Duodecimber

 

December 2025

 

Pickaway to Garden

Duodecimber

By Paul J. Hang

 

Finally, the last of our numbered months has arrived. December was the tenth month in the old Latin calendar. Decem meaning ten as in decathlon, decade, but not decadent, is how it got its name. Once Julius Caesar added January and February to the ten month Roman year it became the twelfth month. Duodecem is Latin for the number twelve. However you say it, ignoring the quirk of word history, December conjures up such thoughts as dreary, bleak, cold, dark, short days. It brings our astronomical winter on December 21and our meteorological winter which began December first.

 

The winter solstice occurs this December 21. On that day, to those more observant than me, the sun (sol) appears to stand still (stice) as it pauses on its apparent journey south to be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. At that moment the sun’s most direct rays are shining farthest south on the Earth. It is when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun.  And then it “turns around” and begins its trip back north. Hallelujah!

 

It seems odd to say “winter is here” on December 21when most of us in the north have had at least one cold snap and some snowfall. The coldest three months of the year in the Northern Hemisphere are usually from the beginning of December through the end of February. These three months are known as meteorological winter.

 

Our seasons are defined by the changing angle of the sun through the year due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis (23.5 degrees from vertical) as it revolves annually around the sun. In winter, the sun rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. This is a much shorter path across the sky than in the summer and it accounts for why the length of daylight is significantly shorter, only 8 or 9 hours. From the Winter Solstice to the Vernal Equinox on March 20 or 21, those three months are the astronomical winter.

 

Psychologically, the winter solstice makes me cheer and cheerful. Spring is coming for sure. In ancient times they weren’t so sure. As days grew shorter and shorter people began to fear the process would keep on going to result in catastrophe. Once they could detect that the process had ended and that the days were once again giving more light (about December 25^th), it was cause for celebration. Thus began the ancient pagan holiday of Saturnalia.

 

The sacerdotal class, not being able to keep people from enjoying the pagan celebration, gave in and began celebrating Christmas at this time of year. However we understand it, the celebration is something to look forward to in Bleak Winter. Bring in the green, deck the halls, light the fire, cook the goose, wrap the presents, lift a glass, sing along, the holiday a lot of us call Christmas is here. All too soon it will be gone and then we will face several months of the really cold and bleak dreary weather and can all settle down for a long winter’s nap. But be of good cheer. Now that we are so educated we know the good (weather) times will roll again. Felicem Nativitatem vobis opto.

 

Things to do in the garden:

 

Thankfully, there are not too many things to do IN the garden as much as there are things to do ABOUT the garden. If you haven’t already done so, clean up crop debris. Get the vegetable garden ready for spring. Leave stems in the perennial beds. If you must, trim them to 18 inches high for overwintering beneficial insects’ eggs and pupae. If it remains dry, continue to water evergreens and perennial plants, particularly those planted this year, until the ground is frozen hard.

 

On nice days wander about your place. Notice the birds, listen for their songs and calls, look for old nests, egg masses, perhaps a Mourning Cloak butterfly, see the colors and textures of bare trees and plants. Notice how some plants continue to develop. If the local temperature reaches 50 degrees they grow, only to cease when the temperature falls below.  

 

Those bitter cress weeds are small now. I find them in between the bricks of my walk. They, along with false dead nettle and ground ivy in the beds and in the lawn are trying to gain a foothold now while they have little competition. The biennial mullein with its fuzzy lamb's ear-like leaves is growing flat against the earth. Rosettes of poison hemlock and teasel continue to grow. Dig them up while you have the chance or spray with an herbicide according to the directions on the label. Get them before the weather turns warm again and they turn tougher.

 

If the ground remains open it’s still not too late to plant lilies, tulips and daffodils. You may find some bargains. Avoid the soft and shriveled ones. Check houseplants for insects. Move clay pots inside to prevent breaking. Plant native seeds directly over snow or frozen ground. Go to www.backyardhabitat.info.

 

Wrap young tree trunks with hardware cloth or the plastic wrap made for that purpose. Protect them from ground level to about 18 inches.  This also goes for newly planted shrubs. Place fencing around them. This prevents mice, voles and rabbits from using the bark as lunch. If they girdle the plants, they will die. A little light pruning of trees and shrubs while they are dormant won’t hurt. Damaged, dead and rubbing or simply inconvenient small branches can be removed. Never top trees in any season. When harvesting or buying firewood use only from local sources less than 20 miles. This helps prevent the spread of bugs and diseases harmful to trees.

 

In the vegetable garden, write down and/or map where you planted what this year. This will aid in crop rotation. Use sand and/or ice melt, not rock salt, on your walks, salt is harmful to plants including grass and contaminates ground water. Gift ideas for gardeners: a good spade, soil knife, scuffle hoe, gloves, mud boots, books. Gardening questions can be asked at the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpline at our local Cooperative Extension office at 740-474-7534.