Ah, December!  The cool crisp mornings (OK, down right frosty), the joyous holiday season (with the unfortunate season of shopping which has become unceremoniously intertwined), and of course the time when absolutely nothing grows (with the exception of everything you don't want to grow), so what is a gardener to do?  It may seem like nothing to but despair until spring but to those who are truly addicted to gardening there is always something!  It's time to plan, time to peruse catalogs, and time to get our gardening acts together for the next growing season.  

While I'm writing this post I'm sure that mountains of gardening catalogs are finding their way to my Spring Hill, TN home through the U.S. Postal service.  Already two have arrived. One of which happens to be my favorite seed catalog for heirloom vegetables, Baker Creek.  The amazing array of vegetables they offer always spurs my overactive imagination. Which is good because I need a burst of energy this time of year. Let the list making commence!  While running through the catalogs I mark anything I want to try so I can go back and write a master ordering list for January.  I'll need to get some of the seeds started by February in order to get the earliest jump possible on the growing season. 

December is also when I figure out what needs done for next year.  I try to think on what projects I did over the past year, what worked, what didn't, what I had time for, what I didn't, and how I could do it all better.  I plan and I scheme.  I think about where new gardens should go.  This is a great time to mark out those locations and get the area of the garden areas settled before planting season begins.  Whenever I start a new garden I like to use the layered garden approach which is also called Lasagna gardening or sheet composting.  I spread newspapers directly over the area then spread layers of organic material on top.  By spring the turf underneath is usually clear of unwanted vegetation and I can go ahead and plant all those new spiffy plants for 2012.  Leaves, grass clippings, and cardboard are great for use in sheet composting.

As part of my planning process I map out projects I want to get to.  "Map out"  sounds like I have some sort of detailed plans, planting arrangements, or blueprints put together, nope.  A simple list is good enough.  In the interest of full disclosure I never get it all done.  It's kind of a dream list.  If I could stop time I "might" be able to get it all complete!  The last several years I've had a garden fence on that list for my vegetable garden, one of these days I'll get a post hole dug!

December is also my bargain bulb time of year.  I seek out those discount racks and buy up those 75% off bulbs when I see them,  it's never too late to plant a bargain daffodil!  Some plants do need chill time to flower (tulips come to mind) so it's best to get them going as soon as possible or give them a little help with the refrigerator.  I'll drop my tulip bulbs in their holes this weekend and should end up with a nice array of spring flowers. 

So while I'm racking my brain trying to think of what to get my wife this year for Christmas I'm also keeping busy planning the garden.  There's always something that can be done for the garden, even in December!