10 Gardening Activities for November in the Southwest

1. Plant Bulbs

This is the month to prioritize planting bulbs. If you’ve planned ahead, you’ve already ordered your bulbs. If not, visit a local nursery to pick up bulbs or order online. Retailers such as Colorblends offer bulbs for hot climates, like wild tulips. When planting, select a location with direct sunlight and good drainage (wet soil will cause bulbs to rot). Dig a hole that’s roughly 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb height. Planting at the right depth will help insure proper flowering. Check out this article for more bulb planting tips and ideas.

2. Prepare for Frost

In colder climates of the Southwest such as northern New Mexico and Arizona, as well as mountain areas of Nevada and Utah, it’s a good idea to prepare for frost now. To get ready, cover tender crops in your edible garden as well as other sensitive shrubs, succulents, and perennials. You can buy frost blankets, row covers, and cloches from Gardener's Supply Company.

3. Harvest Citrus

Your citrus crop will likely start to ripen this month. You can begin harvesting grapefruits, kumquats, lemons, limes, oranges, and more. Only harvest what you’ll use because the longer you leave citrus on the tree, the sweeter the fruit becomes. There are a number of great ways to use your citrus including everything from lemonade to candied citrus peels. For baking ideas, check out these recipes from gardener and cookbook author Kevin Lee Jacobs: Lemon Wheel Cookies, Glazed Orange Tart.

4. Add Compost to Garden Beds

If you haven’t done so already, add a layer of compost to your garden beds this month (including beds with edible crops). This is one of the most important garden chores that will improve plant health and performance. If you haven’t added compost for some time, add a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost throughout beds. Some gardeners prefer to top dress the soil around each plant with around an inch of compost on a monthly basis. If your soil is compacted, use a broad fork to loosen and aerate soil. This will allow nutrients to fully penetrate the root zones of plants. Read more about how to make your own compost at home.

5. Fertilize Succulents & Cacti

A little fertilizer can go a long way toward keeping your succulents and cactus looking healthy. Add fertilizer to plants in containers and garden beds. Liquid fertilizers such as Cactus Juice or Cactus Plus work well and are easy to mix. Follow the directions on the bottle for best results.

6. Care for Your Lawn

Be sure your cool-season lawn is well watered through the fall and winter months as it continues to grow. You can also add a high-nitrogen fertilizer to your cool-season lawn this month. Mow to a height of around 2 to 3 inches. Warm-season lawns will go dormant in the fall through winter. Water less during this time, even if the lawn is brown. Some moisture is good for newer lawns (less than 2 years old). Water several times per month. If you have an established warm-season lawn, you can turn off irrigation in November and turn it back on around March.

7. Make a Homemade Wreath

Natural seasonal wreaths are a beautiful way to bring fall into your home. With just a few supplies and some time spent harvesting cuttings from your garden, you’ll have a homemade wreath to add to your front door or hang over your fireplace. Watch these video tutorials: how to make a fall wreath that will last and how to make a fall wheat wreath. If you want a seasonal wreath but would rather purchase than make one, order from a supplier such as Terrain or William Sonoma.

8. Give Your Houseplants a Refresh

Houseplants should be cleaned, fertilized, and evaluated several times per year. One way to make sure houseplants stay healthy is to add an event to your digital calendar with a quarterly reminder. To refresh houseplants, begin by inspecting them for common pest issues. If you find pests or disease, deal with that first. View this article on the most common houseplant pests and how to fix them. Next, give your houseplant foliage a good cleaning with a damp cloth. Some gardeners like to spray foliage with a nutrient mix as well. This is also a good time to give plants a good soak and extra humidity. A bathtub can work well for deep watering your plants and letting them sit for a day in a moist environment. If you’re looking to add to your collection or replace plants, there are a number of online suppliers, such as Breck's, Gardener's Supply, Burpee, and The Sill.

9. Repair and Clean Garden Tools

Once your fall planting is complete, it's time to evaluate your garden tools. Look for those that need deep cleaning or repair. Warning signs include bent metal, rust, splintering wood handles, and caked-on soil or sap. To begin repairing tools, give them a thorough cleaning with soap, water, and a wire brush. Once tools are clean, sharpen blades using a metal file or sharpening tool. Shovels, spades, and garden hoes can also be sharpened using a file. Lubricate pruners, shears, and loppers. If you have excess rust on tools, soak them in vinegar or a vinegar and water solution overnight. Then scrub with a wire brush to remove the rust. Sand any wood-handled tools to remove splinters and rough spots. Apply a coat of linseed oil to protect the wood. Read more about seasonal garden tool care and maintenance.

10. Refresh Containers

Container gardens need extra care throughout the year to continue producing beautiful plants. It’s most important to add nutrients back to the soil on a regular basis. Apply a fertilizer or top dress soil with a planting mix that’s appropriate for the type of plants you’re growing. For example, if you have aloes, jade, and other succulents growing in a container, then top dress soil with a cactus mix. If you have plants that look dead, remove them and replenish with new ones. Another common cause of container garden failure is inadequate water. Container gardens heat up fast and need regular watering. Consider refreshing your container gardens with automatic drip lines. Proven Winners has a drip irrigation kit to get started.