December, south of the equator

December is high summer in the south and the month when the garden is either coasting or suffering, depending entirely on water. Inland the afternoon storms do much of the work; on the winter rainfall side of the country nothing falls for weeks and every drop has to be carried.

In the garden

Plant the seedlings that take heat and some shade: impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, dianthus, salvia, vinca, verbena, begonias and coleus, with ageratum, aquilegia, lobelia and nasturtium in the right regions. The summer bulbs can still go in, which is amaryllis, arum lily, canna, dahlia, pineapple lily, berg lily and lilium.

Sow and plant the vegetables that suit the region: patty pans, gem squash, baby marrow, cucumber, radish, sweet corn, carrots, beetroot and bush beans. In cooler areas start the winter crops now, sowing cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage for autumn. Plant the herbs, which is celery, parsley, caraway, coriander, basil, dill, sage and thyme.

Water, mulch and feed. Roses, hydrangeas, fuchsias and the heat loving perennials all want feeding this month if they are to keep flowering. Deadhead constantly, and pick the beans and courgettes whether or not you need them, because a plant that sets seed stops working.

Two different Decembers

Inland the afternoon storms do most of the watering and the risk is fungal rather than dry: mildew on the squashes, black spot on the roses, rot in anything crowded. Space the plants, water the soil rather than the leaves, and pick off the marked foliage. In the winter rainfall Cape nothing falls at all, the wind is relentless, and every drop is carried, so mulch matters more than anywhere else in the country and shade for young plants is not optional.

In the house

The interval is at its shortest and the demand at its highest. A pot on a sunny windowsill can go from damp to bone dry in two days, and a plant standing outside on a patio may need water twice.

Keep everything out of direct midday sun. Southern December light through glass is the strongest of the year and scorch is permanent.

Feed fortnightly, always into moist compost rather than dry. If you are going away, group the pots together in the shade, water them thoroughly and stand them on damp capillary matting or in a shallow tray.

What not to do yet

Do not repot in the heat. Do not plant a tree or shrub if you can wait for the winter, when the ground is cool and the plant is dormant. And do not leave a container garden to chance over the holidays, because it is the pots and not the beds that die.