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.
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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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:
Chickpea, Clover, Fava Bean, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Flax, Lentil, Oats, Oilseed / Daikon Radish, Rye, Tillage Radish, Vetch, Wheat, Winter Pea
2nd Half of December
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
Chickpea, Clover, Fava Bean, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Flax, Lentil, Oats, Oilseed / Daikon Radish, Rye, Tillage Radish, Vetch, Wheat, Winter Pea
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, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chickpea, Chicory, Chives (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Onion (from seed), Romanesco, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chickpea, Chicory, Chives (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberries (from bare root), Swiss Chard, Turnip, Wheat
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Artichoke, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Romanesco, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Strawberry (from transplant)
2nd Half of December
SOW INDOORS:
Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chickpea, Chicory, Chives (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Onion (from seed), Romanesco, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery (from seed), Chickpea, Chicory, Chives (from seed), Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberries (from bare root), Swiss Chard, Turnip, Wheat
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Artichoke, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Romanesco, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Strawberry (from transplant)
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
Know some plants I missed for December in Tucson? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
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