Wondering what you should plant in November if you live in Tucson? This seasonal planting guide is your manual for November gardening!

November is a great month in the low desert as temperatures cool off and plants which don't tolerate much heat begin to thrive.

Days are shorter and frosts are coming, if they aren't here already.

tucson average temperatures chart for november
Tucson average daily high drops from 80F to 69F over the month of November.
Overnight average lows drop from 55F to 45F during November.

There's still plenty of sunlight and enough warmth for all your cool season plants to take off, though!

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seed starting seedling tray winter brassicas micro soil blocks
Starting winter seedlings in 3/4" (micro) soil blocks. Brassicas and lettuce.

Do Warm Season Crops Grow in Tucson in November?

In the Sonoran desert, you may still have warm season crops such as tomatoes, summer squash, and peppers in early November.

The first frost will soon be the end for those. The good news is that the frost will free up more space for more winter plantings like lettuce and brassicas.

Timing the frost can be tricky, but you can always chop down warm season crops whenever you need the space.

You'll probably end up just planting around any lingering warm season veggies until you're ready to cut them down. That works great, especially if you're starting seedlings indoors all winter and are ready with transplants to go out as warm season crops succumb to the cold.

Succession Planting in Tucson as Frost Approaches

Often I like to start a second full round of planting in November of the same crops that I seeded in October - with more focus on the spaces beneath my lingering warm season crops. As squash comes out, broccoli can be popping up.

As tomatoes blacken and are chopped down, kale seedlings can be growing beneath. Lettuce can germinate in the shade under your basil as it flowers and finally dies. Onions can grow beneath your pepper plants which will soon be leaving this realm.

November feels like it's all about timing and spacing - the transition season when warm crops linger but cool crops must be planted. There's fun to the challenge, like a game of Tetris to fit all the plants in.



I focus on my indoor seed-starting through November and into the winter, so I always have something ready to go out. As one crop finished or dies, another seedling is hardened off and ready to transplant into the field.

tray of seedlings soil blocks 2 inch mini blocks brassicas
Tray of cool season seedlings just-transplanted into 2" soil blocks
These will grow for 2 or 3 more weeks before going out into the field

Planting

Cover Crops & Forage

1st Half of November

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Common Vetch, Chickpea, Crimson Clover, Fava Bean, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Flax, Hairy Vetch, Lentil, Oats, Oilseed Radish, Red Clover, Rye, Tillage Radish, Sweet Clover, Sweet Pea, Wheat, Winter Pea


DIRECT SOW / DRILL IN FIELD:

Common Vetch, Chickpea, Fava Bean, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Hairy Vetch, Lentil, Oilseed Radish, Tillage Radish, Sweet Pea, Winter Pea


2nd Half of November

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Common Vetch, Chickpea, Crimson Clover, Fava Bean, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Flax, Hairy Vetch, Lentil, Oats, Oilseed Radish, Red Clover, Rye, Tillage Radish, Sweet Clover, Sweet Pea, Wheat, Winter Pea


DIRECT SOW / DRILL IN FIELD:

Common Vetch, Chickpea, Fava Bean, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Hairy Vetch, Lentil, Oilseed Radish, Tillage Radish, Sweet Pea, Winter Pea


Herbs

1st Half of November

SOW INDOORS:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


DIRECT SOW:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


2nd Half of November

SOW INDOORS:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


DIRECT SOW:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Anise, Borage, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme


Fruits & Vegetables

In November you can continue planting any and all cool season crops, except that the window for garlic and onions now closes.

1st Half of November

SOW INDOORS:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery, Chickpea, Chicory, Chives, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard


DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery, Chickpea, Chicory, Chives, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Garlic (From Cloves), Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Onions (From Sets), Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberries (from bare root), Swiss Chard, Turnip, Wheat


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Artichoke, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Onion (from seed), Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Romanesco, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Strawberry (from transplant)


2nd Half of November

SOW INDOORS:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery, Chickpea, Chicory, Chives, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Swiss Chard


DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:

Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chickpea, Chicory, Chives, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Garlic (From Cloves), Green Onions, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Lentil, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Strawberries (from bare root), Swiss Chard, Turnip, Wheat


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:

Artichoke, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Onion (from seed), Snap Pea, Snow Pea, Spinach, Romanesco, Swiss Chard, Strawberry (from transplant)


honey snap pea seedling ready to transplant
Honey Snap Pea seedling being up-potted from 2" soil block to 4" nursery pot.
These can be transplanted out into the field anytime this month.

Grains, Seeds, & Cereals

1st Half of November

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Quinoa


2nd Half of November

BROADCAST IN FIELD:

Quinoa


Flowers

1st Half of November

DIRECT SOW:

Alyssum, Bachelor Buttons, Calendula, Freesias, Hollyhock, Nasturtium, Sweet Pea


2nd Half of November

DIRECT SOW:

Alyssum, Bachelor Buttons, Calendula, Freesias, Hollyhock, Nasturtium, Sweet Pea


Harvesting

Produce

1st Half of November

Potato, Radish, Summer Squash, Tomato, Turnip, Winter Squash, Zucchini


2nd Half of November

Potato, Radish, Summer Squash, Tomato, Turnip, Winter Squash, Zucchini


yellow pear tomatoes in bowl organic fresh from garden
If you planted tomatoes like these yellow pears, be sure to harvest them before the frost comes!


garden harvest organic turnips potatoes summer squash november in sonoran desert
Harvests in Tucson are abundant in November
warm season squash and potatoes still producing,
and cool season turnips and parsley starting to yield

Seed Saving

1st Half of November

Cucumber, Hot Pepper, Loofah, Melon, Summer Squash, Sweet Pepper, Tomato, Tomatillo, Winter Squash

2nd Half of November

Cucumber, Hot Pepper, Loofah, Melon, Summer Squash, Sweet Pepper, Tomato, Tomatillo, Winter Squash

Cut Flowers

1st Half of November


2nd Half of November


Weeding

Weeds to Pull

Spurge

More Tucson Planting Guides

« October   

Check out the Tucson
planting guide for October


« October Planting Guide  

   December »

Check out the Tucson
planting guide for December


  December Planting Guide »

All Months

Find the full list of Tucson monthly planting guides here


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Know any plants I missed for November in Tucson? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!