Planting Tips

Choose desert-friendly plants that thrive in our dry climate. There are literally hundreds of plant options to choose from, and rebates are available for replacing turf with a desert-friendly landscape.

Summer Blooming Lavender

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Planting, Planting Tips, Pollinators and Wildlife, Summer

The genus Lavandula is a favorite group of ornamental herbs native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. These are sun-loving plants that thrive in hot weather and grow well in the West in a wide range of soils, even compost-enriched garden loams, as long as they...

Flower Fitness

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Planting, Planting Tips, Spring, Summer

Many flowers will bloom longer or bloom again after a short rest if the spent flower stems are removed once the blossoms fade. Wildflowers such as Penstemon may be longer-lived if the spent flower stems are removed before the plants put energy into producing seeds....

Creating Habitats That Attract Wildlife

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Planting, Planting Tips, Pollinators and Wildlife

There are several garden amenities that both wildlife and people find especially important: Layers of planting from tall tree canopies to low- growing groundcovers. The protection of dense vegetation in some areas and open spaces in others: groups of shrubs, flowers...

Low-Water-Use Plants

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Planting, Planting Tips, Water Conservation, Xeriscape

Choose native and low-water-use plants whenever possible. From the low desert of southern New Mexico to the foothills of the northern mountains, there is an amazing diversity of water-wise plants that we can use in our gardens. Whether you want to have year-round...

Rethinking Our Lawns

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Lawn Care, Planting Tips, Water Conservation, Watering and Irrigation

New Mexico is the land of enchantment. The blue- grass state is Kentucky. People love our sunny skies and low humidity; bluegrass does not. How much thirsty lawn is appropriate here? Kentucky bluegrass is a cool season grass that requires a minimum of 40 inches of...

Digging the Dirt

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Do It Yourself (DIY), Planting, Planting Tips

If you’re planting a lawn, a vegetable garden or fruit trees, you may need to add generous amounts of compost to your soil before you plant so that the soil absorbs and holds water more efficiently. If you’re landscaping with native and xeric plants, you probably...