Plant: Daffodils, narcissus, jonquils, grape hyacinths can all be planted any time in month. Plant chilled tulip, hyacinth bulbs late December. Pansies, pinks (dianthus), snapdragons and other cool-season annuals early in month. Living Christmas trees, including Eldarica pine, Austrian pine, Leyland cypress, Arizona cypress, deodar cedar and, in East Texas, Virginia pine. Avoid types not adapted to your area. Recommended varieties of fruit, pecan trees, grape vines late in month as nursery stock arrives. Transplant established trees, shrubs within landscape and from nature.

Prune: Shade trees as needed to maintain good shape, proper branching. Remove dead, damaged wood. Evergreens as needed – prune carefully to maintain natural shape of plants. Remove mistletoe from tree limbs. Cut deeply enough into limb to remove all the parasite’s roots. Remove heavily infested limbs entirely. There are no safe and effective chemical controls.

Fertillize: Spring-flowering annuals with complete-and-balanced analysis water-soluble fertilizer early in December. Houseplants with same complete-and-balanced material every 4 to 6 waterings.

On the Lookout: Spray broadleafed weeds with herbicide early in month to stop any further development. Pick up and compost all fallen leaves, also twigs and other garden debris. Have soil test run by laboratory at Texas A&M to be ready for earliest spring plantings. Tender houseplant sprays as needed to eliminate pests from delicate foliage, flowering plants indoors.