Winter is almost here, and we can feel it with the chilly weather, frosty mornings, and frigid nights. It’s time to round down our time in the garden outdoors, put up our tools, and turn to our indoor plants for greenery.
With plenty of leaves still changing their beautiful fall colors and falling to the ground, we must remember get out and rake excessive leaf matter so not to smother the underlying plants.
Planting Guide
This is general information for the entire state of Arkansas on what to plant in your garden right now. For specific questions about planting in your area, please reach out to your local county agent.
Vegetable Garden
- Strawberries
- Garlic
- Salad greens (protected)
- Cabbage
- Swiss chard
Flower Garden
- Spring bulbs
- Garlic
- Wildflowers
- Pansies
- Violas
- Ornamental kale
Seasonal/In Bloom/Imagery:
- Camellias
- Sweet olive
- Possumhaw
- Hollies
- Cedar
- Hellebores
Pro-Tip: Poinsettias
- Well-lit spot and night temps of 50-60 degrees.
- Punch holes in decorative foil wraps to prevent soggy conditions.
- Even moisture, plenty of light.
Garden Chores
- The Arkansas Garden: Holiday Edition
- For holiday decor, prune hollies, cedars, magnolias, and other evergreens lightly.
- Do you have a live Christmas tree? Be sure to give it plenty of water.
- Holiday gift ideas for your favorite Arkansas gardeners: plants, gardening books, and garden tools! Read this article for more ideas.
To-dos:
- Clean up garden – remove spent summer annuals and clean up perennials
- Learn more about garden sanitation.
- Test and lime soil if you haven’t done so already
- Monitor rainfall and water plants accordingly
- Rake excessive leaf matter – compost or shred and use as mulch
- Work manure or compost into empty flower and vegetable beds
- Mulch tender perennials
- Transplant plants, if needed
- Last call for planting spring bulbs
- Winterize power equipment before storing
- Wrap trunks of young red maples and other thin barked plants to prevent southwest winter injury
- Fertilize winter vegetables and annuals
- Clean and oil garden hand tools before storing
In the event of freezing temps:
- When temps drop below freezing, cover plants to protect them.
- Do not prune damaged leaves, as this will expose more of the plant; you can prune broken branches.
- When plants are frozen, avoid touching them until the temps are above freezing.
- If snow is weighing down your plant, gently remove it to lighten the load.
