Desert Blooms

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson O’er the past year we’ve learned about growing and gardening Much was uplifting and some just disheartening.  From fungus gnats in soil that’s wet  To learning about the  emerald ash borer threat We covered troubles with old trees , new trees , and grapes Reblooming orchids and pruning mistakes   I’ve written ‘bout fruit trees and some of their horrors   Fire blight , frost damage , and  apricot borers   We gave reasons to leave winter gardens in squalor  And mechanisms explaining how leaves change their color   Pomegranates bursting early  are the absolute worst  Some days it seems that our gardens are cursed But we try try again, and we dust off our pants, For they say the best gardeners have killed the most plants.   Fifty-two columns, that ain’t nothing to sneeze at Thanks...

Southwest Yard & Garden by Dr. Marisa Thompson Root Pruning for Long-term Health After several years of slow decline, this 11-year-old Arizona cypress was finally removed. The culprit: A severely knotted rootball that could have been avoided if circling (also called spiraling) roots had been properly cut at the time of planting. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Curtis Smith.) Although not official until March 20, for all practical purposes, it’s spring. And we’re here for it. NMSU Extension Agents from all over the state are reaching out with great questions about pear tree pests (Grant County); hugelkultur and allelopathy (Bernalillo County); dying pine trees and selecting fruit trees (Curry County); tree saplings damaged by mystery nibblers (Socorro County); codling moth control, piñon irrigation, and dormant tree transpiration rates (Valencia County); and elderberry propagation (Bernalillo, Chavez, and Doña Ana Counties). My inbox is bursting at the seams with questions about early ri...