The monsoon rain in summer 2019 has been sporadic. Don't assume there has been enough rainfall to support new transplants. Follow our essential tips on watering and mulching your garden. FOR NEW TRANSPLANTS: Even xeric (waterwise plants) regular watering during the first growing season is essential to growing a strong, deep root system. Don’t water stress new plantings!! BY WATERING DEEPLY AND FREQUENTLY AT THE START OF THE SUMMER HEAT, you’ll save water in the long run as th

Lavender is one of the very best xeric (waterwise) shrubs for our New Mexico gardens. And August is a good month for deadheading lavender plants. Proper pruning and deadheading of lavender plants will increase your harvest of flower spikes for dried flowers and make your plants more beautiful and healthy. Lavender benefits greatly from being pruned in mid-spring and deadheaded in the summer. -To deadhead: now is the time to remove faded flower stems just below the tips of