The Vegetable Plot – December

Planning ahead

In keeping with your planning the rest of the garden it’s worth considering crops that have been in season from autumn into December with a view to next year’s planting.

Jerusalem artichoke, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, endive, kale and leeks are all crops in season in December and under glass you can add in chicory, endive, lettuce, radish and rhubarb.

You can continue to prune fruit trees in December; it’s a mistaken notion that they can’t be pruned when the weather is frosty.


Late celery may be affected by hard frosts or heavy rain. Covering the ridges with dry straw covered with wire netting and pegged down is a help. Otherwise it’s general tidying up and thinking ahead toward your supply of spring vegetables.

• Continue to lift and blanch chicory
• Continue to force seakale and rhubarb
• Firm down new plantings that have lifted in frost
• Plant new blackberry canes and prune old ones