Desert Blooms

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson Severe branch dieback on this poor ash tree may have been caused by compounding issues. For example, stress caused by insufficient irrigation and poor root development can increase the likelihood of secondary pest problems. Photo credit Mike N. Question : Half of my ash tree looks ok, but the other half looks completely dead. What could be the problem? Is it going to get worse or better? -              Mike N., Placitas, NM Answer : (Throughout this column I’ve added links to more information from related columns I've written that might be helpful.) Ash trees are worrying homeowners all over the state. Bernalillo, Sandoval, and San Juan County Extension Agents Sara Moran, Lynda Garvin, and Bonnie Hopkins, respectively, reported that they’ve been getting more and more calls about ailing ashes in those areas in the past few years. Jimmy Zabriskie, Community Forester with the City of Las Cruces Parks & Recr

Southwest Yard & Garden by Marisa Thompson These two branches from the same peach tree at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas on May 29, 2-18 had noticeably different peach sizes (photo credit M. Thompson).   Question: My peach tree branches are hanging lower as the peaches get bigger. Is it too late to thin the fruit? -      Savannah M., Alamogordo, NM Answer: The good news is that you have fruit this year! Late freezes, gusty winds, and hail storms have taken their toll on the crop load this spring. It snowed in Farmington on May 21 st . A friend with an organic farm in Mora said a freeze on May 31 st caught them off guard. I’ll be surprised if we get 10 lb of peaches from our 88 peach trees this year at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas. Last year we were in peach heaven, so I planned ahead this year to

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent John Garlisch leads a “Summer Raised Bed Gardening” workshop in Albuquerque the first week of June. Photo credit M. Thompson. Questions: What time of day should I water my raised bed garden? Why is water pooling on the soil surface? When is the right time to pull garlic? -         Attendees of the “Summer Raised Bed Gardening” Workshop at the Larry P. Abraham Agri-Nature Center in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, hosted by Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent John Garlisch Answers: Whether you’re gardening in raised beds or directly in the ground, deciding what time of day to water is worth some discussion. If you were to Google that question, you’ll find that watering in the morning is regarded as the best practice by many gardening sites. This is a great example of how Googled answers might steer readers in the wrong direction. The main r

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson, NMSU Extension Horticulture Specialist Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent John Garlisch leads a “Summer Raised Bed Gardening” workshop in Albuquerque the first week of June. Photo credit M. Thompson. Questions: Why do people build raised beds? Why not just plant directly in the soil? What’s the recommended height for a raised garden bed? Am I ruining everything by overcrowding my poor plants? What if my raised bed was ready, but I was too late to plant? -       Attendees of the “Summer Raised Bed Gardening” Workshop at the Larry P. Abraham Agri-Nature Center in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, hosted by Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent John Garlisch Answers: Last week I attended this Albuquerque workshop on raised bed gardening and took copious notes, both of the questions posed by attendees and the answers provided by our instructor, John Garlisch, NMSU Extension Agr