What The Old Farmer's Almanac Prediction For Christmas Week Means For Your Garden

The Old Farmer's Almanac has long been publishing its annual reports across the United States. Among its most popular features are weather predictions based on solar science, climatology, and meteorology. It can be a handy tool to help you get an idea of what the future weather will look like and plan your garden accordingly. For the 2025 holidays, there is a mixed bag of weather predicted, which can heavily affect your winter garden plans, depending on where you live. 

For those who are in Alaska, the Northeast, the Upper Midwest, the Lower Lakes, and the eastern Ohio Valley, snowy weather might be in your future. If you live here, you'll likely have to pay close attention to the weather and be ready to work on your garden whenever the sky is sunny and clear. Try to get everything you need done early. After all, the Old Farmer's Almanac prediction says that gardens this winter should be fine with mostly mild weather, but there will be some occasional bursts of extremes.

In the Atlantic Corridor, Southeast Florida, the Heartland, Texas, Oklahoma, and Hawaii, the weather is predicted to be sunny and fairly pleasant during the week of Christmas. If you practice winter sowing, or you're looking to touch up your garden before spring so everything is ready to go, this week may be the perfect time to do so. It may also be a good year to go ahead and try the low-maintenance winter garden trend that's perfect for 'lazy' gardeners. 

While the Old Farmer's Almanac claims about 80% accuracy, a study by the University of Illinois found that it's closer to 52%. While this is slightly better than flipping a coin, it's really not much better than random chance. Additionally, the Old Farmer's Almanac predicts weather by region, but conditions can vary dramatically even between nearby cities, let alone entire regions. So while the trends for your area could be accurate, that doesn't necessarily mean it will apply to your exact local conditions. 

To stay ahead, try to finish most of your garden work in the weeks leading up to Christmas. That way, no matter which way the weather shifts, you are ready for it and aren't behind on your plans. As you get closer to the actual week, check your local weather reports and see what they are saying. In short, while the Old Farmer's Almanac is a great predictor and can be used as a guide to help you make plans for the winter season, it probably shouldn't be something you put your full faith into. Also, go ahead and do the things you need to this fall to get your yard winter-ready, and don't put it off just because there are reports of a milder season.