a wildlife-friendly alternative, try:

• Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata)

• Skimmia japonica (berries stay vibrant all season)

4. Leave Seed Heads Standing

It’s tempting to “tidy up” this time of year — but the PNW garden, especially in winter, thrives on a bit of rhythm and wildness.

Leave these as-is:

• Coneflowers (Echinacea)

• Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)

• Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

• Ornamental grasses

• Joe Pye Weed

The benefits:

• Birds feast on seeds

• Seed heads catch frost beautifully

• Stems shelter overwintering insects

• Your borders look romantic and sculptural

5. Feed Winter Birds (Naturally and Gently)

December is when birds need the most help. Supplement natural food sources with:

High-energy foods

• sunflower hearts

• suet (peanut-free for safety)

• mealworms

• nyjer seed for finches

Fresh water

Keep a shallow dish or terracotta saucer filled with clean water and pebbles. Replace ice on freezing mornings.

Don’t forget the shrubs

If you haven’t already planted winter-bird favorites, add them to your wishlist:

• Serviceberry

• Red-twig dogwood

• Snowberry

• Oregon grape

• Beautyberry

For more information on this checkout out this post

6. Harvest Winter Herbs

Even in December, herbs can shine. In the PNW, you can often still snip:

• Rosemary

• Thyme

• Parsley

• Winter savory

• Chives (if protected)

• Sage

Pro tip: Cut sparingly and avoid taking more than ⅓ of the plant — winter growth is slow, but flavor is at its peak.

7. Make Peace With Leaf Litter

This is not the month for perfection. Leave leaf litter under shrubs and trees — it acts as:

• insulation for roots

• habitat for insects

• winter shelter for robins and towhees

• a natural mulch

A wildlife-friendly garden is always a little bit “cozy messy.”

8. Plant for Early Spring Color

December is still a suitable month for adding hardy winter bloomers to your beds:

• Hellebores

• Witch hazel

• Viburnum bodnantense

• Sarcococca

• Winter jasmine

These shrubs will reward you in late winter with fragrance and nectar when almost nothing else is flowering.

9. Clean and Sharpen Your Tools

A quiet garden means the perfect time for maintenance:

• oil wooden handles

• sharpen pruners

• clean soil off trowels

• replace worn gloves

Your future self will thank you in March.

10. Dream, Plan, and Pause

This month is a gift: a pause before the rush of spring.

Use it to:

• map out new beds

• review what thrived this year

• list plants to replace

• research seeds for early sowing

• choose your “theme” for next year’s garden

December is not the end of the garden year — it’s the quiet beginning of the next one.