Getting Your Garden Ready for Winter (and the Holidays)
December in St. Louis brings short days, bare branches, and a calendar full of company. Most people assume the garden is finished for the year. It’s not quite, and the work you do now carries your landscape through the coldest months and sets up a cleaner, healthier spring.
It’s also the month your home is on display. Neighbors stop by, family comes into town, and your front walk is the first thing everyone sees. A little attention outside goes a long way this time of year.
Here’s what our team at Quiet Village focuses on in December, and what you can do at home.
1. Bring In Winter Greens for Color and Life
When the perennials go dormant and the trees go bare, winter greens are what keep a St. Louis landscape feeling warm and welcoming. A few well-placed planters by the front door or along the walk change how the whole house feels from the street.
What looks great this time of year:
- Mixed evergreen boughs. Cedar, pine, fir, and boxwood layered together give containers depth and that fresh, wintry scent.
- Magnolia leaves. Glossy green on top and velvety bronze underneath, they add a polished, elevated touch.
- Red twig dogwood and winterberry. Bright red stems and berries stand out beautifully against gray December skies.
- Natural accents. Pinecones, birch branches, and seeded eucalyptus add texture without feeling overdone.
- Matching pairs. Two coordinated planters flanking the front door feel classic and intentional, especially on traditional homes in Kirkwood, Frontenac, and Town and Country.
The nice part about winter greens is they hold up well in our cold. Installed in early December, a good arrangement looks fresh straight through the holidays and often well into January.
2. Last Call for Spring Bulbs
If you still have tulips or daffodils sitting in the garage, there’s good news. Spring bulbs can go in the ground any time until it freezes, and in St. Louis that often isn’t until mid to late December.
A few things to keep in mind for December planting:
- Plant as soon as you can. The earlier they go in, the more time they have to grow roots before the deep cold.
- Plant at the right depth. Tulips and daffodils do best around 7 to 8 inches deep. Smaller bulbs like crocus only need 3 to 4 inches.
- Watch the drainage. St. Louis clay holds water, and bulbs sitting in soggy soil will rot. Skip low spots where water collects.
- Mulch once the ground freezes. A layer of mulch over bulb beds helps keep soil temperatures steady through freeze-thaw swings.
Bulbs planted in December may bloom a little later than those planted in October, but they’ll still give you that welcome burst of color in spring.
3. Trim Your Hollies (and Use the Clippings)
December is one of the best times to give hollies a light trim. The plants are dormant, and the cold weather means you won’t trigger new growth that could get damaged by frost.
Tips for trimming hollies well:
- Keep it light. Shape and tidy rather than cutting hard. Save any major size reduction for late winter, just before spring growth starts.
- Cut just above a leaf node. This keeps the plant looking natural and helps it fill in nicely.
- Remove what doesn’t belong. Dead, broken, or crossing branches can come out now.
- Put the clippings to work. Holly branches with berries look beautiful in wreaths, mantels, and porch arrangements.
Only trim healthy hollies. A plant that’s already struggling won’t benefit from losing more growth this time of year.
4. Cut Back Perennials as Needed
December is a good time to finish cutting back perennials that are past their prime. Focus on plants that look messy, are flopping over walkways, or had disease issues this year.
- Cut back to about 2 inches of stem. This protects the crown and helps you find the plant again in spring.
- Bag diseased foliage. If a plant had mildew or leaf spot, remove the debris from your yard completely so fungus doesn’t overwinter in your beds.
- Leave native plants standing. Coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and other natives provide seeds for birds and shelter for beneficial insects all winter. They also catch frost and snow in a way that looks lovely on a cold morning.
- Leave ornamental grasses up. They add movement and structure to winter beds. We cut them back in late winter.
The goal is a garden that looks tidy and cared for without being stripped bare.
5. Pull Winter Weeds Before They Take Hold
Most people don’t think about weeds in December, but this is exactly when winter weeds get comfortable. Henbit and chickweed sprout in fall, keep growing through mild winter stretches, then explode into flower and seed come spring.
- Look for low, green growth in beds and along edges. Henbit has square stems and scalloped leaves. Chickweed spreads in a low mat with tiny white flowers.
- Pull them while they’re small. Their roots are shallow, and they come out easily on a mild day when the soil isn’t frozen.
- Stop them before they seed. Every plant you remove now is hundreds of seeds you won’t be fighting next year.
- Keep beds mulched. A good layer of mulch makes it much harder for new weeds to get started.
6. Keep Up With Leaves
In St. Louis, leaves don’t stop at Thanksgiving. Oaks especially hold onto their leaves well into December, and areas with mature trees like Kirkwood, Des Peres, and Sunset Hills often get a whole new layer after the first round is cleared.
- Get leaves off the lawn. A wet, matted layer over winter blocks light and can leave dead patches you’ll be repairing in spring.
- Clear walkways and drives. Wet leaves get slick, and that matters when you have guests coming and going.
- A light layer in beds is fine. Leaves in planting beds protect the soil. Just don’t let them pile up thick around stems or smother low plants.
- Time it before the holidays. A final cleanup in the week or two before Christmas means your yard looks its best when company arrives.
7. Clean Up Your Edges
Crisp edges along beds, walkways, and lawn lines make a big difference in winter. With less color in the garden, clean lines are what make a landscape look sharp and well kept. A quick edging pass now keeps everything looking intentional through the gray months ahead.
Your December Garden Checklist
- Install winter greens in porch planters and containers
- Plant any remaining spring bulbs before the ground freezes
- Lightly trim hollies and use the clippings for holiday decor
- Cut back worn-out perennials to about 2 inches, leaving natives and grasses standing
- Pull henbit, chickweed, and other winter weeds from beds
- Clear leaves from lawns, walkways, and drives
- Edge beds, walkways, and lawn lines
Let Us Get Your Garden Ready for the Holidays
Between holiday plans, travel, and everything else December brings, garden care is easy to put off. If you’d like help with winter greens, final leaf cleanups, or getting your yard guest-ready, our team takes care of homes across Kirkwood, Frontenac, Town and Country, Des Peres, Chesterfield, Wildwood, Manchester, Clarkson Valley, and Sunset Hills.
Fill out our contact form and we’ll be in touch about your end-of-year garden care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you plant tulip bulbs in December in St. Louis?
Yes. You can plant spring bulbs until the ground freezes, which in St. Louis is often mid to late December. Plant them as early in the month as you can.
When should you prune holly bushes?
December is a good time for light trimming and shaping, and the clippings make great holiday decorations. Save heavy pruning for late winter, right before new growth begins.
What are the best winter greens for outdoor planters?
Cedar, pine, fir, boxwood, and magnolia make a strong base. Red twig dogwood, winterberry, and pinecones add color and texture.
Should I cut back perennials in December?
Cut back plants that look messy or had disease this year. Leave native perennials and ornamental grasses standing for winter interest and wildlife.
How do I get rid of winter weeds in my garden beds?
Pull henbit and chickweed by hand on a mild day while they’re small, before they set seed. Keeping beds mulched helps prevent new ones.
