Winter comes to all parts of the country in different styles. If you live in the Midwest and Northern climates you can count on a steady dose of snow and cold throughout a long hard winter. But those of us who live in the southwestern desert regions have our fair share of winter weather blues as well. For one thing our gardens are just as susceptible to frost as any in the land.

The desert nights can get awfully cold, a lot of times way below freezing. Hot days and cold nights take a toll on outdoor plants. It is up to the gardener to be prepared for the winter months so that the plants not only survive but also thrive.

If you are living in the desert area or are contemplating moving to a desert climate here are a few tips on how to keep your garden flourishing through the winter months.

From Phoenix to New Mexico frost can hit at anytime during the winter months. You will have to pay close attention to weather forecast and get your plants covered well before it gets dark. Avoiding the use of plastic as a protective covering might just save your plants. Plastic actually will burn the plants.

The use of sheets, burlap and the product called N-Sulate are best for this purpose. You should drape the cloth loosely around the plant from top to root. Be sure to remove the coverings, since the days are known to be hot and the sweltering inside the coverings will cause damage to your plants.

The predominate grass in this region for lawns would be rye, buffalo and Bermuda grass. There are a few lawns that use St. Augustine grass. During the winter months lawns should be fertilized monthly. The soil in the desert is very high in alkaline and low in nutrients. It is for this reason that you have to use a good fertilizer. The alkaline also makes the soil hold less water so you will have to water every other week or so to keep the lawn lush and green.

If you have Bermuda it will lie dormant all winter but it too must be fertilized and watered in preparation for its spring growth cycle. This is especially true if the winter rains are not as plentiful as needed.

The holiday season will come around and you will want to decorate of course. It is best to not put clothes on your cacti. It actually could do irreparable damage to the plants since the cloth will interfere with the photosynthesis process. Lights will help to keep the frost of the plants by raising the surrounding air temperature a few degrees.

Finally if you did get a great deal of winter rain you are sure to see an abundance of weeds sprouting up. it is important to weed during the winter months. Not only does it make for less work come the spring growing season it also will keep the plants from loosing moisture to the weeds. And don't forget to add some garden statues and garden planters to your garden during the winter months to retain the colorful charm of your garden!