What to do in your Tucson Yard in November
November is a great time to be thankful you live in Tucson. With mild weather and fun events, it's a great place to be!
November in Tucson means we have a lot of things to be grateful for. The temperatures some years might actually be described as “chilly,” especially when the sun goes down. With that in mind, be sure to cover any cold-sensitive plants with frost covers, sheets, or blankets to prevent frost damage. If you haven’t already, bring any potted plants indoors (or into your garage, if you have one).
Just like October, November in Tucson holds a lot of opportunities for things to do. One of my favorite things is to cheer on the cyclists at El Tour de Tucson. I know that a lot of Tucsonans get frustrated with the traffic delays on that particular Saturday in November, but it’s fun to cheer on those visiting (many from different states and countries!) as well as the locals who work hard all year to compete in this bike race.
November also signals the start of the holiday season (unless you are one of those people who start decorating for Christmas before Halloween), so look for lots of craft fairs, holiday events, the All Souls Procession, and more.
For your yard and garden, other than protecting your frost-sensitive plants, what should you be doing this month?
Things to do
Harvest
Sweet potatoes, various herbs, and pomegranates can usually be harvested this month. Most herbs will not produce during the winter, so pick and either dehydrate or freeze your herbs for use over the next few months.
Pomegranates are ready to be picked when they are red and the skin begins to split.
Plant
Petunias are a popular flower to plant this month, as they sometimes last throughout the winter and can add color and interest to your yard for several months.
You can still plant trees and shrubs this month that do well in cooler temperatures.
If wanted, you can plant strawberries this month.
November 15 is generally the end of the “late fall” planting season (Oct 15-Nov 15) for the Tucson area, so up until November 15th there are still various plants you can plant from seed, like carrots, radish, and peas, or from seedlings, such as cabbage, dill, or swiss chard.
For more information on what to plant in your fall garden, check out this blog post >>
Swiss chard is a good vegetable seedling to plant this month (through November 15)
Prune
If your trees or shrubs have any dead branches, you (or a professional arborist) can prune them out this month. You can also prune roses after they have bloomed. If you have citrus trees, you can prune sprouts from the interior branches. This will make harvesting the citrus fruit easier and usually yields a more productive crop.
Carefully prune roses in November
If you have any kind of leaves that have fallen in your yard, you can carefully rake or sweep them (or use a blower) and add them to your mulch beds or compost.
Protect
As mentioned earlier, frost damage is possible this month so protect your flowers, shrubs and citrus trees with frost covers, burlap, or by bringing them indoors.
If you have an irrigation system, reduce watering for the cooler temperatures.
Bring cold-intolerant plants indoors for the winter, or cover them if temperatures drop below freezing.
Have a great month! Come back next month to see what to do in your Tucson yard and garden in December!
