by WILLIAM “BILL” DOTY
Like the holiday song says, most people indoors at this time of year decking the halls with boughs of holly and decorations. What it doesn’t tell us— and most homeowners wish it was spelled out as easy as the lyrics to a song— is how to deck our lawns with just the right balance of pruning, planting, fertilizing, and watering. Fortunately, we here at Doty Farm & Garden Supply are here to help (with the outdoor part, of course— you know what to do inside). We hope the following tips and recommendations for December lawn and garden care are helpful:
- Plant hardy winter vegetables (Broccoli, cabbage, and carrots, for example)
- Plant dormant trees and shrubs now for good root development for springtime
- With December comes drier weather, so water adequately
- Feed vegetables and annuals lightly with quality fertilizer every two weeks
- Prune mature trees and shrubs
- Prune grape vines, peach trees, rose bushes, and crape myrtles so they can produce properly
If you need help with Christmas gift ideas, consider gardening gifts— the kind that are useful and appreciated throughout the year. Some great ideas are gardening tools and how-to guides, sprayers, hanging baskets, and blooming plants. If you’re an early gift-giver, festive poinsettia plants make great gifts now.
With 2018 drawing to a close, all of us here at Doty’s want to wish you and your family a merry Christmas, a safe New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2019.
This column is sponsored by Doty Farm and Garden Supply, Inc., and the opinions expressed herein may not reflect those of CFAN or of its advertisers.
BIO: William R. “Bill” Doty is owner of Doty Farm and Garden Supply Inc., founded in Winter Haven in 1954. Bill graduated from Winter Haven High School and Florida State University. Growing up, he learned valuable lessons in listening and asking questions and was a student of the family business. Bill shares his knowledge with his customers daily and with our readers monthly.
