Desert Blooms

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson https://ican.nmsu.edu/seedtosupper.html  SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS NEW NM RESOURCE! Tomato seedlings have just sprouted at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas. We hope to compare covered and uncovered tomato plants to see if we can reduce curly top virus infection rates, conserve water, and increase yields. Photo credit M. Thompson.  Question: I’m making my own planting mix for backyard vegetables this year. What do you recommend? -           Carol B., Los Lunas Answer: I’ve gotten variations on this question from several friends through the years, and have seen a huge increase in the number of questions about soil for backyard gardening on local Facebook groups in the past few weeks. My guess is that people are reluctant to plant directly into the ground because of three major reasons: 1) weed pressure, 2) accessibility, and 3) they’...

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson Peach trees bursting with blooms at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas on March 16, 2020. Photo credit D. Ortega. With many of us spending more time at home this spring than ever, we’re getting more questions on how to start gardening from people who’ve never gardened before. I’m excited for these gardening newbies. As seasoned gardeners will tell you, gardening can relax and reinvigorate you when seemingly nothing else can. One of my favorite bumper stickers is “ Gardening is cheaper than therapy—and you get tomatoes. ” And a favorite meme from this week states simply: “ The answer is plants. Don’t care what the question is. ” Watering my houseplants makes me feel calm and accomplished. I’ve finally figured out which plants can handle living up on the high shelf in my sunroom where I only get around to watering them once a month or so. These troopers include sansevierias (aka snake plants or mother-in-law’s t...

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson with insights from Dr. Carol Sutherland Ash tree leaves from a sample submitted to the NMSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic in September 2019 look green and healthy. The rough, round, brown bits are galls formed by the ash flowergall mite, but they do not harm the tree itself. Photo credit NMSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic. Question: Is there a systemic insecticide that can be used to control ash flowergall mites? -           Question submitted by a Bernalillo County Extension Agent Answer: If you have an ash tree, you’ve probably seen the evidence of these ash flowergall mites ( Eriophyes fraxiniflora ). In case you’ve never noticed them before, the ash flowergall mites (aka eriophyid mites) cause deformation of male flowers, which develop into galls, out on the tips of your ash tree branches. In the summer, they’re mostly pale green and are barely noticeable. As the season progresse...

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson ** CLICK HERE for another column on rose pruning** Many roses are impressively drought- and heat-tolerant. A thick mulch layer and regular watering to a depth of 18-24 inches are great steps toward healthier, showier rose bushes. Photo credit M. Thompson. Question: Is it too late to prune my roses? -           Pat J., Artesia Answer: No, it’s not too late. There’s more harm in pruning roses too early than too late . That’s because pruning stimulates a flush of new growth, which is wonderful—as long as you’re past the risk of more hard freezes in your area. That new green growth is especially prone to frost damage, and damaged branches would then need to be pruned back again. The optimal window for most rose pruning is 2–4 weeks before your expected last frost. Even when pruned at this time, an abnormal late freeze can do considerable damage to your rose plants, but it is mu...