Prepare Your Desert Landscaping for Winter

Much gardening advice is based on a four-season climate, but a large portion of the United States population is just now entering ideal weather for gardening. If you live in a desert region, recommendations on how to prepare your beds for the colder months probably won’t be useful, but tips on what to do with cacti will be useful.

Here’s what you should do to prepare your desert landscape for fall and winter.

How to care for cacti in winter

When temperatures drop, cacti and succulents slow down their growth. While hibernating, they need less water; too much can cause the roots to rot. If you’re concerned that you’re not watering enough, watch for wilting, a sign that the cactus needs water. Avoid fertilizing until spring.

While your cacti are likely accustomed to (and suited to) the weather in your area, be wary of the possibility of frost or frost. Your columnar cacti will benefit from having their tips protected and insulated, which is why you may want to see them covered with Styrofoam cups. Buckets, fabric, pool noodles or Santa hats will also work.

How to care for citrus trees in winter

Hopefully you fertilized for the last time in September to help with the fruit harvest, which means by October you should start seeing color on your citrus fruits. Early ripening citrus fruits may be ready in November, but otherwise it’s time to prepare for winter. As trees enter dormancy, be sure to sharply reduce watering and be prepared to cover the trees with leaves if there is a risk of frost. Burlap or frost fabric will also work for this purpose. If your tree begins to shed its leaves in December, it means it is focused on preparing to produce fruit that should be ready by January when the next fertilization cycle begins.

Bury vegetables in the ground

While the rest of the country considers winter vegetables to be hardy crops, much warmer weather crops can be planted in the desert. Although peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and carrots should now be grown in the ground, many people have successfully overwintered tomatoes, peppers and eggplants by simply covering them during frosts and stopping watering.

How to Care for Desert Grasses in Winter

While it seems ironic, the desert has plenty of residential areas where you can start a lawn, and October is the best time to harvest winter rye so you can enjoy it during the winter. Because ryegrass dies in the spring, most people use the overseeding method, which means you simply scatter the seed over the existing lawn, making sure the seed touches the ground, and then water three times a day to encourage germination. Once established, winter rye does not require as much water as a traditional lawn.

Prune your desert landscape before winter sets in

November is the ideal time to prune established trees and shrubs as they go dormant. The olive trees have just borne fruit, the citrus trees are already on the tree and ready to be thinned out, and most of the natives are in hibernation.