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!

The days are speeding by for the garden and all of a sudden I have found myself staring at the mid-October garden thinking about all the things I need to get done.  It won't be very long at all before the weather report becomes downright frosty on a regular basis.  In fact the first frost warnings of the season greeted us yesterday morning on the local news.  That sent me into a garden panic.  I was out saving perennials, gathering vegetables, and covering plants that needed protection.  Maybe, just maybe, I can help them hang on a bit longer.  In a few weeks there won't be anything to worry about of course. The cold mornings will be enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee after walking my daughter to the bus stop.  Saving a bit of basil won't be an issue.  Nor will gathering cuttings of my pineapple sage that is blooming beautifully this fall.  What will matter are my preparations for spring, things like bulb planting and garden planning!

But there is always something to do in the garden!  Over the next couple weeks I'll be putting most of the garden to bed for the winter. Here's a short list of what I will be working on before the end of the growing season:

• Finish gathering tomatoes!  the garden is full of little tomatoes in various stages of ripeness.  Green tomatoes can be fried up for that famous southern delicacy Fried Green Tomatoes or left to ripen in on the counter top.  They may not taste as great as one grown to maturity on the vine but they aren't from a store and I know where they've been!
• Gather my basil for a last minute batch of pesto!
• Clean out the dead stuff.  If it's ugly and serves no purpose like feeding the birds then it needs to go.  I leave anything with a bit of winter interest alone.  Plants like ornamental grasses, deciduous hollies, red twig dogwoods, and many others are great at providing something to enjoy over the winter.  I also leave perennial foliage until spring so that the dead foliage will provide another layer of frost protection for the root crown of the plants. 
• Gather seeds.  All kinds of perennials and annuals are producing seed for next year. If I want to let them self-sow I can leave them be but if I want to control where they go I need to gather seed!
• Dig up tender rooted perennials and bring in the house for winter.  I grow caladiums each year which just won't make it through our winters.  This year I planted them in a planter to transfer into garage when needed.
• Treat the soil of house plants that were outside for buds and bring them indoors. A dish soil mixture poured into the soil of my avocado and ornamental pepper plants should chase away any bugs that may be nesting in the soil.  By flooding the pot with water temporarily the bugs will have nowhere to go but out!

That short list could easily stretch quite a bit longer! Remember, there is always that "One More Thing Syndrome."  I suspect you have had the syndrome too.  If usually occurrs when I'm in the garden and I say "Let me get this one more thing done." That list grows ever longer!

This time of year is nothing short of spectacular for gardeners. The weather has cooled off, the cool breezes have returned, and of course the plants are putting on one final brilliant show of color before the close of the gardening season. What can you expect from your garden this fall?  Here's a look at some of the fall blooming flowers in my garden that maybe you'll want to plant in yours too!

Mums

This time of year mums are everywhere. Chrysanthemums come in many different colors from white, to yellow, to red, and various shades in between. Many people buy them for their seasonal color and toss them out without realizing that they'll come back next year.  After their color has faded remove them from the pot and plant them in your garden and you'll be able to enjoy them for years.

Asters

Asters are a little less popular than mums but are definitely not less deserving of recognition!  Asters perform just as well as mums and can add more unique colors to your fall palette. 

Goldenrod

Once you realize that goldenrod really doesn't cause your allergies you may find its appearance particularly striking when mixed together with those asters and mums.  Goldenrod tends to get tall but shorter cultivars are available.

Salvia

Often you think of salvia as a great spring and summer bloomer but certain varieties love to wait until fall like Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) and Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans).

Spider Lily

Add some spider lily bulbs this winter to enjoy next fall!  Spider lilies come up suddenly and bloom for several days then disappear about as quickly as they arrived. Then they will send up foliage to gather energy to produce next year's flowers.  I recently discovered one spider lily in my garden and I have no clue when or how it came to be in my garden!

Caryopteris

My favorite fall blooming shrub is caryopteris.  This time of year it is covered in blue blooms that drive the pollinators wild. The main variety I have is called 'Longwood Blue' which I've planted into a curved hedge but I also have a variegated caryopteris called 'Snow Fairy'. "snow Fairy' hasn't bloomed yet but it was only planted this spring and may need a little more time to grow.

What fall blooms are you enjoying right now?