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The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehy

450 - December Garden Checklist (without the pressure)

The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehy

Jill McSheehy

How To, Education, Home & Garden, Leisure

4.7 • 830 Ratings

🗓️ 2 December 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Feeling the pressure of the holidays and shorter days? December gardening doesn't have to add to your stress. Instead of a list of chores, this episode walks you through simple, optional ways to stay connected to your garden—whether it's a mild day outside or a cozy evening indoors. You'll get practical ideas for observing your winter garden, organizing tools, refreshing your raised beds, and preparing for seed starting season.

free download: Seasonal Garden Task List
Know what to do each month without guessing.
https://journeywithjill.net/seasonal-task-list

Complete Garden Planner – A simple system to plan and track your season.
https://shop.journeywithjill.net/

Key Takeaways

  • Simple outdoor tasks you get to do on mild December days

  • How winter walks help you plan next season with clarity

  • Easy indoor prep for seed starting and seed organization

  • Why December is the perfect time for quiet planning routines

  • Jill's personal after-Christmas tradition for choosing seeds

Chapters

00:00 – Intro
01:00 – Why December doesn't need a to-do list
02:40 – Winter garden walk ideas
06:10 – Spotting drainage issues early
08:00 – Dreaming and planning during quiet moments
09:40 – Organizing tools and supplies
12:50 – Refreshing raised beds
15:10 – Simple repairs and winter builds
17:00 – Indoor seed starting setup
19:40 – Sorting and evaluating seeds
23:00 – Seed longevity basics
26:20 – Gathering seed catalogs
30:10 – Jill's after-Christmas seed tradition
34:00 – Final encouragement

Resource Links

Sponsor(s) for This Episode

Organic Rev — A plant growth stimulant I rely on for stronger seedlings and resilient fall and winter crops. Use code JILL10 for 10% off your order: http://journeywithjill.net/organicrev. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Disclaimer

Gardening advice shared in this podcast is based on my own experience in Zone 8a (Arkansas) and from the feedback I receive from others in different gardening contexts. Your results may differ depending on your location, climate, and growing conditions. Always check your local extension service or trusted resources for region-specific guidance.
Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Well, hey there and welcome to the Beginners Garden podcast with December here and the holidays

0:05.8

right around the corner. I know this is one of the busiest times of year. The last thing that

0:11.8

most of us need right now is another list of things we have to do in the garden. So instead of

0:17.7

giving you the usual to-do list, I want to give you a get-to-do list.

0:23.2

Simple, optional ways to step outside on those mild winter days and stay connected with your garden.

0:30.4

Then we'll move indoors and we'll talk about a few easy things that you can do this month

0:35.5

to set yourself up for a smooth start to the garden planning

0:39.3

season. And toward the end of today's episode, I'll share with you one of my favorite week after

0:44.4

Christmas traditions, something I look forward to every year that helps me dream, plan, and get

0:50.2

ready for a fresh start in the garden. But first, let's talk about the get-to-do list outside.

0:58.0

Many of us still have some mild days in December. I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but I don't

1:04.2

know about you, but when it comes to being in the 60s or even a sunny 50s degree day, yes, I'm in Arkansas, so that's what it takes for me.

1:13.2

If you're in the north, maybe the 30s or 40s are good for you. That drives me inside.

1:18.2

But some of those mild days, whatever that means to you, are opportunities to get outside in the

1:24.5

garden and to be able to enjoy being outside. The list that I'm going to share

1:29.5

with you today is very short and these aren't chores. They're simple things that you get to do if you

1:35.2

find yourself wanting a little bit of garden time between some of your busier holiday

1:40.6

activities. Number one, take a winter walk through your garden and maybe even have a

1:47.6

notebook in hand. You may need to bundle up depending on what the temperature is outside, but whatever you

1:54.3

do, just take a slow walk through your garden beds or your containers. Observe what's happening.

2:03.0

Look at what the soil looks like.

2:07.7

For raised beds, I know one thing that I notice when I'm walking through my beds right now is I notice how much the raised bed soil has dropped and I need to make a mental note that I need to

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