Moving into December in Tucson, we say goodbye to the warm season!

If the first frost hasn't come yet, it will any day now.

tucson average temperatures chart for december
Tucson average daily high drops from 69F to 65F over the month of December.
Overnight average lows drop from 45F to 42F during December.

You can hang onto tomatoes and peppers with frost cloth if you want to fight that fight, but I let go of the warm season crops. They're gone, and my focus is on the cool season.

Winter rains probably won't start yet, but they're on the horizon to help water your garden through the cool season.

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summer squash and zucchini frost damage brown leaves iced
Summer squash and zucchini killed by the first winter frost
Radishes and chard were undercropped to get the jump on cool season

You've got months and months of cool season to go, so getting into a groove planting and harvesting is a great use of December.

I try to get ahead on my indoor seedlings, so that I can continue to supply my garden with replacements as each plant finishes and is harvested.

Planting

Cover Crops & Forage

1st Half of December

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Chicory, Clover, Fava, Flax, Lentil, Oats, Pea (Forage, Sweet, Winter), Radish (Daikon, Forage, Oilseed) Rye, Sweet Clover, Vetch, Wheat


DIRECT SOW / DRILL IN FIELD:

Chickpea, Chicory, Vetch

2nd Half of December

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Chicory, Clover, Fava, Flax, Lentil, Oats, Pea (Forage, Sweet, Winter), Radish (Daikon, Forage, Oilseed), Rye, Sweet Clover, Vetch, Winter Wheat


DIRECT SOW / DRILL IN FIELD:

Chickpea, Chicory, Vetch

Herbs

1st Half of December

SOW INDOORS:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


DIRECT SOW:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


2nd Half of December

SOW INDOORS:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


DIRECT SOW:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


Fruits & Vegetables

1st Half of December

SOW INDOORS:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chard, Chickpea, Chicory, Chive (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava, Fennel, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Onion (from seed), Romanesco, Scallion, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Tatsoi


DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chard, Chickpea, Chicory, Chive (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava, Fennel, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Scallion, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberries (from bare root), Tatsoi, Turnip, Wheat


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Artichoke, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Chard, Chicory, Chickpea, Chive, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Romanesco, Scallion, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberry (from transplant), Tatsoi


2nd Half of December

SOW INDOORS:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chard, Chickpea, Chicory, Chive (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava, Fennel, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Onion (from seed), Romanesco, Scallion, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Tatsoi


DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chard, Chickpea, Chicory, Chive (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava, Fennel, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Scallion, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberries (from bare root), Tatsoi, Turnip, Wheat


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Artichoke, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Collards, Chard, Chicory, Chickpea, Chive, Endive, Escarole, Fava, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Romanesco, Scallion, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberry (from transplant), Tatsoi


broccoli mini burgundy sprouts in soil blocks in 1020 tray
December is a great month to get the jump on the 2nd cycle slow-growing broccoli.

Grains, Seeds, & Cereals

1st Half of December

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Quinoa


2nd Half of December

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Quinoa


Flowers

1st Half of December

BROADCAST IN FIELD:


DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:

Nasturtium


PLANT FROM BULB:


2nd Half of December

BROADCAST IN FIELD:


DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:

Nasturtium


PLANT FROM BULB:


Harvesting

Produce

1st Half of December

Lettuce, Potato, Tomato, Radish, Spinach, Turnip, Mizuna


2nd Half of December

Chard, Lettuce, Mizuna, Radish, Spinach, Turnips


Seed Saving

1st Half of December


2nd Half of December


Cut Flowers

1st Half of December


2nd Half of December


Weeding

If you don't have a hand-weeder, check out this cool Korean Homi. It's a hand hoe / weeding sickle that I use for just about everything.

Weeds to Pull

Spurge

More Tucson Planting Guides

« November   

Check out the Tucson
planting guide for November


« November Planting Guide  

   January »

Check out the Tucson
planting guide for January


  January Planting Guide »

All Months

Find the full list of Tucson monthly planting guides here


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Know some plants I missed for December in Tucson? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!