The Southwest garden is still vibrant and brimming with November gardening chores. At higher elevations, frost has likely already hit, while at lower elevations frost is impending, meaning it is time to harvest those last crops and start putting the garden to bed. This is where a regional to-do list will come in handy.
Read on to learn what November gardening tasks need to be accomplished for your area.
Southwest Garden in November
The Southwest encompasses areas of desert and mountainous terrain, along with the accompanying temperature and weather swings. This means that Southwest gardening tasks will vary slightly from area to area. That said, a regional to-do list can be compiled and used as a guideline for getting the garden ready for the winter months and following spring.
November Regional To-Do List
Depending upon your southwestern area, November may still be harvesting time. Crops planted in mid to late summer are coming to fruition and need to be harvested and eaten or processed. If crops are still growing and producing, protect them from frost.
Also, protect tender perennials from frost with a frost blanket or move them to a covered patio or a protected area on the deck. Reduce irrigation and keep up on the weeding.
Clean up those empty outdoor pots by sterilizing them with a bleach/water solution to kill any mold or bacteria. At the same time, clean and store garden tools and store hoses. Sharpen mower blades and other sharp utensils at this time.
Remove any remaining fruit from trees and those littering the ground. Take a soil test to determine what, if anything, the soil needs to be amended with. The Southwest garden in November is the perfect time to juice up the soil if necessary.
Additional November Gardening Chores
Some plants like mums and peonies should be pruned back after the first frost, while others should be left alone for wildlife to nibble on during the winter. Leave native plants and those with seed pods alone for birds and other wildlife. Hang suet filled bird feeders. Invest in a solar powered bird bath so your feathered friends have a steady source of drinking water.
Other November gardening tasks include lawn care. Lawn care for Southwest gardens in November will depend upon the type of grass you have. Warm season grasses such as bluegrass, rye, and fescue should be watered every week to ten days.
Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer to ensure the grass will remain green during the winter. Mow warm season grasses until they become dormant and continue to water even when dormant at least twice a month. Cool season grasses, such as Bermuda, go dormant but should still be watered at least twice per month.
Tackling these November gardening tasks now will ensure the garden is prepped and ready for next spring.