Looking for winter landscape tips that actually work in Arizona? On October 28, Ben McGonigle from Design Tree Maintenance joined the Desert Garden Club in Sun City West to help residents get their plants ready for winter. The room was full of homeowners with great questions, and the workshop was featured in the Sun City West Independent. Read the full article here.
As Ben told the group, “You cannot just stick it in the ground and watch it grow.” Many Valley residents come from places with very different climates, and after a season or two they realize Arizona plays by its own rules. Here’s what every homeowner should be doing this November to protect their trees and landscape through the cooler months.
Adjust Your Watering for the Season
Plants need far less water in winter than they do in summer, and overwatering is one of the most common ways desert landscapes get damaged. Too much water can suffocate roots and invite root rot, especially in cooler soil that dries out slowly.
Now is the time to cut back your irrigation schedule and walk your system. Look for broken emitters, leaks, and spots where water pools or runs off. November is also the ideal time for irrigation repairs and new installs, because cooler temperatures put far less stress on your plants and trees while the work is being done.
Be Ready for Frost
Frost can damage citrus, bougainvillea, lantana, and other frost-sensitive plants overnight. Check the forecast each evening during winter, and when a freeze is expected:
- Cover sensitive plants before sunset. Use frost cloth or old sheets that reach all the way to the ground to trap heat rising from the soil. Avoid plastic, which can damage the leaves it touches.
- Water the soil ahead of a freeze. Moist soil holds and releases more heat than dry soil, which helps protect roots and lower branches.
- Remove covers in the morning once temperatures rise so plants can get sunlight.
- Leave frost-damaged growth in place. It looks rough, but that damaged foliage helps shield the healthy growth underneath from the next cold night. Wait until the danger of frost has passed before trimming it back.
Plant Now, and Plant Smart
Fall is the best planting season in the low desert. Cooler weather lets new plants and trees focus on building roots, so they’re established and ready before summer heat returns.
Planting the right thing in the right place matters just as much as timing. As Ben shared at the workshop, about 90% of what people try to plant isn’t native to Arizona. A tree that looks perfect in a photo can lift your patio or crack your walls in ten years if it’s planted in the wrong spot. Before you plant, think about mature size, water needs, sun exposure, and how close it will sit to your home and hardscape.
Related Article: How Close Can a Tree Be to Your House?
Prune the Right Trees at the Right Time
Not every tree should be pruned in winter. Deciduous trees like ash, elm, pistache, and mulberry are best pruned while dormant, typically December through February. Pruning them then reduces stress on the tree and makes structural problems easier to see once the leaves drop.
Citrus is different. Winter pruning can trigger tender new growth that frost easily damages, so citrus pruning should wait until late February through April. When in doubt, ask a certified arborist before making cuts.
Feed Your Trees Before They Slow Down
As temperatures drop, your trees begin slowing down for winter. What they absorb now helps carry them through the cooler months and into the next growing season. Arizona’s alkaline soils can lock up the nutrients trees need, and a professional soil treatment in the fall helps make those nutrients available when your trees need them most.
Get Ahead of Weeds
Cooler weather and winter rain bring a new round of weeds. Treating and removing them now, before they spread and go to seed, makes spring cleanup much easier and keeps weeds from competing with your plants for water.
Expert Tree Care for Every Arizona Season
At Design Tree Maintenance, our certified arborists put these winter landscape tips into practice every day, following ISA and ANSI standards and understanding how Arizona’s desert climate affects every tree and plant on your property. We’ve served Arizona families since 1995, and we’re proud three-time BBB Ethics Award winners with A+ ratings on HomeAdvisor and Angi.
Whether you need a tree health evaluation, structural pruning, or a soil treatment plan before winter, our team is ready to help.
Get your landscape winter-ready today. Call 623-587-8170 or email [email protected] to schedule your evaluation.
