Can We Plant in December and January?

Q. We are re-doing our whole front yard and just finishing up the drip lines. Is it too late in the season to put in new plants now?  We are planning on lantana, society garlic, red yucca, Mexican bird of paradise, and some deer grass.

A. We have entered the coldest part of the winter now in Las Vegas. We can expect temperatures to reach anywhere from mid teens to mid-20's late in the night depending on where you live. All of the plants you mention, except red yucca, could be damaged if you plant now. Larger, cold hardy trees and shrubs would still be okay to plant. Wait until after the coldest period of winter has passed to plant, about the first to the second week of February.

After you plant you should consider applying mulch to the soil surface surrounding them just to give them a little bit more protection. Whenever you are planting trees and shrubs into residential soils you want to mix good quality compost in the backfill surrounding plant roots. Use an equal amount mixed with the backfill surrounding plant roots.