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What NOT to Plant in the Fall and Winter?

by 505 Outside | Nov 3, 2026 | 505 Categories, Home Page, Planting, Winter

We reached out to local plant nurseries and landscape experts to find out what they recommend NOT planting this fall and winter.

Why does timing of plant installation matter? A plant’s first season in the ground is all about building roots. Warm-season plants grow roots actively only when the soil is warm, and that growth slows dramatically as soil temperatures drop in late autumn. A plant set out in late October or November goes into winter with little more than the roots it came with from the nursery. In Albuquerque, that small root system then faces hard freezes, drying winds and low winter humidity. Without established roots to draw up water, these plants can dry out or freeze back, and many struggle to make it to spring.

One category of plants not to plant are those from hot desert ecosystems, such as those native to southern New Mexico and the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, along with Mediterranean natives. These plants are well adapted to heat and drought, but the newly planted roots struggle in cold winters.

The same is true for flowering perennial plants and warm-season grasses, which put on most of their root growth when soils are warm. Install these in the spring so they have a full growing season to establish.

Agaves, yuccas, cacti and succulents are another group that thrive best after settling into the garden during the warmer part of the year, so wait until spring to plant them as well.

Avoid planting broadleaf evergreens (live oaks, Arizona rosewood, Texas mountain laurel) in late fall. Their leaves keep losing moisture all winter, so they need more time to grow and establish a robust root system before facing winter winds and freezing temperatures.

Skip tender shrubs prone to winter dieback (butterfly bush, autumn sage, blue mist) until spring. Even established plants of these types often die back in a cold winter; young fall- and winter-planted ones may not come back at all.

Don’t plant borderline-hardy varieties in fall. If a plant is rated hardy only to the edge of our cold-hardiness zone (Zone 7a and 7b), give it the entire spring and summer season to root in and become established.

Below is a list of plants NOT to plant in the late fall and winter. Of course, there are caveats to this list. Some cultivars might be more cold hardy than others. Some microclimates around the landscape will have slightly different exposure to sun, wind, heat, humidity and precipitation that affect a plant’s needs. Pay attention to specific conditions in the planting spot as a few degrees here or there can make a difference for a plant.

So, what CAN you plant in fall? Autumn and winter are excellent times to plant cold-hardy trees, deciduous shrubs, spring-blooming bulbs and plants not on the above list. These plants are able to take advantage of cool and moist conditions by growing roots so the plant is ready to take off over the next season.

Already planted something from the list above this fall? Don’t panic. Spread a layer of mulch over the root zone (gravel mulch works best for cacti and succulents, 3-4” of shredded wood chip mulch is best for all others), water deeply on mild days when the soil is dry and, if practical, cover the plant with frost cloth during hard freezes.

Remember, plants are living organisms, and each may respond differently to conditions in your landscape. Use this list as a general guide to what to plant and when, helping you grow healthy, long-lived plants. A little patience now can mean stronger roots, fewer losses and a more beautiful landscape next year!

Learn More Here:

Ornamental Grasses and How and When to Use Them

Plants for Fall Color

Great Natural Areas to Visit this Fall for Respite and Inspiration

Have a question about the article or anything else? [email protected]

Accolade™ elm, Ulmus ‘Accolade’

by 505 Outside | Nov 3, 2026 | 505 Categories, Deciduous Trees, Home Page, Trees

Type: Deciduous

Exposure: Full Sun

Water Use: Medium

Mature Size: 40-60’ H x 25-40’ W

Accolade™ elm is a fast-growing hybrid elm loved for its open, vase-shaped form and especially for its resistance to Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetle. This tough tree does well in USDA zones 4-9.

This excellent shade tree has glossy dark green leaves that take on a yellow fall color. It can grow 40-50 feet tall and 25-40 feet wide or even larger if the conditions are right. The arching branches give it a fine shape, like the American elm.

It can do well in various situations, including alkaline soils, city medians and dry and wet conditions. It does not reseed prolifically like the Siberian elm that we know well here. While they are drought tolerant when well established, elm trees do best with moderate water in the summer months. Monthly watering in the winter is recommended if no significant natural precipitation is present.

Accolade™ elm is a great choice for a fast-growing shade tree that does well under a wide variety of soil types and seasonal fluctuations of moisture, drought and temperatures. Due to its mature size, this tree is best suited to larger landscapes and gardens rather than smaller townhouses or apartment lots.

Author: Wes Brittenham, artist, gardener and writer.

Winterizing Your Irrigation System and Hose Faucets

by 505 Outside | Nov 3, 2026 | Do It Yourself (DIY), Home Page, Watering and Irrigation, Winter

Winter is the time to give your irrigation system a rest. The weather is unpredictable in the greater Albuquerque area. Unusually warm dry winters are possible along with wet cold winters, so watering and irrigation system use may fluctuate year to year.

The basic advice is that once temperatures are forecast to fall below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to get your irrigation system ready for winter. Freezing temperatures can damage irrigation systems. Follow the steps below to get your system ready for winter.

Shut down your automatic (below-ground) irrigation system.

Turn off the irrigation controller.

Turn the controller dial to OFF.
Keep your controller plugged in so it saves its programming information for next year.

Controller in the “off” position.

Locate your shut-off valve, which is often housed in a 3” PVC pipe with a white or yellow cap.

Turn it to the right to close, taking care not to overtighten.

Irrigation System with shut off valve (sometimes called isolation valve).

How to shut off your irrigation system for winter. (Click on image to watch video, it will pop up in Facebook, if you are not a FB user close or X out of the pop-up window to view the video)

Protect drip lines.

For drip irrigation systems, find the end cap of each drip hose and let the water drain out.
Pay extra attention to drip lines on the shady north side of your home, where freezing is more likely because the ground gets little winter sun and stays colder longer.

Drip system flush or end cap.

Keep your outdoor faucet/spigot (aka hose bib) from freezing.

If your irrigation system connects to an outdoor faucet/spigot (aka hose bib), disconnect it and cover it with an insulated outdoor faucet cover. All outdoor faucets/spigots should be covered.

Insulated outdoor faucet cover.

If you have a yard faucet, protect it from freezing with an insulated pipe cover and heat tape. This does not apply to frost free yard hydrants.

Yard faucet that should be covered and protected from freezing temperatures.

Frost free yard hydrant.

Get your plants ready for the winter season.

These simple tips will help your plants withstand the winter months and thrive next spring. The general advice is to mulch, leave your leaves, water properly, pay attention to the temperatures and precipitation, and do not cut back or prune yet.

Leave your leaves: Each autumn, leaves fall to the ground, sheltering the soil and beneficial organisms, returning organic matter to the soil and sustaining the nutrient cycle that healthy plants depend on. This year, consider tucking leaves around your plants instead of removing them. Letting leaves follow their natural life cycle provides you with all the benefits of mulch and doesn’t add waste to the landfill.

Add mulch: Adding or refreshing shredded wood chip mulch to about 4 inches thick around plants is recommended before winter. Mulch insulates plant roots from the cold, reducing moisture loss from the soil by evaporation, feeding beneficial soil microorganisms that enhance plant growth, and improving soil health while reducing weeds. This makes the soil more spongelike and better able to hold water. Be sure to keep mulch away from tree trunks.

Prep turf grass: Cut your lawn to 2-2.5 inches tall. Grass left too long through the winter can develop brown patches. Remove fallen leaves from the lawn. Leaves left over the winter can damage the grass and invite disease. Water according to our seasonal guidelines and adjust depending on weather conditions.

Water strategically during winter: Plants need to be watered in the winter in order to keep them healthy, especially trees. This means you need to de-winterize your system at least once a month or water with a hose. If your irrigation system connects to an outdoor faucet/spigot (aka hose bib), connect your hose system back up and water during the warmest part of the day typically midday. When watering is finished, disconnect the hose and put the insulated outdoor faucet cover back on.

If you have a drip system connected to an automatic irrigation system, turn your controller back on to water during the warmest part of the day, typically midday. This gives water time to soak in before temperatures drop at night. When shady areas need winter water, wait for a warm mild day. Once you’re done, you must re-winterize your irrigation system.

If you are concerned about turning on your irrigation system, then water everything manually with a hose. When watering by hand, remember to make sure your hose has a shut off valve or nozzle on the end. One hour of hose watering at a trickle is a good rule of thumb. For trees, learn to make a tree watering system

Trees need to be watered properly over the winter. Trees that get too dry during this time can suffer stress and drought injury. The damage often does not show up until the heat of the following summer, which then makes trees more susceptible to pests and disease. Track how much rain and snow your yard gets each month. Water trees once a month to 24” deep (December to February) to support winter hardiness. If we receive more than 1/2″ of rain or 6” of snow, you can skip your next watering cycle. To find out how deep you are watering, read more here.

Pay particular attention to conifers and other evergreen trees. Dry winter winds can strip moisture from trees quickly. It’s important that soil moisture is available to roots to help compensate for these losses. Outdoor water usage should be 80% lower than in summer.