Illustration by Denise Wantz

WHAT TO PLANT

(Mid Elevations)

• Cool-season flower bowls—Transplant bachelor’s button, calendula, candytuft, dianthus, Iceland poppy, nasturtium, ornamental kale, snapdragon, stock and sweet alyssum.

(Mid and High Elevations)

• Transplant potted Christmas trees—If the ground is unfrozen, plant immediately after the holidays. Dig a hole three to five times the diameter of the pot and as deep as the root ball. Backfill with native soil. Mulch with several inches of compost or leaves. If the ground is frozen, place your potted tree outdoors in an area sheltered from wind and intense sun. Add mulch on top of the soil in the container. Whether transplanted or left in its pot, water your tree regularly to maintain soil moisture.


GARDEN MAINTENANCE

(Mid Elevations)

• Monitor vegetables for cutworms and cabbage loopers—Cutworms bite through plant stems at night. Dig in the soil at the plant’s base to unearth the cutworms and destroy them. Place circular physical barriers such as plastic yogurt cups around seedlings to inhibit cutworms’ access to stems. (See Page 183 for cabbage looper control.)

(Mid and High Elevations)

• Freshen mulch as needed—Apply organic mulch such as compost or dry leaves to maintain 3 to 4 inches of coverage on perennial and bulb beds. After the ground freezes, add 6 to 8 inches of mulch around but not touching the bases of shrubs and trees. Mulch insulates the soil and prevents frost heave, in which repeated freezing and thawing lifts roots out of the ground. Mulch also helps plants remain dormant during occasional warm spells.

• Monitor water needs—Plant growth is limited in winter, and plants may be dormant; but roots still need water to prevent plant tissue from dehydrating. Drought stress may not be noticeable until later in the year, so if there is no rain or snow, water established woody landscape plants monthly. Evergreens and recent transplants may require water twice per month. Also water new or late-planted perennial and bulb beds. Irrigate when the temperature is above 40 degrees and the soil is unfrozen. Water around the entire drip line, but keep it away from the trunk or stem because water that freezes may damage the bark.

• Clean, sharpen and store tools—Use a stiff brush to scrape off any caked mud. Wipe rust-inhibiting tool lubricant on metal with a cloth rag. Protect any wooden handles by carefully wiping with a rag dipped in boiled linseed oil. File shovel edges with a medium-grit steel file. (Sharpened shovels are easier to push through soil than those dulled with repeated use.) If you live where temperatures drop below freezing, drain garden hoses and store inside to prevent cracking.

• Provide frost protection—If a freeze is predicted, cover tender plants at sundown with frost cloth, burlap or old sheets. Uncover the next day at mid-morning, before the temperature beneath the cover warms up, creating a miniature greenhouse effect.
 

Cathy Cromell is a Master Gardener and co-author of Earth-Friendly Desert Gardening (Arizona Master Gardener Press).