How did it get to be November already?!  Golly

Change Happens

When I was at the Desert Green Conference in Las Vegas, the shift in weather patterns was one topic often discussed.  Since most of us love plants – our conversations were along the lines of, “how can we adapt to these shifts and help our landscapes and gardens survive?”

“Desert Green” folks are problem solvers. We work to find solutions, not wring our hands or find fault. Discussing the issue, we were focused on how to deal with reality in a positive fashion. We all agreed that weather patterns have been shifting across the globe ever since the dawn of time. Ask the researchers that discovered that 4000 years ago Organ Pipe National Monument was home to pine trees (VanDevender et al.). Or ask the Anasazi what a few years of drought can do to a civilization – that was around 700 years ago.

Yes, Change Happens

Change happens. The earth is getting hotter. What can we do to help you – the person at home – with your gardens and landscapes that are stressed by this change?

“Educate the homeowners!” I chimed in one evening. “Not just in my books or blog,” I added as all eyes focused on me. “Every one of us here. Everyone on a landscape crews, every arborist, every nursery person, anyone in the green industry! We can all share the positive message that change is part of life – and offer some positive steps to take.”

It behooves us all to help the homeowners understand and also live with the fact that our weather changing is hard on all plants. Natives, non-natives, in pots, in the ground, in the yard, in the wild. Hard not just living plants – but also on seeds. The genes that mama and daddy plants give to their baby seeds might not be the genes that will help those seeds survive the new reality.

November is Warmer

Temperatures across the Southwest are – on annual average – almost 2 degrees higher than they were 50 years ago.   

This means it takes longer to cool off in fall, and it gets warmer earlier in spring. The “first frost” and “last frost” dates used as planting and pruning guides are being changed. So thus my advice for this monthly “calendar” post must change as well. More on Frost in the Southwest.

During November

Color

It is not too late to plant Spring Wildflowers!

Spring Wildflowers for the Southwest – class with videos, several guides, and the 5 steps guide.  Discount coupon mailed to all Substack newsletter members.  Sign up for my free newsletter today if you haven’t yet.

5 Steps to Spring Wildflowers – free video series and downloadable guide

Plant annual seasonal color, either seedlings, plants, or bulbs.
Cool Season annuals

Plant spring-flowering bulbs in amended beds or pots.
More on spring flowering bulbs.

Start forcing bulbs indoors for holiday color. Before November 15 for most of them. (How to force bulbs was covered in the Substack paid subscription.) What is Substack? It’s where I host my newsletters. There is a free option and a paid option.  If you aren’t getting my newsletters – be sure to sign up – in the margin on desk top or at the bottom on your phone.  (The new Privacy Policy laws require me to tell you that I don’t keep your information and you can unsubscribe at any time at least every so often.)

Edibles

Low, Middle, and even High Desert – go ahead and keep planting your vegetable seeds through this month.    Succession planting is ideal for a continuous crop of lettuces, radish, spinach, and all those yummy salad greens.    It’s too cool to plant vegetable seeds in the Upper elevations.  More on cool season vegetable gardens.

Low, Middle, and High Desert, do you have a big pot or a corner of the yard?  Plant some nursery seedlings of the cool season herbs – like parsley, cilantro, dill, fennel, cumin, caraway.

Onions are awesome. Not to late in the Desert elevations to order and plant onions and garlic (they are bulbs after all). Be sure to get short day onions and soft neck garlic.

Some citrus may be ripe.    Store fruit on the tree until use for best flavor.   You have 5 to 6 weeks in autumn to enjoy tangerines.    Most other citrus is ripe later.  Here’s my YouTube on citrus.

Harvest pecans. Be sure to cure (dry) them prior to storage.

Harvest the last of the pomegranates, as well as persimmon and other fall fruits.   

Water

Reduce irrigation frequency to the fall schedule if you haven’t already. 

Autumn is a good time to repair the irrigation system or install one.

Upper elevations be sure you have winterized any system you may have.

General November Tasks

Catch and remove winter weeds as they germinate.

If you must, rake up fallen autumn leaves.  They are an important place for out native Southwest fireflies, glowworms and even pollinating butterflies to overwinter. If you must rake – try to have a back corner where they can provide cover for these children of Mother Nature. Alternatively you can add them to compost bins or bury in unused beds for slow decay.     

Fertilizer? Just your garden veggies. And only if it is at least 3 weeks before first frost for your area.

More November Tips

The Month By Month Guide offers tips for all of your landscape in every month of the year.  I have a few copies left and am offering them to you – my loyal readers. When you buy from me you get a signed copy!

From the review:

“A great reference book is key to successful gardening in the region where you live. Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico Month-by-Month Gardening takes the guesswork out of gardening for anyone residing in the Southwest. With this book, you’ll know what to do each month to enjoy a thriving garden all year, from January to December. Chronologically organized, this guide is full of critical gardening when-to and how-to advice, along with illustrated step-by-step instructions.

The book’s author is Jacqueline Soule, a Tucson-based gardening expert. She knows this arid region inside and out, and she’s written several articles and books packed with her gardening advice. Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico Month-by-Month Gardening showcases Soule’s expertise in one easy-to-read guide.”

Profits from the sale of this book go to the Horticulture Therapy non-profit Tierra del Sol Institute.   Recent price increase, due to the US Postal Service price increase in July 2024.  It is now $30.

I’m Here to Help

Be sure to ask questions if you have them! I do all this writing and blogging and posting on social media so that you will succeed with your garden goals!

Legal Notes

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