10 Gardening Activities for October in the Southwest

1. Plant Trees, Shrubs, & Perennials

The cooler weather will be easier on new plants than the heat of summer. Planting now also allows time for roots to get established before cold weather arrives when many plants will grow much more slowly or go dormant. Some good options to plant in Southwest gardens include Palo verde ‘Desert Museum’, red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), Cooper's paper daisy (Psilostrophe cooperi), Tecoma ‘Sunrise’, Palmer's abutilon (Abutilon palmeri), prairie acacia (Acacia angustissima), shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla), fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla), and many more. Most agaves, aloes, opuntia, and other succulents will also perform well in the Southwest when planted in the right location: Agaves and opuntia can take direct sun. Aloes need part-shade so they don’t burn. Mountain States Nursery (a wholesaler) has a list of retail nurseries throughout the Southwest that stock their plants.

2. Scatter Wildflowers

Planting wildflowers in your garden is one of the easiest pleasures because there’s no soil amendments, no digging, and no heavy plants to lift. All you have to do is find or make a spot clear of plants and weeds. The soil should be loose enough to put your finger into easily. If the soil is compacted, seeds will have a tough time establishing. You also don’t want soil that retains lots of water or a spot that gets frequent water. Order Southwest Wildflower Seed Mix through Eden Brothers. Sometimes the blooms aren’t spectacular the first year, but if you let the flowers go to seed many will reseed and come back the following year in greater numbers for a more prolific bloom season. It’s especially important to plant seeds for poppies, larkspur, and forget-me-nots now, because they need the winter chill to germinate.

3. Keep Roses Well Watered & Healthy

There’s a lot to love about living in the Southwest, and one of the best parts (for gardeners, at least) is a second rose season. By October, repeat bloomers will be blooming for the second time. Keep them well watered through their bloom season. If you want to learn more about growing roses in Arizona and desert climates, take a look at this PDF on growing and caring for roses that was put together by the Arizona Cooperative Extension. They include a summary of common issues and solutions as well as choice varieties for desert climates including ‘Julia Child’, ‘Rainbow Knock Out’, Sally Holmes’, ‘Gemini’, and ‘Double Delight’.

4. Harvest Pumpkins & Winter Squash

It’s time to harvest pumpkins. You don’t want them to experience frost because it will shorten their shelf life. When harvesting, it’s often easiest to use loppers to cut stems, being sure to leave 2 to 3 inches of stem. If you’re growing Jack-O’-Lantern varieties for carving, store them in a cool dark place until you’re ready to use them. Check out this article and video on curing pumpkins and winter squash. If you’re looking for ways to use pumpkins and winter squash beyond carving or baking, use them as décor. They make great centerpieces and look beautiful on mantels or piled around container gardens for a seasonal look.

5. Transplant Kitchen Garden Starts & Direct Sow Seeds

If you started seeding indoors back in late August or perhaps in September, now is the time to transplant those starts into the garden. For gardeners in warmer areas of the Southwest who can grow year round, you can sow seeds directly or pick out starts at a local nursery. Be sure new plants get regular water. If you live in a region with frost, you’ll need to use frost blankets or hoop houses to protect cool-season crops you planted in August or September. Keep an eye on your first frost date. It’s also a good idea to focus on growing cool-season crops that mature quickly such as lettuce, mesclun, spinach, mustard greens, and radishes.

6. Plant Garlic

Fall is the best time to plant garlic. You can dedicate an entire raised bed to garlic cloves or sprinkle them throughout several beds. There are many varieties of garlic available from suppliers such as Burpee, Johnny's Selected Seeds, and Territorial Seed. When planting garlic, divide bulbs into individual cloves. Plant them in full sun in amended soil that drains well and has ample organic matter. Watch this video to get more information on planting garlic.

7. Shop for Bulbs, Corms & Tubers

You don’t really need to plant bulbs until November or December in warmer climates of the Southwest. But it is definitely time to start shopping. Look for bulbs that perform well in warm climates or order bulbs and pre-chill those that require it before planting. You can pre-chill by putting the bulbs in a drawer of your refrigerator for about 6 to 10 weeks. Learn more about how to chill bulbs. Bulbs, corms, and tubers that do not need chilling include alliums, amaryllis, most daffodils, paperwhites, snowdrops, snowflakes, Spanish bluebells, starflowers, and ranunculus. You can also buy pre-cooled bulbs from suppliers such as Brent and Becky's Bulbs, and others. Heat-loving daffodils and wild tulips are some of the toughest bulbs, making them ideal choices for drier gardens. In cooler climates that get hard freezes, shop for bulbs and plant them throughout October.

8. Cut Back Mediterranean Plants

This is a good time of year to cut back Mediterranean plants such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, olives, cypress, lamb’s ear, Jerusalem sage, and others. Cutting back plants or pruning them to the desired shape will remove any spent flowers and help stimulate more robust growth.

9. Make a Garden Remodeling Plan

Fall is a great time to rethink your garden because you can plant when you’re excited about your new ideas. But before you start buying plants, it’s important to make a plan. You can do this yourself through apps such as HomeOutside, or you can hire a professional through the Association of Professional Landscape Designers Find a Designer tool. If you go the DIY route, research plants that work for your area. The Waterwise Community Center has eight plant palettes for waterwise gardens. One garden in particular, the Palo Verde Southwest Garden, features desert plants that use little water and can take extreme heat.

10. Plant Citrus in Pots

You can plant citrus during several seasons throughout the year—fall (October) and spring (March or April). If you’re interested in growing citrus, keep in mind that you can plant them in containers. Containers are convenient because you can move them around the garden for highlights of color when they’re fruiting, and then move them to less-prominent locations for the rest of the year. This video details how to plant and care for citrus trees planted in containers. If you’re looking to buy citrus trees, visit local nurseries such as Moon Valley Nurseries which has locations throughout Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, or Greenfield Citrus Nursery in Mesa, Arizona.