By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2011-01-31 00:46:26 | Word Count: 443
Arizona provides excellent year-round gardening opportunities. Whether your gardening love lies with flowers, fruit, cacti, or trees, you can grow beautiful plants all year just by knowing when to give them a little attention and TLC. This time of year, you'll need to focus on performing basic maintenance and on protecting your tender plants from potential frost damage.
Vegetable Gardens
If you plan to grow a winter garden, now is the time to transplant early plant seedlings such as broccoli and green onions. This is also a good time to plant seeds for later cool weather vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, radishes, and lettuce. Plan for your spring garden by starting seeds indoors for plants such as tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Also, be prepared to cover your newly established plants if you anticipate freezing temperatures.
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Trees and Shrubs
Trees of all types will need plenty of water this time of year, so make sure you water deeply and slowly to ensure that moisture reaches the roots. You can plant cold-hardy shrubs, but be prepared to cover them if temperatures dip below freezing. Protect your established trees from potential freeze damage as well, and avoid fertilizing during this slow-growth season. Deciduous trees can be pruned during this time, but avoid clipping tender shrubs or trees that may be susceptible to frost damage.
Succulents and Cacti
Succulents that grow actively during the winter should receive water every 10-14 days; however, avoid overwatering by making sure the ground surface dries out completely between applications. Warm-weather cacti and succulents can go as many as five weeks between waterings, and even longer if you receive rain. Avoid fertilizing during the winter months and be sure to protect plants from frost if cold weather threatens.
Ornamental Plants
Annuals and perennials can be set out or transplanted during this season as long as you water deeply and cover if temperatures drop below freezing. Avoid planting grass at this time and avoid overwatering lawns and ornamental grasses. Both bare-root and container-grown roses can be planted during this season. Make sure you water every couple of days until roots have become established. This is also the time to prune your established roses in order to remove dead or crossing canes. Look for cane borer damage as you're pruning and cut back canes until all signs of infestation have been removed.
The most important point to remember is to enjoy your plants! Even in the winter, Arizona gardeners have plenty to keep them busy so that plants will be at their best when spring arrives.
