It’s officially time to get your garden on
Hooray, it’s May, the official start date for planting your Santa Fe garden. While cold-weather-tolerant veggies like kale, leeks, collards and Swiss chard could be planted earlier in the spring, the annuals, biennials and perennials had to wait until after May 10, as recommended by New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service. Most of Santa Fe’s hardiness grow zone is 6b, but for those to the north or in the mountains, your hardiness zones range from 6a to 5a. This means you will have to wait a little bit longer, the end of May to early June, to start your flower beds.
But why wait if it’s been warm and no frosts seem likely? The answer is simple: Late frosts can still occur at the blink of an
eye, sometimes with little warning. When this happens, a young flower or plant’s cell wall becomes damaged from the severe drop in temperature, which harms not just the blooms but can kill the entire plant. We’ve seen this many times in April with Northern New Mexico’s fruit trees. While the tree can survive, the flowers (fruits)
will perish, often a disastrous consequence for local farmers. So, the rule of thumb remains: Wait until it’s OK in your zone. If you don’t know your grow zone or have other gardening questions, the Santa Fe Master Gardener’s Association is a great
resource: http://santafeextension.nmsu.edu.
One of the most confusing things for gardeners each spring is the mixed messages they receive from national grocery chains and big-box stores. Starting in early April, especially if there has been a warm spell, these stores start their garden centers early, bringing out enticing selections of annuals and perennials that can tempt even the savviest gardener. It never ceases to surprise me to see not only spring plants but even summer plants being sold so early. My advice is this: If you fall in love with a colorful hanging basket or an adorable six pack of annuals you just have to have, go ahead and buy them, but plant them in a container or a planter that you can take out during the day if it’s warm and bring in at night when it gets colder.
The national retail industry will likely not change its early plant sales (despite several complaints from me to a few Santa Fe grocery stores), but gardeners can change their buying habits or at least be educated with their choices.
For the freshest, healthiest assortment of spring and summer plants and flowers, always go to local nurseries and garden centers first, even if the prices are lower at the bigger stores. The reason is simple. You are paying for a plant that has been inspected and approved by a professional expert, whereas the larger, non-local stores buy in bulk and most of the plants have been sprayed with pesticides and not inspected very well. Another risk, especially with tropical plants, is the spread of aphids or other menacing plant pests that can spread to your other plants.
The Santa Fe Farmers Market is another great resource for local, healthy, organically grown plants. Farmers familiar with Santa Fe’s tricky soil can recommend what works and many farms grow flowers along with produce, ensuring the plants are well taken care of and inspected before selling to the public.
Another advantage to buying local is that local farmers and nurseries will gladly help answer any questions about what works best directionally in your garden. What gets planted on the south side should not always be planted on the north side. Some larger chain stores may have a garden manager to help, but you will get better advice from the local growers.
Carole A. Langrall has been in the floriculture industry for over 20 years. She has floral studios in Santa Fe and Baltimore, was a Santa Fe Master Gardener, and supports local/national flower farms and beautification projects. She does demonstrations and lectures. Contact her at clangrall@gmail.com or visit www.flowerspy.com.