What to plant in December in Portugal
5 vegetables, fruits and herbs to sow or plant in December in Portugal, for the climate around Central Portugal, Santarem district (lat 39, lon -9).
Climate: Mild Mediterranean climate with cool, damp winters (coldest nights around 2-6 °C, rare light frost), hot dry summers with highs near 39 °C, and almost no rain from June to September, so summer beds need irrigation.
Vegetables
Garlic Allium sativum
Cold, wet winters are exactly what garlic needs to form bulbs before the dry summer.
Harvest: 200-240 daysEasyIn potsCare guide →
Broad bean Vicia faba
Hardy in the cool, wet winter and cropping before the summer dry spell.
Harvest: 90-120 daysEasy
Fruits
Fig Ficus carica
Native to the Mediterranean, figs handle the dry hot summer and survive the mild winter minimum.
Harvest: 2-3 yearsEasyIn potsCare guide →
Plum Prunus domestica
Enough winter chill for dormancy and warm early summers for a good crop.
Harvest: 3-4 yearsModerate
Apple Malus domestica
Cool winters provide the chill hours apples need, and autumn is cool enough for good fruit.
Harvest: 3-5 yearsModerateCare guide →